Above: Photo by Kelly Donaldson/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
What began as an Earth Day celebration 19 years ago has grown into Sylva’s largest festival of the year. A family-friendly outdoors event that will take place downtown April 23, Greening Up the Mountains Festival continues to focus on environmental protection, sustainability, and the promotion of local businesses and civic groups. The idea for the festival came from a meeting among representatives from three different organizations.
“For years I had watched the greening of the mountains, with the leaves turning green at the lower elevation and then climbing on up,” says Joyce Moore, one of the original organizers of the event. “It is such a visual thing! And the best place to watch this changing of the seasons is in the mountains surrounding downtown Sylva.”
She felt the phrase “greening up the mountains” could bring together the theme of the festival. “It really pleases me to see how the (event) has prospered.”
From fitness to entertainment, the day has something for everyone. Before the festival officially begins, the Jackson County Parks & Recreation’s 5K Run and Walk takes place at 9 a.m. Nearly a dozen local and regional country, bluegrass, and Americana bands will play throughout the day, including headliners The Buchanan Boys. The Heritage Alive! Mountain Youth Talent Contest begins at 9:30 a.m. Children can also enjoy an inflatable slide, candle-making workshop, arts and crafts workshops, and other activities in the Kids’ Zone.
More than 80 booths will offer arts, crafts, and homegrown food and products. Festival coordinator Amy Ammons says the event attracts artisans from within the community. “Drawing thousands of visitors, Greening Up The Mountains is also a celebration of renewal, of revitalization by reconnecting with friends, relatives and neighbors. With a foundation of the plethora of fine arts and crafts coming from the local artisans, the festival has evolved throughout the years into a true celebration of our sense of place.”
Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn more, visit greeningupthemountains.com. Preregistration for the 5K is $15 and ends April 21. Register online at imathlete.com or stop by the Recreation Center in Cullowhee. Race day registration ($20) begins at 8 a.m.
