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 18-29, 2012
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, but performances can be seen in 16 cities, including Asheville, Hendersonville, Franklin, Burnsville, Maggie Valley and Waynesville.
In this 29th year of Folkmoot Festivals, dancers and musicians in colorful traditional costumes from the 10 countries are expected to appear in over 70 performances during the two-week event.
These world ambassadors travel to North Carolina for two weeks of entertainment, cultural exchange and education--It is their intent to share cultural traditions with the broadest audiences, partly to ensure these traditions are not lost in our fast-paced modern world. Festivals like Folkmoot do not provide payment to the groups for their performances. Instead, all expenses are covered by the Festival, from the group’s arrival at a nearby international airport to their departure from the same airport two weeks later. Folkmoot staff will prepare 20,000 meals for our guests and the familiar white “Activity Buses” will travel more than 10,000 miles transporting groups to performances.
While there are over 300 international festivals like Folkmoot USA across the globe, Folkmoot is one of only two similar international festivals in the United States. The Parade of Nations is scheduled for Friday, July 20 from the historic Courthouse to Main Street in downtown Waynesville. The Folkmoot 5K Run/Walk & Kid’s Fun Run will be held Saturday, July 21 in front of the Folkmoot Friendship Center.
Haywood County Arts Council’s International Festival Day takes place on Saturday, July 28, in downtown Waynesville and features Folkmoot performers on stages throughout the day.
In addition to 21 ticketed public performances, Folkmoot dancers and musicians are featured at many other private and charitable performances during the two-week Folkmoot Festival.
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.
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 25 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.
