Festival highlights this 12 months embody a basic automobile cruise-in, regional bocce match, free kids’s space, attraction excursions, outside drama, all kinds of stay leisure, and greater than 150 meals and artisan distributors, based on a press launch from the city.

The occasion will start at 5 p.m. on Friday when Main Street in Valdese will near by way of visitors however open to foot visitors to attend a basic automobile present whereas having fun with native fare together with a wide range of pageant meals, together with Dig ‘n’ Dogs and Village Inn Pizza, together with a wide range of beverage distributors. Domestic beers will probably be out there for buy on behalf of Burke Sunrise Rotary and Waldensian Style Wines will probably be pouring all night time, together with their well-known Brenda’s Peach Bellini. Those who eat alcohol can solely accomplish that throughout the allowed areas of the pageant. 

At 7 p.m. Friday, the musical leisure will start with a efficiency by Southside Station, a 5-piece selection band of musicians of vocalists and musicians devoted to taking part in acoustic guitar, lead guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, upright bass, harmonica and drums. Their tune checklist consists of legendary dance hits, rock, nation, yacht rock and singer/songwriter hits, based on their web site. Southside Station shares the skills of veteran musicians that they’ve shared the stage together with Charlie Daniels, ZZ Top, Styx, Foreigner, Jimmy Buffett, Sara Evans, Sheryl Crow and lots of extra. 

Shortly after nightfall, an excellent and spectacular fireworks show will probably be launched from behind the Old Rock School, providing colourful bursts that can be capable to be seen from throughout downtown.

The enjoyable will proceed Saturday with a day stuffed with purchasing, actions and leisure, together with: 

• 9 a.m. – Tumblemania Performance: Enjoy a particular efficiency on the Main Stage as native tumblers share their flips, jumps and dance strikes.
• 10:30 a.m. – Old Colony Players Reenactment from “From This Day Forward”: The solid from the Historic Outdoor Drama will share a reenactment of the manufacturing together with French hymns and sword combating.
• 11 a.m. – Music by Pandemonium: Enjoy the metal drum sounds of Pandemonium as they be a part of the Waldensian Festival. Their soothing mixture of melodies will make sure to present the right background music for all of the festivities.
•  Noon – Music by Garrett Huffman: Huffman’s musical journey started within the spring of 2020 when he determined to show himself to play the guitar over quarantine. From there, he fell in love with music and developed a ardour for tune writing. He performs a wide range of completely different music genres together with nation, ’80s, and different pop. Huffman is a 2023 nominee for a finalist for the Carolina Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year.
• 2 p.m. – Debbie Huffman Dance Academy Demonstration: Local Valdese dance studio will provide a particular presentation by their dance college students. DHDA presents dance lessons for ages 3 via 18. Teaching ballet, faucet, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop together with starting introductory acrobatics. With over 30 years of expertise, they’re devoted to the artwork and count on our college students to be additionally.
• 3 p.m. – Music by the Night Move Band: With a solid of musicians that may every boast over 25 years of expertise this band is simply as house on stage in entrance of a big pageant crowd as they’re taking part in for a non-public social gathering. With a various tune checklist together with artists similar to The Temptations, Delbert McClinton, The Tams, The Four Tops, Wilson Pickett, The Drifters, Kool & The Gang, Huey Lewis & The News, and lots of extra this band comes able to please any viewers.
• 7 p.m. – Music by Ryan Perry (pageant headliner): Ryan Perry has cemented himself as one of many scorching nation acts within the Southeast. Opening for Tracy Lawrence, Colt Ford, Toby Keith, Jamey Johnson, Ronnie Dunn, and extra, Perry is flexible and entertains country-loving crowds of all ages. With a uncooked and rugged expertise, his charisma, and a fierce ardour for high quality nation music, Ryan Perry is rapidly cementing himself as one in all nation’s subsequent large stars, his web site says. Hailing from the mountains, of Western North Carolina, Perry has a voice you will not overlook and a vibe that’s contagious. As a singer and songwriter, Perry credit Travis Tritt, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Hardy, and Luke Combs as his largest influences. 

