Clifton Day 2014 Festival Is Sunday in Clifton

Barbara Hutto chairs the planning committee for Clifton Day, an annual festival that attracts between 15,000-20,000 people throughout the metro DC area. Hutto, a 14- year resident of Clifton, took over last year for seven-time chairman Fred Ansick. In this Q and A, she shares some background about Clifton Day as well as a preview for this year’s festival.

When is Clifton Day?

The 2014 festival is on Sunday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year marks the 47th anniversary of Clifton Day. How did it get started?

Clifton has a long, interesting story. It started as a village in the 1800s and incorporated as a town in 1902. In the late 1960s, residents began a revitalization effort that included the sponsorship of Clifton Day as a way to attract the public to their historic town. The first festival took place in 1967 and has been going on ever since. It always happens in October on the Sunday before Columbus Day.

What makes this festival so special?

I don’t know of any other festival that has so much variety. Clifton Day offers something for everyone, whether you like live music, crafts, ponies, wine making, face painting, sampling great food or just being outdoors with your family on a fall afternoon. All the proceeds from this festival go to local nonprofits, including the Girl and Boy Scouts, Clifton Betterment Association and the Clifton Lions Club, among others.

What are some of this year’s highlights?

Clifton Day is the only day of the year when the train stops in Clifton, one of the most historic, picturesque areas in Northern Virginia. Festival goers can take the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), which will provide roundtrip train service to Clifton from all stops between Manassas and Rolling Road.

We’ll also have an outdoor marketplace featuring around 150 vendors from the mid-Atlantic region. Other activities include pony rides, craft demonstrations, children’s activities, a Civil War reenactment, wine making –and a lot more.

How does a small town like Clifton manage to put on such a large event?

We are fortunate to have generous sponsors and many wonderful volunteers who are willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in. Around 50 to 60 of these volunteers will be directing traffic, checking in vendors and otherwise running the show on October 12th. Without them, this event wouldn’t be possible.

Is there an admission fee?

Admission is free. Parking -- which will be available along all roads leading into the town -- starts at five dollars a car. The train ride to Clifton is free and the return trip costs five dollars per person (children under age two ride free).

Where can people find more information about Clifton Day?

The event has a website – www.cliftonday.com – as well as a Facebook page with the latest updates. The Clifton Betterment Association, which hosts the festival, is on Twitter (@CBACliftonVA).

Any tips on how to get the most out of this year’s festival?

There’s so much to see and do on Clifton Day. Arrive early, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring the whole family!

PHOTO: Barbara Hutto