04/29/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Folk School Outdoor Events Spring into Action
Festival Barn Concerts, Family Dance, Food Truck & More
By: T-Claw Crawford
For 100 years people have gathered at John C Campell Folk School to sing, dance, create, and learn. Communities intersect in Brasstown, brought together by a shared passion for lifelong learning, traditional music, Appalachian craft, and folk dance. Each Spring
we celebrate the return of pleasant weather by offering weekly music and dance events outside.
Festival Barn will be our venue for most concerts, May through Fall Festival, Oct 4-5.
On occasion they may be indoors for special circumstances. Check
folkschool.org/concerts
for the latest. Concerts are on Monday nights in 2025 to avoid conflicts with other events. Weekly we come together to celebrate acoustic-based roots music, various cultures, and the stories that accompany traveling musicians.
The first of the Festival Barn season will be dulcimer renegade Bing Futch. Bing has been performing for thirty years and continues to travel across the US sharing a passion for American folk music and beyond. An award-winning singer-songwriter, performer,
and producer, Bing's main instrument is the Appalachian Mountain dulcimer. Through it, he unleashes a torrent of musical styles ranging from old-time and bluegrass to blues, country, and rock 'n' roll. See
bingfutch.com
Mark your calendars for another special concert. Riley Baugus, recent inductee to the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, returns June 2nd along with
the ARK Caribbean food truck. Dinner will be ready to sell by 6:15 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. Riley is an American old-time guitarist, banjo player, fiddler, singer and instrument builder from Walkertown, NC. Baugus grew up in the Regular Baptist
tradition, which gave him a solid foundation in unaccompanied singing. He began playing the fiddle at age 10. We are pleased to have Riley at the Folk School once again to teach clawhammer banjo and perform an always epic solo set. See
rileybaugusbanjos.com
Open House will be home base for the weekly Community Tuesday: Dance & Socials at 7 p.m. for the months of May and June. Dance venue, schedule, and lineup details are located at
folkschool.org/dances
The covered pavilion by the Folk School Gardens draws families and locals to congregate and socialize, creating a more festive vibe. At Open House we often offer a campfire and s’mores to sweeten the deal. To kickoff the outdoor dance series we welcome The
Wildflower Pickers with caller Evan Conklin, May 6. The Wildflower Pickers are a group of local teenage friends who met in our Junior Appalachian Musicians program. After a couple years of lessons, they formed their own band and are ready for prime
time.
Another special event for the season kickoff will be a Snack-luck & Family Dance
at Open House specially programmed for little ones, older siblings, and adult family members. At
6 p.m. bring your favorite snack to share and make new friends. We’ll provide some basics like apples and pretzels. At
6:30 p.m. Folk School dance leaders will lead us in some simple fun dances, singing games, and creative movement. Suggested donation for the family fun is $1 per kid. All are welcome to stick around for the regular dance at 7 p.m. but feel free to run
off for school night bedtime too.
Special programing and the moving of events outdoors creates a significant amount of additional labor, so we are asking for community support whether by donating time as a volunteer, see
folkschool.org/volunteer
, or to keep music and dance events affordable for all, see
folkschool.org/eventpay
Selected Special Events - Spring Series’ Kickoff Summary
MAY 05 at 7:00 – Festival Barn Concert with Bing Futch
MAY 06 at 6:00 – Snack-luck & Young Family Social
MAY 06 at 6:30 – Family Dance Activities for Littles, Siblings, and Adults
MAY 06 at 7:00 – Open House Dance with The Wildflower Pickers & Evan Conklin
MAY 07 at 7:00 – Community Jam at the Crown with Dulcimer Bing Futch
MAY 10 at 7:00 – Big Open House Dance Contraplicity & Janet Shepherd
MAY 12 at 7:00 – NO CONCERT
MAY 13 at 7:00 – Free Open House Dance with Wildflower Pickers, Open Calling
MAY 14 at 5:00 – NO May Monthly Singing: June & July will feature Shape Note style
MAY 18 at 2:00 – Keith House English Country Dance with Mist o’ the Glen & Harrison
MAY 28 at 7:00 – Festival Barn Concert with Aubrey Atwater & Elwood Donnelly
JUN 02 at 6:15 – The ARK Carribean Food Truck at Festival Barn
JUN 02 at 7:00 – Festival Barn Concert with Riley Baugus
JUN 11 at 5:00 – Shape Note Singing with Bill & Nancy Hogan at Davidson Hall
In review, The Folk School is pleased to continue a vibrant series of events in 2025. Weekly events feature Monday Concerts at Festival Barn, Tuesday Dances at Open House, and Thursday Jams at the Crown. Monthly Sunday afternoons delight in English Country
Dance, 2nd Saturdays are big community dances, 2nd Wednesdays are group singing in Davidson Hall, and 3rd Wednesday Appalachian Storytelling in Keith House.
Check the online calendar for the most up to date event listings at
folkschool.org/calendar
Lineup and schedule are subject to change. Folk School Music and Dance Events feature some of the finest regional and national acts performing eclectic roots music. A donation of $5-15 per adult is suggested for most events, but all are welcome regardless
of contribution. The Folk School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and any funds raised support traditional arts and help with equitable pay for performers.
ABOUT THE JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL
Tucked away in the mountains of western North Carolina, the John C. Campbell Folk School (“the Folk School”) offers weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography, writing, and more. Our
non-competitive and small-sized classes are offered year-round on a scenic 270-acre campus, attracting students from all over the world. The Folk School transforms lives, bringing people together in a nurturing environment for experiences in learning and community
life that spark self-discovery. “I sing behind the plow,” the Folk School’s motto since its founding in 1925, reflects the importance of lifelong learning and growth while finding joy throughout every step of the process.
Cutline: Crowds enjoying Festival Barn concert.
