Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2017 - 30

aNdy Jay

Bear On The Square Festival

JOE TENNIS

rescued. Now, it starts with Friday's
street-jam followed by two full days
of activities on Saturday and Sunday
(bearonthesquare.org).
Still in Georgia, take the highway
to Helen for the Spring Bierfest
at the Festhalle of Helen, Georgia,
starting at noon on April 22 with
music, dancing, food and beverages
(helenchamber.com).
In Hendersonville, North Carolina, look for the Apple Country
Cider Jam on April 22, featuring
cider producers from throughout
the Tarheel State. Or go to nearby
Sylva for Greening Up the Mountains (greeningupthemountains.com)
on April 22.
Now plow into Pikeville, Kentucky, on April 20-22, to celebrate
the mountain frontier at Hillbilly
Days, which features three days
of outrageous food, fun and frolics
(hillbillydays.com).
On April 27-30, it's the 30th anniversary edition of music festival
MerleFest at Wilkes Community
College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina (merlefest.org) with performers
30 BlueRidgeCountry.com

including Claire Lynch, Banknotes,
Andy May, Roy Book Binder, Chatham County Line, Jerry Douglas,
Del McCoury Band, Marty Stuart
& His Fabulous Superlatives, Zac
Brown Band and David Holt (see his
Guest column on page 66 of this issue).
Do the Spring Fling at Spartanburg, South Carolina, on April
28-30 (visitspartanburg.com). You can
also Celebrate Clayton with arts and
crafts in Clayton, Georgia, on April
29-30 (706-212-9958).
The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival blooms across Winchester, Virginia, with a variety of
crafters, a carnival and fireworks
(thebloom.com) on April 28-May 7.
And, as the month wraps up, go dig
the Dogwood Arts Festival in
Knoxville, Tennessee, as pretty trees
bloom on Market Square with a juried arts and crafts show on April 2830 (dogwoodsarts.com).
Something fishy: Blue Ridge
Trout Fest and Outdoor Adventure (706-632-5680) returns
on April 29 to the town of Blue
Ridge, Georgia. Look for fly-fishermen, river sports enthusiasts, allied
outdoor recreation fans and their
families for fun, education, food
and entertainment.
The Fork & Cork in Blacksburg,
Virginia, on April 29, 12-5 p.m., features wine, food, music and an art
extravaganza plus cooking demonstrations (blacksburgforkandcork.com).
You can celebrate the shortest

Budbreak Wine Festival

MAY
season with Townsend's Spring
Festival & Old Timers Day on
May 5-6, featuring Appalachian
history and crafts, bluegrass music,
wildflower walks, storytelling, clogging, the Young Pickers Contest,
book signings and bake sales in the
Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee (865-448-6134). You can also
sample the Community School's
Strawberry Festival of Roanoke,
Virginia, on May 5-6 (visitvablueridge.com), or take the Wildflower
Pilgrimage at Blackwater Falls in
Tucker County, West Virginia, on
May 4-7 (304-259-5315); canaanval
ley.org.
In Georgia, you can raise a glass
to toast spring on May 6 at the Blue
Ridge Mountains Wine and
Jazz Festival (561-889-7499). Or,
on the same day, try the Budbreak
Wine and Craft Beer Festival,
showcasing Yadkin Valley wines and
their makers in downtown Mount
Airy, North Carolina, along with
craft beer producers, chefs and musicians (budbreakfestival.com). You'll
also find craft beer, artists and vineyards at the Toast of Toccoa in
Toccoa, Georgia, on May 6 (main
streettoccoa.com) and more wine at
the 25th Annual WineFest, held
at the Habersham Winery of Helen,
Georgia (706-878-9463).
For more beer: Come to King-

http://www.visitspartanburg.com http://www.bearonthesquare.org http://www.eridge.com http://www.thebloom.com http://www.helenchamber.com http://www.ley.org http://www.dogwoodsarts.com http://www.greeningupthemountains.com http://www.budbreakfestival.com http://www.hillbillydays.com http://www.streettoccoa.com http://www.blacksburgforkandcork.com http://www.merlefest.org http://www.BlueRidgeCountry.com

Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2017