43rd Annual Mountaineering Folk Festival Returns To Fall Creek Falls

The 43rd Annual Mountaineer Folk Festival is coming to Fall Creek Falls this week from Friday, September 10th to Sunday, September 12th. Festival Director Matt Brown said that the festival is a weekend-long event dedicated to the pioneer culture of the Cumberland Plateau.

“We focus on demonstrations that date back to pre-Depression Era,” Brown said.  “So we have some spinning and weaving demonstrations and some log hewing and we have a grist mill and sorghum mill.”

Brown said that the event is unique because it showcases handmade crafts from vendors across the Upper Cumberland. He said that in addition to crafts, the festival will also feature live music, food, and accurate demonstrations from the time period.

“It’s become quite a tradition for many people to come to the Mountaineer Folk Festival,” Brown said. “And  I think it’s because of the quality of entertainment that’s provided and the authenticity of the demonstrations.”

Brown said that part of the park’s mission is to educate its community about both the natural and cultural resources of the park. He said that this festival demonstrates how Fall Creek Falls is tied into the community both geographically and culturally.

“The parks are here for the communities and to give them resources for not only recreation but also for education,” Brown said. “We are here to preserve the culture and the natural resources for the community for future generations and that’s exactly what we’re doing with the Folk Festival is we are making sure we’re preserving the traditional arts that have occurred here throughout the years.”

Brown said that the festival will be free, thanks to co-funding from the Friends of the Fall Creek Falls State Park and the Tennessee Arts Commission. He said that visitors should plan on bringing money for food, crafts, or a donation to the Friends organization.