Bad Weather Not a Problem for Dedicated Fans

Story & Photos by April Hall, Staff Writer

Red Hill, Patrick Henry’s last home and burial place, was host to the Fifth Annual Bluegrass, Barbecue & Brew Festival, held Saturday, November 7 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The rainy Saturday seemed to get off to a slow start, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of crew members and spectators and as the morning progressed into afternoon, the crowd began to pour in.

The festival featured music by Nothin’ Fancy and The Darrell Webb Band. Breweries and beer samples included Sunken City Red Clay IPA, AAW Golden Censer, AAW Glorious Dead, DB Vienna Lager, Chaos Mountain Squatch, Legend Oktoberfest, Legend Brown, Starr Hill Boxcar, Bold Rock Pear Cider and Bold Rock Virginia Draft. Red Hill’s own wine collection was also offered for sample tastings. Numerous arts and crafts vendors were on hand to offer their products for sale and to promote the services they provide, along with delicious local barbecue from Drug Store Grill, Brookneal, Blueridge BBQ Shack, Lynchburg and BBQ Bistro, Lynchburg.

“This is Red Hill’s only fund-raising event of the year,” said Myra Trent. “We receive no federal or state funding to preserve and interpret Patrick Henry’s Red Hill. We are a non-profit organization. We are preserving Patrick Henry’s legacy, his last home and burial site,” she concluded.

     Patrick Henry was Virginia’s first elected governor who served five terms, was one of the Founding Fathers and America’s Patriot. For more information on Red Hill – The Patrick Henry National Memorial visit the website at www.redhill.org .