WEST JEFFERSON — Ashe County’s longest-running festival, Christmas in July, will be the grand finale for Independence Day celebrations in this western North Carolina town on July 5.
This year’s lineup includes local musicians.
Beth Snapp, from Kingsport, Tenn., will be the festival’s opening act at 5 p.m. Friday. She sings contemporary country songs with catchy melodies and genuine emotion.
At 6:30, Presley Barker, a Wilkes County native and up-and-coming star on stage, will perform. He is returning to Ashe County after he opened for the Ashe Bash concert last year.
Independence Day revelers can also dance the night away with Hot Sauce, a North Carolina-based party band that brings high-energy soul, rock, pop and everything in between.
A regular Farmers Market opens at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 6, followed by craft vendors, local nonprofit agencies and specialty food vendors opening at 9. The festival will extend throughout the downtown area along Jefferson Avenue, with sidewalks left clear for walking and browsing the shops. The Ashe County Arts Council will play host to children’s activities while performers rove the streets showcasing their magical talents. Naturally, Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive straight from the North Pole for a cameo.
On Saturday morning, local favorite Wayne Henderson and Friends are the opening act starting at 9:30. Wayne’s finger-picking guitar playing has been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall and across the globe. He will be joined by Herb Key, a favorite who grew up in a musical family in Wilkes County and has played music for most of his life, spending more than 30 years making, repairing and restoring instruments. Randy Greer and Josh Scott will join Wayne and Herb on stage. Josh Scott is on bass, and Randy Greer is known as an expert mandolinist.
The Jeff Little Trio will follow and promise to mesmerize the crowd with their unique style. Jeff’s hands will do some fast work on the ivories as he plays with a distinctive two-handed style influenced by the mountain flat-picked guitar tradition and regional musicians like Doc Watson. Steve Lewis, national banjo champion, will join Jeff and Luke Little on mandolin.
The Special Occasion Band returns to Ashe County with good vibes — if you love Beach music, plan to shag in the street while the Special Occasion Band entertains on stage. For more than 20 years, Special Occasion Band has entertained young and old all over the Carolinas. This band aims to please and will play songs that bring back special memories.
Darin and Brooke Aldridge will play Christmas In July for the first time. This husband-and-wife duo, originally from neighboring Avery County, has regularly delighted Grand Ole Opry audiences. Brooke is a four-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association award for Female Vocalist of the Year, while Darin earned the association’s Mentor of the Year award. The couple plays country, bluegrass and Gospel favorites.
The Christmas in July Festival celebrates Ashe County, a leading producer of Christmas trees and mountain heritage with arts, crafts and local entertainers representative of the region.
The festival is put on by a nonprofit organization whose Board of Directors and committee members are unpaid volunteers who work throughout the year to hold a fun, family-friendly event for the community and those visiting Ashe County.
For more information, updates on the festival or to learn more about the music lineup, visit www.christmas injulyfestival.com.
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