The North Carolina International Folk Festival

2024 marks the 41st Anniversary of The North Carolina International Folk Festival The festival has celebrated many milestones since 1984 when Dr. Clinton Border’s vision for an international dance festival in Western North Carolina first became real. In 2003, The North Carolina General Assembly declared The North Carolina International Folk Festival to be the state’s official international festival. The Southeast Tourism Society has named Folkmoot USA one of its top twenty events for 20 years. Today Folkmoot USA still produces one of the largest and longest running international festivals in the world. It continues to draw thousands of national and international visitors to Western North Carolina annually during July. Over four decades the festival has remained a consistent and vital part of Western North Carolina’s cultural identity. 

For our 41st Anniversary, Folkmoot International Festival will celebrate dance, music, crafts, food and many cultural heritages.

Folkmoot of 1984 brought outside cultures to WNC to perform and share and bring the cultures of their home countries. Folkmoot of 2024 celebrates the millions of Americans who are talented artists who practice the dance, music of their homes. A lot has changed in 40 years. A lot has stayed the same. Please join us July 20 and celebrate the performers that celebrate many cultures. 

The Sidmouth Folk Festival in England sends its congratulations to Folkmoot USA in its 40th Anniversary Year! 

When Dr. Clinton Border attended the 1983 festival in Sidmouth he had already visited the Folkmoot festival, organised by the UK Monkseaton Morris Men the previous year. He met up with them again in 1983 when they both visited the Sidmouth festival. From Monkseaton, he adopted the Folkmoot name, and in Sidmouth he was inspired by the twice-daily, open-air concerts of international and British dance and music groups. By 1984, he had started Folkmoot USA, which would eventually become North Carolina’s Official International Festival. 

The Sidmouth Folk Festival has changed much in the last 40 years, but the joyous atmosphere of shared cultural traditions continues. We congratulate Folkmoot USA not only on its anniversary but also on its similar commitment to celebrating traditional culture.