Come Wednesday, two Belgian draft horses named Blaize and Butch owned by Doc Sherry, of Farmington, will be harnessed and hitched to a covered wagon to begin their five-day journey westward from Grantsville, Md., to Uniontown.

The next morning, two Percheron-pony draft horses named Molly and Chico owned by J. D. Ritenour, of Connellsville, will be hitched to a covered wagon for a four-day trip eastward from Claysville to Malden.

The horses and their wagon masters will be among hundreds of people and horses in the 35th National Road Festival, always celebrated on the third weekend in May.

The wagon trains are the centerpiece of the living history of America's first federally funded highway, according to news releases from the festival.

Some of the original traces of The National Road, once called the National Pike, still exist, but much of it has been overlaid by U.S. Route 40. Construction on the 600-mile stretch of road started in 1811. In Pennsylvania, 90 miles of the National Road meanders through Somerset, Fayette and Washington counties.

Local festivities Friday, Saturday and next Sunday for the 35th National Road Festival will feature events and activities in Claysville, Washington, Scenery Hill, Richeyville, Fredericktown, Malden, Brownsville, Uniontown, Hopwood, Farmington and Addison.

Mr. Sherry and Mr. Ritenour are "wagoneers" whose hobby is participating in the re-creation of wagon trains several times per year.

On Wednesday, Mr. Sherry will transport Blaize and Butch, who each weigh 2,200 pounds, to Maryland, where they will meet and camp with at least 16 horse-pulled covered wagons and 20 to 25 people on horseback.

The next morning, the wagon train will head toward Pennsylvania and is expected to arrive in Addison around 4 o'clock.

Activities in that town include displays in the Addison Museum-Frederick Augustine History House from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a 5-kilometer walk and run on Main Street starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. Registration begins at 8.

Food and games will be available all weekend, including a chicken barbecue at 11 a.m. in the firefighters' social hall on Route 40 at Academy Drive.

On Friday, the wagon train will head toward Farmington, stopping at the A. J. McMullen School to have lunch and to give students a chance to meet the people and horses in the wagon train.

On Saturday about 2:30 p.m., the wagon train will travel down Uniontown's Main Street. It will be in the Fayette County town through Sunday.

"I've been doing this for 15 years," said Mr. Sherry, who is a building contractor. "My wife, Wanda, will be with me, along with my daughters, Charlene Friend and Kelly Cole, and my grandchildren."

Mr. Ritenour and his wagon train will be in Claysville about 1 p.m. Thursday. At least 19 covered wagons and 10 or 12 horses and riders are expected.

Claysville activities on Saturday and Sunday include horse-drawn wagon rides, food, crafts, children's games and a pancake breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday in the First Baptist Church. On Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., activities will include bands and an antique car show.

On Friday, the eastbound wagon train will camp at Washington Park and will move on to Scenery Hill on Saturday, where it is expected to set up camp in the afternoon. Saturday and Sunday activities include bands, crafts and re-enactments.

On Sunday, the wagon train will finish the trip in Malden, site of the National Pike Steam Gas & Horse Association. Activities and displays include feed grinding and shingle making.

For festival information, visit www.nationalroadpa.org.