Schedule

Mountain Heritage Days 2026 Schedule

September 21 - 26, 2026

The Mountain Heritage Days Festival features a full weekend of live music, traditional craft demonstrations, family activities, food vendors, and cultural experiences throughout the campus of 蘑菇短视频.

 

Please Note: This schedule is preliminary. Event times, performers, and locations are subject to change. Check back for the latest updates.

 

Monday, September 21

Historic canvas tent on display with two visitors viewing museum exhibits about frontier life and quilts.
People of Colonial North Carolina Opening Reception
2:30PM - 5:00 PM | Mountain Heritage center

Kick off Mountain Heritage Days with the opening reception for People of Colonial North Carolina , a new exhibit exploring the lives, cultures, and communities that shaped early North Carolina. The afternoon will start with presentations by Dr. Nora Doyle, Dr. Tamia Haygood, and Dr. Brett Riggs. Each will speak from their perspective about life for the variety of people who inhabited Colonial North Carolina. The event will then move to the exhibit gallery for a reception and remarks.

 

 

Tuesday, September 22

Jackson county field day
9:00am - 2:ooPM | location: 蘑菇短视频Picnic area

Mountain Heritage Days welcomes Jackson County second-grade students for a day of interactive learning and hands-on activities celebrating Appalachian history, culture, and traditions. This educational event inspires young learners to explore the rich heritage of Western North Carolina. Please contact Peter Koch as space is limited.

 

Wednesday, September 23

Two women wearing sunglasses holding wooden corn cob holders at outdoor event with yellow table.
appalachian craft demonstrations
11:00am - 1:00pm | catafount

Meet talented regional artisans and watch traditional Appalachian crafts come to life through live demonstrations. Learn about the techniques, history, and craftsmanship that have been passed down through generations.

 

 

 

Thursday, September 24

rooted in the mountains conference
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM | Location: Bardo arts center

The Rooted in the Mountains Symposium brings together scholars, artists, educators, and community members for a two-day event aimed at exposing attendees to the interwoven relationships between climate, health, traditional knowledge and the indigenous worldview.

View the Full Schedule

 

Friday, September 25

rooted in the mountains conference
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Location: Bardo Arts center

The symposium continues with another day of presentations and conversations highlighting indigenous perspectives on critical health issues.

View the Full Schedule

 
Outdoor picnic event in park with attendees seated in folding chairs under pavilion surrounded by trees.
Pickin' in the Park featuring Unspoken Tradition
6:00 PM | Bridge park, sylva

Spend the evening in downtown Sylva enjoying live bluegrass music from Unspoken Tradition. Bring a chair or blanket and experience an evening of great music in one of the region's favorite outdoor gathering spaces.

 

 

Saturday, September 26

Mountain Heritage Days Festival Day
10:00am - 5:00 PM

All Saturday activities begin at 10:00 AM across campus venues unless otherwise noted.

Plan to arrive starting at 9:30鈥�10:00 AM to explore campus, find parking, and catch the first performances at each location.

 

Large group of diverse runners participating in community race event with spectators lining street.
Mountain heritage days 5k
8:30am (RACE) | check-in: STILLWELL BUILDING PARKING LOT

WCU's Sport Management Association invites you to the 16th annual Mountain Heritage Days 5K! This is a family-friendly chip-timed race for both runners and walkers. Participants will dash through campus past iconic landmarks, including the 'Catafount' water fountain and Alumni Tower. All proceeds from the 5k race support the Sport Management Association Scholarship Fund. Registration opens August 28, 2026.

7:00 AM to 8:15 AM - Check-In
8:30 AM - Race Start

 
Band of four musicians performing live with microphones, guitars, and stage lighting equipment visible
Balsam music stage (main stage)
10:00am - 3:00PM | Location: 蘑菇短视频Intramural Field

A full day of live Appalachian music, storytelling, and traditional performance.

