October 4 » Mars Hill
Named after Bascom Lamar Lunsford, a folklorist and musician who spent his life producing and protecting Appalachian culture and sound, the Lunsford festival is the second-longest running folk festival in the region. This year’s lineup includes the Bailey Mountain Cloggers—which serves as an ambassador of goodwill to the college—and fiddle band Bandana Rhythm, plus other local talents including Rodger Howell & Friends, Lonely Mountain Ears, and Sourwood Ridge. If you stop by campus earlier, you can also stop by the Madison Heritage Arts Festival for a bevvy of vendors and artisans. » Moore Auditiorum, Mars Hill University, ; Saturday, 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; free; (1-866) 642-4968; mhu.edu