Trail Days 2013 Schedule
SATURDAY, MAY 18TH
6am-6pm: Damascus Volunteer Fire Dept. will host their annual Trout Rodeo. For more info. call the Fire Station 276-475-5131.
7am: Damascus Volunteer Fire Dept. will serve breakfast at the bingo building, beside the campground.
13th Annual Creeper Trail Bicycle Fun Ride: Registration begins at 7am at the First Baptist Church Parking lot Laurel Ave. Each person registering in advance will receive a "Creeper Trail Fun Ride" T-Shirt. If you have pre-registered you still need to check in to receive shirts and instructions for loading. Riders will depart for Whitetop Station (which is the highest point on the Creeper Trail, and is 1.1 miles from the Virginia-North Carolina border) at 8am; a second departure at 10am if needed. You will provide the bike, we only provide transportation to Whitetop Station. The ride from Whitetop Station back to Damascus is approximately 17 miles down hill. If you would like to participate in the 2013 Fun Ride please send in registration form and fee ($18.00) payable to B.S.A. Troop 117 by April 25th. Fun Ride T-Shirts will be guaranteed to the first 125 entrants. Registration fee on the day of the ride is $20.00. All care will be taken in loading, unloading, and transportation of bicycles. We strongly recommend that ALL riders wear an approved helmet for your safety. Visit our website at www.damascustroop117.org.
During vendor hours - Games, Giveaways and Special Events each day at the Sierra Designs/Kelty exhibitor area in the town park.
During vendor hours - Free Internet Café, Relaxation Lounge and Charging Station at the Kelty/Sierra Designs exhibitor area in the town park daily.
Michelle "Brownie" Pugh (AT class 2005/2006) will be signing her recently published book, Love at First Hike: A Memoir About Love, Love & Triumph on the Appalachian Trail, in front of Mt. Rogers Outfitters starting at 9am.
9am-1pm: Friends of the Library Bag Sale, held at the Damascus branch library on Water Street. A bag of books is $5!
9am-2pm: Foot Care, in the First Baptist Church parking lot.
9–3: Free medical screenings, including skin cancer screening, in the First Baptist Church parking lot.
9–4pm: The A. T. Museum's "Appalachian Trail Traveling Exhibit" will be displayed in the basement of First Baptist Church by Red Wolf, Museum Membership Secretary.
9-5: "FREE Gear Repair Area" in the camp grounds parking lot.
9am-6pm: Shower units beside the bath house in the campground, towels & supplies provided.
9am-6pm: Ministries information tent at the campground entrance.
9:30-11am: “Called Again-A Story of Love and Triumph” Jennifer Pharr Davis talks about her AT women's endurance record (57 days), and about the new book on her AT overall endurance record (46.5 days in 2011), at the Damascus United Methodist Church.
10-noon: Damascus High School Alumni Reunion at the Rock School.
10am-2pm: Join the Whittling Club at the Damascus branch library on Water Street. These craftspeople will holds demonstration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Watch, listen and learn how to whittle from local artists.
10am-2pm: Damascus Presbyterian Church will be open, serving light refreshments.
10am-2pm: Fly Casting and More! A staff member of the Virginia Creeper Fly Shop will be available to assist in casting, insect life (entomology), and other areas of fly fishing. Everyone is welcome to stop by, at the river bank behind the AT shelter at the Southern end of the Town Park!
11-12: At the Laurel Bldg. - Scot "Taba" Ward presents the recently connected 470 mile scenic Palmetto Trail of South Carolina, which goes from the mountains to the sea, as the first thru-hiker and the guidebook author entitled "The Thru-Hiker's Manual for the Palmetto Trail of South Carolina".
11:30-12: The CROOKED ROAD CLOGGERS will perform at the gazebo in the park!
11:30-12:45: “34,000-miles of Trail Stories” Storytelling session by 16-time AT hiker Warren Doyle, at the Damascus United Methodist Church.
