Folkmoot Festival Parade of Nations in downtown Waynesville

Click image once to watch our video of the Folkmoot Festival Parade of Nations. See more of our YouTube Asheville videos.

July 22 - August 1, 2010
Folkmoot USA, North Carolina's Official International Festival, is a two-week celebration of the world's cultural heritage through folk music and dance. The festival is headquartered at the Folkmoot Friendship Center, a former elementary school, in Waynesville, about 25 miles west of Asheville.

Held each summer across the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, Folkmoot features performances in 11 counties in the Asheville area, parades and workshops by more than 350 performers from a dozen or so countries.

Countries that performed in 2009 included India, Serbia, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Kenya, Spain and Israel. Folkmoot Festival takes place throughout Western North Carolina in the towns of Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, Highlands, Bryson City, Cullowhee, Asheville, Columbus, Burnsville, Marion, Mars Hill, Flat Rock and Franklin.

Be sure to see the Folkmoot Festival Parade of Nations on Friday, July 23 at 1 pm and enjoy crafts and entertainment at International Festival Day on Saturday, July 31 from 10 am - 5 pm. Both events take place in downtown Waynesville and both are free.

Performers demonstrate cultural heritage through colorful, authentic and original reproduction costumes, lively dance and beautiful music. During its 22-year history, over 200 folk groups from more than 100 countries have shared their heritage and culture at Folkmoot USA.

The name Folkmoot, an Old English word meaning "meeting of the people," was borrowed from a folk festival that was once held in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

See the 2009 Schedule (PDF)

Tickets
Tickets go on sale to general public in May.  Tickets may be purchased online at www.folkmootusa.org, by calling the Folkmoot ticket office at 828.452.2997 or by contacting the specific venue.

Waynesville
Just 30 miles away from Asheville, Waynesville is Haywood County's oldest town with over a century of experience as a quaint mountain retreat. Even before the railroad made it easy to get here, visitors flocked to Waynesville for the cool, clean air, clean water, outstanding scenery and an opportunity to escape sweltering cities. Today, vacationers continue to gravitate to this delightful mountain town for its cool summers, dramatic autumns, mild winters, lush springtime, as well as Southern hospitality and small town charm.

Folkmoot History
In 1973, Dr. Clinton Border, a Waynesville surgeon, accompanied a local square dance team to a folk festival in Sidmouth, England. There began the dream that would, 11 years later, become Folkmoot USA. Border was convinced that Western North Carolina, which was already steeped in tradition and dedicated to the preservation of its own heritage, was the perfect location for an international folk festival in the United States.

Despite language barriers and the inherent scheduling difficulties involved in getting foreign performers from their homes to Haywood County, Border believed something invaluable occurs when cultures so rich in tradition come together to share their lives. One month after Border's presentation to community leaders, a proposed board of directors met to launch Folkmoot USA, the North Carolina International Folk Festival.

The first festival was held in 1984, a date coinciding with North Carolina's 400th birthday celebration. The first Folkmoot USA festival featured folk groups representing nine countries, including England, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Turkey, Mexico, Puerto Rico and India. Now, 26 years later, more than 200 groups from 100 different countries have attended the festival. In keeping with festival policy, an entirely new program of performers is offered each year.