The John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachia and Comparative Highland Studies is back with a beloved annual tradition, Appalachian Heritage Week. Each year the college sets aside time in the spring to celebrate the place we all call home through programming that highlights Appalachian culture, food, history, natural resources, and more.
This year, the Stephenson Center will host Appalachian Heritage Week Monday, April 15 through Friday, April 19 with fun and educational activities each day. The full schedule of community events for Appalachian Heritage Week 2024 is as follows:
- Monday, April 15: Experience traditional Appalachian art forms in Swank Park from 10 a.m.−2 p.m. with fiber artists Michelle Dearmin, Angela Wheeler, and Jess Bellemer, along with woodworker Lacy Snapp and ceramicist PJ Boyajian. The artists will display and sell their work and give demonstrations.
- Tuesday, April 16: Enjoy a special meal featuring regional fare in The Summit from 5−7:30 p.m. Community members can enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat buffet of Appalachian favorites for $12 per person. Meal tickets will be available for purchase on site.
Following the dinner, the week’s keynote speaker Jane Hicks will be presenting her talk, “An Appalachian Writer’s Heritage” at 7:30 p.m. in Miller Commons. Her talk will explore traditions of Appalachian writing and she will deliver a reading of her own poetry. The keynote address is free for all attendees.
- Thursday, April 18: Explore the natural and ecological world of Southern Appalachia when former Appalachian State University faculty member Liz Rose delivers her talk, “Weaving an Ecology of Food and Medicine with Wild Plants of the Southern Appalachians” at 1 p.m. in Evans Auditorium. Then, at 4 p.m., embark on a guided campus nature walk with Assistant Dean of Natural and Health Sciences Shinjini Goswami and Assistant Professor of Wildlife Biology Alex Glass. The nature walk will depart from the Rock House.
- Friday, April 19: Listen to traditional Appalachian old time and bluegrass music live on Tate Lawn from 10 a.m.−2 p.m. Campus Operations Specialist Susie Hepler will play her dulcimer, a traditional Appalachian fretted string instrument, followed by a performance by regional band John Bills and the Academics. Soak up the sounds of the mountains and enjoy treats from local food trucks Rocky Top Fried Pies, He Provides Homestead Cookie Cart, and Old Roan Kettle Corn.
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