Thursday, May 24
Courtyard of the Cherokee Ribbon Cutting
3 pm. Join us as we officially open The Courtyard of the Cherokee project, which includes decking that connects the gallery and studio wings and features exhibit panels, and original art made by members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to authentically represent the Tribe's seven clans. The project will provide awareness of the EBCI’s role in the Stecoah community and experiential learning opportunities for students and visitors in the area. Beautiful landscaping of native plantings and sculptures completes the project, which was made possible with a $100,000 grant in the arts from the Joy W. Pope Foundation. Live music and refreshments. Free to the public.

Monday - Saturday, June 18-23
Artisans Silent Auction Throughout the week, browse and bid on quality creations by area artists, 10 am - 5 pm. Winning bids announced at the June 23 An Appalachian Evening concert. Proceeds benefit the Stecoah Valley Center.

Friday & Saturday, June 22-23
Arts & Crafts Drive-About Tour— 10 am - 5 pm both days. A free self-guided driving tour of the galleries and working studios of Graham and Swain County. On the tour you will meet some of the artists that make Western North Carolina famous for our handcrafted arts and crafts. Brochures that include the map and information for the driving tour are available at all studios on the tour. Learn more

Saturday, June 23
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper: An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. Michael Cleveland is one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers of his generation and, with ten International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Fiddle Player of the Year awards under his belt, he is the most awarded and celebrated fiddler in the history of Bluegrass music.

Cleveland plays with such fire, drive and virtuosity that audiences are often left shaking their heads in amazement. Together with his band Flamekeeper (four-time IBMA Instrumental Band of the Year award winners) Cleveland delivers some of the most powerful, exciting and authentic bluegrass you can find. Band Website

Come early and meet the featured artist Michelle Ellis.

Adults $25; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Sponsored by:

Saturday, June 30
Fireside Collective: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. Winners of the 2016 Merlefest Band Competition, Fireside Collective is quickly blazing a name for themselves as a must-see progressive acoustic ensemble. Formed in 2014, Fireside is a group of folk music enthusiasts who blend elements of traditional bluegrass and American roots music with modern acoustic arrangements. With mandolin, Dobro, and acoustic guitar layered eloquently on top of rock solid stand up bass, Fireside Collective tastefully explores the boundaries of roots music. Band website

Come early and meet the featured artist Toni Kender – Little Blessings from the Heart.

Adults $15; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Saturday, July 7
Buncombe Turnpike: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. Buncombe Turnpike plays a variety of heartfelt tunes ranging from traditional and contemporary bluegrass to gospel and handcrafted originals. With their crowd pleasing demeanor, seasoned musicianship, and powerful vocals, the band has made a name for themselves among traditional and contemporary listeners alike. Band Website 

Come early and meet the featured artist Rena Magolnick.

Adults $15; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Sponsored by:

Saturday, July 14
Helen White & Wayne Henderson: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. Wayne Henderson a musical legend known worldwide for both his lightning fast “pinch picking” guitar style and the beautiful guitars, mandolins and banjos he crafts. Helen White is respected as an old-time fiddler and folk singer, as well as the founder of the Junior Appalachians Musicians Program. Band Website 

Come early and meet the featured artist Elise Delfield – Pincu Pottery.

Adults $25; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Sponsored by:

Saturday, July 21
The Snyder Family: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. The Snyder Family features the talents of siblings Zeb and Samantha Snyder from Lexington, NC. Backed by their dad, Bud, on upright bass and mom Laine on harmony, this band has delighted and surprised audiences at venues including Merlefest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer Festival in Columbus, OH, and the Red White and Bluegrass Festival in Morganton, NC. 2015 Nominee for IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year. Band Website

Come early and meet the featured artist Cynthia Hughes - Horse Lady Gifts.

Adults $20; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Sponsored by:

Saturday, July 28
Salt and Light: 2017 IBMA Official Showcase Artist. From Graham, North Carolina, Salt and Light is an all-sibling Bluegrass band from a family of ten, ranging in age from 22 to 11 years old. Parker, a multi-instrumentalist whose main instrument is the banjo, may also be seen playing the guitar; Daniel holds down the fiddle spot; Morgan plays the guitar; Kyndal plays mandolin; Garrett plays bass; and Norah, who also plays fiddle. All six band members are vocalists, and take turns sharing both lead and harmony parts. Band Website

Come early and meet the featured artists Joanne Lengle & Liz Anderson.

