DARLINGTON — The Lafayette County Historical and Genealogy society will hold the county history celebration, “Night (and Day) at the Museum 2023” from Sept. 15-17. The three day event will be held at Veterans Park on Main Street and at the Society Museum. 

This indoor and outdoor event is open to all ages. Schools are encouraged to both participate and bring students as visitors on Friday, Sept. 15. 

The theme — like the movies “Night at the Museum” — is that somehow the museum displays about the county’s history have come to life and are now wandering the museum, and the park in front of the museum. Lafayette County’s history includes Native Americans, pioneers, early settlers, miners, fur traders, investors, missionaries, politicians, business people, store keepers, theater troupes, circus performers, opera house performers, 1920’s flappers, cheesemakers, soldiers of the Civil War, World Wars, and every other conflict, artists, farmers, milliners, seamstresses, quilters, beauticians, and an expert in Astral Projection.

At this event, all day and into the evening, visitors will stroll the park and enjoy the museum where they can have a conversation with characters from local history, see special displays and demonstrations of historical significance including arrowheads and stone tools, handmade rifles, various types of cannons, and primitive cooking demonstrations. Visitors can also participate in activities of the past including primitive archery, shooting a rifle, throwing a tomahawk, using a hatchet for home construction and more. 

A highlight of this year’s event is a Quilting Bee. As in the past from early America to today, quilting has been significant to the social fabric of our lives. Quilting takes fabric scraps from other sewing or garments and transforms them into a practical item to warm us and keep the bed tidy. But it’s so much more. The shapes and patterns of pieces sewn together, tell a story, with an eye to color and balance that creates a work of art, and a record of family memories. Once the pieces become one large “top,” the work of making a warm cover involves a “backing” fabric to cover the raw edges of the piece work and padding so the quilt will be soft and warm. 

The Museum has a beautiful collection of quilts from various time periods that are displayed periodically. They also have a collection of quilt squares that make up an unfinished quilt. These will be assembled to make a top, by the Lafayette County Sew N Sews. At “Night (and Day) at the Museum 2023”, there will be an awning to protect a real old fashioned Quilting Bee.  

The quilt top will be assembled with padding and backing on a quilt frame surrounded by chairs so that participants and visitors can join the community gathering that is a quilting bee. A time to sit and stitch with friends, share the news of the day and enjoy the company of others, while creating something of value. Thread, needles, and expert guidance will be provided.

In addition to the activities, there will be several food vendors including Darlington Optimist Club, Lions Club, Swimming Pool Project Lemonade, Alicia’s Grill, Lucky Cow, Darlington Police K-9 Unit. There will be a Craft Fair and Farmers’ Market on Saturday and live music Saturday afternoon into early evening.  

The society asks everyone to mark their calendars, plan to attend, and contact the museum at 608-776-8340 with any questions, or to participate as historical character, food vendor or crafter.