Mountain Heritage Day
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A combination of old-time mountain fair, traditional Appalachian folk art showcase and family reunion for the masses, Mountain Heritage Day is Western Carolina University's annual celebration of mountain culture campus in Cullowhee.

According to Festival chairperson Don Wood, "there's a special feeling to Mountain Heritage Day.we feel like Mountain Heritage Day is one of the best things the university does for the region."

This half-hour special celebrates the sights and sounds of the old-fashioned mountain amusements seen at this year's spectacular with highlights of traditional music, dance, crafts and contests.

What started out as a small event to celebrate the traditional culture of the Southern Appalachians has grown into one of North Carolina's premier festivals.  Mountain Heritage Day, held annually on the last Saturday of September, regularly attracts 30,000 visitors to the Western Carolina University campus. With a rating in the top 200 craft events in the United States, the festival's most vital role is in linking generations and helping maintain the authentic folk arts of the mountains.

Mountain Heritage Day captures the best and brightest from the year's event-including toe-tapping music, tasty traditional cooking and fun finds-from woodworking to pottery-from among more than 200 craft booths. From contests for the best biscuits to traditional mountain banjo pickers, this special program features the time-honored festivities from the Cullowhee Valley ridge tops.

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