Central Virginians, and curious out-of-towners, made their way to the Southern Revere Cellars in Louisa County for the annual Jack Jouett Day Festival on Saturday.
The festival honors its namesake, Jack Jouett, who is known for operating a tavern that put Louisa on the map in the 18th century and, perhaps more importantly, a dramatic overnight ride in the summer of 1781 to Charlottesville to warn then-Gov. Thomas Jefferson and members of the Virginia legislature that British soldiers were on their way to capture the early American patriots.
Karl Harrelson of Caroline County was this year’s Jack Jouett reenactor for the namesake festival honoring the Revolutionary War hero at Southern Revere Cellars in Louisa County on Saturday, June 3, 2023.
Sydney Shuler
Though not widely known outside of Virginia — and often overlooked in favor of his Northern brother-in-arms Paul Revere — Jouett and his ride are credited with saving the lives of Virginia’s leaders during the Revolutionary War, many of whom would go on to be the Founding Fathers of a new nation.
The General Assembly declared June 3 to be Jack Jouett Day in 2001.
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With a full day of activities in Louisa County for groups of all ages, attendees at Saturday’s festival had a range of food and merchandise vendors, a magic show and a bounce house to choose from.
Some vendors say the community is what attracted them to the festival this year.
Midlothian-based small business Alison Radford Designs sold “perspective jewelry” during the Jack Jouett Day Festival at Southern Revere Cellars in Louisa County on Saturday, June 3, 2023.
Sydney Shuler
“I don’t necessarily come to events like these thinking I’m going to sell out of everything I bring,” said Kacy Tillman, a certified consultant for Scentsy and first-time Jack Jouett Day Festival vendor who lives in Louisa and works in Charlottesville. “I come here to get the connections and it helps me put myself out there. Local orders help cost money and, when I meet people at events like this, they order directly from me and we eliminate the shipping costs.”
During the magic show hosted by Richmond-based magician Mike Klee, something truly otherworldly occurred: an appearance by Jouett himself.
ShadowNPrints, a family-owned, Chesterfield-based 3-D printing company, pitched a tent and sold original designs at the Jack Jouett Day Festival at Southern Revere Cellars in Louisa County on Saturday, June 3, 2023.
Sydney Shuler
Or at least, that’s who reenactor Karl Harrelson claimed to be.
For all attendees knew, it could have been Jouett himself, as little is known of Jouett’s actual appearance. The only documented likeness that exists of him is a silhouette profile bust made by his artist son, Matthew Harris Jouett, early in the 19th century.
“This is my first time doing it,” Harrelson, a Caroline County resident, told The Daily Progress. “I like history, and I’m a reenactor, so it just worked out.”
Richmond-based magician Mike Klee Magic wowed an audience at the annual Jack Jouett Day Festival in Louisa County
Sydney Shuler
Saturday’s event was organized by the Louisa County Parks, Recreation & Tourism department, the Louisa County Historical Society and Southern Revere Cellars.
Sydney Shuler (908) 217-1425
sshuler@dailyprogress.comm
@sidneyshuler on Twitter
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