Balsam Range at the 2026 Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival – photo © Jeff Lahr
This report is a contribution from Jeff Lahr of WNC Concert Images, a writer and photographer from Waynesville, NC.
The Haywood County Arts Council hosted the fifth annual Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds in western North Carolina. Set against peak autumn foliage, the lineup featured Balsam Range, Appalachian Road Show, Unspoken Tradition, Red Camel Collective, and Olivia Jo. Some of the artists drove directly from the IBMA World of Bluegrass awards, held two days earlier in Chattanooga,Tennessee, to perform at the festival.
For Appalachian Road Show’s Grammy-winning fiddler Jim VanCleve, the performance was a homecoming. “It is just an incredible experience to get to return and play at the Smoky Mountains Festival!” VanCleve said. “It’s one of the most beautiful spots in the world, and to get to perform our music there, among friends and family, is truly a blessing.”
Rising bluegrass artist Olivia Jo made her festival debut after performing at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass earlier in the week. “I was very excited to play the Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival for the first time,” she shared. “I appreciate everyone involved with the festival and the Haywood County Arts Council for including me in their awesome lineup, and sharing my original music and bluegrass favorites with the crowd!”
Olivia Jo kicked off the party with a set that included her latest hit, Train to Nowhere. Asheville-based band Unspoken Tradition followed, performing a set that featured their popular song, I’m in a Hurry. Red Camel Collective took the stage next, showcasing a mix of fan favorites and several selections slated for an upcoming project.
Appalachian Road Show, a returning festival favorite, introduced a new addition to the band: bassist and vocalist Jeff Partin. VanCleve, who grew up in Haywood County, paused during the performance to thank the Haywood County Arts Council, the festival’s sponsor, for providing him with a fiddle bow decades ago when he was beginning his musical journey. VanCleve was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame earlier this year.
The show concluded with hometown favorites Balsam Range. Their set spanned much of the band’s twenty-year career, from their first number one hit, Train to Kitty Hawk, to Simple Man, which is scheduled for release on October 30th.
“The Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival is where world-class musicians meet small-town community spirit,” organizers noted. “Every ticket sold helped fund arts programs, scholarships, and creative opportunities for both professional artists and local students.”
The support generated by the festival may one day help an aspiring musician achieve success, just as it once helped a young Jim VanCleve take an important step in his musical journey. Equally important, it helps foster opportunities for artists of all ages and abilities to express themselves through the arts.
