Folk Heritage of Macon County, NC

Macon County's Heritage

Comes Alive!!

Folk Heritage Association of Macon County, NC proudly sponsors the

8th Annual Franklin Folk Festival

A Celebration of Appalachian Heritage

was held

July 16, 2011

2011 images coming soon!

Trails, Tales and Settlements

This is the theme for the 8th Annual Franklin Folk Festival to be held on Saturday, July 16, in Franklin, North Carolina. Sponsored by the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County (FHAMC), this grand celebration of Appalachian heritage is fast becoming one of the most popular summer events in Western North Carolina.

This FREE Folk Festival features many talented craftspeople proudly displaying heritage skills, musicians playing and singing mountain songs, square dancers willing to dance for and teach spectators, vendors supplying delicious food, and games and contests for all ages. All of this helps the Folk Heritage Association carry out its mission “to provide living history experiences and to preserve the folk heritage of Macon County for generations to come.” Activities and exhibits will be focused in the downtown area in addition to special exhibits at the Community Facilities Building and grounds on US441 south. Be sure to reserve the third weekend in July, and come to the festival early if you can. There will be great entertainment at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts on Friday evening, and Saturday will be the big day of the festival with lots of free events featuring live demonstrations and exhibits, music, dancing, an Antique Car Show, Civil War re-enactments, games and contests for children and adults, and the always popular Heritage Parade.

This year’s theme, “Trails, Tales and Settlements” promises to have more entertaining & educational information than ever about the history of Franklin and surrounding areas. Spotlighted in

the “Tales” section will be popular storytellers who will, throughout the day, be telling stories of the mountains that will intrigue both children and adults. Be sure to stop by the “Front Porch” and listen to our oldest residents share stories about their lives growing up here in the mountains.

Trails of all kinds will be featured in exhibits, demonstrations and talks. “Trails through Time” will spotlight antiques and many of the items used by our ancestors at different periods in their lives. “Indian Trails” and “Cherokee Heritage Trails” will help you learn about the Indian names given to various sections of the county. Other trails that will be explored during the festival are Quilt Trails, Hunting Trails, Hiking Trails, Old Railroad Beds, Civil War Trails, Family Genealogy Trails, Logging Trails, Communication Trails, and Wagon Trails.

Tied closely to “Trails” is the “Settlements” portion of the theme. Historians and representatives from various communities will talk about how particular areas got their names, who their early settlers were, and how these communities have changed over the years. Old photographs and displays will help bring these early settlements alive.

Since 2011 begins the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the 25th Infantry Civil War Re-enactors will be on hand to offer a wonderful opportunity to learn about how this conflict affected the lives of ancestors who lived through it. The re-enactors will be camped throughout the weekend in Frogtown, the site of Franklin’s old drive-in theatre, and camp tours will be offered throughout the day on Saturday, the day of the festival. As during past Franklin Folk Festivals, a skirmish which has become known as the Battle of Frogtown will take place at a time to be announced, and the public is invited to attend. According to David Patterson, a member of the 25th N.C. Infantry, an actual skirmish did take place at Iotla Bridge during the Civil War. You are sure to learn more about Macon County’s involvement in the Civil War.

Throughout the day, infantry drilling and firing demonstrations will take place, and festival visitors are encouraged to participate. This has become one of the festival’s most popular family activities, along with watching the soldiers and some of their wives, dressed in period costume march in the Heritage Parade, which will take place at 11:00 a.m.

As in past years, several music venues downtown featuring old time mountain music will be sure to entertain us all – Gazebo Main Stage, Church in the Wildwood (featuring gospel music inside First Baptist Church-Chapel), the Jammin’ Tent in front of Town Hall (open to all jamming enthusiasts so bring your instruments and join in the fun) as well as other exhibits that include music. Relax to the ballads of Ronnie Evans inside the Gym or sit and rest a spell while enjoying tunes at the Mtn. Music Meetin’ Place - both venues at the Macon County Community Building (441S).
The Antique Car Show is always a popular venue and these cars along with old tractors will be featured in our downtown parade followed by the Opening Ceremony/Annual Corn Shuckin’ Contest. The day is highlighted with just plain family fun and a variety of children’s activities and old fashioned games.

So, plan now to come early and stay late for the 8th Annual Franklin Folk Festival. For more information about lodging and restaurants, please contact the Franklin Chamber of Commerce at 828-524-3161 or 800-932-5294. For more festival information or how you might become involved, contact Theresa Ramsey at 828-369-7411 or visit us at www.mcncfha.org. Previous festival supporters include: The Franklin Main Street Program, the Franklin TDC, the Franklin TDA, Macon County Community Foundation and the Macon County Parks and Recreation Department.

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The Festival in a Nutshell

a short but great video that shows what we're about

2010 Festival Photos

more info and pictures