The 74th annual Rhododendron Festival is coming to Roan Mountain next weekend. The festival first occured in 1947.
Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival
This year's dates fall on Fathers Day weekend, June 19th and 20th, 2021. The Roan Mountain Citizens Club is excited to announce they are having the festival this year, as most were concerned with COVID-19 and ramifications.
The 'Club says they look forward to seeing everyone and they are encouraging social distancing. They are still accepting vendors for the event. Potential vendors -and those with questions- should contact the club via email at rhododendronfestival@yahool.com for more information.
The first festival was held in June of 1947. I twas conceived and carried out by the Roan Mountain Citizens Club as a two-day celebration to commemorate and perpetuate the natural beauty of Rhododendrons in North America. The annual celebration and festivities continued without interruption for more than sixty years.
Originally held atop Roan Mountain at the Rhododendron Gardens, the event is now held each June in Roan ountain State Park, at the foot of Roan Mountain.The festival features handmade crafts, food, traditional music, and a healthy assortment of traditional methods being demonstrated.
Roan Mountain State Park is located on Highway 142 in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. The Roan Mountain community is adjacent to the North Carolina - Tennessee state-line. Banner Elk and Elk Park are just across the state line in North Carolina.
The community is also adorned with a portion of the Appalachian Trail, and an official Tennessee Scenic Drive, which runs through the community.
Parking at the festival is by donation to local civic groups. This covers admission, demonstrations, and entertainment for both days. Over 100 arts and crafts vendors will be on site. A variety of foods are available each day.
Visit the world’s largest natural rhododendron gardens. They reside at 6,000 feet above sea level on top of Roan Mountain. You're invited to hike the Appalachian Trail, as it follows the Tennessee and North Carolina state-line. At the festival, you can learn about our nation’s history as you relax beside cool streams. At Roan Mountain State Park, you should plan to camp or stay in a rustic cabin, and aybe play tennis. The park's swimming pool is closed this season, along with all state-park pools - this was a decision due to the delayed improvments in state pandemic conditions.
The festival is all about fun and prolific offerings of the area. The Citizens Club will have a tent under the big oak tree, where you'll find:
- Roan Mountain Cookbooks
- Custom Car Tags
- T-Shirts
- Ice-cold drinks
...and much more.
All proceeds go to the Roan Mountain community projects (schools, fire department, etc.). An auction for scholarships will be held between performances, benefiting Cloudland High School Graduates. Festival vendors and local businesses have donated items for the auction in support of our local graduates.
The local festival has attracted national attention and routinely pulls attendees from not only around the United States, but from other countries as well. The Rhododendron Gardens atop Roan Mountain, at the Tennessee-North Carolina state line, are adjacent to the balds. These gardens are reportedly the largest naturally occurring rhododendron gardens in the world.