The event is the second longest-running folk festival in Western North Carolina and was named in honor of Bascom Lamar Lunsford, who was a musician and folklorist who dedicated his life to collecting and promoting the music of Southern Appalachia. Please join us in honoring the rich cultural traditions of the Southern Appalachian Mountains! In addition to mountain music and dance all day on the upper quad, the festival will also feature an open jam guided by master musicians, a roundtable discussion about banjo-player Carroll Best, a ballad swap, and a Lunsford sing-a-long.
This year, the festival will be happening at the same time as the Madison Heritage Arts Festival on College Street, and MHU’s Homecoming, so it will be a very festive day in Mars Hill!