As most of you already know, the John C. Campbell Folk School plays a huge role in our lives. I consider myself very fortunate to live just down the road from the John C. Campbell Folk School.
The first time I remember being at the folk school I was about 6 years old. My school class was going on a field trip to tour the folk school. My Mamaw, Marie Wilson, worked in the craft shop. Instead of taking the bus with the other kids I rode to work with her that morning.
Even though the days, weeks, and years have passed quickly by since that day, I still vividly recall the trip as the beginning of my fascination with the folk school. First there were the carvings-dozens of little animal figures any child would be spell bound by them. I still have a cat and rooster that my Mamaw gifted me.
There was the sliding door refrigerator with more fruit in it than I’d ever seen, and as I wandered around and lost my way there was the nice housekeeper who let me follow her back to Mamaw never scolding me for prowling around and getting lost.
Through the years the folk school continued to weave its way through my life. Pap has performed at many a fall festival and Friday night concert. The folk school even aided in one of the greatest achievements of his musical career when they assisted the North Carolina Arts Council in awarding Pap and his brother the North Carolina Folk Heritage Award for their music as The Wilson Brothers. You can even read about Pap in the JCCFS’s History Center.
The folk school continues to be a part of my life today.
Chatter and Chitter clogged on the John C. Campbell Folk School Clogging Team for many years; I teach an Appalachian cooking class for them; we all enjoy attending contra dances; and the whole Blind Pig Gang performs at the folk school and is always on one of the stages during fall festival.
When Olive Dame Campbell opened her beloved folk school it was to help our little community of Brasstown and the surrounding area. Her vision was to teach local folks how to use the techniques and talents they already had to better their lives.
To be sure, people from all over the world benefit from the John C. Campbell Folk School. However, every year when we take our place on the festival barn stage, I know Mrs. Campbell would be proud. Not because of our musical awesomeness, but because 4 generations of the Wilson family who live just down the road, have intertwined their lives with her dream.
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Details:
JCCFS Fall Festival – October 7 & 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Daily admission: $5 for adults, $3 for ages 12-17, and free for children under 12.
The Pressley Girls will perform on the Festival Barn Stage at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday Oct 8. If you make it to the festival PLEASE come up and say hello!
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Live close enough to attend the festival? The Folk School generously donated tickets for me to giveaway. If you want the tickets-leave a comment and tell me. The tickets are good for one day of the festival, whichever day you decide to attend.
To be entered in the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me you want to win the tickets. The giveaway will close on Monday September 25 at 3:00 p.m.
To read a great guest post about Olive Dame Campbell written by Rooney Floyd go here!
Tipper
Hi Tipper, I would love to win tickets. I am new to the area and I have heard how wonderful the festival is. Thanks
We certainly enjoyed seeing you all the last time we were there and hope to go again this year. Sign us up.
Hey, Tipper. I would love to win the tickets to the JC Campbel Folk School’s Fall Festival. In past years I never missed coming, but it had been quite some time since I had been there until I came last year.
I was shocked to see the size of it! I did not allow enough time to go through as I had my old dog with me and my husband. The dog was really worn out about half-way through and my husband was finished when we left the music area, as he admires arts and crafts in small doses, only. So, I would enjoy coming back this year with a friend who loves festivals as much as I do. We will leave the husbands and the dogs at home and plan the day to see everything. Hope to meet you! I am your neighbor over the mountain in Georgia and feel like I already know you from your Blog and your emails.
Happy Day to you!
I would love, love love to win tickets to the John C Campbell Folk School Fall Festival. I’ve heard of the school, but never been. I’ve looked at their catalog and would love to one day sign up for classes. I love the old-time mountain way of doing things and a lot of them are becoming lost arts. Thanks for helping to keep them alive!
Hoping for a beautiful fall weekend at the festival! Thanks for the chance to win tickets 🙂
Well it may be too late to win the tickets but I do want to express how much I am enjoying your blog! We are just getting introduced to your music and love the stories of family and Appalachian history. My husband and I have talked about taking a class at the Folk School and thought attending the fall festival would be a fun way to look around the campus.
Tipper, the GraciousRoots team can’t wait to attend on Sunday – The Pressley Girls will be playing!
Hopefully we’ll have the pleasure of meeting The Deer Hunter, the girls and the rest of the family.
See you soon
PS – someone recently leaked that I was a Fairview Forty Niner square dance team member in grade school. #heritage #Appalachian Life
I missed last year because a niece of ours scheduled a wedding without checking with us about the date. Would love to win tickets. Leaving for a hurricane relief effort in Florida so i will be without internet this week.
