The John C. Campbell Folk School’s 46th annual Fall Festival returns this year on Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day!

A premiere destination since 1974, the Folk School’s Fall Festival attracts thousands from across the region to the school’s scenic Brasstown, North Carolina campus for an extraordinary celebration of Appalachian craft, culture, and heritage.   

Festivalgoers will stroll several wooded paths, visiting a wide variety of fine craft exhibitors showcasing quality works for sale. Talented artisans will demonstrate traditional and contemporary crafts for appreciative audiences throughout the day on our Demonstrator’s Stage outdoors near the Keith House.   

Spirited music and dance performances will fill the air with delightful energy continuously over two days. On the Festival Barn and Craft Shop stages, regional acts, including Evie & Keith Terry, Benjamin Hunter, the Folk School Junior Appalachian Musicians, and many others, will share old-time, bluegrass, folk, and roots music. Dancers will entertain the crowds with clogging and Morris performances. The beloved Brasstown band Irons in the Fire will close out the festival on Sunday afternoon, reuniting for the first time in years. 

Food vendors are aplenty, located by the Festival Barn along with picnic tables for visitors, families, and groups to enjoy. This year, the Folk School’s signature barbecue will be conveniently located in front of the Olive Dame Campbell Dining Hall. Seating will be available outside. Additional food vendors will be located at Davidson Hall.  

Children can visit the Kids Cove area, where they will enjoy face painting, petting the alpacas and visiting the Valley River Humane Society’s pet adoption booth. The Cove Theatre will offer children an opportunity to participate in creative play with dress up costumes and musical instruments. Arts and crafts activities will be offered by the Cherokee County Arts Council. 

A selection of Fall Festival commemorative t-shirts and items will be available to purchase in the T-shirt booth in the Craft Shop parking lot.  You can also learn more about Olive’s Porch, our new Folk School experience in downtown Murphy, at the Festival Barn information booth. 

The Fall Festival Banner, a colorful tradition celebrating the school’s rich history and enlivening future, is made by quilter Zak Foster this year. Foster was the inaugural Artist in Residence at Olive’s Porch earlier this year. Foster’s banner, adorned with the motto “Good to be together,” captures the excitement surrounding this year’s festivities while also commemorating the Folk School’s unique, non-competitive, and communal learning environment. Click here to read an interview with Zak about how he made the Fall Festival banner.

The Fall Festival offers plentiful free parking along with a free on-campus shuttle bus and handicapped golf carts. Handicapped parking is available in the Keith House gravel lot and adjacent to the Fiber Arts Building. H.A.V.E.N. Children’s Advocacy Center will be managing parking this year. Parking is free, but donations to H.A.V.E.N. are encouraged. The John C. Campbell Folk School is only two hours from Asheville, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Knoxville and a day’s drive for half of the residents of the U.S. 

Admission: $10 for adults (18 and up), $8 for ages 12-17, $8 for Seniors (65+) and veterans, and free for children 12 and under. Avoid the lines, buy your tickets online today! Single-day and multi-day options are available. Visit folkschool.org/fallfestival to purchase. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the festival gates with cash only. ATMs are available on campus.  

Interested in volunteering? Visit folkschool.org/fallfestival and fill out a volunteer application. Fall Festival volunteers work in approximately 2-2.5-hour time slots based on their availability and preferences. There are many opportunities across the festival, and a position for everyone! Volunteer applications are due Friday, September 16. 

For complete event details, visit folkschool.org/fallfestival or call 1-800-365-5724. We look forward to seeing you there!