Folkmoot kicks off annual Summer Fest with soirée
Folkmoot kicked off its 41st Summer Fest celebration last Thursday with its Summer Soirée. Guests gathered at the Folkmoot Friendship Center to travel the world together without boarding an airplane.
Upon arrival, attendees were given a passport with a space to get a stamp from each country they “traveled” to. As attendees walked up and down the hall of the building, in each room was a different country to experience.
Each country greeted attendees as soon as they entered while stamping their passports. After being stamped, attendees were able to enjoy a traditional dish from the country they were in while listening to its music. Multiple countries were represented, including India, Greece, The United States, Italy, Mexico and more.
At the end, attendees gathered in the India room where Tiffany Saini performed a dance. Saini concluded the performance teaching the crowd traditional dances.
“Growing up in [Asheville], it’s really important for me to share my culture and my dance with the community,” Saini said. “It really means a lot to me.”
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As well as beginning the Summer Fest, the Summer Soirée served as a fundraiser for Folkmoot and its iconic International Day celebration. Donations were collected throughout the event, an online auction was held and Nina Howard, a Haywood County local, displayed art for sale.
Howard has been a part of Folkmoot since 1992. She began by selling pieces of small art at art carts; now she has an event coming up where she will be painting while a live cellist performs.
“Folkmoot is like coming home at this point,” Howard said. “I’ve been following a thread, watching an evolution and a rebirthing. That’s what Folkmoot is.”
Alicia Blanton, executive director of Folkmoot, decided after the pandemic that the organization’s practices were not sustainable. To potentially grow the celebration back into what it had been before, it had to shrink and break up performances to generate excitement for larger events.
“In the past, we hadn’t been able to do regular events,” Blanton said. “We are like a lot of other arts and cultural organizations. The pandemic hit us hard, and we had a history of a lot of not sustainability so we’re trying to work on that.”
So far, Folkmoot has held six concerts, and the organization plans to host plenty more after International Day. Blanton worked closely to find acts with Ed Thanz, a former music educator and performer. Thanz volunteered with Folkmoot for several years when he began helping find performers for concerts, the Summer Soirée, International Evening and International Day.
Thanz booked one live act for the International Evening in Canton on Friday, July 19. He also promised completely new acts for this year’s International Day.
Folkmoot’s International Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, on Main Street in Waynesville. It is free to attend. There will be two stages with rotating performances all day and plenty of food to try. There will also be over 70 vendors and free kids’ activities.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the festival can visit folkmoot.org/volunteer.
International Day
Folkmoot Day will take place Saturday, July 20, on Main Street in Waynesville. With a 40-year history, the Folkmoot USA International Day has a long-established audience. The 2023 festival welcomed thousands of guests who enjoyed 70+ vendors, two stages with performances by Appalachian and international cultural performers, free kids’ activities and many tasty food options.
Stage 1, under the arch
10 a.m. — Garba360, Heena Patel
11 a.m. — Southern Appalachian Cloggers
Noon — Yeli Ensemble
1 p.m. — Asian Soundscapes
2 p.m. — Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble
3 p.m. — Raíces Emma-Erwin
Miller & Main
10:30 a.m. — Waynesville Belly Dance
11:30 a.m. — Garba360, Heena Patel
12:30 p.m. — WNC Flashmob
1:30 p.m. — Warriors of Anikituhwa
Stage 2, bank parking lot
10 a.m. — Asian Soundscapes
11 a.m. — Seema Viswanath
Noon — Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble
1 p.m. — Seema Viswanath
2 p.m. — Yeli Ensemble
3 p.m. — Southern Appalachian Cloggers
International Evening
Folkmoot International Evening will take place Friday, July 19, at Sorrell’s Park located at 8 Sorrels St. in Canton. Peruse an internationally inspired farmer’s market with food trucks from Mill Town Market. Enjoy a dance parade inspired by international and Appalachian communities. End the evening with a live performance.
4 p.m. — Milltown Market starts
6:30 p.m. — Parade
7:30 p.m. — Jackson Grimm Trio performs
9 p.m. — Event ends
