Summer plays and special programs begin at Carl Sandburg Home NHS on June 12, 2019. The summer season begins with children’s plays, performed by apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse Vagabond School of the Drama. Come enjoy lively performances of Sandburg’s “Rootabaga Stories” Wednesdays through Saturdays at 10:15 am in the park amphitheater, from June 12 through August 10.
Wednesday and Friday morning performances feature Spink, Skabootch and Swipes (Sandburg’s loving nicknames for his three daughters). Follow them into Rootabaga Country, discovering how the letter X made its way into the alphabet; hit the rails with the Great Golden Spike Limited as it speeds from coast to coast; and marvel at how Hot Balloons and his two pigeon daughters crossed the Shampoo River!
On Thursday and Saturday mornings, Rootabaga Express! brings the stories of the Five Rusty Rats, Bimbo the Snip, and more to life. You’ll meet new characters and journey farther into the Village of Liver and Onions and Sandburg’s imagination than ever before. The 30-minute shows are appropriate for all ages and are held rain or shine. For young visitors who attend the plays, there is a new Rootabaga Junior Ranger program available. Activity sheets will be available at the amphitheater after the play and can be turned in at the Sandburg Home for a limited edition “Rootabaga Ranger” badge.
To celebrate Sandburg’s love of folk music, the park will offer new, monthly Sandburg Sing-alongs. Musicians will lead the audience in fun songs, with lyrics provided. Sing-alongs will be held in the park’s new amphitheater on Tuesday, June 25, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm; Saturday, July 20, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm; and Sunday, August 11, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.
Ranger programs and special tours are also offered in the summer, from June 24 – August 10. On Wednesday through Sunday afternoons at 2:15 pm, visitors can learn how Mrs. Sandburg turned sweet fresh goat’s milk into cheese, butter, yogurt, and more. These farm-life demonstrations focus on cheese-making with recipes and samples for the audience.
Monday and Tuesday mornings at 10:15 am, rangers will stroll the grounds uncovering the history of Connemara from the first residents in 1838 to the Sandburg family. This is a great opportunity to see inside buildings normally closed to the public and discover how life at Connemara changed over time.
To highlight the clothing exhibit “Dressing for the Occasion,” the park’s museum staff will offer special house tours every Tuesday at noon, beginning on June 24. Visitors will learn more about the clothing and accessories on display, as well as the care and treatment required for preservation.
On Saturdays in July, visitors of all ages can get hands-on with history. Each Saturday will feature a different topic related to the Sandburg family’s life at Connemara. The following programs will occur from 11am to 3pm at the amphitheater: July 7 – Everything’s Butter with Goats. July 14 – Archives Alive! July 21 – Books and Banjos. July 28 – Birds, Bats and Bugs. Kids can earn a special junior ranger pin for attending the programs. The park also offers a self-guided Junior Ranger program every day for young visitors to complete.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park Service. The park is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 225 on Little River Road, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Weekdays are less busy than weekends. For parking options, please visit www.nps.gov/carl/
CARL SANDBURG HOME SUMMER PLAYS
