Carl Sandburg Home Summer Plays & Sing-Alongs

In mid-June, Carl Sandburg Home will offer free summer children’s plays and family sing-alongs. The park will also expand Sandburg Home hours to four days per week.  

Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse Vagabond School of the Drama will perform Rootabaga Express! on Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:15 a.m., from June 16 to August 13. Rootabaga Express! is based on Carl Sandburg’s series of children’s fiction, called Rootabaga Stories.  

“We’re grateful to work with our partners at the Flat Rock Playhouse and offer these plays again, after a two-year pause due to COVID-19,” said Superintendent Polly Angelakis. ”2022 is extra special since it marks the 100th anniversary of when Rootabaga Stories was first published.”  

The free 30-minute shows are appropriate for all ages and are held rain or shine at the amphitheater.  For young visitors who attend the plays, there is a Rootabaga Junior Ranger program available.  Activity sheets will be available at the amphitheater after the play and can be turned in at the Sandburg Home for a limited edition “Rootabaga Ranger” badge. 

A series of free monthly Sandburg Sing-alongs will be offered on the second Tuesday of each  month at 5 p.m at the amphitheater. On June 14 and August 9, Carol Rifkin will lead a sing and strum-along. Bring a string instrument to play-along or just enjoy the music and singing. On July 12, Wayne Erbsen will present a fun evening of banjo-led stringing. The singalongs are sponsored by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara. 

Starting  June 16, free Sandburg Home tours will be available on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (4 days a week) at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors will start the tour in the Visitor Center/Park Store, located on the ground floor of the Sandburg Home. Advance online ticket reservations are available via recreation.gov. All house tour tickets will continue to be free of charge until further notice.  Although the ticket is free, there is a non-refundable $1.00 per ticket online processing fee. Advance reservations are encouraged as day-of-visit, walk-up tickets may not be available during the busy season. 

Park grounds and trails are open sunrise to sunset. Leashed pets are allowed on trails and grounds. Outdoor access to the goats (in the barnyard and goat pasture) is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Access to grounds, trails and the goats is free.  

Visitors should follow CDC guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and recreate responsibly.  For the health and safety of others, please choose another time to visit if you are not feeling well.  

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, located in Flat Rock, NC, is open daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Due to COVID-19, some visitor services are limited. For park updates and all parking options visit www.nps.gov/carl.