CLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville Historical Society will be hosting its 11th annual Clarksville Heritage Day at the Clarksville Community Church on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m..

According to Janice Crookes, who chairs the event with her husband, the festival was originally an event that celebrated in turn the hamlets of Clarksville, Feura Bush, and New Salem. Called Plum Fest, it eventually was discontinued, and so the historical society took it on to continue the event as Clarksville Heritage Day. Crookes, who is also vice president of the historical society, says she has been with the event since its beginning.

“My husband and I wanted something for our community,” she said.

The festival will feature 33 artisans and crafters who will be selling locally made items, said Crookes. According to historical society president Susan Dee, these include tinsmith Bill Valosin and Partridge Run Farm & Apiary. Dee says the vendors range from selling historic items to contemporary ones.

“Today’s present is tomorrow’s history,” said Dee.

“How It’s Made” of the 18th Century

Valosin, portraying an 18th-Century tinsmith, will demonstrate tinsmithing by bringing examples of items he has made, such as lanterns or kettles, but will also create small items such as a cup or a candle holder while at the festival.

“I’m able to demonstrate some of the basic tools and techniques a tinsmith would be using,” said Valosin, adding there wouldn’t be enough time to demonstrate anything more complicated.

Valosin will not be selling his items like the vendors at the festival, but says that visitors are welcome to arrange to purchase an item on display at a later date.

Valosin, who is an interpretive ranger at Saratoga National Historical Park, started tinsmithing 13 years ago as part of the park’s living history demonstrations. He also does demonstrations at other historical societies and at the Mabee Farm Historic Site in Schenectady County.

Valosin will be dressed in historical garb and set up under a tent at the festival with a wooden workbench and wooden boxes of tools, and will be working with “tinplate,” which are sheets of iron coated with tin. Unlike a blacksmith, he will not be using a forge, but rather a charcoal brazier (“It kind of looks like a modern hibachi,” he says) to heat up “coppers” that will then melt solder that attaches the pieces of tinplate together.

“It’s ‘How It’s Made’ of the 18th Century,” says Valosin.

The festival, which will be held on the lawn of the church, will also host a memoriam to former vendor and blacksmith Joseph Merli inside the church. Merli, of Duanesburg, was well-known for his ability to reconstruct and repair historic objects. He died in February.

Clowns, reptiles, and a car show

The event will also feature clowns, face-painting, and the Schenectady-based company Reptile Adventure, which will bring reptiles and amphibians along with two educators who will let children touch, hold, and learn about the animals.

A car show has become a popular part of Heritage Day.

There will be a $10 fee to register a vehicle, and the vehicle will then be placed in one of five entry classes: street rods; muscle cars; classic cars; pickup trucks; and the new category of imports or tuners, which are cars that have been “souped up,” says Crookes. Crookes says the car show had about 62 cars last year, higher than their average of 35 cars.

“They just kept coming and coming,” she said, adding that there is no pre-registration, so there is no way to know how many will come this year.

The $10 fee will be going toward the historical society’s fundraiser to repair the M.B. Earl store, which Crookes says will soon have a historical marker.

Other fundraising events include a 50/50 raffle and silent auction, as well as food served by various local organizations. There will also be a dunk booth. So far, says Crookes, town Supervisor Doug LaGrange and highway Superintendent Kenneth Guyer have volunteered, but others are welcome to as well.

“We just want the people to come out and enjoy the day; connect with people,” says Crookes.