Friday -- Join us for an informal jam session.
Saturday -- Individual Instrument and Band Competitions -- Individual performers and bluegrass and old-time bands will compete on Saturday for the top slots in each category. Several heritage events will take place including dance demonstrations by the St. Joseph Irish Step Dancers along with hay rides, a rubber duck derby, children's program, and a corn shucking contest. Spectators will have the opportunity to visit the Laura Foster gravesite and stroll along the Yadkin River. Home-cooked meals will be prepared by local organizations and nonprofit agencies to fuel your hungry appetite.
The Makers Meet the Players consist of about a dozen carefully selected and highly skilled instrument builders from Western North Carolina who will gather under one tent, demonstrating their skills with old-style tools and techniques in creating hand-crafted musical instruments. These makers will be showing their handiwork and answering questions concerning their trade, and their instruments will be available for players to try out during the event. This event will be a rare opportunity for players and participants to experience the fascinating world of instrument building all under one tent.
Sunday -- Gospel Homecoming -- Sounds of old-time gospel music will fill the air as we celebrate our bluegrass-gospel heritage. The Kruger Brothers will team up to bring some of their favorite old-time hymns to Historic Happy Valley. Other local and regional performers will share their gospel roots with us as well.
Duck Derby -- Come play with us at the rubber duck derby on Saturday afternoon on the Yadkin River. Caldwell County Pathways is sponsoring a duck derby to raise funds for the creation of trails, greenways, and blueways throughout Caldwell County. The fun begins when hundreds of sponsored rubber ducks are released into the Yadkin River in a race to the finish line. Duck sponsorships are $5 with chances to win several great prizes for the top finishers. Ducks will be sold throughout the day on Saturday. For more information, contact Eric Woolridge at 828-757-6858 or e-mail him at ewoolridge@caldwellcountync.org.
Tours of Fort Defiance -- Just a short drive from the festival is Fort Defiance, the restored 1792 home of Revolutionary War hero and statesman William Lenoir, the namesake of Lenoir, North Carolina. The home features more than 300 pieces of original furnishings and artifacts and is considered one of the country's most unique restorations. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the property also has a family cemetery with graves dating back to 1785. Fort Defiance will be available for tours throughout the weekend. For more information, call 828-758-1671 or visit www.fortdefiancenc.org.