'The Waltons' cast members to visit fans in Butler and Lawrence counties this fall

Mary McDonough (Erin Walton), Eric Scott (Ben Walton), Leslie Winston (Cindy Walton), and Kami Cotler (Elizabeth Walton) will do meet-and-greets

Beaver County Times

PORTERSVILLE ― Four original cast members of TV's "The Waltons" will visit western Pennsylvania to mingle with fans this autumn.

Mary McDonough (Erin Walton), Eric Scott (Ben Walton), Leslie Winston (Cindy Walton), Kami Cotler (Elizabeth Walton) along with Tony Becker (the recurring role of Drew Cutler) will do meet-and-greets 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 5 and noon-3 p.m. Oct. 6 at Cheeseman Farms in Portersville, Butler County. The farm will be in full fall production with hayrides, pumpkin picking and other favorite fall activities.

Those same cast members also will host a Waltons-style dinner at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 and a Sunday breakfast at 9 a.m. Oct. 6, both at the Gatherings Banquet & Event Center, at 2552 Benjamin Franklin Highway in Edinburg, Lawrence County.

Tickets are on sale on Eventbrite.com, ranging from $15 for meet-and-greets ($7.50 for children) to $100 for the breakfast and $150 for the dinner. The dinner, breakfast and VIP packages tend to sell out.

After the meals, fans get to hear stories about working with legends like Beaulah Bondi and Merle Haggard or actors who went on to become famous, such as Sissy Spacek, John Ritter and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The cast will share behind-the-scenes stories and discuss what they are doing now, 50 years later.

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While many of the TV show's actors grew up and moved on to other careers, "the cast still feel like a family," Cotler said. "Each year, they travel to regional events to meet and greet fans, share stories and spend time with each other."

The Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning "Waltons" ran for nine seasons, drawing a weekly estimated audience of 18 million people. While modeling the traditional family values of rural, working people, the CBS drama − set in the Blue Ridge Mountains during the Great Depression and World War II − also addressed topics like anti-Semitism, religious fanaticism, book burning, and intolerance.

The program recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and experienced a resurgence of popularity during the pandemic. It remains available on multiple platforms including, MeTV, Freevee and Amazon streaming.

"When we were making 'The Waltons,' we had no way of knowing what its impact would be," Cotler said in an email chat with The Times. "It's 50-plus years later and we still hear people sharing how it brings them peace and gets them through difficult times. The show resonates with people who grew up in large, loving families, reminding them of their childhood. For people whose family situations were difficult or abusive, they say they watched 'The Waltons' to see how things ought to be."

These Waltons Fan Fests bring home those impactful feelings.

"There's a kind of fellowship that happens at Waltons Fan Fests, as strangers meet on common ground − a shared love for the stories Earl Hamner brought to life," Cotler said. "I think the stories reflect universal truths − caring for one another, forgiving mistakes, showing kindness, learning from elders, working hard and finding joy in the simple things that still unite people, even in divided times."

"We were fortunate to have wonderful writers, directors and crews," Cotler said. "We were also fortunate to have a cast of wonderful, talented people and I like to think the real love we felt for each other, and still do after all these years, comes through when people watch."

"The reasons we travel to Walton Fests? Like any large family, it's difficult to get everyone in the same place at the same time, so one simple reason is to ensure that we spend time together," Cotler said. "Another reason is to honor the dedication of 'Waltons' fans, many of whom can't get to Walton events in L.A. or Virginia. Finally, Walton fans tend to be nice folks; new friendships are born as people gather for events and chat with the person standing next to them."

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.