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5^th Annual Franklin Folk Festival Brings Mountain Heritage Alive

The Fifth Annual “Franklin Folk Festival”, sponsored by the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County, will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19 in downtown Franklin , North Carolina . Theme for this year’s event is ‘Readin’, ‘Ritin’ and ‘Remberin’.

“Our theme was chosen this year to emphasize what education in the pioneer days of Macon County was like,” said Ben Utley, FHAMC Board Member. “In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to experience what mountain life was like through many live demonstrations from milking cows to shingle splitting and quilting.”

On Friday evening, beginning at 5:30pm at the Gazebo on the Square, folks can enjoy an ole’ timey pinto beans and cornbread supper; and from 6 o’clock until, they can kick up their heels and join in the fun of great mountain music and square dancing.

A full day of Folk Festival activities will officially begin on Saturday morning at 9:00am with the streets of downtown Franklin packed with live demonstrations by people who grew up in these mountains. These folks learned at their parents’ knee: woodcarving, moon shining, basket making, weaving and spinning, and all the many other things they’ll be demonstrating.

At 11:00am on Saturday, there will be a parade down Main Street , featuring Civil War Re-enactors and their Fife & Drum Corps, antique cars and early farm tractors, the Scottish Tartans and their bagpipes, and local cloggers. Retired teachers and senior residents of Macon County will be honored in the parade and will be the festival’s featured guests.

Following the parade will be tours of an Old Schoolhouse, a Civil War re-enactment of the Last Surrender at Dixie Hall, a corn-shucking contest, and gem mining. Folks with a Scottish heritage will be able to research their ancestry at the Scottish Tartan’s booth. Also, constructed downtown will be an ole’ fashioned front porch where oral history video-taping will take place; and, local authors will have book signings.

The Civil War Re-enactors will be encamped just two blocks below Main Street . There will also be an antique car show just up the hill on Main Street in the Burrell Building parking lot.

In conjunction with the Folk Festival another exciting heritage event will be taking place at the Macon County Fairgrounds on Hwy. 441 South. The Early Farm Equipment Show will feature old tractors and farm equipment as well as demonstrations of their uses. A small admission charge will apply at this show.

Visitors to this year’s Franklin Folk Festival will be in for a fantastic time. There will be a full schedule of outstanding mountain music at the Gazebo and on Saturday plenty of “heritage” food, including Shane Corbin’s bar-b-que. Admission and parking downtown will be FREE.

For additional information contact the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce at 828-524-3161 or 800-932-5294.

Entertainment	Demonstrations

Civil War Re-enactment	Children's Activities

Local Organizations	Food

Local Authors	Parade