Cove Lake State Park Hosts Knap-In and Primitive Skills Festival Oct. 19-21
Third-Annual Event Will Include Demonstrations and Storytelling and Will Commemorate Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary
CARYVILLE, Tenn. – Cove Lake State Park will host its Third Annual Knap-In and Primitive Skills Festival Oct. 19-21. Free and open to the public, the event will be held at the campground and will begin at 9 a.m. each day.
Demonstrations will include flint knapping, bow building, cordage, basket weaving, quiver making, blowgun and darts, fire making and atlatl. Visitors can also enjoy a nature walk, storytelling and displays taking them through a time tunnel of the past. In addition, there will be a Tennessee State Parks 75th Anniversary cake for those visitors that arrive early.
The Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937, and those laws – with modifications and additions over the years – remain the framework for park operations today. As in most states, Tennessee began in cooperation with federal programs that instigated individual parks. Later, Depression era recovery programs gave a boost to the idea and the possibility of creating parks. The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration worked on land conservation, but also delved further into the actual planning and construction of what would become the first of 53 Tennessee State Parks.
Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in Tennessee. A 2009 University of Tennessee study highlights the positive economic impacts that state parks provide local communities, particularly in rural areas of the state. The study found that for every dollar spent on trips to Tennessee State Parks, an additional $1.11 of economic activity was generated throughout the state. When the direct and indirect expenditures were combined, the impact of Tennessee State Parks to the state’s economy was $1.5 billion in total industry output, supporting more than 18,600 jobs.
“Our vision statement highlights the inherent value of our natural environment, along with the value of the many physical reminders of Tennessee’s past,” added Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill. “Tennessee’s state parks have played such an important role in our history, and they play a critical role in our health and quality of life, which will benefit Tennesseans well into the future.”
Tennessee’s state parks deliver a rich fabric of natural landscapes, wild places, preserved ecologies, outdoor recreational opportunities and protected historic scenes and resources – together representing the heritage of Tennessee in the landscape.
Tennessee's 54 state parks and 82 state natural areas offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families or business and professional groups. State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses. For a free brochure about Tennessee State Parks, call toll free at 1-888-867-2757. For upcoming events in connection with the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, please visit the state parks website at www.tnstateparks.com.
Located in the city of Caryville in Campbell County, Cove Lake State Park is 30 miles northwest of Knoxville, on U.S. 25 West and I-75, between LaFollette and Lake City. From I-75, take Exit #134, travel 1/2 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway and take the first left. For additional details about the event, please contact the park office at (423) 566-9701. For additional information about the park, please visit www.tnstateparks.com/CoveLake.
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