BAKER — The 14th Annual Baker Heritage Day will have a mixture of tried-and-true favorites and new activities. Proceeds from the family-friendly, education event go to the Baker Block Museum to support its operations throughout the year.
The free event is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Baker Block Museum and Heritage Park, located at the corner of State Road 4 and U.S. Highway 189, Baker.
"Two of our local vendors that everyone comes looking for are the Lebanon Baptist Church bake sale booth, whose members bring a variety of delicious homemade cakes, pies and goodies. The other is the Baker Lions Club, which offers local pecans for sale," Ann Spann, museum director, said.
A variety of demonstrations hearken back to yesteryear, like:
- butter churning
- hand drawn shingle making
- rope making
- open-hearth cooking
- face painting vendor
- homemade ice cream and boiled peanuts by the Baker Block Museum
- flintknapping, which is the use of rock chipping or flaking to make arrowheads, gun flints and the like
There will also be demonstrations of activities still in wide use today like quilting, blacksmithing and basket weaving. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will provide an exhibit and information about beekeeping will be available, Spann said.
New offerings this year include horse-drawn Amish wagon and carriage rides by Spirit Stables of Milton; a huge Baker Block Museum book sale, with its 2019 Lost North Okaloosa Calendars for purchase. Also, the Healthsmart Pharmacy in Baker will offer flu shots.
A variety of vendors will provide products such as handmade jewelry; horseshoe art; hand poured wax for candles and melts; rustic wooden furniture; hand woven baskets, wreaths; hand crafted wooden products; local honey and beeswax cosmetics; soaps and healthcare items; and Tupperware products.
Food vendors will have fried pork skins, bake sale and canned products; and produce such as sweet potatoes.
The museum will be open for browsing during heritage day. Get a look at Native American artifacts, turpentine and timber industry exhibits, turn-of-the century agriculture implements, military displays including early Eglin Field, a moonshine still; and tour local log cabins that date from the 1860s and 1880s.
Those in search of local history and genealogy information may also get help from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints missionaries at the museum's on-site library.
"We look forward to seeing all our friends and neighbors, it's just a great opportunity to relax and visit with everyone," Spann said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker Heritage Day brings together the old and the new