Event Information and Directions

Visitors - Event Information

Festival Hours

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Shuttle Service

During Greening Up the Mountains, SHUTTLE SERVICE is available from the Justice Center ( spill over Jackson Plaza) during the hours of 8:30 am—5:30 pm. $1 per boarding, including children.

Timeline of Events
8:00am                        Registration for Cub-Mobile Downhill Race
            A Cub-mobile Downhill Race is hosted by the Boy Scouts of America, Cataloochee District. The race will be begin at 9am at Schulman Street, in Sylva. Open to all registered Cub Scouts.

8:30am            Shuttle from the Justice Center & Jackson Plaza
            Shuttle service will be available from the Justice Center during the hours of 8:30am to 5:30pm, by the Jackson County Transit Service. Cost is $1 per boarding, including children.

9am                 5K-Run
            Before the festival officially begins at 10 a.m., there is a 5K Run and Walk starting at 9 a.m., at Mark Watson Park. The cost to enter the event is $15 plus a $2.50 sign up fee. Online registration ends April 19, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Those interested in participating can register online at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Sylva/GreeningUptheMountains. Race participants should arrive to check-in to the event for registration at 8 a.m.

9:30am                        Mountain Youth Talent Contest
            To showcase the musical and vocal talents of our children, 4-H in association with Catch the Spirit of Appalachia will again produce the Mountain Youth Talent Contest on the Main Street Stage. Contest time is 9:30 a.m. Emcee: Heather Gordon

10am               Main Street and Railroad Avenue Booths Open, including Farmers Market
Over 100 booths will be on Main Street, plus over 100 arts and crafts booths and displays will be on Railroad Avenue as well, including a full Farmer’s Market.

10am               “Kid’s Zone” and “Safety Zone” Sections
            Families can visit the “Kid’s Zone” on Railroad Avenue where children can enjoy an inflatable slide, balloons, a candle-making workshop, arts & crafts workshop, and much more. Law Enforcement of Jackson County will be out to meet the public, and more in the “Safety Zone.” A play area will be provided for the very young children.

10am               Two Music Stages—Main Street Stage and Bridge Park Gazebo Stage
            From folk, rock, bluegrass, blues, country and Americana, some of Western North Carolina’s most talented musicians will perform on two stages.

            Main Street Stage—(Neal Hearn, Emcee):
            9:30 – 11 a.m., Mountain Youth Talent Show
            11 – 11:45 a.m., Kim Shuler (classics)
            Noon – 12:45 p.m., Ashley Heath (country, blues, Americana, folk)
            1-1:45 p.m., Andalyn (country/rock)
            2-2:45 p.m., The Log Noggins (blues/rock)
            3–4 p.m., Bird In Hand (Appalachian folk)

            Bridge Park Stage—(Kelly Donaldson, Emcee)
            10–10:45 a.m., Karen Barnes (acoustic originals and classic covers)
            10:45 -10:55 a.m., Encore Dance
            11-11:45 a.m. The Maggie Valley Band (folk/Americana/bluegrass)
            11:45–11:55 a.m., Encore Dance
            Noon-12:45 p.m., PMA (Reggae/Fusion)
            12:45-12:55 p.m., Triple Threat (dance)
            1-1:45 p.m., Kick the Robot (rock)
            1:45-1:55 p.m., Triple Threat (dance)
            2-2:45 p.m., Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (country, bluegrass, Americana)
            3–4 p.m., Colby Deitz Band (country, rock, Americana)

10am               Traditional Heritage Walk
            Catch the Spirit of Appalachia Inc. and Dogwood Crafters are hosting a Traditional Heritage Walk in the Sylva Herald parking lot. All of the crafters will be demonstrating and selling their traditional arts. Here you will find crafters in vintage clothing sharing arts and crafts that have been passed down through the years: chair caning, wood carving, weaving, spinning, crocheting, forging, quilting, needle crafts galore, sewing, corn shuck dolls, and old fashioned churned ice cream!

10am               Food spread throughout festival
            There will be much more to enjoy at this year’s festival. For the second year, there will be a crawfish boil featuring traditional dirty rice, corn on the cob, boiled potatoes and crawfish on Back Street (in between Dixie Mae’s and Fitzgerald’s). Heinzelmannchen Brewery will also be providing beer and root beer for the event.
            Festival foods will be strewn throughout both areas, including funnel cakes, peanuts, pork rinds, kettle corn, cotton candy, pop corn, snow cone and ice cream. All this plus great food in our many restaurants.

10am               Photo Booth—FREE “Mother’s Day photo cards for Children
            Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, with photographer Etheree Chancellor, is offering FREE “Mother’s Day” photo-cards for children. Located in the Traditional Heritage Walk, the booth offers a photo taken and then transformed into a Mother’s Day card. 10am until 3:30pm.

10:30am          “Open Mic”
            An open mic will also be offered for those wishing to share their musical talents on the southern end of the festival on Main Street in the Traditional Heritage Walk (Sylva Herald Parking lot). The open mic will be led by musician Ron Brown and assisted by Appalachian singer Betty Brown. It will run from 10:30am to 3:30pm.

12:00 Noon --Record Store Day/Fly By Night Rounders
            On Main Street, In Your Ear Music Emporium is hosting a Record Store Day celebration, which is a multinational event highlighting independently owned record stores with vinyl exclusives. In Your Ear will have the Fly By Night Rounders, a high energy acoustic folk/bluegrass band from Asheville, playing from noon until 2 p.m., in the store, as well as giveaways and special offers all day.

4pm                 Festival ends

Dog Friendly

We are pleased to allow responsible pet owners to bring along their well behaved dogs. Handlers are solely responsible to ensure that all dogs accompanying them are well behaved and are on leads 6ft or less in length (no flexi leads). Handlers are responsible for picking up after their dogs and disposing of waste appropriately.

Directions
You can use the links below to view general directions to downtown Sylva, NC. Travel times are estimated, and can vary based on traffic volume. You can also use our map to see where the roads will be closed and where the detours around the festival will be located. All directions are mobile friendly!

Directions from Asheville, NC: Click here for Google Maps directions
Travel Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Directions from Atlanta, GA: Click here for Google Maps directions
Travel Time: 2 - 3 hours

Directions from Knoxville, TN: Click here for Google Maps directions
Travel Time: 1.5 - 2 hours

Parking

There will be a drop off area for patrons with disabilities, as well as parking in front of the Sylva Police Station on West Main Street. You can park and walk, or ride the shuttle, to the festival from two locations. The shuttle is $1 per person, each way.

Jackson County Justice & Administration Building
401 Grindstaff Cove Rd
Sylva, NC 28779

Jackson Plaza
391 Jackson Plaza
Sylva, NC 28779

Several downtown businesses and organizations are offering "pay to park" locations closer to the festival, and we encourage the patronage of these local businesses.