The 79th Annual Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival will be held the weekend of June 20-21, with activities beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday and continuing until 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Rhododendron Festival, presented by the Roan Mountain Citizens Club, is a celebrated annual event that has been taking place since 1947. This two-day festival honors the breathtaking beauty of the natural rhododendron gardens located atop Roan Mountain, a highlight of the North American landscape. Traditionally held at the summit of Roan Mountain, the festival now takes place at the picturesque Roan Mountain State Park, situated at the foot of the mountain.
Among the festival highlights will be a massive gathering of local artisans and craftsmen showcasing handmade goods; live entertainment, which will feature music, bluegrass and clogging; and, of course, the main feature of the festival, the Catawba rhododendrons, for which it is peak blooming season.
The Saturday entertainment schedule for the Rhododendron Festival is:
– 10 to 11 a.m. Simply Scott
– 11 a.m. to noon Noah McKinney
– Noon to 1 p.m. Trailblazer Cloggers
– 1 to 2 p.m. Stemwinder
– 2 to 3 p.m. JP Mathis & John Suits
– 3 to 4 p.m. Elvis Tribute Artist Bobby D.
The Sunday schedule will feature Acoustic Corner from noon to 1 p.m.; the Happy Way Quartet from 1 to 2 p.m.; the Rock Creek Ramblers from 2 to 3 p.m.; and Terry Collins from 3 to 4 p.m.
Parking will be by donation to a local civic group. Demonstrations and entertainment will be featured all day on both days. More than 100 arts and crafts vendors will be featured, as well as a variety of food vendors.
Visitors to the park will have the opportunity to take in the world’s largest natural rhododendron gardens atop 6,000-foot Roan Mountain and hike the Appalachian Trail, which runs along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
Taking place the same weekend in nearby Bakersville, N.C., is the North Carolina Rhododendron Festival, featuring a 10K race, a car show and the “Ducky Derby” on Cane Creek.
Both the Tennessee and North Carolina festivals celebrate the world’s largest natural rhododendron gardens.