We all remember the horrible images from late September of 2024 when Hurricane Helene stalled over the southern Appalachians, and dumped a huge amount of water onto the mountain communities in Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina. More than 250 people lost their lives in the storm and its aftermath, with western North Carolina particularly hard hit.
Many of these same regions host annual festivals, inviting folks nearby to visit and sample their local history and culture, often with mountain music on offer as well.
The town of Old Fort in McDowell County, NC is one such locale, where flooding from the hurricane waters took out roads and businesses in the downtown area. About 25 miles east of Asheville, where storm damage was also severe, the citizens of Old Fort have been hard at work restoring what the floodwaters took in time for their annual Trails and Trains Fest in June.
And so they have. The festival is on for June 5-7, with the all-important Rails & Rhythms Bluegrass Night where music is put on free of charge on June 7, and locals and visitors alike are invited to enjoy the sounds of Zoe & Cloyd, Darren Nicholson, and a Blue Ridge All-Star Bluegrass Band that includes Buddy Melton, Shawn Lane, Danielle Bishop, Colby Laney, Jacob Burleson, and other surprise guests.
Music begins at 6:30 p.m. and is scheduled to continue until 10:00 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs, grab dinner at one of Old Fort’s downtown restaurants, and see how well the locals have put the town back together after the storm.
Further details, with a map to the concert area, can be found online.
