16th Annual Townsend Heritage Festival
and Old Timers Day
September 26-27, 2008
(Please use the inside scroll bar on the right to view events below.)
Our Fall Heritage Festival celebrates mountain culture, including bluegrass music, Appalachian arts and crafts demonstrations, and the natural beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Featured: bluegrass and mountain music performances, an antique tractor and engine show, storytelling, children’s activities, crafts by local artisans, great food, and demonstrations of a variety of traditional skills including basketry, spinning, weaving, sorghum molasses, apple butter making, lye soap, beekeeping, llamas, and blacksmithing.
Festival events are free and take place on the grounds of the Townsend Visitors Center, located at 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882. For more information, please call the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-525-6834 or 865-448-6134.
| Knoxville Coca-Cola | "Bear"ly Rustic Cabin Rentals | Dogwood Realty, L.L.C. | Little River Realty | |
| Parkside Realty Services | Econo Lodge | Tennessee Real Estate/Kinzel Springs | Big Meadow Campground | Wood-N-Strings Dulcimers |
| Townsend IGA | The Carriage House | Woodland Homes | Townsend Shopping Center | |
| WIVK Radio | WBIR TV | The Daily Times |
A special note: In partnership with Keep Blount Beautiful and Spectra Recycling, Inc. we will be recycling plastic and aluminum at the Fall Festival. Please use the containers provided. Your recycling efforts benefit Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund.
TENTATIVE Schedule of Activities (Please call 865-448-6134 for updates!):
All day, Friday, September 26
Appalachian Skills on the Grounds:
Mountain Berry Basket Making and Poetry, Bill Alexander
Blacksmithing, David Thompson
Lye Soap Making, Sallie Swor
Sorghum Molasses Making, Mark and Sherry Guenther
Apple Butter Making, Marie DeVault and friends
Beekeeping and Observation Hive, Tony Holt
Herbal Harvest, Honey Rock Herb Farm, D. Brown
Antique Tractors and Engines, Foothills Tractor Club
All Day: Bluegrass music on stage and Jam Sessions on the Porch and under the trees
9:00am-5:00pm: Arts and crafts in the Exhibit Room:
Rug Hooking, Carol McBride
Weaving, Effie Suttles
Charcoal and Pencil Artwork, Andy England
Quilting, Ila Mae Morton, Dorothy Belcher, and Maetta Conrad
Basketry, Bonny Kate Sugg
Woodcarving, Lendel Abbott
9:00am-1:00pm: Featured author, Sam Venable. Book-signing in the Visitor Center.
12:00noon-10:00pm: Bluegrass Music on the Stage and Jam Sessions on the porch and under the trees.
Some of the featured bands scheduled to perform: Carolina Bluegrass Boys, Notchey Creek, Larry Hobbs & Company, Blue Collar Bluegrass, County Line, Red Label Bluegrass, Outta The Blue, Kentucky Komfort, Barker Brothers, Valley River Boys, Thankful Heart, Shilo Band, Appalachian Bluegrass & others.
10:00am and 2:00pm: Harvesting and Using Herbs from the Fall Garden, presentation with Jim Brown of Honey Rock Herb Farm. Plants for sale all day Friday.
10:00am until 3:00pm: Meet the Llamas, from Liles Acres Organic Farm. Learn about these interesting animals and see their wool spun into yarn.
10:00am-6:00pm: Arts and Crafts Booths along the Bike Trail
1:00pm-5:30pm: Featured Author and Book-Signing, Bill Lea, Cades Cove and wildlife photographer
1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm: Cake Walk and Bake Sale, with proceeds to the Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund
Saturday, September 27:
All day: Appalachian Skills on the Grounds:
Mountain Berry Basket Making and Poetry, Bill Alexander
Blacksmithing, David Thompson
Sorghum Molasses Making, Mark and Sherry Guenther
Apple Butter Making, Marie DeVault and friends
Beekeeping and Observation Hive, Tony Holt
Pottery, Carol Ware
All Day: Bluegrass music on stage and Jam Sessions on the Porch and under the trees
Some of the featured bands scheduled to perform: Carolina Bluegrass Boys, Notchey Creek, Larry Hobbs & Company, Blue Collar Bluegrass, County Line, Red Label Bluegrass, Outta The Blue, Kentucky Komfort, Barker Brothers, Valley River Boys, Thankful Heart, Shilo Band, Appalachian Bluegrass & others.
All Day: Antique Tractor and Engine Show
9:00am-6:00pm: Arts and crafts in the Exhibit Room:
Rug Hooking, Carol McBride
Weaving, Effie Suttles
Quilting, Ila Mae Morton, Dorothy Belcher, and Maetta Conrad
Basketry, Bonny Kate Sugg
Woodcarving, Lendel Abbott
10:00am--12:30pm: Young Folks Program and Family Fun in the Storytelling Tent
A variety of activities, including stories, games, pottery, music, and demonstrations for kids.
Download the schedule: 
Young Folks Program
10:00am until 3:00pm: Meet the Llamas, from Liles Acres Organic Farm. Learn about these interesting animals and see their wool spun into yarn.
10:00am-6:00pm: Arts and Crafts Booths along the Bike Trail
1:00pm-5:00pm: Tall tales (and true!) in the Storytelling Tent, with Dwight McCarter, Lendel Abbott, Robin Goddard, and special guest Jimmy Claborn.
1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm: Cake Walk and Bake Sale, with proceeds to the Hearts and Hands Scholarship Fund
The Heritage Festival is sponsored by the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Festival Parking benefits the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department. Musicians' Parking benefits Rocky Branch Community Center.
Please Note: Schedule is subject to change. For updates and more information, contact the Townsend Visitor Center, 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Townsend, TN 37882, 865-448-6134, 800-525-6834. http://www.smokymountains.org/
