About the Folk Heritage Committee
The Folk Heritage Committee is a group of dedicated individuals who work throughout the year to produce the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival and Shindig on the Green . The committee has ensured the continuity of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival since 1928 – making it the longest running folk festival in the country. The mission of the Folk Heritage Committee is to preserve and present the musical heritage of the Southern Appalachians to audiences who attend from throughout the region and world, for entertainment and education.
The Folk Heritage Committee operates under the umbrella of the Community Betterment Foundation (a part of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce) which provides support via its fiscal and legal oversight of the Committee’s activities. However, The Folk Heritage Committee does not receive funding from the Community Betterment Foundation or Chamber of Commerce, and is independently responsible for raising funds necessary to produce the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival and Shindig on the Green. Click here to donate.
The Folk Heritage Committee welcomes everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, zip code, health and ability status, or any other consideration to participate justly, fairly, and fully in our events.
The 2024 Folk Heritage Committee consists of 15 dedicated community volunteers who represent a wide range of skills and talents, and who are active participants in the region’s music and dance communities.
To contact the Folk Heritage Committee, please use our contact form or leave a message at the Committee’s Info Line number: Phone: (828) 258-6101 ext. 345 and a member of the committee will be back to you.
2024 Folk Heritage Committee Members:
Craig Bannerman, Danelle Drake, Loretta Freeman, Bob Gregory, Judy Miller, Carol Peterson, Rebecca Pressley, Robert Reeves, Ronald Rhodes, Ben Scales, Linda Smathers, Jerry Sutton, Korey Warren, Ted White, and Bill Wolcott.
Advisors:
Jackie Allison, Jeff Atkins, Leesa Brandon, Kevin Hamlin, Sandra Hunter, Richard Hurley, Jerry Israel, Carol Rifkin, Kathy Roberts, Elly Wells and Kent Withington.