The Bush Hill Heritage Festival was founded on the 1986 bicentennial celebration of the community once known as Bush Hill. This year marks a renewed emphasis on heritage with Bush Hill Eve.

Bush Hill Eve — a Civil War re-enactment, food, music, a quilt contest and period games — will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, on the grounds of Archdale Friends Meeting.

The activities will serve as a prelude to the festival itself, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, on N.C. 62, W. White Drive, Bonnie Place and Hillcrest Lane.

For the past two years, Fabulous Friday @ Creekside served as a prelude to the festival, but this year the Bush Hill Heritage Festival Committee decided to renew the emphasis on heritage and include a new name — Bush Hill Eve.

“We have been searching for several years for ways to expand the Bush Hill Heritage Festival’s Friday night presence and to better represent the heritage aspect of the festival, which seems to get lost during the Saturday events,” said Gwen Taylor, a member of the festival committee and chairman of Bush Hill Eve. “So the changes this year just seemed to grow out of that idea.”

Community input from last year helped Taylor and the Bush Hill Heritage Festival Committee, chaired by Joan Rotramel of A Therapeutic Touch, to revamp events to include more family-friendly activities such as the Big Wheel Race. Bush Hill Eve attendees also may enjoy a heritage meal, a community genealogical research display, local authors and old-time music.

Quilts entered into the quilt contest will be on display in the Hammond-Ragan House. The penny votes may be cast during Saturday’s festival.

Bush Hill Princesses again will reign over festivities. This year, the pageant will be moved ahead two weeks to allow the winners to participate in the full slate of events.

“What better way to recognize and celebrate the Quaker settlement of Bush Hill, the place we now know as Archdale,” noted Taylor. “The best part is that folks in our area can come out to the Friday night event, unwind from the week, have a great time in a wholesome environment and spend little or no money.”

Bush Hill Eve is sponsored by Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau (www.HeartofNorthCarolina.com).