NEWS RELEASE

Frequent visitors to Cumberland Gap, Tennessee will know that, over the past several years, there has been a growing number of high-quality community events and festivals taking place in the historic town. The last Saturday in September is shaping up to be no exception to that pattern. These three favorite events have teamed-up to create a triple-threat festival weekend for the entire family. For the first time, Cumberland Gap will host The Mountain Fiesta, The Last Saturday Antique Event and The Harvest Moon Festival – all on the same day.

First, the Last Saturday in September: Antique, Arts and Crafts Event. Rain or shine, more than 30 vendors will line Colwyn and Lynn Avenues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This antique event occurs bi-annually in Cumberland Gap. Vendors from Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia will give the event a regional flair. In addition to the antique, arts and crafts vendors, the local shops will be open throughout town to provide shoppers the opportunity to experience the offerings available in “the Gap” on a daily basis. While this event officially ends at 4:00pm, shops in town will remain open until at least 5 p.m.

Second, the Cumberland Gap Artists’ Co-op will be presenting its very popular annual Harvest Moon Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will be an occasion for folks from Northeastern Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, and Southeastern Kentucky to gather in celebration of Fall 2022 with the setting of our beautiful Cumberland Gap Historical Park as a backdrop. The festival will feature the very popular Nine Lakes Wine Company from Tazewell, Tennessee. In addition to the wine, the day promises to be filled with the works of our many tri-state area artists and artisans, vendors with a wide range of product creations, food, and drink to tempt anyone while music sails around us.

Third, the Fifth Annual Mountain Fiesta will be in full swing from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with live music including several Grammy nominees and two international groups. In addition to a large offering of food vendors and artisans from all over the region and from Latin America, this event will offer workshops and demonstrations that highlight the folkways of both cultures. Live music reigns at this event. One of the international groups is Los Utrera, who come from the El Hato community of Veracruz, Mexico and are a leading family of Son Jarocho – a folk music and dance tradition that draws from Spanish, African, and indigenous influences. The other international act is The Malina Brothers, who make their way to Cumberland Gap from Czech Republic. This acoustic supergroup represents a century-long tradition of Czech interest in American string band music and boast decades of experience with bluegrass and old-time string music.

Filling out the rest of the 10-hour lineup are: CornMaiz String Band, Into the Fog, Joe Troop & Larry Bellorín, Rica Chicha, Appalatin, The LUA Project, and local legend Dale Ann Bradley.

There will be several other performances including a traditional folk dance from Michoacan, Mexico called the Danza de los Viejitos, as well as an exciting demonstration of Aztec culture from the group Danza Azteca Acitlalmichitli.

J. Frank White Academy’s Spanish teacher, Zachary Greene, has organized this event for six years with several generations of students by his side.