Adults $15; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Saturday, August 4
The Jeff Little Trio: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. With few exceptions, the piano does not play a prominent part in Appalachian music, and is rarely the lead instrument. But Jeff Little is an exception – and a remarkable one. His distinctive two-handed style, much influenced by the mountain flat-picked guitar tradition, is breathtaking in its speed, precision and clarity.  Band Website

Come early and meet the featured artist Susan Coe.

Adults $25; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Sponsored by:
   

Saturday, August 11
Volume Five: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert'. In 2017, Volume Five was awarded the International Bluegrass Music Association's Emerging Artist of the Year and Song of the Year Awards. The group also received sa GMA Dove Nomination for Bluegrass Song of the Year for "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man" featuring guest vocals by the Queen of Bluegrass Rhonda Vincent on the Dolly Parton cover song from their album VOICES.  Their newest release, Drifter, made its debut on the Billboard Top 10 Bluegrass Album Chart including two singles reached #1 on the Bluegrass Today Top 20 Chart. Band website

Come early and meet the featured artist Diane Kelly

Adults $20; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Saturday, August 18
Unspoken Tradition: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. With the motto, “We play Working Class Bluegrass”, these five guys from North Carolina have a diverse repertoire of new, original bluegrass music, traditional bluegrass numbers and creative covers, and bring a passionate energy to the stage. Their 2013 album, Simple Little Town, with its live feel and mostly original songs, showcases the band’s ability to keep one foot in the past and one pointed towards the future. Band website

Come early and meet the featured artist Alma Sutton.

Adults $15; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Saturday, August 25
The Kruger Brothers: 'An Appalachian Evening' Summer Concert. Swiss brothers Uwe Kruger on guitar, and Jens Kruger on banjo, team up with bassist Joel Landsberg. Kruger Brothers performances are exciting, calming, entertaining and spontaneous all-in-one, exhibiting their sheer joy in playing music. Although each of these musicians has earned high credit for his skills individually, it is the interaction of the three together which makes their music so uniquely special. Band Website

Come early and meet the featured artist Drew Campbell.

Adults $30; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Sponsored by:
    

Friday - Saturday, October 19-20: Harvest Festival
A 2-day festival celebrating all things Fall with music, food, art & crafts vendors, country fair, quilt show, artisan demonstrations. Learn more.  

Friday Night – Enjoy the 6 pm campfire and storytelling,

Saturday - 11 am - 5 pm. Music, food, art & crafts vendors, demonstrations and much more. 7:30 pm concert featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver: With nearly 40 albums to their credit, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have multiple Grammy, Dove, ICM, IBMA and SPBGMA Award nominations, and are 7-time winners of IBMA’s Vocal Group of the Year. Lawson is reigning SPBGMA Mandolin Player of the Year, and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver are the reigning Inspirational Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year, crowned in October 2012 on the heels of Lawson’s induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame on September 27, 2012. Website

Adults $30; Students/K-12 $10; plus tax. Purchase Tickets. 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Dinner served in the Schoolhouse Cafe beginning at 6 pm.

Friday & Saturday, November 23-24
Arts & Crafts Drive-About Tour — 10 am - 5 pm both days. A free self-guided driving tour of the galleries and working studios of Graham and Swain County. On the tour you will meet some of the artists that make Western North Carolina famous for our handcrafted arts and crafts. Brochures that include the map and information for the driving tour are available at all studios on the tour. Learn more

Saturday, December 1
Breakfast with Santa – 9 - 11 am. Join us for breakfast with Santa and enjoy delicious pancakes, sausage, juice, milk and coffee. After breakfast Santa will be available for photos and wish lists. Bring your camera to capture this special event. $5 per person. Reservations preferred.

Christmas in the Mountains. 9 am - 4 pm. Indoor art and craft show and sale with visiting artisans just in time for holiday giving. Free cookie decorating table for kids. The Schoolhouse Cafe will be open all day.