Something for everyone at this year’s Clinch River Antiques Festival

The 13th Annual Clinch River Antiques Festival kicks off on Friday evening, Oct. 11, from 6–9 p.m. in Historic Downtown Clinton with shops open late, food vendors, carriage rides, and live entertainment.

The entertainment starts Friday evening in Hoskins Lane Park on Market Street with The Real McCoys, a bluegrass band that grew up playing music together in Lake City. It’s hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Anderson County Class of 2014. The show is from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

A press release said Blake and Aaron started The Real McCoys playing banjo and guitar, and Nick Patterson soon joined as their bass player. Since then, they have played at many local festivals, devoted time to several charities, and won first place in several contests including the Townsend “Young Picker’s Contest.” A regular at the Museum of Appalachia’s Fall Homecoming for the last five years, the band released their first album in 2010 and is currently working on a second album with hopes of including several songs they have written. Their true passion for bluegrass music drives them to make bluegrass appeal to everyone. Their “spin” on the classic “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” has made them favorite locally.

On Saturday, Oct. 12, the traditional Antique Street Festival kicks off at 9 a.m., and it continues through 5 p.m. with more than 90 antique and artisan vendors, antique appraisers, food vendors, an antique car and tractor exhibit, children’s activities, and entertainment. A shuttle will be available for festival-goers this year. Shuttle stops will be on North Main Street at Leinart Street, Clinton Middle School overhang on Hicks Street, the corner of West Broad/Hillcrest and Marshall Streets, and at the Clinton Elementary School parking lot off Marshall Street.

Here is more information on the festival:

• Antique Appraisers—The Clinton Antique Mall, 317 N. Main Street, Clinton, will feature national professional antique appraisers Joe Rosson and Rick Crane on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both will be appraising antiques simultaneously with charges of $5 per item. They welcome antiques, including ceramics, glass, silver, furniture, and more. They do not appraise oriental carpets, weapons, and firearms and fine jewelry. Rosson is an antique consultant and appraiser with more than 25 years of experience and is a co-host on the PBS television series “Treasures in Your Attic.” He has written an antique column in the News Sentinel since 1992 and has written articles for Country Living and Country Home Magazines. Crane, who founded Estate Sales by Rick Crane, is a nationally recognized consultant in antique glass as well as a specialist in porcelain, glassware, prints, and miscellaneous items. Both Rosson and Crane have extensive backgrounds in evaluating estates, including the estates of President Andrew Johnson and author Alex Haley.
• Antique Cars and Tractors—The Clinton Region of The American Automobile Club of America will have a selection of cars on display. The club has been in existence and active for 30 years, founded around 1983, and chartered with the AACA in 1993. AACA is for anyone interested in preserving and restoring antique, classic, or any older automobiles in their original condition. A collection of antique tractors will also be on display.

Duel Re-enactment—Again this year, history can be found in more than just antiques; history will come to life through a re-enactment of the 1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Burr, first term vice president under Thomas Jefferson, shot Hamilton, United States treasury secretary, in a duel fueled by years of animosity between the political rivals and personal enemies. While a duel fought in New Jersey between two national leaders may seem to have little connection to Clinton, festival-goers will learn its significance to Clinton’s history as they watch the duel play out and learn how the town of Burrville became today’s Clinton. The re-enactment will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12, and will be held on Market Street at 12:30 p.m.

• Children’s Activities—Young festival-goers can join the fun hosted by First Baptist Church of Clinton. Children’s activities are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are free of charge. Activities are open to children up to Grade 6 and require the presence of a parent or guardian.
• Saturday Entertainment—
  • Denim and Diamonds Square Dance Club, with caller Terry McGill, will kick off Saturday morning’s live entertainment at 10 a.m. Dancers range from age 11 to 74 years old. Founded in August 2011, Denim and Diamonds is located in Clinton and has a square dance class every Thursday and a dance every second Friday of the month.
  • The band Mediocre at Best consists of band members Kyle Moore (rhythm guitar/lead singer), Tim Gibbs (lead guitarist/singer), and Sam Mitchell (keys, percussion, singer). Their acoustic Americano folk-rock feel is adapted from many years of playing worship music with inspiration from many different artists such as David Crowder and Green River Ordinance. “Mediocre at Best” will perform at 11 a.m.
  • Greylan James, a 17 year old up-and-coming singer, songwriter and guitarist from East Tennessee, will take the stage at 1 p.m. Performing since the age of five, Greylan began playing guitar at 11. His style of playing is similar to John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, and Danny Gatton. His musical influences include Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, John Mayer, Eagles, and James Burton along with many genres of music. Over the years, he has played more than 600 events, benefits, and festivals. Most recently in 2013, Greylan was the featured artist in the Guitar Center June Product Guide, won Best Country Song for “If I Was Elvis” at the Indie Music Channel Awards in Los Angeles, and is currently working on a six-song album of originals slated for a late summer release. Appearing on NBC’s “The Voice Season Four,” he made it to the Blind Auditions.
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    Dalton Gray

    Dalton Gray will round out the day’s entertainment with his rare kind of country that captivates audiences with authentic soulful Texas draw, cutting crisp purity, beautiful emotion, and astounding range. Dalton began his musical journey when he moved to Austin, Texas, in ninth grade. After opening for Texas country star Kevin Fowler at 17, Dalton was sold that country was his thing. He took off with a band after graduation and started hitting the clubs, bars, and honkytonks, and learned about paying dues. The life in the honkytonks showed him that if he was going to make it, hard work and passion were his only ticket. So with that Texas-boy resolve, Dalton set out to record his original record. When Dalton came across a job at Peterbilt Motors, he bit the bullet paycheck to paycheck for two years to pay for his first pro exploit in the business. Now, at the ripe age of 23, with his first national single “Knockout Girl” hitting the charts and getting reviews from national publications that acclaim his sound “a refreshing taste of the future of contemporary country music,” Dalton is right around the corner from bringing his sound nationwide.

The Clinch River Antiques Festival has grown in its reputation among antique dealers and collectors, but it has become so much more than just a well-known antique show. The festival has become a time for the community to gather in celebration of Clinton’s unique character, for old friends to mingle on the streets and welcome another fall to Anderson County.

The festival is presented by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Clinton and is sponsored by Regions Bank, Tennova Healthcare, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, and Bojangles. For more information, call the Chamber at (865) 457-2559 or visit www.clinchriverfallfestival.com.