This is your invitation to “come and play in the streets” of downtown Morganton during the 32nd Annual Historic Morganton Festival on September 6 & 7! Famous for its mile and a half of arts and crafts, the Historic Morganton Festival always features free outdoor concerts, featuring a different national Country Music Star for the finale each night. Stay connected to www.morgantonfest.org for up the latest news and information.
The weekend begins on Friday, September 6 at noon when the infamous Food Court will tempt your taste buds with succulent aromas of gyros, BBQ, “chicken on a stick”, French pastries, homemade ice cream and much, much more. At 3:00pm the streets come alive with fun and excitement! Craft vendors will line the courthouse square and South Sterling Street offering a plethora of art, jewelry, pottery, soap, candles and more!
The ever popular Kids Zone and Teen Zone will open with ticketed rides and games along with a free craft area for children grades 5th and under, as well as a free performance stage featuring mimes, clowns, and more! For a full Pepsi Stage and Kids Stage lineup, visit www.morgantonfest.org. For teens and fun-loving adults, the Teen Zone features a Bungee Jump, obstacle courses, and a few surprises. Don’t miss the wildly popular DJ Dance Party at 9:00pm on Friday night located at the Pepsi Stage on North Sterling Street.
Friday night, the music begins on the Coors Light Stage (featuring a beer garden) at 6:00pm and City Stage will host Craig Campbell! Campbell, a country music singer, has had several hits including “Family Man”, “Fish”, “When I Get It”, and “Outta My Head”!
Start Saturday morning with a 5k or 10k by participating in the Sunrise Run and Mission Health Student Fitness Challenge on the Catawba River Greenway! Students should pre-register with their Physical Education teachers; adults can pre-register on-line at www.thesunriserun.com. Our course has been certified and will be chip-timed!
After your run, head to the Festival where booths open at 9:00am with even more artists and crafters than on Friday. Yard art, baskets, crafted toys, jellies, wines, clothing, carvings, baskets, plants, pottery and lots of jewelry can be discovered over eight city blocks! Civic organizations, crafters, artists and businesses are out on the streets waiting for the ever-popular festival shopper. Throughout the day there are activities for the entire family.
Saturday at noon on the Coors Light Stage, "The Texaco Country Showdown" Catawba Valley Finale with Kicks 103.3.
Roughly 20 contestants that have won the right to be on stage will be singing before a panel of judges and others to win $250 and advance to the State/Regional Round of Competitions in Columbia S.C. in October, which has a payout of $1000 and a ticket to the National Round in January in Nashville. The National Competition will be seen on National TV. Stop by and see if your pick is who the judges pick!
Saturday evening, the streets will again heat up with live music at the Coors Light Stage hosting local favorites and at City Stage featuring Justin Moore! Moore is best known for his singles “Small Town USA”, “If Heaven Wasn’t so Far Away”, “Bait A Hook” and so much more. ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE!
Be a part of this memory making event and mark your calendars for a great weekend of fun, September 6 & 7 in downtown Morganton. The festival is an animal-free event and will go on rain or shine. For a complete listing of all the events including the Sunrise Run, music acts, shuttle bus routes, and more, contact us by phone at 828-438-5252; by email at info@morgantonfest.org; or check out the website www.morgantonfest.org.