In addition to the plethora of leisure, different actions happening throughout the pageant weekend embody: 

Great Waldensian Footrace

Each 12 months throughout the pageant the Great Waldensian Footrace is held. This occasion begins on Saturday at 8 a.m. with a 5 and10k run beginning on the Valdese Community Recreation Center. As in previous years, runners will head down Laurel Street, then onto Lovelady earlier than making their approach again. The 5k runners will double again earlier than they hit Lovelady, avoiding the lengthy uphill stretch. Children are additionally included on this enjoyable occasion by becoming a member of within the one-mile Fun Run instantly after the 5 and 10k race. Race will function fruit, drinks, and so forth. Valdese Community Center Pool and splash pad will probably be out there to all contributors and friends.

Le Phare Des Alpes hosts Regional Bocce Tournament

The Waldensian Festival wouldn’t be full with out bocce. The Western North Carolina Regional Tournament, sponsored and hosted by the Le Phare des Alpes (LPDA) positioned on Laurel Street South, will start promptly at 8 a.m. Aug. 12. The prime three profitable groups will qualify for the state match. This 12 months’s native and state competitions shouldn’t have an age restrict as in earlier years. Bocce, a recreation much like garden bowling, was a favourite pastime of the early settlers in Valdese and continues to show leisure for younger and previous. The LPDA may also be serving scorching Waldensian Bread cooked proper onsite within the wooden burning oven, and a favourite meals of the Waldensians, soutissa, a pork primarily based sausage.

Information sales space and distributors open

Located on the nook of Rodoret & Main Street, Festival attendees are invited to go to the Valdese Information and Merchandise Booth. Information on all occasion actions will probably be out there. Valdese T-shirts, Valdese license plates, decals and flags will probably be out there for buy. More than 150 meals and craft distributors will flood Main Street from Carolina Street to the Old Rock School on Saturday from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. All kinds of pageant cubicles will probably be represented, together with handmade crafts, furnishings, attire boutiques, kids’s actions, giveaways and, after all, all the road meals favorites.

Free Children’s Area at Waldensian Presbyterian Church 

New this 12 months, the Waldensian Presbyterian Church will current a free group kids’s space that includes a number of bouncy homes, together with an 80-foot waterslide impediment course. Art within the Park actions at Centennial Fountain embody finger portray, sponge portray, stamps, and extra. Quite a lot of enjoyable sports activities and garden video games will probably be out there, together with bocce – a favourite Waldensian pastime. Stop by the tasting tent for a pattern of scrumptious soutissa, grapes, breadsticks and cheese. Enjoy excursions of the beautiful Waldensian Presbyterian Church sanctuary that includes a particular kids’s second with worship and music and a historical past of the church’s stain glassed home windows. Some festivities begin at 9 a.m. with the bulk happening between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Farris Insurance Agency presents chainsaw artist Mountain Mike

Festival sponsor Farris Insurance Agency will host Mountain Mike a global velocity carver and Masterpiece carver, who holds the title of “Master of the Chainsaw” 2016 and 2017. Mountain Mike was a member of the 2015 U.S. (second place) velocity carving staff on this planet championships; third place within the Australian chainsaw carving championships; gained first place at “Carving at the Casino” Seneca, NY, was prime public sale at Chaptacular Chainsaw Bash in Grey, Ga. two occasions; and completed first and second at Ridgway Rendezvous in Pennsylvania. He is featured in a seminar on YouTube for Ridgway 2017. Be certain to take a look at his abilities as he will probably be demonstrating his slicing expertise all through Festival Saturday on the Farris Insurance Agency parking zone, positioned on the intersection of Main Street and Carolina Street.

For extra details about the Waldensian Festival and different Valdese occasions, go to visitvaldese.com or name Valdese Community Affairs at 828-879-2129.