Live Mountain Music and Concerts This Weekend

Date:      July 29, 2016 
NC City:  WEST JEFFERSON  
Event:     Backstreet Park Summer Concert Series  FREE summer concert series held  from May/June - August, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM, every 3rd and 4th Friday. Bring your chair, blanket or picnic and enjoy the sounds of traditional, old time, and bluegrass music for ages.  Rain locations: the Farmer's Market or the Ashe Arts Center. This concert features Mountain Laurels.

Date:      July 29, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     Music on the River   Open-air musical performances by the river Friday and Saturday evenings in downtown Cherokee. Performances include rock n’ roll, blues, jazz, gospel and country, and are staged near local eateries, shopping, and downtown water features with room to dance along.  

Date:      July 29, 2016
NC City:  SYLVA 
Events:   Concerts on the Creek -   Darren Nicholson Band    Live concerts held every Friday night between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day. The free outdoor performances take place at the Bridge Park Pavilion beside Scott Creek in downtown Sylva on Fridays from 7:30-9:30 PM. All shows are family-friendly, drawing diverse audiences comprised of locals and visitors alike.

Date:      July 29, 2016
NC City:  HENDERSONVILLE
Event:     Music on Main Street   A Social Function  The annual Music On Main Street concert series will be held every Friday evening from June through August. Music On Main Street showcases a diverse lineup of musical talents, from jazz, pop, oldies, rock, to contemporary music with room to dance. There will also be a classic car show sponsored by the Hendersonville Antique Car Club.  Bring a chair and enjoy the music from 7 PM - 9 PM. Admission is FREE.

Date:      July 30, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     Music on the River   Open-air musical performances by the river Friday and Saturday evenings in downtown Cherokee. Performances include rock n’ roll, blues, jazz, gospel and country, and are staged near local eateries, shopping, and downtown water features with room to dance along.  

Date:      July 30, 2016
NC City:  ROBBINSVILLE
Event:     An Appalachian Evening - Balsam Range    This annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time mountain music by award-winning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family. Rich in cultural heritage, An Appalachian Evening continues to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.      

Date:      July 30, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Performance:  A Midsummer Night's Dream.    Benjamin Britten's adaptation of Shakespeare's classic, featuring BMC alumnus and world-renowned countertenor David Daniels in the role of Oberon. Ticket holders may attend a free Pre-Opera Talk in Scott Commons beginning one hour before the performance

Date:      July 30, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Performance:  Dvořák in America Festival: New World Symphony. Dvorák's final symphony is the centerpiece of a multimedia program hosted by Joseph Horowitz, providing the dramatic finale to BMC's Dvorák in America Festival. Ticket holders may attend a free Pre-Concert Talk in Thomas Hall, which begins one hour before the performance.

Date:      July 30, 2016
NC City:  Just north of Boone in Galax VA
Event:     Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - Bill and the Belles & the South Carolina Broadcasters    The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts

 

Date:       July 30 - 31, 2016
NC City:   ASHEVILLE
Event:     Annual LEAF Downtown AVL   Celebrate community, creativity, diversity, and family in the heart of downtown Asheville in Pack Square Park. Enjoy two days filled with music, art, workshops, great food and drinks and a variety of family activities all with an emphasis on local talent. Event hours are 8/1, Noon - 10 PM and 8/2 10 AM - 6 PM. The 5K LEAF Art Dash begins at 9 AM and travels through downtown and surrounding areas while roaming artists perform on the sidelines.   

Date:      July 31, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Performance:  Supersonic. BMC's percussion students and faculty don't miss a beat in this energetic concert. Free Event

Date:      July 31, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Performance: Soloists of Tomorrow.   A perennial audience favorite, featuring the winners of the Jan and Beattie Wood Concert Competition. Celebrate BMC's mission as we shine a spotlight on some of our most talented young musicians. Ticket holders may attend The PreConcert, a free recital in Thomas Hall, which begins one hour before the performance. 

   

  

Veterans Services of the Carolinas Wins American Legion Outreach Award

July, 2016 - Veterans Services of the Carolinas (VSC), a division of Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM), recently won the North Carolina American Legion’s Homeless Veterans Outreach award for its work with homeless veterans in Western North Carolina.

Veterans Services of the Carolinas serves annually more than 500 homeless veterans in 26 western North Carolina counties through rapid rehousing and homeless prevention services as well as employment and training opportunities to prepare participants for career-level jobs.

The ministry works in collaboration with the Veterans Restoration Quarters (VRQ) and Steadfast House, which are ABCCM’s transitional living facilities for homeless male and female veterans, respectively. The American Legion award recognizes their collective impact on the lives of homeless veterans across North Carolina.

Get more information HERE.

