SPENCER – The 38th annual Mountaineer Folk Festival – a weekend of traditional folk music, country cooking, pioneer skills demonstrations, craft booths and more – will be held Sept. 9-11 at Fall Creek Falls State Park.
The festival celebrates the heritage of the Cumberland Plateau with cultural and educational opportunities for all ages. The three-day event kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, with crafts and bluegrass and Appalachian-style music. Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, there will be pioneer demonstrations, music and storytelling, in addition to crafts and food booths. Storytelling, music and demonstrations will continue Sunday, Sept. 11, with crafts and foods booths opening at 10 a.m.
Pioneer demonstrations will include molasses making and blacksmithing, among other time-honored skills. Two stages will highlight music and storytelling, with a number of groups and individual performers. More than 100 craft booths will display an array of handmade wares, including woodworking, wrought iron, folk art, soaps, candles, leatherworks and basket weaving. Tempting visitor’s taste buds, local non-profit groups will be on hand to serve home-style country cooking.
Making an appearance again this year is Kids’ Corner, which will be located in the courtyard area of the recreation hall from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Kids’ Corner gives children of all ages an up-close view of games, crafts and entertainment. There also will be a discussion about weaving wool using Angora rabbit fur.
The event is free and open to the public. Optional donations benefiting the Friends of Fall Creek Falls State Park organization can be made at festival entry points. The event is co-sponsored by Fall Creek Falls State Park, the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Friends group.
Fall Creek Falls State Park, located in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties, is Tennessee’s largest and most visited state park. The park encompasses more than 26,000 acres and is laced with cascades, gorges, waterfalls, streams and timber.
For more information about the Mountaineer Folk Festival, call the Betty Dunn Nature Center at (423) 881-5708 or visit www.tnstateparks.com/FallCreekFalls.