19th annual event will be held in both buildings at ESCC

Eastern Shore Community College presents the 19th Annual Heritage Celebration Saturday, February 29 from 10am-3pm. The event takes place in the Workforce Development Center and the brand new Academic Building on campus in Melfa, and is free and open to the public.

Nearly 100 exhibitors will participate this year, representative of the Shore’s many talents and interests. Woodworking and carving will be represented, as will glasswork, fiber, paper, metalwork, sculpture, handmade jewelry, and of course painting in multiple media, and much more. There will be demonstrations and several artists painting on-site.

Model trains, bee keeping, local history, natural resources, and a wide variety of local organizations will all be on hand with informative exhibits sharing their interests and talents.  There will be a wide range of activity with something for everyone.  Children will enjoy activities with the New Roots Youth Garden of Cape Charles, and everyone can participate in the popular scavenger hunt for a chance to win prize packages of original items donated by vendors.

ESCC’s Allied Health Program will be offering a Health Fair this year with free blood pressure and diabetes screenings, in addition to hosting the Lion’s Club Vision and Hearing Screening. Their mobile unit will be on campus during the event providing free eye exams and glasses fitted on-site to qualified participants (documentation of financial situation will be required).

The Heritage Café will be open for business, featuring homemade chili, grilled hot dogs, snacks, baked goods, sodas, water and coffee, sponsored by the ESCC PTK Honor Society. Live music will be featured in the café courtesy of our community partners at ESO Arts Center.  Covering a multitude of musical styles, ESO acts will perform on stage from 10:00am-3:00pm.

The Peninsula Tractor Organization will display various pieces of equipment representing their role in Eastern Shore agriculture through the years, along with the Accomack-Northampton Region of the Antique Auto Club of America and the Eastern Shore Cruisers with beautiful vehicles on display.  The E.S. Amateur Radio Club will be operating a ham radio field station, and the US Coast Guard Flotilla will be set up on campus as well.  Allen Bernard will reprise his role as blacksmith for the event, demonstrating his work on-site.

The new ESCC Academic Building will not only be full of arts and crafts, but will also serve as a showcase for many ESCC Programs:  Allied Health, Welding, Biology, Chemistry, and Electronics, in addition to ESCC Clubs and a room dedicated to the college’s history with a photo booth for alumni to acknowledge the years they attended.

With the support of the Eastern Shore Community College Foundation, ESCC is proud to offer this event free to the public, and encourages everyone to plan to attend and enjoy the wide variety of Eastern Shore offerings in an endless number of categories. The event will span both buildings and we encourage visitors to take advantage of ample new parking beside and behind the new building, easily accessible from the highway entrance at the ESVA Chamber office.  For any questions about the event, contact Bill LeCato at 757-789-1797 or email wlecato@es.vccs.edu.