Blue Ridge Music Trails Upcoming Mountain Concerts

July 30, 2016
NC City:  Just north of Boone in Galax VA
Event:     Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - Bill and the Belles & the South Carolina Broadcasters    The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts.

August 4, 2016
NC City:  Asheville NC
Event:      Balsam Range & Tellico perform at Highlands Brewing Company.  Enjoy an evening of incredible Bluegrass.  The Pre-show fun begins at 4:00 PM in the meadow with a celebrity chef and your chance to tour.....Jam in the Van.  

This events is part of Feast to the Beat National road trip series. Feast to the Beat with Blue Ridge National Heritage Area benefiting Blue Ridge Music Trails of NC. Feast to the Beat national road trip tour offers a great opportunity to enjoy some of our most treasured National Parks in a whole new way. At each stop the public is invited to enjoy great music and food along with special activations from local and national sponsors. Each event stop highlights the local area’s culture and history, showcasing the best in food, drink, music and arts.


August 5, 2016
NC City:  Asheville NC
Event:     Musical Celebration of 100 years of National Parks at The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center.  A fun filled day with celebrity chefs Ally Phillips and Arlene Cotler cookin' up tempting taste treats  AND music rockin' Jam in the Van.  Music lovers and casual listeners alike will have an up-close and personal experience with the solar-powered mobile recording studio. Catch the behind-the-scenes action on large screen monitors.  

Bands to be featured: Stop Light Observations,  The Fritz,  Aaron Woody Wood,  The Broadcast,  Tellico.

Learn more about upcoming and ongoing music in the mountains at The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.

 

Folkmoot 2016 Begins this Week in Western North Carolina

July 21 - 31, 2016    Folkmoot 2016  Folkmoot USA, North Carolina’s Official International Folk Festival, will kick off this summer’s celebration  at the  Stompin’ Ground in Maggie Valley with the Folkmoot Gala and Performance for Friends of Folkmoot, donors and sponsors. 

Following the Gala  performances open to the general public begin with The Folkmoot Parade of Nations, a feast of swirling color and excitement, on North Main Street In Waynesville NC and finishing at the historic Haywood County Courthouse. Additional performances and events are held in a variety of WNC cities though the 31st. A complete schedule is listed online.

For over three decades, Folkmoot has filled the Mountains with dancers from around the globe who share from their lands rich cultural traditions and, in return, learn and take home the equally rich and unique cultural traditions of the beloved mountains.

Many Cultures Kid’s Carnival is a new event for Folkmoot, set for Saturday, July 23 from 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the field adjacent to the Folkmoot Friendship Center, 112 Virginia Avenue, Waynesville. This event will include a variety of local organizations and clubs hosting booths with cultural themes including games and crafts. Folkmoot’s international performers will also be sharing their own culture through dance lessons for the children. To top off this amazing event the visiting dance troupes will perform three shows – 1 PM., 2 PM and 3 PM – in Folkmoot’s newly renovated Sam Love Queen Auditorium. Each performance will include two groups and will cost $10 for adults and $5 for kids with a $30 cap for larger families.

Ambassadors Day Cherokee, another new event for Festival 2016, in which the Cherokee people or Tsalagi, will share with the visiting dance troupes and festival attendees the unique experience and often tragic but ultimately victorious history of the Cherokee people. The Cherokee culture and traditions are among the very richest offerings Western Carolina has to the rest of the world.

Events and Festivals this Weekend in the Mountains

July 15 - 16, 2016 
NC City:  BANNER ELK 
Event:     Annual Fine Art & Master Crafts Festival in July  This juried festival has been serving the community with a unique array of art for over 24 years. Enjoy an eclectic gathering of mountain and international fine artists and master crafters, plus great food and family fun.  

July 15 - 16, 2015
NC City:  SPARTA
Event:    Alleghany Fiddler's Convention   Traditional mountain music that is sure to get your toes tappin’. 40 to 60 bands and over 200 individual compete each year,  The convention is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the Alleghany County Fairgrounds with sites available for camping. The convention is held every year on the weekend of the third Saturday in July.

photo courtesy of Alleghany Fiddlers Convention

 July 15 - 16, 2015
NC City:  Spruce Pine
Event:     Spruce Pine BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival  The event features a sanctioned professional BBQ competition, a wings contest, public tastings, live bluegrass music, a cornhole tournament, championship clogging teams, craft vendors, BBQ equipment and supplies vendors, local food vendors, the Spruce Pine Skedaddle 5K and Fun Run, a kids play-area.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Performance: Symphonie Fantastique.  BMC Alumni Robert Moody and Mason Bates light up the WPA stage in one of the season's biggest reunion moments! Sit back and explore Berlioz's "musical expedition into psychedelia," after Bates shares his pair of electronica compositions that take "open-eared listeners to wonderful new places." Ticket holders may attend The PreConcert, a free recital in Thomas Hall, which begins one hour before the performance.

