Ozark National Scenic Riverways is hosting the “Alley-clipse” and cultural skills demonstrations from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14.
Persons attending can witness a partial eclipse. The park will provide free eclipse glasses. The partial eclipse begins at 10:30 a.m. and peaks at noon, eventually ending around 1:30 p.m. Persons should bring a lawn chair.
As the partial eclipse passes overhead, demonstrators will show off skills of yesteryear. Cultural demonstrations include blacksmithing, moonshining, chair caning, lye soap making, broom making and candle making. Visitors can try their hand at candle dipping (while supplies last), rope making, corn shelling and grinding, and walking on old-fashioned stilts.
“These presentations serve as a window into past Ozark lifestyles. Due to the rugged landscape and long distance from cities, settlers had to make many goods themselves. Self-sustainability was crucial to survival. As you visit Alley Spring, think about innovations that made frontier life possible, such as the water-powered mill,” according to a news release.
Persons can stop by Alley Mill, Alley General Store and Storys Creek School. Grounds will be decorated in the traditional fall festive spirit, with pumpkins, scarecrows, mums and corn stalks. It will provide a backdrop for photos.
It is also the weekend for the 55th annual Scenic Riverways Arts and Crafts Show at Eminence, where food is available.
Alley Spring is five miles west of Eminence on Highway 106. For more information, call 573-226-3945, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ozar.