Time coming to celebrate wood

Grey Towers Festival of Wood: Free music, unique wood crafts, family fun MILFORD — “Goods From The Woods” is the focus of the Fourth Annual Festival of Wood at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, on Saturday, Aug. 9 and Sunday, Aug. 10. There will be crafts made from wood, children’s activities with wood, chainsaw carvings, wood in building, films about wood, music created with wood and much much more will be offered on the grounds throughout the weekend. Craftsmen and artists from throughout the region will exhibit, sell and demonstrate their crafts, all made from wood. Some examples include: wood furniture, pipe boxes, Shaker boxes, sawdust folk art, wooden snowflakes, wooden bowls, wood turning, fretwork and hand-carved sculpture. Co-sponsored by the Pocono Arts Council, the crafts component will illustrate how beautiful objects that we use in our everyday lives are created from wood. Children’s activities include games and toys using wood and other craft activities. A magic show with an environmental twist will be featured on Sunday. The Gifford Pinchot Audubon Society will host a bluebird box building activity. Visits from Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl also are planned. Lectures on alternative forest products, films about wood and forestry, educational exhibits and informational handouts will be ongoing and available throughout the weekend. Free music with wood instruments will be provided each day. A children’s “singalong,” Celtic music, recorders, fiddles, African drumming and Native American music are scheduled. The Pike County Builders Association will exhibit and demonstrate wood in building. The Master Chain Saws of America will demonstrate chain saw carving three times a day, each day. The Pa. Woodmizer will demonstrate “From Logs to Lumber” throughout the weekend. All three floors of the historic Pinchot mansion are open for visitors both days, where a $4 fee will be charged. Visitors can pick up free materials and learn from exhibitors who will be sharing information about such things as reintroducing the American Chestnut Tree, private forest landowner information, tree identification and Forest Service wood technology initiatives. A variety of refreshments will be available. The fourth annual Festival of Wood is intended to be “a celebration of our natural and cultural heritage of wood.” The activities, exhibits and programs are meant to heighten awareness of the many uses of wood in our everyday lives. The US Forest Service and numerous partners are hosting the event at Grey Towers, ancestral home of Gifford Pinchot, who founded and served as first chief of the Forest Service from 1905-1910. For a schedule of events or more information, call (570)296-9630 or email us at greytowers@fs.fed.us or check out the web at www.fs.fed.us/gt or www.greytowers.org. What: Festival of Wood When: Aug. 9 & 10 Where: Grey Towers National Historic Site, Milford Details: 570-296-9630, www.greytowers.org. Cost: free