Bailey Mountain Cloggers. Photo courtesy of Western Carolina University
Mountain Heritage Day takes place on the campus of Western Carolina University, in Cullowhee, on Saturday, September 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival began in 1974 and has since been named a “Top 20” event in the southeast.
“A lot of different elements combine to create a great festival that is also part homecoming and part introduction to mountain culture,” says Mountain Heritage Center education specialist Peter Koch. “We’re in the heart of the mountains so the setting is a plus, and we have wonderful students helping, along with so many people across the university, all of whom provide such a positive energy.”
Cherokee stickball. Photo courtesy of Western Carolina University
The event features live performances of clogging, bluegrass, shape note singing and acoustic music on two stages. Becky Buller Band and Mountain Heart will be the headline musical acts this year. Performers also include Ann Miller Woodford, sharing African American history and stories, and Sparky Rucker’s Mountain Voices storytelling. A community square dance takes place at 4 p.m.
Mountain heritage skills, crafts and historical demonstrations include Cherokee basketry, woodcarving and flint knapping; corn husk crafts; natural dyeing and spinning; quilt making; corn grinding; horse and mule wagon rides; hit-and-miss engine demonstrations; a blacksmithing demonstration; and two coppersmiths carrying on the centuries-old tradition of Native American copper work.
“Luckily, we are able to get musicians and demonstrators with tremendous skills and talents that want to share what they know with the public,” says Koch. “They come from various locations in WNC, but each has deep knowledge in their particular craft, learned through direct instruction and observation with practitioners who were masters at their skill and also often family members.”
More than 130 arts and crafts vendors will be on hand with creations ranging from furniture and jewelry to leather goods and metalwork. A variety of festival foods, including fry bread, kettle corn, homemade ice cream, funnel cakes and barbecue, will be available. Children can participate in activities tailored specifically to them, including learning traditional crafts, mountain skills and new dances.
Other activities include the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians performing their annual stickball demonstration in a highly ritualized must-see contest. A chainsaw competition gives entrants a chance to test their skills in four categories, and a classic car show offers an opportunity to showcase your classic vehicle or simply stroll amongst the cars and cast a vote for your favorite. Runners can help fund Western Carolina University’s Sport Management Association Scholarship by participating in a 5k race.
Admission to Mountain Heritage Day is free. There is a free shuttle service and free parking. Learn more at MountainHeritageDay.com.
