Webster Fall Festival Filled With History, Art

Visitors to the were treated to a taste of history, art and music as well as to the traditional pig roast and other special Webster flavors on Saturday.

The historic Webster Township buildings were open to tour, from the original town hall, Podunk Schoolhouse, Kleinschmidt's General Store and the blacksmith's shop, as well as the Webster United Church of Christ built in 1834. School was in session at the one-room school, with Mary Robinson and Mike Semanske leading lessons on Michigan's lakes.

In the blacksmith shop, Taylor Watson of Chelsea pounded red hot metal with a hammer.

"This is her favorite event here," Taylor's mother Robyn Watson said. "She came here last year, and kept talking about wanting to go back to the blacksmith shop."

Watson said that this was her own first visit to the festival and enjoyed every aspect.

"This is way better than Greenfield Village because you get to do stuff, rather than just look," she said. "The schoolhouse demo was really nice. My kids are totally into it."

Watson said her son Jacob's favorite part of the day was the craft area, where he had painted a wooden snake.

Artists abounded in the community center, filling tables and walls with watercolors, wood carvings, jewelry, paintings and other crafts.

Jessica Rosevar of Ann Arbor, who was visiting with her children, Alexis and Tony, said she visited the festival every year to support the work of her artist mother, Merrill Crockett, who makes fairy houses.

"We like to see the animals (at the petting zoo), and go on the train," Rosevar said. "It's a lot of fun, and it's in the country."

This year, young performers were given a space of their own to play music for entertainment.

"It's an outreach from the church to attract younger people to the festival," event co-organizer Judy Bemis said. "We had a nice roster of kids who are scheduled to perform."

Professional performers appeared at the entertainment tent, and included Fiddler Pie, Trio Griot, the North Creek Fiddlers and the RFD Boys.

Also available at the festival were hay rides, barrel train rides, pony rides, a flea market and sheep herding demonstration.

Steve Bemis, Webster Historical Society treasurer, said that turnout to this year's festival was higher than the previous year.

"We lucked out with the weather," he said.