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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.”
UNC-TV brings this popular event
to primetime when Mountain Heritage Day 2003 premieres
Monday, December 8, at 9 PM. 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 2003 captures
the best and brightest from this 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.
UNC-TV is North Carolina’s
member supported, 11-station statewide television network
committed to using telecommunications wisely and imaginatively
to inform, educate, and enrich all North Carolinians.
-UNC-TV-
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