Spend the summer enjoying music in the mountains
BOONE, N.C. (JULY 6, 2016) - Well-known across the Southeast as a prime mountain destination for outdoor activities, Boone, North Carolina is also an area hotspot for summer music and arts events. A few of the local events happening this summer around Boone are highlighted below:
Appalachian Summer Festival 2016
(Summerlong through Aug. 6)
An annual celebration of the performing and visual arts, An Appalachian Summer Festival brings music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and film programming to the area. In its 32nd year, the festival attracts more than 25,000 guests a year and is one of the United States' leading regional arts events. Local artists are well-represented, and big names perform as well. This year includes an evening with Tony Award-winning lead actress Kelli O'Hara, who will perform Broadway showstoppers and Great American Songbook familiar favorites (July 9), and Grammy winners Pat Benatar and Melissa Etheridge, who will perform classic hits together (July 15). For a full schedule of events, visit appsummer.org/schedule.
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games & Gathering of Scottish Clans
(Thursday, July 7-Sunday, July 10)
Imagine more than 100 Scottish clans costumed in tartan plaids gathering in shadow of 6,000-foot-high Grandfather Mountain, the tallest mountain in the Blue Ridge. This 60-year-old weekend-long celebration of Scottish heritage in nearby Linville, North Carolina, at MacRae Meadows, ringed by nearly 200 color tents, features a celebration of all things Scottish. It includes heavyweight athletic competitions (such as telephone pole-sized tree trunk tossing and hammer throws), bagpipe band parades, piping, drumming and harp competitions, dancing, and all kinds of Celtic music entertainment. There is also a popular open-air market featuring Scottish crafts and food (yes, meat pies too!) and even a tent to help guests trace their highlands heritage.
MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove
(Friday, July 15-Saturday, July 16)
The Doc and Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove is an Appalachian music and cultural heritage celebration. The festival takes place at the Historic Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove, North Carolina. Showcasing bluegrass and Appalachian music, the festival also features musician workshops, the Doc and Merle Watson Folk Art Museum, and local food and vendors.
Music in the Valle
(Summerlong through Aug. 12)
Every Friday night, the Valle Crucis Community Park host concerts as a part of the Music in the Valle series. The concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. and feature local artists and bands. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket and a picnic. Highlighted performers include award-winning duo Zoe & Cloyd performing a mix of original and traditional material on fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin (July 23), and a concert by ClayBank, a four-piece traditional bluegrass band scheduled to release its debut album this summer.
Horn in the West
(Summerlong through Aug. 6; Nightly except Mondays)
The longest-running Revolutionary War outdoor drama in America, Horn in the West returns for its 65th consecutive season this summer at the historic Daniel Boone Amphitheatre in downtown Boone. Brought to life through the stories of famous American frontiersman Daniel Boone, this outdoor reenactment tells the story of American resistance to British tyranny during the Revolutionary War and features famous song and dance numbers, like the Loch Lomond song.
An Evening with the Avett Brothers
(Evening of Thursday, Sept. 8)
Appalachian State University is throwing an end-of-summer celebration with a concert at the Holmes Convocation Center by local favorites the Avett Brothers, known for their refreshing blend of country, punk, rock and roll, and pop. The brothers released their new album, True Sadness, on June 24. Visit http://appsummer.org/schedule/id/the-avett-brothers for more information.
"Summer is peak festival season, and here in Boone we have unique opportunities for people to see and experience great music and cultural events," said Wright Tilley, executive director of Watauga County Tourism Development Authority. "Boone has something for everyone from the hiker to the kayaker to the music lover and the artist - come check us out."
For a complete list of summer events in Boone, visit www.exploreboone.com/things-to-do/events/ or call the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority at (828) 266-1345.
About Boone, North Carolina
The town of Boone, founded in 1872 and named as tribute to legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone, is the cultural and economic hub of northwest North Carolina. Nestled in the High Country region of the state, this thriving mountain town is the county seat of Watauga County and home to Appalachian State University. Located 3,333 feet high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone encompasses a vibrant arts community, bustling tourism industry, and numerous outdoor pursuits. Step outside yourself and find your adventure. Visit www.exploreboone.com and join in the conversation on social media with #ExploreBoone.
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