10:00 AM - Upstream Rebellion
11:00 AM - Green Valley Cloggers
11:30 AM - Davy Arch Storytelling
12:00 PM - Molly and Aubrey
12:45 PM - Young Mountain Magic
1:30 PM - Bailey Mountain Cloggers
2:00 PM - Whitewater Bluegrass

 

Group of five people posing beside red and yellow classic muscle cars with open hood at outdoor car show

Andy shaw ford classic car show
9:00AM - 2:30PM  | Location: Bardo Arts Center parking lot

A celebration of classic cars and trucks from a time when they just don鈥檛 make them like they used to. From restored favorites to well-loved workhorses, this show brings together vehicles full of character, history, and stories. Stroll through, talk with owners, and enjoy a laid-back look at automotive nostalgia.

9:00 AM - Registration
10:00 AM - Car Show Begins
2:00 PM - Awards
2:30 PM - Cruise Out

 

 

Pickin' circle
10:00AM - 3:00PM | Location: MHD ARTS & CRAFTS VENDOR AREA
11:00 AM Uncle Ted White: Play Party Games
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM - Jackson County JAM and Blue Ridge JAM

 

Shape note tent
10:30am - 2:00PM | Location: CAT BUILDING LAWN

Participatory Appalachian musical tradition open to all.

10:30 AM 鈥� Sacred Harp Singing
1:00 PM 鈥� Christian Harmony Singing

 

Four orange and white chainsaws mounted on a horizontal log with blurred park background and people.

McNeely's chainsaw competition
10:00AM (Competition) | Location: Bardo Arts Center lawn

A fast-paced chainsaw demonstration showcasing skill, power, and control in action. Watch operators put their equipment through its paces in a lively, high-energy setting that highlights technique, precision handling, and raw performance. Competition ends when all registered saws have cut!

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM - Registration
10:00 AM - Competition Starts

 

 

Shirtless men playing stickball on green grass with spectators watching in background

Wolfetown stickball demonstration
11:00am - 2:00PM | Location: 蘑菇短视频Intramural Field

Living cultural demonstrations of Cherokee traditions and historic demonstrations.

11:00 AM - Wolfetown Indian Ball Team Demonstration Game
1:00 PM - Wolfetown Indian Ball Youth Team Demonstration Game

 

 

Group of dancers in navy skirts and light purple tops performing enthusiastically on stage with arms raised.

Mountain heritage days afternoon concert
3:30 PM | Location: Bardo arts center Performance hall

Join Chancellor Kelli R. Brown for the presentation of the 2026 Mountain Heritage Awards. After the ceremony, stick around for live music and even more traditional clogging to keep the celebration going.

3:30 PM - Mountain Heritage Awards
3:45 PM - Red Camel Collective with the Bailey Mountain Cloggers

 

The 蘑菇短视频Fine Art Museum and Gift Shop at Bardo Arts Center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the Museum's current exhibitions, including:
  • Veteran Obsolete: Geoffrey Bowton 鈥� Drawing on personal experiences as an U.S. Army sergeant, Bowton uses glass and military imagery to explore themes of service, memory, trauma, and resilience.
  • Kei Ito: Can There be Shadows within a Flash鈥� Through photography and installation, Ito explores memory, history, and the lasting effects of war and displacement across generations rooted in his family history as a third-generation Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor.
  • Mary Stewart: Apocalypse Series and Other Works 鈥� Created in response to the Gulf War, Stewart's powerful prints reflect on conflict, uncertainty, and the emotional impact of war on everyday lives.
  • South Arts' Southern Prize & State Fellowships for Visual Arts Exhibition 鈥� Featuring work by nine outstanding contemporary artists recognized through the South Arts fellowship program, representing artistic excellence across the American South.

Learn More About Current 蘑菇短视频Fine Art Museum Exhibitions

 

The Bardo Arts Center Box Office will also be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for guests interested in purchasing tickets to upcoming performances, events, and productions presented by Bardo Arts Center and the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts.