Dancing And Calling Fill The Hall At Nelson Pioneer Farm
Dancers enjoy the music and festive atmosphere at Nelson Pioneer Farm on Tuesday night
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Sounds of an old fashioned barn dance filled Nelson Pioneer Farm’s Bradbury Hall Tuesday evening.
The Caller, Heather Roorda, along with the band, The Janssens, fiddled and plucked while Roorda called out the dance to the nearly 50 attendees.
The dancers enjoyed 19th Century Barn Dancing such as Square, Round, and Contra Dancing. This is the second barn dance of the year. The last dance was Leap Day in February, in which mother nature didn’t cooperate, with a snow storm impacting attendance.
Larry Linsley, President of the Mahaska County Historical Society, said that holding the barn dance is in hopes of drawing more people to Nelson Pioneer Farm.”This is an idea to utilize the farm more to get more people out here, to get more people aware of what we have out here for a facility.”
Linsley says it’s a good opportunity for people to get out and have fun.
Nelson Pioneer Farm curator Amy Hay says, as well, that the desire to bring people out to the farm is a big reason for holding the dance. “We just wanted people to see how pretty it is here.”
Hay says that they are attempting to schedule one of these dances a month, with the next one planned to happen on August 21st from 7 to 9 pm. The dances are free, but you are welcome to donate if you so choose.
Hay explained that they will try to hold more dances during the winter also. But before the cold weather of winter arrives, there is hope to have the dance in the 1856 barn; possibly in October when the weather will be milder. “What a beautiful place that will be to have an evening barn dance,” Hay said.
Also coming up at Nelson Pioneer Farm is the Fall Festival September 15th. They will also be holding a smaller dance at that time as well. The band playing at the festival is called “New Broom”.
One thing to look forward to at this years fall festival will be a group of reenactors who will represent Mahaska County residents who fought in the Battle of Shiloh. The reenactors will be talking about their experiences in the first person and will set up an evening encampment at the farm.
One other interesting event upcoming at Nelson Pioneer Farm will be a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution that are suited for places like Nelson Pioneer Farm. Even though the date isn’t firm at this point, a winter date is being looked at.