12:00: Free hotdogs in the parking lot of Sundog Outfitter prior to the hiker parade courtesy of Deuter Backpacks and Sundog Outfitter.
12-1: Presentation by Bill Walker at the Rock School. El Camino de Santiago is considered by some to be the "Appalachian Trail of Europe." It is wildly popular, and Americans have finally begun to discover it. Skywalker (author of Skywalker--Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail) walked the entire Camino, as well as alternate routes in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Subsequently, he wrote the narrative "The Best Way', El Camino de Santiago.
12-2: FREE concert in the park by the SONS OF BLUEGRASS http://www.sonsofbluegrass.net/index.html
12:45-1:45 at the Methodist Church: "The History of Trail Days, and How Has the AT Changed Over the Last 40 Years" with Dave Patrick(AT '90, Damascus native) and Warren Doyle (16 AT traverses '73-'13).
1:30pm: Parade participants line-up in front of Sundog Outfitter.
2:00pm: Hiker Parade! Douglas Drive to Town Park.
3:00: Gear auction in the Town Park. All proceeds go to benefit "The Place" (hiker hostel ran by the Damascus Methodist Church).
3:00 -?: 2003 class reunion across the street from the Rock School House. BYOB & snacks. Group photo around 3:30. If you hiked in 2003, please wear a necktie while at TD, old funkier ones are best. Contact Karma at karmaonthetrail@yahoo.com for more info.
3:30pm: Sign up for the Hiker Talent Show at the Gazebo.
3:50pm: Joe “Braid” Liles will kick off the talent show with his famous “Hikers’ Song”!
4:00pm: Hiker Talent Show at the Gazebo (actual AT hikers only).
4-6pm, at the Laurel Bldg. - Shane "Jester" O'Donnell will be premiering his documentary "Embrace the Brutality: A Continental Divide Trail Adventure". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfFz30FQNmw
5:15pm: Appalachian Trail Conservancy prize drawing at the ATC booth.
5:30-6:30pm: “The Appalachian Trail Expeditions” moderated by Warren Doyle, at the Rock School. Find out about eight group hikes up the entire trail, with very high completion rates. Ask questions about the next one in 2015.
5:45pm: Visit the Backpacker booth in the campground for the annual Ultimate Gear Giveaway featuring thousands of dollars worth of gear!
6-7:30pm: FREE live show by OLD NORTH STATE, outside the OSPREY booth in the manufacturer’s repair area, at the “tent city” campground.
6-8: FREE concert in the park by THE FARMHOUSE GHOST https://www.facebook.com/thefarmhouseghost
7-10pm: Free Coffee House and live music at One Way Ministries, with light refreshments.
7:30-8pm: Contra Dance beginners' instruction workshop at the Rock School.
8-11pm: FREE Contra Dance at the Rock School. Music by the Contrarians http://www.myspace.com/contrarianswv. Callers are thru-hikers Warren and Terry Doyle.
8-11: FREE concert in the park by PHANTOM http://www.rlrouse.com/phantom.html
SUNDAY, MAY 19TH
6am-6pm: Damascus Volunteer Fire Dept. will host their annual Trout Rodeo. For more info. call the Fire Station 276-475-5131.
11-12: Trail Days Praise and Worship Service at the Gazebo in the Town Park.
During vendor hours - Games, Giveaways and Special Events each day at the Sierra Designs/Kelty exhibitor area in the town park.
During vendor hours - Free Internet Café, Relaxation Lounge and Charging Station at the Kelty/Sierra Designs exhibitor area in the town park daily.
12-1:30: FREE concert in the park by the CONTRARIANS http://www.myspace.com/contrarianswv
1:30-2: The GITTY-UP CLOGGERS will perform at the gazebo in the park! Visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GittyUpCloggers
2-4: FREE concert in the park by THE DEER RUN DRIFTERS http://www.myspace.com/thedeerrundrifters
