- This event has passed.
51st Smoky Mountain Folk Festival
August 26, 2022 - August 27, 2022
The traditional Southern Appalachian sounds of string bands and clog dancing will echo off the scenic hills bordering the cool waters of Lake Junaluska on Friday, Aug. 26, and Saturday, Aug. 27 as the performers of the 51st Annual Smoky Mountain Folk Festival celebrate the culture and heritage of the Appalachian region.
Experience a true Southern Appalachian tradition with the 51st Smoky Mountain Folk Festival in the historic 2,000-seat, Stuart Auditorium on the grounds of Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Each night features free watermelon along with an open tent show on the lawn beginning at 5 p.m. going to 6:30 p.m., then the main stage begins at 6:30 p.m. and continues until 10:30 p.m. In addition, Appalachian Smoke BBQ Food Truck will be in attendance each day (Aug, 26 & 27) from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The festival welcomes an outstanding array of the region’s finest tradition performers including fiddlers, banjo players, string bands, ballad singers, buck dancers, and fabulous square teams as well as the unique sounds of dulcimer, harmonica, Jew’s harp, bagpipes, and even spoons. The performers of the Smoky Mountain Folk Festival are continuing a legacy of traditional music by sharing it with visitors to the festival and inspiring a new generation of artists as they swap tunes under the open tents on the lakeshore.
“The festival is about continuing our region’s rich tradition and keeping our music and dance alive. We present the very best of Appalachian music, story, song, and dance,” said Joe Sam Queen, Festival Director.
Now in its 6th decade, the festival coincides with a time when communities would gather at harvest time. The festival has become a family and community gathering of sorts with performers returning yearly to see old friends and make new acquaintances and families returning with new generations to enjoy what is truly one of the finest cultural events of the year.
Main show tickets are $15 at the door, $12 in advance, and children 12 and under are free. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Haywood County Arts council at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville or at Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.
2022 Performers List
*Lineup could change without notice*
The Early outside open tent shows includes:
Bean Sidhe, a great Celtic Band, Sadie Wicker and Friends, Don Pedi, a fabulous dulcimer player, The Trantham Family, and others.
August 26th Performers on the Main Stage include:
The Stony Creek Boys, Don Pedi, Shelia Kay Adams, The Green Valley Cloggers, The Haywood Ramblers, with Travis Stewart and Cary Fridley, The J Creek Cloggers, William Ritter and Friends, Frank Lee & Friends, Mack Snoderly and Flave Heart, Ginny McAfee, and others
August 27th Performers on the Main stage include:
Whitewater Bluegrass, Honey Holler, Cary Arrowood, The Montreat Scottish Pipes & Drums, Lorrain Conard and Ray Chesna, The Southern Appalachian Cloggers, Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth, Marty Lewis and Son’s of Ralph, The Baily Mountain Cloggers, Brook Buckner and Friends, The Trantham Family, Donna Ray Norton, and we are hoping Phil and Gay Johnson, The Green Grass Cloggers and The Cole Mountain Cloggers will play one night or the other.
