Dr. Carole Nash of James Madison University and the National Park Service will let us in on the fascinating worlds revealed both by the archaeology here in our valley and the on-going discoveries in the neighboring Shenandoah area.

This Lost River Museum presention begins at 2 p.m. at the Lost River Methodist Church (located less than a half-mile from the museum on WV 259).

Members recently gathered to prepare the historic Harper Barn for a new season at the Lost River Artisans Cooperative. Among the tasks were painting the sales counter (clockwise from top left), cleaning the track lighting, clearing dust from museum displays, and washing the windows.

The barn will be ready for the season, which starts April 10 at 10 a.m. Thanks to all the members who came out to help!

The Lost River Artisans Cooperative will open at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 10.

Join us as we celebrate another season in the beautiful Lost River Valley of West Virginia!

The cooperative will be open on weekends only until May 29.

Join us for a drive to the Monacan Ancestral Museum located in the historic mission school house and enjoy a powwow with native drummers and dancers in full regalia, storytellers, and traditional crafts including painting, basketry, pottery and carving.

We will meet at the Lost River Museum at 8:30 a.m. to carpool to the Monacan museum and 18th annual Powwow at Bear Mountain in Elon, Va. The drive will take approximately 2 1/2 hours through beautiful countryside. Admission to the powwow is $7.00.

The Monacan Nation is the most western of the eight indigenous tribes of Virginia. The Monacan people have a fascinating history and are preserving their rich heritage.

To download a registration form for the Powwow trip, click here.

In this Lost River Educational Foundation class, learn about yarn differences, yarn weight classifications and how to choose yarns. Also, learn how to cast on and bind off, practice the knit stitch and the purl stitch, and understand how to read knitting patterns in this basic, hands-on class. Students will design and knit a scarf.

For more, including registration information, visit the Classes page.

East Hardy Early Middle School second-graders will join Lost River Museum staff and volunteers for an interactive tour of the Lost River Museum and learn about the Lost River Valley, Hardy County, and Appalachian history.

In this Lost River Educational Foundation class, students will choose precut pieces to design and create an eclectic birdhouse for their favorite, feathered friends. Discussions on construction, basic woodworking techniques, and design concepts will be covered - all while assembling a work of art!

For more, including registration information, visit the Classes page.

Shuttles will fly, feet will tap, needles will flash, and hookers will hook as weavers, spinners, knitters, quilters, rug hookers, rug braiders, felters and other fiber artists demonstrate their crafts at the 10th annual Fiber Festival, during Saturday and Sunday of the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30.

The Children's Art Tent has become a popular feature of the weekend. Both children and the young at heart are invited to play with a variety of media and objects to make colorful, creative works. For more about the children's acitivities, visit the Classes page.

Animals who contribute their fiber play an important and popular role at the festival. Sharon Musick's docile, friendly llamas will dispel any stereotypes visitors might have about their temperament. Plus, adorable lambs will charm everyone as they welcome a bottle or trot among the visitors behind their human caretaker, Debbie White.

Visitors can drop in any time Saturday or Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., but a Saturday highlight is the sheep shearing demonstration scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and the Deer Spring Blue Grass Band which will take the stage at 2 p.m. To see photos of last year's shearing demonstration, click here.

While attending the Fiber Festival, visitors are also invited to browse in the Lost River Artisans Cooperative gallery, featuring crafts handmade by more than 50 craftspeople, and to visit the Lost River Museum, including its display of traditional spinning and weaving equipment.

Some of the museum's pieces were originally used by the Valley's beloved Tusing sisters, and the display includes some of the beautiful works they created at their mountaintop home.

The Lost River Museum features area tools and artifacts, representing 250 years of rural Lost River Valley homesteading, but this year the museum is also displaying a special exhibit of artifacts. "Those Who Came Before" represents the Native Americans who lived and hunted in this area for thousands of years. See the Museum page to learn more about this special exhibit.

The Fiber Festival, jointly sponsored by the Lost River Artisans Cooperative and Lost River Museum, is located on WV 259 seven miles south of Baker and seven miles north of Mathias, WV.

With the start of summer, the cooperative and museum will shift to their summer schedules, open Thursday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cooperative will be open Monday, May 31.

In this Lost River Educational Foundation class, explore the world of reeds and learn basket-weaving skills while creating a heart basket. Students will weave with natural and dyed reeds and learn basic weaving skills, including twining, splicing reeds together and finishing the basket with a flat, oval rim.

For more, including registration information, visit the Classes page.

In this Lost River Educational Foundation class, learn about different kinds of reeds, as well as measuring, soaking, splicing, and weaving techniques while creating a masterpiece. Bring your favorite pie recipe to share.

For more, including registration information, visit the Classes page.

Native Arts Weekend with Bob Berg -- Atlatl demonstration and class

Sponsored by the Lost River Museum, see a demonstration of the throwing stick or atlatl (at-lau-til) to see how our native Americans really hunted, from 10 a.m.to noon. You will be invited to try it and see if you could bring down a bear at 40 yards. The morning demonstration is free to the public.

Later that day, a workshop is being offered so participants can learn to make an atlatl and dart. The workshop begins at 1:30 p.m. Class is limited to 10. Pre-registration is required by Monday, June 21. $60 includes all materials.

For more about the Native Arts Weekend, including a downloadable registration form for the atlatl workshop, visit the Museum page.

Native Arts Weekend with Bob Berg -- Cord and flint demonstrations

Sponsored by the Lost River Museum, see a demonstration of how our Native Americans made cord out of plant fibers from 10 a.m. -12 noon.

Also, a demonstration of flint knapping to show how they made spear points, arrowheads, knives, scrapers and other tools and how an understanding of this technology helps us to understand "Those Who Came Before."

For more about the Native Arts Weekend, visit the Museum page.

Live music, craft demonstrations

The Valley's own Dave Gant and The Deer Spring Band return to the cooperative lawn on Saturday afternoon, July 3, as cooperative members gather to share their crafts and celebrate the country's birth.

The band will begin its performance at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon.

We follow that on Sunday, July 4, with a special musical celebration of Independence Day, as well-known musician and vocalist Lizbeth Flood will perform a selection of patriotic songs, as well as some of her other pieces.

Lizbeth's set will run from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Plus, craft demonstrations are planned during the holiday weekend.