Day of festivals in Mars Hill
The Bascom Lamar Lunsford ‘Minstrel of Appalachia’ Festival will be held Saturday, October 6, on the campus of Mars Hill University in Western North Carolina.
The festival is an all-day event celebrating regional music and dance traditions.
Lunsford was a musician and folklorist who dedicated his life to collecting and promoting the music of the Southern Appalachians. Through his work he became known as the “Minstrel of the Appalachians.” The festival, which is now in its 51st year, brings out the region’s finest musicians and dancers. The festival occurs on the same day as the Madison Heritage Arts Festival, an annual event sponsored by the town of Mars Hill, North Carolina.
“Vendors will be marketing an array of arts and crafts, along with many other locally produced products from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 6,” said Rod Bowling, the festival coordinator. “Local musicians will perform all day on campus. Food booths, always popular, will offer an array of lunch selections. Baked goods, candy and drinks are also available for all to enjoy.”
The two events overlap and intermingle, making for a town full of activities.
The Lunsford Festival features a concert on the Upper Quad from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; fiddle, banjo and guitar workshops from 1-2 p.m.; a ballad swap in Blackwell Hall (Peterson Conference Room) from 1:30-3:30 p.m.; an open jam from 2:30-3:45 p.m. in the sunken garden; and a community dance from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Chambers Gym on the Mars Hill campus.