The Pioneer Museum of Alabama will host “Pioneer Days” Friday and Saturday

with Friday designed especially for students and Saturday for the general public.

“We have registered a thousands students from the local area and from schools as distant as Dothan, Greenville and Montgomery,” said Kari Barley, museum director. “We welcome the public both days; however, Friday is more education-based and with a variety of hands-on activities designed for students.”

Barley said both days will feature demonstrations of old-time crafts and skills.

“On the grounds we’ll have blacksmithing, wood carving, basket weaving, coopering and shingle riveting,” she said. “We’ll also have Dutch oven cooking and, on Saturday, Joe Todd will be grinding cane and he’ll have his syrup for sale.

“Inside the museum, we’ll have a variety of demonstrations including quilting, smocking, weaving, carding and spinning and, of course, everyone is invited to visit the pioneer village and the view the18,000 artifacts throughout the museum.”

Cowboy Bruce Brannen’s Wild West Show featuring Vernie and Southpaw will be back both days by popular demand. The show will feature ridin’ and ropin’ tricks and cracks of the whip much to the delight of the audience.

Davy Crockett in the person of Al Bouler of Montgomery’s Old Alabama Town will also be back by popular demand. Bouler will demonstrate the outdoor skills that made Davy Crockett the hero of every little boy and most little girls.

A Civil War re-enactment group will set up camp and invite visitors to come and learn more about the living quarters of soldiers and about the weapons they used in “the fight.”

“The Little Red Schoolhouse will be open for ‘school’ and the school marm is coming from Dothan to teach the three R’s, reading and ’riting and ’rithmetic,” Barley said. “The Rev. Ed Shirley, Brundidge United Methodist Church, will portray a circuit riding preacher. He will be in the log church preaching and singing the old familiar hymns.

“We have a lot more planned for Pioneer Days. There will be cooking in demonstration cabin and the Adams Old Country Store will be open. We invite everyone to come and enjoy Pioneer Days with us. We’ll be glad you came.”

Pioneer Days will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Admission to Pioneer Days is $6. Children under the age of five are admitted free.