ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — This weekend, the Southern Highland Craft Guild will hold their annual Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Expect to hear bluegrass music, see live craft demonstrations and play with Gee Haw Whimmy Diddles.

What to expect at Heritage Weekend

The 45th annual Heritage Weekend will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Sept 20-21, at the Folk Art Center. Admission and parking for the event are both free of charge.

This Heritage Weekend will feature guild craftsmen demonstrating craft forms like broom-making, blacksmithing and woodworking with traditional tools. For guests who want to try their hand at a craft, there will be an interactive craft table for visitors.

Music schedule

Nine different gospel and bluegrass bands will appear at Heritage Weekend, as well as several Appalachian storytellers, performing for visitors on an outdoor stage.

Saturday, Sept. 20

• 10 a.m. – Blue Eyed Girl
• 11 a.m. – Giddens Family Band
• Noon – Buncombe Turnpike
• 1 p.m. – Jonah Riddle and Carolina Express
• 3 p.m. – Split Rail

Sunday, Sept. 21

• 10 a.m. – Ashton Woody: Jack Tales
• 11 a.m. – Davy Arch: Cherokee Stories
• Noon – Michael and Donna Fox
• 1 p.m. – Carol Rifkin
• 2 p.m. – Nobody’s Darlin
• 3 p.m. – Janet Wiseman and Eternal Appalachia

What is a whimmy diddle?

Another feature of Heritage Weekend this year will be the World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition, held at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

The Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle is a traditional Appalachian toy made of two wooden sticks. One stick has notches cut into its side and a propeller fixed to the top. When another stick is run over the notches, the propeller rotates. The goal of the competition is to make the whimmy diddle go “gee,” or left, and “haw,” or right, through a variety of challenging positions, such as behind the back or between hands.

Contestants in three categories – child, adult and professional – will compete for trophies and, in true Appalachian fashion, moon pies.

For more information about Heritage Weekend, visit www.southernhighlandguild.org.