By Julie Matthews
The High Country’s musical heritage dates back to its early history with its old-time Appalachian-style music with sounds of fiddles and banjos, and the area’s appreciation for music has a strong presence in its culture today. On any given day music can be heard playing all over with live musical performances a regular occurrence not only on stages around town but also in restaurants, parks, gardens, campsites, front porches and even general stores. From traditional mountain music and bluegrass to ballads, blues, country and every other musical genre, you will hear it all in North Carolina’s High Country.
Here are some highlights of what’s happening in the High Country in 2024.
Music Festivals and Concert Series
Music festivals are a major source of entertainment for locals and visitors in the High Country. Some upcoming festivals to consider include:
The Appalachian Theatre in partnership with the Boone Sunrise Rotary and Appalachian State University’s Jazz Studies program will present the 2024 High Country Jazz Festival on June 7-9. The event lineup will include the Brubeck Brothers Quartet on Friday, June 7, Jazzmeia Horn on Saturday, June 8 and Ziad on Sunday, June 9. AppTheatre.org/HighCountryJazzFestival
At the Boonerang Music & Arts Festival, party with the community in downtown Boone June 14-15 at a free, fun street festival. Along with numerous performances, stroll around and visit local vendors, from talented artists to local breweries and wineries. BoonerangFest.com
Doc & Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest is a long-running event showcasing musicians from all over the nation. Presented by Cove Creek Preservation & Development, this music-filled festival will be held on July 19-20 in Sugar Grove in honor of Grammy award-winning musician Doc Watson. Come enjoy music, the Doc and Merle Watson Folk Art Museum and more! DocWatsonMusicFest.org
Join Antlers & Acorns, The Boone Songwriters Festival, presented by Working Title Farm, throughout Downtown Boone September 4-8 for a one-of-a-kind annual gathering showcasing the talents of songwriters and musicians. Listen to amazing music, storytelling and more. Stay tuned for festival details about the various performers and venues. Facebook.com/AntlersAndAcornsBoone
The High Country also has several concert series that run regularly, including Music in the Valle (ValleCrucisPark.org/Music-in-the-Valle), Music on the Lawn at The Inn at Ragged Gardens (Ragged-Gardens.com/Music-on-the-Lawn) and Blowing Rock Concerts in the Park (BlowingRock.com/ConcertInThePark).
Broadway Meets the Mountains
A variety of high-quality musical theatre performances are held in venues throughout the High Country’s communities.
Local colleges Lees-McRae College and Appalachian State University both offer entertaining student theatre. For more than three decades, Lees-McRae Summer Theatre has been providing performances on their Banner Elk campus. During the 2024 season it will present “From the Mountaintop: The Edgar Tufts Story” on select dates in July and the “High Country Talent Jamboree” for one night only on July 26. The performances will be held on the Lees-McRae College campus in the Broyhill Theatre in the Hayes Auditorium. lmc.edu/Community/Summer-Theatre/index.htm
An Appalachian Summer Festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024! Appalachian State University will entertain audiences again this summer with an impressive lineup of performances including music, theatre, dance and much more. This year’s festival will run from June 29 through July 27. AppSummer.org
Marking 15 years in 2024, Ensemble Stage is a 99-seat professional theatre in in the Historic Banner Elk School in downtown Banner Elk that offers High Country residents and visitors a diverse selection of high-quality live performances at affordable prices. Throughout the year, experience a variety of shows from comedies to mysteries and much more! EnsembleStage.com
Located in Boone, Horn in the West presents the nation’s oldest Revolutionary War dramas in a beautiful outdoor theatre. In its 72nd season, the Horn in the West is a unique performing arts experience for audiences. The season will begin on June 21. HornInTheWest.com
Want more Events?
CALENDAR: Check out our High Country calendar of events to help plan your activities!
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