Heritage Day 2012 will be held 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Southampton Heritage Village/Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Courtland.

The Southampton County Historical Society and the Heritage Village sponsors the event for which admission is $3 for adults and $1 for school-age children. Preschoolers are free.

An exhibit at the Rochelle-Prince House on Main Street, Courtland, will feature local historical artifacts. Admission is free.

Mahone’s Tavern, also on Main Street, will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At the Ag & Forestry Museum, crafts people from Virginia and North Carolina, many in period costumes, will demonstrate and sell crafts.

Barbecue, hot dogs, snacks, apple and sweet potato jacks, and soft drinks will be available.

The museum’s gristmill will be operating, grinding fine cornmeal, which will be available for a donation. Samples of hot corn bread, made from that meal, will be given away.

Bill Billings and Jimmy Creasey will demonstrate the old technique of typesetting on the museum’s two printing presses, including an 1885 Chandler & Price. They will give visitors a free bookmark bearing the museum’s logo. Youngsters can print bookmarks.

There will be numerous new crafters this year as well as returnees. Among the crafts being demonstrated and for sale are painted gourds, baskets, handmade jewelry, items that are sewn and quilted, hair bows, candles, floral arrangements, books, paintings, painted rock paperweights, antique items, needlework and woodwork.

Other demonstrations include woodcarving, spinning wool, flint knapping, crocheting and knitting. Other crafts include lye soap, butter and hominy making; cracklings and lard rendering; and rug weaving on a circa 1920 loom.

A local trapper will demonstrate how to handle and tan fur.

Gasoline engines will be running.

Potecasi Creek String Band from Murfreesboro, N.C., will play dulcimer and string music. Bluegrass band Shiloh Grass also will entertain.

E.L. Vann will sharpen saws and knives for a fee.

Gourds, pumpkins, produce and baked goods will be available.

The newly restored barbershop will make its Heritage Day debut.

Exhibits of old blacksmithing tools, an assortment of old washing machines, and more than 100 antique toy tractors can be seen in the museum.

Rick Francis will be at the Rebecca Vaughan House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions about Nat Turner and the 1831 Southampton Slave Revolt.

Civil War re-enactors will set up camp throughout the day and teach rope making.

Other activities include corn shucking, shelling and corncob pipe making, beekeeping and washboard washing of clothes. Antique cars and tractors will be on display.

The 1920s ground sawmill and planing mill will be in operation. The blacksmith shop will be open.

There will be miniature horses and a petting zoo. Baby chicks are expected to hatch that day.

Smokey the Bear will visit, and there will be hayrides, face-painting, animals made from balloons, wheelbarrow rides and a hen house.

Young folks can learn the art of milking a cow by practicing on Mattie, the plastic cow.

Storytelling will take place in the one-room school at 11 a.m. and 1:30 pm.

For more information, call Lynda Updike at 654-6785 or updikes@earthlink.net.