The Pioneer Crafts Festival will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 10, at the Pioneer Village, 200 Yaney Drive in Rison. Admission is free. The festival includes more than 20 vendors offering a variety of handmade items. The historic structures that make up the Village will be open for touring and there will be ongoing demonstrations of blacksmithing, hide tanning and more throughout the day.
At 10:30 a.m., the Cleveland County Historical Society will offer a free genealogy workshop inside the McMurtrey House for those interested in learning how to trace their family history.
At 1:30 p.m. there will be a special ceremony between the Mercantile and McMurtrey House dedicating a “Liberty Tree” that has been planted at the Pioneer Village in honor of Cleveland County native and American music legend Johnny Cash, who donated the proceeds from his 1976 Bicentennial concert at Rison to help establish the Pioneer Village.
Country music singer Laura Caroline will be performing before and during the dedication ceremony.