Dry Stone Walling Competition and Festival Coming to Lower Howard’s Creek in 2025
The Dry Stone Conservancy (DSC) and The Stone Trust are thrilled to announce the 2025 Dry Stone Walling Competition and Festival, taking place October 2-4, 2025, at the scenic Lower Howard’s Creek Nature and Heritage Preserve in Winchester, Kentucky. This event promises a weekend of camaraderie, learning, and competition for wallers of all skill levels. We will also have free camping at a nearby historic stone site!
The festival begins Thursday, October 2nd, with complimentary two-day workshops: a beginner's workshop led by Nick Aitken and Zach Goebelt, and an advanced fence arch building workshop with Martin Beevers and Dan Morales-Walsh. Throughout the weekend, attendees can enjoy tool demonstrations and sales by Trow and Holden, guided tours of historic dry stone structures at Lower Howard's Creek and the historic quarry and structures near Grimes Mill, and opportunities for DSC and DSWA certification (pending confirmation).
The highlight of the weekend is the walling competition on Saturday, October 4th, where competitors will showcase their skills in three classes:
* **Novice:** (Strip down and rebuild 4 linear feet of a 4-foot high wall in 8 hours) - Ideal for beginners.
* **Amateur:** (Strip down and rebuild 5 linear feet of a 4-foot high wall in 8 hours) - Designed for part-time wallers.
* **Professional:** (Strip down and rebuild 6 linear feet of a 4-foot high wall in 8 hours) - For professional wallers and masons.
Lunch will be provided to competitors, followed by a celebratory BBQ dinner and awards ceremony.
**Tentative Schedule:**
* **October 2, 2025 (Thursday):**
* Free two-day beginner's workshop with Nick Aitken and Zach Goebelt (Day 1)
* Free Fence Arch Workshop with Martin Beevers and Dan Morales-Walsh (Day 1)
* Guided tour of the historic quarry and structures near Grimes Mill
* **October 3, 2025 (Friday):**
* Free two-day beginner's workshop with Nick Aitken and Zach Goebelt (Day 2)
* Free Fence Arch Workshop with Martin Beevers and Dan Morales-Walsh (Day 2)
* Trow and Holden tool demonstration and sales
* Walling practice for competitors
* Guided tours of historic dry stone structures at Lower Howard's Creek
* Welcome reception (afternoon/evening)
* **October 4, 2025 (Saturday):**
* Walling Competition (8:30 AM - 4:00 PM, with a 30-minute lunch break for competitors)
* BBQ Dinner for competitors
* Awards Ceremony
Specific competition specifications from the 2019 event will be utilized.
**For more information, please contact:**
* Russell Waddell at russell@drystone.org
* Dan Morales-Walsh at dan.morales-walsh@thestonetrust.org