Watauga Arts Council & Downtown Boone Development Association bring back the annual celebration of our eclectic creative community!
Boone, NC — The Watauga Arts Council (WAC), in collaboration with the Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA), is thrilled to announce the return of Buskers Fest on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 2-7 p.m. The streets of downtown Boone will come alive with music, performance, demos, and hands-on art experiences for all ages.
This year will be celebrated as the 4th Annual Buskers Fest. The 2024 event was canceled in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, when organizers shifted from festival planning to artist relief.
“Immediately after the storm, we hoped to postpone it by a week or two,” said Amber Bateman, WAC Executive Director. “As the scope of the damage emerged, we realized cancellation was the only responsible choice. It was a very difficult decision. We knew how much artists relied on this event to earn income heading into the winter season, but with the changing weather and the holidays approaching, we just couldn’t find a viable path forward. We turned our energy toward checking on artists, organizing relief, and fundraising. Together, our community raised $10,000 directly for local artists and helped secure over $120,000 in additional support for artists, arts businesses, and nonprofits.”
With renewed focus on its original mission – supporting local artists – Buskers Fest returns with arts-friendly participation and expanded public access. Thanks to generous support from the North Carolina Arts Council, WAC will provide stipends to performers and waive artist participation fees. The Boone Tourism Development Authority is also sponsoring the event, helping promote the festival to visitors “off the mountain.”
Saturday, this year!
In previous years, Buskers Fest was held on a Friday, which compressed the schedule and limited attendance. Moving to Saturday and expanding the hours makes it easier for residents, students, families, and visitors to take part throughout the afternoon and early evening.
What to Expect
Timed to the golden hour and cooler mountain air, Buskers Fest offers a nostalgic, immersive, open-air, street-arts experience. “This is a celebration of our eclectic creative community,” said Lauren Armbrust, WAC Board Member. “You’ll find a wide range of mediums and experience levels; artists demoing their craft, performers engaging with audiences, and plenty of hands-on opportunities to make art. It’s a true community builder.”
The Watauga Arts Council Board of Directors will also be at the Jones House, hosting an art raffle and silent auction. Featured items include chairs reimagined by local artists—once everyday functional furnishings, now transformed into one-of-a-kind works of art. Residents and visitors can join in a scavenger hunt to find these chairs on display at businesses throughout downtown Boone, now through September 19th. Scavenger hunt questionnaires are available at the Jones House and the Watauga County Library.
Special Features
- ● 200+ artists and performers expected across downtown
- ● Art Raffle & Silent Auction at the Jones House, hosted by the WAC Board
- ● Boonetoberfest: AMB, South End Brewing, Lost Province, Fizz Ed, and 828 Real Estate will all have Oktoberfest-themed brews, food, and festivities (many starting by noon) Event Details
- ● When: Saturday, September 20, 2025 | 2-7 p.m.
- ● Where: Downtown Boone
- ● Cost: Free to attend; tips encouraged for artists, donations and silent auction encouraged to support WAC
- ● Artists/Performers: Stipends provided; free participation (details online) For festival locations, parking information, and updates, visit the Watauga Arts Council website and follow them on social media (Instagram: @watauga_arts | Facebook: Watauga County Arts Council). Subscribe to the WAC newsletter for the latest announcements. Sponsors & Partners: Watauga Arts Council thanks the North Carolina Arts Council, Explore Boone, Downtown Boone Development Association, and community partners for their support in bringing the festival to life this year. ###
About Watauga Arts Council
The Watauga Arts Council (WAC) fosters a thriving, diverse, vibrant, creative community through arts advocacy, education, support, and inspiration. Serving professional and emerging artists, WAC facilitates and provides a structure for arts initiatives that enrich the lives of artists, residents, and visitors alike. Offering art classes for all ages, grant funding to artists and arts organizations, gallery exhibits,
community groups, and special projects and events, their work enriches the lives of residents and visitors alike. Learn more and get involved through their social media and on their website.
Website: https://www.watauga-arts.org/
Facebook: @Watauga County Arts Council
Instagram: @watauga_arts
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