Last year’s Bear on the Square Mountain Festival in Dahlonega, GA, was a blast. The celebration of all things mountainy was celebrated by thousands of fellow mountainy stuff lovers.
Pictures from 2012′s Bear on the Square Mountain Festival
For the 17th year, Dahlonega is doing it bigger and better during the weekend of April 19-21, 2013. Thankfully, the wise folks who plan and prepare the festival haven’t gone all Disney on us. The historic feel and ambiance of the previous Bear bashes will be unblemished. It’ll just be better than ever, that’s all.
If you love the mountains … or excellent music … arts & crafts … people watching and storytelling … you’ll love the Bear.
Photograph by Robert Sutherland
Jamming on and around the square commences on Friday, April 19th and continues until the last musician is dragged out of town, strumming and singing.
This year there’s a Live Country Auction Friday night too. Bidding on semi-priceless treasures that would be perfect in our homes or barns sounds like fun.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, there’s free admission to live performances by local, regional and national musicians in the MainStage Tent across from Hancock Park — with a heavy emphasis on bluegrass and old-time music from the Southern Appalachian region.
A juried Artist Marketplace on the square brings the best in traditional mountain crafts.
Don’t miss the:
- free music workshops
- Sunday morning Gospel Jam
- Saturday evening old-time Mountain Dance
- weekend-long kids’ activities
- a free Children’s Program
- storytelling and
- food, food, food.
Music in Dahlonega at the 2012 Bear on the Square Mountain Music Festival ~~ Photograph by Robert Sutherland
Since its beginning in 1996, Dahlonega’s Bear on the Square Mountain Festival has faithfully offered events and activities consistent with its mission of celebrating the Southern Appalachian region’s music, art and folkways.
Bring a chair and join in with your guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, lap dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, autoharp or washboard. (Please provide a courteous warning prior to all yodeling. Thank you.)
The Open Mic event is new for 2013. It’ll be emceed by Neel Pender with Dave Moser handling the sound and takes place at The Pavilion Stage at Hancock Park from 1:30-3:30 on Saturday.
Details and schedules of all of these events and activities can be found on the link below, along with everything you could ever hope to learn about the festival.
The Bear on the Square Mountain Festival is where all the cool kids will be April 19th – 21st.
The coolest kid at the 2012 Bear on the Square Mountain Festival. ~~ Photograph by Robert Sutherland
