Craft booths at the Sourwood Festival
The Black Mountain Sourwood Festival, a community tradition, will take place on Bank Drive on Saturday, August 14, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, August 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival was started in 1977 to celebrate the iconic sourwood tree. “This is the 44th year of the festival, highlighting the sourwood tree that is found only in specific areas of the south,” says Sharon Tabor, executive director of the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce. Historically, the festival brings hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors to Black Mountain for two days of music and food. One of the staples of the event is sourwood honey, made by bees that feast on the white, fragrant blooms of sourwood trees in the early summer. The festival often features a hive or two, as well, so visitors can meet the makers of this delicious treat. 
On Saturday, visitors can view craft demonstrations and traditional, acoustic music at the Appalachian Heritage Center in Town Square. There will also be a second music stage set up on Black Mountain Avenue featuring other genres of music for both days, as well as storytelling on Saturday and Sunday morning. Cherry Street Court will host acoustic music and children’s stories on Sunday. Both days will also offer traditional amusement rides, a petting zoo and pony rides.
The booths lining Sutton and Black Mountain avenues will highlight the artists and craftspeople of the region. Joey Britt, who has been a vendor at the festival for 12 years, will be present selling hanging chairs called Soco Swings. “People love to hang my chairs on their covered porches looking out over the mountains,” says Britt. “I love the Sourwood Festival because of the people in the area that shop there.”
Food trucks and Black Mountain’s diverse restaurant scene invite visitors to stay for a meal or an afternoon beverage. “The festival brings focus to the cultural aspects of Black Mountain and supports our merchants and restaurants,” says Tabor. “It’s a perfect opportunity to interact with and enjoy the creativity of local and regional artists.”
For more information, contact the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, 828.669.2300.
