2024 Greening Up The Mountains
The Greening Up The Mountains festival returns to downtown Sylva for its 27th year on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival showcases both traditional and contemporary arts, music, food and beverages. Originally created to coincide with Earth Day, the event still aligns with the goal of environmental stewardship.
Mary Bennett, left, of Macon Face Painting, with Blythe Hopkins of Cullowhee
The festival is particularly special this year, as it comes after Sylva was spared the catastrophic damage many mountain communities endured from Hurricane Helene in September. “We hope that our festival will encourage attendees to come back to our beautiful mountains,” says Mark Haskett, who coordinates the event with his wife Tammy. “Tourism is such a big industry for most mountain communities and many businesses depend on our out-of-town visitors.”
The Town of Sylva has completed several improvements to the festival footprint this year, including a new public bathroom facility at the center of town. The festival offers something for all ages, with entertainment and activities for children, such as face painting and visits with the mascot “Paws” from Western Carolina University. In addition, Jackson County Green Energy Park will offer demonstrations of blacksmithing and glassblowing.
Jesse Boldin, from Green Energy Park, demonstrates blacksmithing
More than 160 vendors will be in attendance this year, an increase from past years, spotlighting a diverse range of products including pottery, jewelry, woodworks, honey, photography, paintings and more. “We open up the festival to artisans from all over Western North Carolina and beyond,” Haskett says. “Our biggest challenge is having to turn vendors away because of limited space.”
The music lineup is curated by Bernadette Peters, director of the Sylva Downtown Association. “We have a great team that works together in the planning and implementation of the festival,” Haskett says. “That team includes Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Town of Sylva and Sylva Downtown Association, Sylva Police Department and other community volunteers.”
For the Haskett family, the festival represents a chance to give back to the community they have called home for 40 years. “My wife Tammy and I love calling these mountains home,” says Haskett. “We both retired from Western Carolina University and saw this as a great way to give back to the community when offered this opportunity.”
Learn more at MainStreetSylva.org.