June 16, 2016
NC City:  WILKESBORO
Event:     Candle Light Ghost Tours   Come out for an evening of tales, mystery and haunts at the Candle Light Ghost Tours. Learn about the ghosts that haunt the old buildings that make up downtown Wilkesboro. Visit a cemetery where Civil War Soldiers are buried, stand in the jail cell Tom Dooley spent his last days, and listen to the stories of the haunted Smithey Hotel. Tickets will be sold on the Courthouse lawn at the museum and at the Wilkesboro Open Air Market the Friday before. Tours start at 8 PM 

July 16, 2016
NC City:  BLOWING ROCK
Event:    Art in the Park   A juried arts and craft show featuring 90 artists held in the picturesque downtown park once a  month from May to October. Some of the best local and regional artists and craftspeople showcase their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and more. Prices for objects, from a handmade postcard to a large piece of furniture, range from $5 to $5,000.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  Just north of Boone in Galax VA
Event:     Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - Carlene Carter & the Reed Island Rounders    The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts

July 16, 2016
NC City:  GRASSY CREEK (near West Jefferson)
Event:     14th Annual Winefest    The Annual River House Winefest includes a Winefest wine glass, tastings from all the wineries, lots of music, and, of course, great River House food. The highlight of the festival will be wine samplings from nine North Carolina wineries: Biltmore, Brushy Mountain, Grassy Creek, Hanover Park, McRitchie, RagApple Lassie, RayLen and Round Peak. The musical lineup is one you won't want to miss from bluegrass to Jazz to soft rock and blues.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE  
Event:     Ooh La La Curiosity Market   An outdoor market in Pritchard Park  featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic, and jazz acts. 

July 16, 2016
NC City:  ROBBINSVILLE
Event:     An Appalachian Evening - Mac Arnold    This annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time mountain music by award-winning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family. Rich in cultural heritage, An Appalachian Evening continues to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  BLOWING ROCK
Event:    Tweetsie Railroad Cool Summer Nights   Tweetsie Railroad stays open until 9 PM on Saturday nights. The park will feature special train show rides at dusk producing cool summer memories for families and kids of all ages. Cool Summer nights is included in regular park admission. 

July 16, 2016
NC City:  HENDERSONVILLE
Event:     20th Annual Chalk It Up   The sidewalks of Historic Downtown Hendersonville become the canvas for some outstanding works of art. The event is free and open to five age categories from age 5 and under to age 21 and over. This is an all day event.  

July 16, 2016
NC City:  HENDERSONVILLE
Event:    Rhythm & Brews Concert Series   Held in the Azalea Parking Lot along King Street the music starts at 5 PM with headline acts from 7 PM - 9 PM.  FREE event but seating space is limited.  Beer, wine and food will be available

July 16, 2016
NC City:  OLD FORT
Event:     Classic Car Cruise-in  Held the 3rd Saturday of every month. Bring your car, truck or motorcycle. Downtown Old Fort, 3-5 PM. A  free Sponsored by Route 70 Cruisers.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE
Event:    Shindig on the Green   Held outdoors at Pack Square Park in the heart of downtown Asheville, this FREE event  was voted the #1 Local Outdoor Concert in the Mountain Xpress "Best of WNC" survey for four years. Bring your instruments, your lawn chair or blanket, family and friends and join the fun eight summer Saturdays. Performances include Long-standing house band The Stoney Creek Boys Bluegrass and Old-Time String Bands, Big Circle Mountain Dancers, Clog Dancers, Smooth Dancers, Ballad Singers and Storytellers. If you love old time Mountain music and Bluegrass this is the place to be.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     Music on the River   Open-air musical performances by the river Friday and Saturday evenings in downtown Cherokee. Performances include rock n’ roll, blues, jazz, gospel and country, and are staged near local eateries, shopping, and downtown water features with room to dance along.

July 16, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     Cherokee Bonfire   Spend the evening by a roaring bonfire among Cherokee storytellers and dancers as they tell tales and dance traditional dances of days gone by. Stories often feature native myths, survival skills, and history passed down through generations of the Cherokee people. Dances showcase authentic 17th-century dress and traditional Cherokee music. Enjoy marshmallows for roasting and beverages. 

July 16 - 17, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     The Tim Hill Memorial trout Tournament    This event is held in honor of long-time hatchery employee Tim Hill. Fish and compete in this fun and lucrative tournament in his name. A portion of the $11 entry fee will be donated to a charity (yet to be determined) to help pay tribute to Tim. You’ll be fishing for your share of $10,000 by catching fish in rivers all across the Qualla Boundary. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods. Register to redeem cash prizes anywhere fishing licenses are sold. 

photo courtesy www.visitcherokeenc.com

July 17, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Performance: Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition Finals. Gifted BMC high school and college musicians compete for the coveted spotlight positions at BMC's Soloists of Tomorrow concert. 

