Southern Appalachian culture will be celebrated at the Folk Art Center during Annual Heritage Weekend September 18–19. Hours are from 11–5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

This free festival, sponsored by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, features traditional music, dancing, and heritage craft demonstrations. A perennial highlight of the weekend is the 30th Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition on Saturday from 2–3 p.m. Joe “Colonel Buncombe” Bly will emcee the competition.

Learn from area experts about beekeeping, canning and preserving, coopering, heritage toy making, blacksmithing, natural dyeing, spinning, quilting, whittling, basket weaving, and folk pottery.

Musical entertainment will include the polished sounds of Buncombe Turnpike as well as Blue Eyed Girl. The Apple Chill Cloggers will thrill the audience with traditional mountain dancing.

There’s plenty of free parking, access to hiking trails, and grassy areas for a picnic. Spend an early autumn weekend honoring and learning about crafts of yesteryear while enjoying the beauty of the region.

For more information, including a list of participating craftspeople and musicians, call 828.298.7928 or visit craftguild.org. The Southern Highland Craft Guild is a nonprofit educational organization established in 1930 to bring together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands for the benefit of shared resources, education, marketing and conservation.