The John C Campbell Folk School dancers put on a clogging show every year to kick off Saturday morning at the Festival. Their dancers range from very young to longtime dancers and will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 11.
Every year on the second weekend of July, one of the most anticipated events in the area arrives. This coming weekend, the 45th Festival on the Square brings music, food, arts and crafts and a great time for smiles and just general visiting of friends.
The event kicks off with a good old-fashioned foot-stomping street dance, starting at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10. Quick Brown Fox will provide free live music in front of Chinquapin’s until around 9 p.m.
Make sure to get there early because the one-way streets by Hayesville Town Hall and Chinquapin’s will close a couple of hours before. Dancing is encouraged so wear your street-dancing shoes. Bring a chair to rest between sets or watch from the sidelines, clap and tap along to those who decide to kick up their heels.
The Festival on the Square main event goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 11 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12. All weekend long, the free shows will be done from the pavilion, with various bands, soloists, dance groups and some standard Appalachian entertainment.
Saturday’s schedule begins with the always popular John C. Campbell Folk School Cloggers. The local Appalachian clogging group consists of talented dancers from very young to young at heart. Afterwards, Saturday’s entertainment schedule will include Rob Tiger, Wyatt Espalin and Erin Worley. Festival attendees will enjoy some vocal tunes, as well as stringed instruments such as guitar, banjo and fiddle.
The free entertainment continues Sunday with:
• 12-1 p.m., Colton James
• 1-2 p.m., Cornbread Ted
• 2-4 p.m., The Skirvin Family Band
More than 80 crafters and artists booths from around the southeast will fill the lawns of the Beal Center, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Gourd art, metal, wind chimes and wood creations, will be displayed, as well as jewelry and paintings from oils to watercolors and acrylics. Local photography and birdhouses are popular items, along with handmade knives, glass and fiber arts. Some artists will be doing artistic demonstrations in their booths.
Fresh-cooked food will once again be available to buy and eat under tents on-site or take home for later. This year food is being cooked by Hawg Wild BBQ and Catfish House, and includes barbeque pulled pork sandwiches or BBQ plates with baked beans, slaw and a roll. Other options are salad, grilled hot dogs, as well as brats, and chips. Beverages offered are water, tea and soda. Top it off with a homemade dessert of brownies or cookies as you enjoy the live entertainment in the gazebo.
Sponsored by local non-profit Clay County Historical & Arts Council, admission to the Festival on the Square and all entertainment are free, but barbeque, drinks and baked goods, are sold to benefit CCHAC, which supports the Old Jail Museum and various art and history events for the schools and the community. CCHAC receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural and Natural Resources. CCHAC is a 501C non-profit, operated entirely by volunteers and new members are always welcome. Stop by the CCHAC tent in front of the Beal Center for your festival memorabilia and to learn more about being a part of the work the group does.
Along with the food provider, Hawg Wild BBQ and Catfish House, other local sponsors help make the Festival on the Square happen for the community and visitors. Without these businesses and groups, the Festival on the Square would likely not be possible. CCHAC also wants to acknowledge how beneficial The Copper Door has been as the food provider to the Festival on the Square for the last several years.
No pets are allowed on the square during the festival. For more information, visit Clay County Historical and Arts Council on Facebook or go to: www.clayhistoryartsnc.org.