Mountain Heritage Day

Enjoy one of the top events in the Southeast with food and craft vendors, family-friendly activities, interactive kids area, along with performances and demonstrations celebrating the Southern Appalachian mountain culture.

General Activities

Festival Activities - Discover all our vendors for this year including the juried arts and crafts show, food vendors, and local non-profit organizations. There are over 100 vendors with thousands of unique items to choose from.

Kids Activities - Family fun for all ages! Take a wagon ride, learn traditional crafts, try your hand at old-time mountain skills, learn new dances and more. Be sure to stop by the Children's Tent for activities.

Cherokee Games - One of the most important elements of Mountain Heritage Day is the influence and culture of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The annual stickball demonstration is a highly ritualized contest you won't want to miss.

Andy Shaw Ford Classic Car Show - They just don't make them like they used to! Showcase your classic automobile (25 years or older) in Mountain Heritage Day's Andy Shaw Ford Classic Car Show. Visitors can stroll amongst the beautiful machines and cast votes for their favorites.

Music - Bluegrass, Acoustic, Old-Time, Roots, Country, Mountain Swing, and Gospel, just to name a few. With two stages and dozens of performers, you'll want to dance the day away.

5K Race - The 5k Race is organized and hosted by the students at Western Carolina University Sport Management program. The money that is raised will go to help fund the Sport Management Association Scholarship.

McNeely’s Chainsaw Competition - Try your hand at this activity! The competition will be carried out in five categories: Homeowner, Box Stock, Stock Appearing, and Open.

Schedule Of Events:

Ingles Blue Ridge Stage and Front Porch

10:00 A.M. - Travis Stuart and Deb Shebish (Blue Ridge Stage)
10:45 A.M. - Deitz Family (Front Porch)
11:15 A.M. - Whitewater Bluegrass Co. (Blue Ridge Stage)
12:00 P.M. - Blue Ridge Cloggers (Blue Ridge Stage)
12:15 P.M. - Mountain Heritage Award (Blue Ridge Stage)
12:30 P.M. - Phil and Gaye Johnson (Front Porch)
1:00 P.M. - Sister Sadie [MHD Daytime Headliner] (Blue Ridge Stage)
2:00 P.M. - Bailey Mountain Cloggers (Blue Ridge Stage)
2:15 P.M. - Traditional Dance Showcase (Front Porch)
2:45 P.M. - Balsam Range (Blue Ridge Stage)
3:45 P.M. - Green Grass Cloggers (Blue Ridge Stage)

The Bear Lake Reserve Family Circle Stage

10:00 A.M. - Sacred Harp Shape Note Set
10:45 A.M - Junior Appalachian Musicians with Blue Ridge JAM and Jackson County JAM
11:30 A.M - Christian Harmony Shape Note Set
12:15 P.M. - Jackson County 4-H Presentation
12:45 P.M. - Old Time Circle with Phil Jamison
1:45 P.M. - Traditional Appalachian Dance Demonstration
2:15 P.M. - Atsila Anotasgi Cultural Specialists, Cherokee Dance Program
3:00 P.M. - Davy Arch, Cherokee Storyteller

First Bank Stickball Field

11:00 A.M. - Big Cove Stickball Team Game
12:30 P.M. - Egg and Spoon Race / Other Activites and Games
3:00 P.M. - Black Powder and Atlatl Demonstrations

McNeely’s Chainsaw Competition

9-10 A.M. - Registration
10 A.M. - 12 P.M. - Chainsaw Competitions
12:15 P.M. - Awards Presentation

Andy Shaw Ford Classic Car Show

9-10 A.M. - Registration
2 P.M. - Awards Presentation