Mountainside Art & Music Festival Kicks-Off Season Opening of Oconaluftee Village May 1, 2010

Mountainside Art & Music Festival Kicks-Off Season Opening of Oconaluftee Village May 1, 2010

CHEROKEE, N.C., April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mountainside Theater is changing tunes May 1st, attracting bluegrass bands and artists from across the region to the inaugural Mountainside Art and Music Festival. Seven bands will perform throughout the day, leaving visitors with time to shop the works of Appalachian and native artists and experience daily Cherokee life in the late 1700s at the season opening of Oconaluftee Village.

"We have a full day of activities and events planned to kick-off the opening of our newly renovated Mountainside Theater as well as Oconaluftee Village," said John Tissue, executive director of the Cherokee Historical Association. "This is a celebration of Appalachia - as we pay tribute to the art, music and stories of the Cherokee nation that are centuries old."

Mountainside Art & Music Festival

With the $2.4 million renovation complete, the Mountainside Theater will showcase some of the best bluegrass talent in the region. Musical acts will begin at 10 am, with Carolina favorite, Balsam Range, capping off the evening after a daylong celebration of Appalachia.

Saturday, May 1, 2010
10:00 am - The Solstice Sisters
11:30 am - The Rye Holler Boys
1:00 pm - Town Mountain
2:30 pm - Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition
4:00 pm - The Bluegrass Lumber Company
5:30 pm - The Barncats
7:00 pm - Balsam Range

In addition, more than thirty select local and regional artists will showcase hand-crafted artwork - from pottery and native basketry to beadwork. Artists will sell their original pieces from 9 am - 6 pm.

Season Opening of Oconaluftee Village

On opening day and through October, visitors can witness the challenges of life at a time of rapid cultural change as they interact with villagers from the 1760s.

Tour guides, well-educated in traditional Cherokee culture and donned in native dress, take guests on a one and a half hour stroll through a pivotal time in the life and times of the Oconaluftee Indian Village. A winding trail leads to several demonstrations of craft production, such as beadwork, pottery, masks, basket weave and demonstrations of making a dugout canoe.

Daily life is represented through an understanding of survival during a tumultuous time more than 250 years ago. Additional stops include the seven sided Council House to learn about tribal government, and the Square Ground, where ceremonies were performed through traditional dance and instruments.

"Oconaluftee Village allows visitors to witness an authentic replica of a Cherokee community," said Tissue. "We hope to pique the interest of visitors and invite them back in June, for the opening of the drama, Unto These Hills, telling the story of the Cherokee people - past and present."

Tickets and Information
All Day Music Passes: $20 Main and Terrace Level

Festival Plus Package includes: All Day Music Pass, Oconaluftee Village, Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and Gallery of Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual. Starting at $50 per Adult and $38 per Child (ages 6-12)

Oconaluftee Village: Guided Tour - Adult $22, Child $14, five & under free

For more event information and to reserve tickets visit www.cherokeeadventure.com or call 866-554-4557.

Cherokee, N.C., is home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Cultural District presents some of the most significant and authentic events in the United States, rich in elaborate Native American ceremony, song and dance, traditional arts and crafts, legends and historic traditions. Cultural attractions include one of the longest running outdoor dramas in the nation, "Unto These Hills," performed at the newly renovated open-air Mountainside Theatre, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Oconaluftee Indian Village and the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc. For more information about Cherokee and the Cherokee Cultural Partners, visit www.cherokee-nc.com or call (800) 438-1601.

Source: Cherokee Cultural Partners

CONTACT: Nancy Irwin, 704-641-1225 nancyi@theclearblue.com, for Cherokee
Cultural Partners

Web Site: http://www.cherokeeadventure.com/
http://www.cherokee-nc.com/

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