Tamela-thank you for the great comments!! The Cabbage Patch Kids were created just over the mountain from here in Cleveland GA. They used to have a hospital that you could tour and see the babies born under the cabbage plants : ) It may still be there. We took the girls when they were young but I don’t remember them being that impressed! I have never heard of Zero Daniel-but a quick google enlightened me. Wow that sounds like something we should all try harder to do-use it all up before we toss it out!
I’ll be there! Please enter me in the contest to win tickets!
Please enter me in the contest- it will be our daughter’s first time going that she will be able to enjoy it all-day she was only 3 months old for it last year. She will love it this year!!!
We love the Folk School and what it represents in our community. It is amazing that in our small town that we have visitors come from all over the world to attend classes and learn of our heritage here in our lil town of Murphy. We would want to attend on Sunday if we win.
We have never been but I’ve heard about the school and I’m really excited to hopefully go.
A blind pig will always find an find an acorn, a relative from these parts told me. I am a Folk School clogger who broke her foot and can’t dance this year. However, I would love to attend the Folk School Festival with a friend to support all the wonderful things that are done here.
Tipper thanks for the opportunity to win some tickets. I have never been to the school and was only aware of it through your blog. I look forward to seeing and learning about part of my family ancestry.
Thanks for “throwing me a bone”, Tipper. I appreciate your respect for the School and Mrs. Campbell. I know you would have loved her–and vice versa…
Tipper,
I was picking up things outside so my friend could mow the lawn and when I started moving my automobiles around, I started hearing Chitter and Chatter on my radios. I stopped just long enough to hear “Angles Rock me to Sleep” then Donna Lynn played a favorite by Ray and Pap, “Cabin by the Side of the Road.” Just as she went off the air, she said “I like the Wilson Family, so I have to play some of their songs.”
I had been listening all day and she played two of my Favorite songs. (I didn’t even call them in for a request!) Amazing! …Ken
I would love tobe able to visit the John C Campbell
folk festival! Put my name in for a chance for 2 tickets! Would love to see the Pressley Girls and their Mom again! They are still talking about how wonderful you are down here in Spartanburg!
PS – don’t include me in the drawing. As much as I’d like to go, there’s no way I can go; but I look forward to lots of blog entries and photo albums about the event! It’s sure to cause lot’s of special memories to rise to the surface!
Sounds like a delightful event and having a connection with the Folk School through the generations is a blessing indeed.
Two things:
1: I was pulling out stored toys for one of the littlest granddaughters and noticed the tag on an old Cabbage Patch doll had a label saying “Original Appalachia Artworks, Inc,” – just curious what you knew about the connection between Appalachia and the Cabbage patch dolls.
2: Have you heard of “Zero Waste Daniel” ? – Part of me is amused by this “discovery”; the other part is glad that an old folk skill is getting some additional recognition for the art that it is.
I wasn’t able to attend the festival last year and the year before it was rained out. I’ve never been to the festival though I catch some of the Thursday/Friday night concerts. I’d sure like a free ticket to attend the festival.
I love your blogs!
Tipper,
I was probably in the first grade when I heard about the John C. Campbell Folk School and I never attended until I met most all the Wilson bunch. Now I’m glad I did! Hope to see you all at the Blairsville Courthouse, Friday evening. …Ken
I visited in 2015 and missed the festival because of Mother Nature, but I did take a class at the John Campbell Folk School. It is a little bit of heaven for many reasons. Maybe……maybe….I will get the chance to visit again. I will be thinking of you all enjoying the day, the music, the crafts, the food, the smells, the leaves, the people. If I close my eyes, I am right there.
Four generations – that is a legacy indeed. I wonder how many families can say that. Your first visit reminds me of my first trip to the library. I didn’t know there were that many books in the world.
Have a blessed day everyone.
We hope to get up that way to see the beautiful fall colors! I’m praying it will be during the festival so we can see those precious girls perform!
It sounds like a wonderful place! I would love to win tickets! God bless you and your family, Tipper. 🙂
Wow, Fall Festival is here already! The summer has flown by. I moved from a big city to Ellijay four years ago. I met the best friends ever, and they have taught me so many life skills. You should see my canning shelves and my firewood stacks! Who knew an almost 70-year-old lady could have so much fun. I thank God how he orchestrated events for me to move here after my husband passed to carry on our dream of moving to the mountains. Two big-city long-time friends will be visiting for my birthday at the end of the month, and Festival tickets would be a great birthday present. Thanks for the opportunity!
p.s. Love your blog and music
Cheryl
Would love to win the tickets to the folk school! I have never been there yet and decided this year was the time!
I would like two tickets to give my friend to go the festival. She’s new to Blairsville and has never been to it. I also hope to bring her to see y’all Friday in Blairsville. Thanks!
The Folk School is certainly a great addition to our little Brasstown Community. I look forward to the festival each year. Every year as the girls perform they are carrying in a family tradition. How kool is that!