A blacksmith, basket weaver and storyteller.
A parade, a chili cookoff and the Billy Rice Band.
What do they have in common?
Heritage celebrations is what.
One in Palmetto, the other in Parrish and both on Saturday.
Palmetto’s will celebrate “Beginnings” starting at 10 a.m., at the Palmetto Historical Park & Manatee County Agricultural Museum, 515 10th Ave. W.
The event is free and will include an open house, a blacksmith, basket weaver, spinner and quilter showing off their crafts, as well as an FFA goat petting corral.
Other features include:
Don Thompson will conduct a historical re-enactment of Andrew Carnegie, founder of the Carnegie Foundation.
Storyteller Windell Campbell will spin tales.
The North River Fire Department will sponsor children’s activities.
There will be cake to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Ag Museum and the 30th anniversary of the Palmetto Historical Commission.
Author Merab-Michal Favorite will sign her book, “Images of America -- Palmetto.”
Word of Mouth BBQ will be selling lunch and Alex’s Lemonade Stand will be raising funds for childhood cancer research.
The Woman’s Club of Palmetto will be holding its annual Chicken and Yellow Rice Luncheon for $12 and various Palmetto High School reunions will be ongoing.
Over in Parrish, the 20th annual Heritage Day Parade, hosted by the Parrish Civic Association, gets under way at 11 a.m. at the Parrish Fire Station, 12132 U.S. 301, and ends at the Florida Railroad Museum, 12210 83rd St. E., Parrish.
The parade will feature floats from area businesses, churches and families as well as vintage cars.
The museum will feature a chili cook off among 12 teams, music by the Billy Rice Band, entertainment for the children as well as food and drink vendors.
“This is pure Parrish -- families, fun, great food, everything we like about our community,” said Ben Jordan, the Parrish Foundation vice-president. “We invite everyone, kids of all ages, to come and enjoy Parrish hospitality.”
All proceeds go the nonprofit Parrish Foundation.
Vin Mannix, local columnist, can be reached at 941-745-7055. Twitter: @vinmannix
