If bluegrass music makes you swoon, storytelling legends captivate your mind, or southern style cooking makes your mouth water, the 15th annual Townsend Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day offers these treats and much more. On September 28-29, more than 20,000 people will gather at the Townsend Visitors Center, to take a step back in time and enjoy a variety of bluegrass bands, storytellers, arts and crafts booths and children's activities.

The two-day festival takes place from 9 am. to 10 pm. on Friday, and from 9.a.m to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, and admission is free. Voted several times as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast, the festival celebrates Southern Appalachian Mountain culture and heritage.

"The festival not only offers a great variety of entertainment for the whole family, but it also keeps Appalachian heritage alive in our hearts and minds," said Herb Handly, executive vice president of tourism for the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau (SMCVB). "The festival is fun, and it is educational-truly an unforgettable experience." 

The heart and soul of the festival is music, and more than 20 bluegrass bands perform on the pavilion stage and side porches in the Townsend Visitors Center. Around 200 additional musicians can be found entertaining visitors on the festival grounds.

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