Backcountry Notes

The Virginia Highlands Festival of Abingdon, Virginia, has announced that its popular Arts and Crafts show will have a new venue for 2010, moving from the Barter Green on Main Street to Remsburg Drive downtown.  While the Barter Green has some nice sidewalks, it is mostly what the name implies -- green lawn -- and tends to get muddy when the rains come during the Festival.  In 2009, the downtown site was limited when the inn next door withdrew its lawn from the event, concentrating the traffic in a smaller area. The move to Remsburg Drive will mean a paved way and closer parking. See details (somewhat inaccurate) in the local newsrag. (The entire Festival isn't moving; there already are numerous venues for the variety of Festival events.)

The Virginia Highlands Festival for 2010 begins on July 24 and continues to August 8.