Black Walnut Festival: A Day Out in Bethania

What is Bethania?

In 1759, settlers founded Bethania as a self-sufficient farming community for both Moravian and non-Moravian families. The settlers designed the town to withstand the challenges of the French and Indian Wars, and it has since evolved into a unique historical site. Today, Bethania serves as North Carolina’s only remaining European-style “open field” agricultural village and holds the distinction of being the first planned community in Wachovia.

Where is Bethania?

The small town nestles in Forsyth County, just 10 miles (16 km) northwest of downtown Winston-Salem. Surrounded by the city limits of Winston-Salem, this charming town provides a glimpse into the region’s rich agricultural heritage.

Click here to read more about the town from the official Town of Bethania website.

What is a Black Walnut?

North Americans have long appreciated the Eastern black walnut for its distinctive, edible nuts. These nuts, enclosed in a hard green husk, boast a rich flavor that’s popular in baking, cooking, and as a snack.

Getting to the Black Walnut Festival

The festival will be held on September 21st from 10am to 4pm.
Parking is available at Bethania Moravian Church with free shuttle service from the church to the visitor center. There will be arts, music, crafts, and fun!

The address of the festival is:
5393 Ham Horton Lane
Bethania, NC

I attended the Black Walnut Festival today and was surprised by the massive turnout. Even arriving at 10 AM, I found the parking lot already full.

The festival area was bustling with vendors selling everything from handmade crafts to local honey and jewelry. There were also several food vendors and even a Foothills Brewing tent.

While I was there, I took some time to explore the visitor center and the Wolf-Moser house to learn more about the local history.

Using my byAcre rollator, I managed to walk around the festival for about an hour. Unfortunately, the heat and lack of other activities made it difficult to stay longer. I did notice a section where people were gathered, but I couldn’t figure out what was going on there.

Overall, while the festival was enjoyable, I wish there had been a little more focus on the reason for the festival; black walnuts.

Amilee

Next weekend, I’ll be going to the Bethabara Park Apple Festival!!