|
96th annual Cherokee Indian Fair set Oct. 7-11
Fall is almost here and that means the 96th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair is right around the corner. It begins on Tuesday, Oct. 7 and continues through Saturday, Oct. 11.
The fair offers outdoor concerts, a carnival, fireworks, a midway full of rides and games, competitions, traditional Cherokee food, and a variety of basket makers, quilters, gardeners, and other local artisans, demonstrating their talents and displaying their works.
The fair kicks off with a parade at 4 p.m. on Oct. 7, followed by the Miss Cherokee Pageant at 8 p.m. and concludes Oct. 11, with a musical performance by 1980s rock legends Foreigner and grand finale fireworks at 11 p.m.
The Cherokee Indian Fair began almost 100 years ago as a celebration of the harvest, with hundreds of agricultural-related competitions. Apples, jams, cakes, and pickles were all judged and winners walked away with cash prizes.
Thousands of people attend the event, which provides a great opportunity for visitors to experience the fun, welcoming qualities of the Cherokee culture. Visitors can taste traditional foods like bean bread, fried chicken and greens, and enjoy an array of musical entertainment, including appearances by country singer Sammy Kershaw, area bluegrass band Balsam Range and Native American singer Crystal Schwanda.
Other highlights includes comedy shows, gospel music, stomp dancing, and a host of family-friendly competitions such as blowgun, archery, wood chopping and baby crawling contests.
General admission is $10 and includes nightly concerts; children 10 and under are admitted free. The Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds are on U.S 441 in Cherokee.
For more information and daily event schedules, call 1-800-438-1601 or visit online at www.cherokee-nc.com.
Cherokee was the 2006 Travel Attraction of the Year as named by the Southeast Tourism Society. Cherokee attractions include the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, which interprets the tribe’s history in the Southern Appalachian Mountains; “Unto These Hills” Outdoor Drama, the story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians staged each summer in the open-air Mountainside Theatre; Oconaluftee Indian Village, a living representation of a 1700s Cherokee village; and the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc., which showcases traditional and contemporary crafts and fine art by members of the Eastern Band.
|
