An Appalachian Summer Festival Begins June 27

Story by David Brewer

The 25th season of An Appalachian Summer Festival will kick off on Saturday, June 27 with a performance by Celtic sensations Leahy at Farthing Auditorium and will continue with dozens of performances, workshops, films and lectures through July 25.

When it began in 1984 as a temporary home for the Chopin Colony Summer Music Festival, An Appalachian Summer Festival organizers hoped to sell 100 subscriptions for the summer along with approximately 100 tickers per show to make the event a success. Little did they know that during the next quarter century, App Summer would draw tens of thousands of spectators to hundreds of shows and breath artistic life into the community for an entire month each summer.

Presented by ASU’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, the 2009 edition of An Appalachian Summer Festival seeks to celebrate the immense success of the series by presenting yet another astonishingly diverse mix of music, dance, theatre and visual arts.

Festivalgoers are sure to recognize the names of returning performers including the Pilobolus Dance Company and Buckwheat Zydeco, as well as renowned annual festival performers Broyhill Chamber Ensemble. Newcomer and folk legend Joan Baez is a welcome addition to this year’s roster, as well as top comedian Paula Poundstone.

App Summer is also branching out into the community with off campus events including the Sophie B. Hawkins performance at Blowing Rock’s Westglow Spa and multiple movies at Boone’s Dragonfly Theater & Pub.

For those looking forward to more hands-on activities, App Summer will again offer multiple art workshops. However, those wishing to participate should make reservations now, as most workshops fill up quickly.

Tickets to App Summer performances range from $5 to $30. Most visual arts and educational events are free of charge. The festival offers two flexible ticket passes: the Pick 5 offers a 15 percent discount off of any purchase of five or more tickets; the Festival Pass offers a 25 percent discount and priority seating for those who purchase a ticket to each performance.

Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased by calling 828-262-4046 or by to clicking www.appsummer.org.

An Appalachian Summer Festival 2009 Schedule

In between the two unique concerts that mark the beginning and end of An Appalachian Summer Festival’s silver anniversary season are a staggering number of activities for people of all ages and interests.

6/27 Leahy
6/28 Broyhill Chamber Ensemble
6/29 to 7/3 Workshop: Creating in Clay
6/29 to 7/3 Workshop: Plein Air Boone
6/29 to 7/3 Workshop: Cre8tive Drama Day Camp
6/29 Film: The Band’s Visit (at Dragonfly Theater & Pub)
6/30 Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Pops
7/1 Broyhill Chamber Ensemble
7/1 Lunch & Learn: The Sounds of Summer
7/2 Melissa Manchester
7/3 Lecture: Steven Siegel
7/3 TCVA Members’ Preview Reception
7/3 Summer Exhibition Celebration
7/5 Sophie B. Hawkins (at Westglow Spa)
7/6 Broyhill Chamber Ensemble
7/6 to 7/10 Workshop: Figure Drawing with Tim Ford
7/7 Pilobolus
7/8 Lunch & Learn: Inside and Out
7/9 Film: The Underground Orchestra (at Dragonfly Theater & Pub)
7/10 Patagonia’s Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival
7/11 Buckwheat Zydeco
7/11 Family Day at TCVA
7/11 Workshop: Shibori
7/12 Eastern Festival Orchestra
7/13 to 7/15 Workshop: Beyond Collage
7/13 Film: Vitus (at Dragonfly Theater & Pub)
7/14 Paul Taylor Dance
7/15 Broyhill Chamber Ensemble
7/15 Lunch & Learn: Dancing Around the Subject
7/16 Lecture: Ron Rash
7/16 to 7/18 Workshop: Wash and Roll
7/17 Paula Poundstone
7/18 Mike Cross
7/19 Halpert Biennial Gallery Talk
7/19 Eastern Festival Orchestra
7/19 Silent Auction Ends
7/20 Broyhill Chamber Ensemble
7/20 to 7/24 Workshop: Create Your Own Fantasy Chair
7/20 to 7/24 Workshop: Jewelry—Modern Reliquaries
7/21 Triad Stage: Oleanna
7/22 Triad Stage: Oleanna
7/22 Lunch & Learn: Stage Coach
7/23 Joan Baez
7/24 Triad Stage Workshop: Providence Gap
7/25 Workshop: Fanciful and Functional 3-D Artist Books
7/25 Kenny Loggins (at Holmes Convocation Center)