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Chautauqua Homecoming Days, Bethesda Fest is this weekend

BETHESDA — The 32nd annual Chautauqua Homecoming Days and Bethesda Festival promises a weekend full of family fun.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Saturday and 10:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Epworth Park.

Event organizers invite attendees to take a stroll down memory lane and relive the feelings of the days of yore at the historic Epworth Park. The event includes food, around 25 antiques and craft vendors, yard sales, a car show, live music and more.

June Diehl, one of the event organizers, said this year’s event will mark the full return of the annual affair.

“It was canceled a year prior (in 2020) because of COVID, and then last year it was thrown together at the last minute because we weren’t sure if COVID restrictions were going to be lifted or not. So this year we’ve had more time to plan, time to advertise, time to get vendors, so it’s going to be bigger and better,” she said.

A few new attractions this year include a large quilt display shown throughout the park, and a newly carved eagle statue located at the Garden of the Oaks in the center area of the park. The 10-foot-tall wooden statue was created by Jeff Rosco after a large oak tree was damaged.

“One of (the) 100-plus-year-old oaks got hit by lightning last year so it had to be cut, but they cut it off about 10-15 feet off the ground then carved the eagle out of it so it could be something to remember the huge oak tree,” Diehl said, adding that visitors are encouraged to have their picture taken by the carving.

On Saturday, the event kicks off at 8 a.m. with a white elephant sale behind Cottage 74. The youth fishing tournament begins at 9 a.m. at the lake, along with the opening of antique and craft vendors, bake sale and the opening of the Epworth Park Souvenirs. The festival parade will start at noon. Chuck Williams will perform from 2-4 p.m. followed by the Shuman Family from 6-8 p.m.at the amphitheater.

A car show, sponsored by Bethesda-Belmont-Morristown Rotary, will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. Diehl said tours of the historic Victorian cottages will also be held on Sunday from 1-3 p.m.

“Because it’s in a historic setting, it’s a quiet gem and a secret treasure here. It’s a beautiful trip down old nostalgia, early 1900s. The cottages are over 100 years old. There’s 60 cottages now left standing, either well maintained or in the progress of renovation. It’s just as quaint as you can get,” she said.

For a complete list of festival details, visit epworthpark.org.

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