Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Bluff Mountain Festival takes place at the Hot Springs Resort and Spa on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. The annual event — a fundraiser for the Madison County Arts Council — features live bluegrass and old-time music, storytelling, a silent auction with regional items, an artists market and food in addition to lovely scenery. It was created to “unify the community in support of the efforts to preserve Bluff Mountain,” according to a press release.
“Performers include storyteller Connie Regan-Blake, ballad singer Betty Smith, master fiddler, Roger Howell, The Green Grass Cloggers, ballad singer and songwriter Joe Penland, The Crooked Pine String Band, The Stoney Creek Boys, the Midnight Plowboys, and the popular Ballad Swap, which showcases the living history of our place and our songs,” reads the release, noting that patrons should bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.
“This is a great event,” says Laura Boosinger, executive director of the Madison County Arts Council. “For 20 years now, folks have looked forward to a family-friendly day of good music and fellowship. We are honored to serve the residents and non-profits of Madison County with the production of this well-loved event.”
Here is the full release from organizers:
Foot-tapping bluegrass and old-time music, a silent auction of beautiful regional items, an artists’ market, good food, a beautiful setting, and much more make the Madison County Arts Council’s Bluff Mountain Festival a special community event. This year’s annual festival will be held June 13, 2015 from 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. on the grounds of the Hot Springs Resort and Spa in Hot Springs, N.C. Bring your blanket or lawn chairs for seating in front of the stage and in the shade of elegant magnolias.
This year’s version of the Bluff Mountain Festival is the 20th Anniversary edition! The festival was started to unify the community in support of the efforts to preserve Bluff Mountain. This year the festival celebrates a milestone and a renewed vision of community involvement and public resolve. The festival is a fundraiser for the Madison County Arts Council featuring regional and national performers who donate their time to the festival. The festival seeks to showcase local talent as well as performers visiting the area. This year’s lineup is complete with artists who have helped the festival flourish. Performers include storyteller Connie Regan-Blake, ballad singer Betty Smith, master fiddler, Roger Howell, The Green Grass Cloggers, ballad singer and songwriter Joe Penland, The Crooked Pine String Band, The Stoney Creek Boys, the Midnight Plowboys, and the popular Ballad Swap, which showcases the living history of our place and our songs.
The festival is proud to have Connie Regan-Blake headlining this year. Regan-Blake’s inspired storytelling has touched audiences in 47 states and 16 countries. She has practiced her art in some of the finest venues and stages in America, and now she’s bringing her talent to Hot Springs. Recently, the Library of Congress asked Regan-Blake “to contribute the documentation of her life’s work as a major player in the revival of American performance storytelling.” Regan-Blake’s papers-, letter, stories, and recordings will now be stored alongside the work of monumental figures such as Bascom Lamar Lunsford and Pete Seeger. “It is such an honor to have someone of Connie’s immense gifts perform at Bluff,” says festival director Brandon Johnson. “Her reputation and awards, not to mention her talents, showcase the best of what the area has to offer, and her performance will add an exciting new element to the Bluff Mountain Festival stage.”
Artist vendor booths featuring a wide variety of art and craft have been added in recent years and provide a unique shopping opportunity. In keeping with the fundraising theme, most artists will be donating a piece of their work and a portion of their sales to the popular silent auction. Food vendors from local non-profits will sell a selection of home cooked delights, participating in the longtime mission of the festival, which is to be a both catalyst and meeting point for community togetherness, friendship, and support.
“This is a great event,” remarked, Laura Boosinger, Executive Director of the Madison County Arts Council. “For 20 years now folks have looked forward to a family friendly day of good music and fellowship. We are honored to serve the residents and non-profits of Madison County with the production of this well-loved event.” Last year over 70 volunteers, nearly 50 performers, and more than 100 artists, craftspeople, and local businesses made the festival possible. Behind the scenes volunteers are already hard at work to make the 20th Annual Bluff Mountain Festival a great celebration.
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