July 17, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE  
Event:    The Big Crafty returns to Pack Square. The event celebrates and showcases the fine wares of over 100 independent indie crafters, artists and makers. The complete line up of participating artists is available online. This is a free, family-friendly event.

                   

1916 Flood Commemorative March in Marshall NC

July 15, 2016 at 12:00 PM in front of the Madison County Courthouse, Marshall NC - The Dam Can Only Hold So Much Water, a 1916 Flood Remembrance. The event begins with a speech by Mayor Jack Wallin followed by the music of Joe Penland and Cathy Arrowood. Marchers will throw flowers in the river in remembrance of the lives lost.

In July of 1916 the "great flood" invaded Marshall NC. All but three downtown buildings were affected and as many as 53 homes were washed away along with two bridges and sections of the railway. In addition to property damage, two lives were lost. The river rose from its average 2 foot depth more than 20 feet in less than 16 hours. 

This memorial is one of many gatherings that will be taking place over this week end. On Sunday, The Depot will be having a talk about the flood.

Learn more about this historic mountain town
on our Marshall NC Visitor Guide. 

 

4th of July Celebrations Today in the Mountains

July 1 - 3, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     41st Annual Cherokee 4th of July PowWow    Enjoy an explosion of  more than just the usual fireworks with authentic Indian music, dancing, food, and festivities. The dance competitions, with more than $60,000 in prizes, begin the excitement and the ground erupts in a sea of twirling color.  Experience authentic tribal foods, browse traditional Indian crafts, and get an insider’s look at a rich, ancient culture. Admission is $12 daily or just $10 when you bring and donate three cans of food. 

Date:      July 1 - 5, 2016
NC City:  LAKE JUNALUSKA
Event:     Independence Day At Lake Junaluska  A spectacular weekend of activities for a family-friendly celebration featuring live music by the award-winning bluegrass band Balsam Range and the Lake Junaluska Singers, a hometown-style parade and activities on the water such as a boat race and family Olympics. The barbecue lunch includes bouncy houses, face painting, balloon art and bluegrass music. A fireworks show over the lake begins immediately following the Lake Junaluska Singers’ July 4th performance, around 9:30 PM.  

July 2, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE  
Event:     Ooh La La Curiosity Market   An outdoor market in Pritchard Park  featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic, and jazz acts. 

July 2, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE
Event:    Shindig on the Green   Held outdoors at Pack Square Park in the heart of downtown Asheville, this FREE event  was voted the #1 Local Outdoor Concert in the Mountain Xpress "Best of WNC" survey for four years. Bring your instruments, your lawn chair or blanket, family and friends and join the fun eight summer Saturdays. Performances include Long-standing house band The Stoney Creek Boys Bluegrass and Old-Time String Bands, Big Circle Mountain Dancers, Clog Dancers, Smooth Dancers, Ballad Singers and Storytellers. If you love old time Mountain music and Bluegrass this is the place to be.

Date:      July 2, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     July 4th Fireworks    Enjoy a brilliant display of fireworks over the Acquoni Expo Center as we celebrate Independence Day. Though admission to the 4th of July Powwow is by ticket only, viewing of the fireworks is free to the public and spectators are encouraged to watch from the parking lot. 

Date:      July 2, 2016
NC City:  BEECH MOUNTAIN 
Event:     47th Annual Roasting of the Hog and Mile High 4th of July   Celebrate Independence Day at this Beech Mountain annual event. The hog is roasted all day to perfection and cut up right in front of the crowd. With music, moon pies, games, and fireworks, this is a family affair that you won’t want to miss. The roasting will begin at 5;30 PM and the fireworks at dark. 

Date:      July 2, 2016
NC City:  BLOWING ROCK
Event:     Independence Day Festival   Free events all day in downtown Blowing Rock including the Main Street Parade, live music, a horseshoe tournament with cash prizes, watermelon eating contest, face painting, cloggers, a sing-along, bluegrass concert and more. The day concludes with a fireworks display at the Blowing Rock Country Club at 9:30 PM.

Date:      July 2 - 3, 2016
NC City:  BRYSON CITY
Event:     NOC’s Sizzlin’ 4th of July   Celebrate an all-American 4th of July at the Nantahala River's Nantahal Outdoor Center with rafting, kayaking, zip-lines, mountain biking, family activities and free live music.  Activities for all-ages on and off the water. The event includes the Outfitter's Store Sales: 20 - 30% off select apparel and equipment.

Find more 4th of July Celebrations on our 

NC Event Calendar