LEAF Festival Again Brings Amazing Music & Activities to Black Mountain NC

Talk about longevity! The 49th LEAF Festival is right around the corner! LEAF is a non-profit organization, building community, connecting cultures and enriching lives through the arts – locally and globally – with festivals, community events, and arts education programs.

LEAF Festival returns to Black Mountain, North Carolina, with an incredible lineup of music and activities from all over the world October 17-20. The Healing Arts Village has a full schedule of activities at the Sky Tent, the Earth Tent, and the Earth Skills Tent. Children’s activities, culinary delights, dancing and so much more pack the schedule. And about that music:

THURSDAY

A drum circle welcomes you at 6:30, followed by Heather Taylor’s soulful Appalachian folk, and then the AVL Tuesday Night Funk Jam makes a Thursday appearance to close out night one!

FRIDAY

An overstuffed day includes incredible music from Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, The Polyrhymics, and Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, with a dozen more great acts on the bill and activities galore.

SATURDAY

Put on your runnin’ shoes. You’re gonna need ’em! This day is just slammed. African music royalty Angélique Kidjo has the headlining slot; she will perform the entire Talking Heads’ Remain in Light album, West African-style. Also on tap are the Memphis band skyrocketing right now, Southern Avenue, La Santa Cecelia, Brandon ‘Taz’ Niederauer, and many more great performers **.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsYirt6EfCU

** HUUN HUUR TU

If you miss every other performance, might we suggest you check out at least one of the two sets Huun Huur Tu will perform Saturday. They are a throat-singing group from the semi-autonomous Tuva Republic, Russian Federation, which is situated north of Chinese Turkestan, to the west of the Mongolian border. Their performance is stunning. The video below is from a KEXP program recorded two years ago. Huun Huur Tu will perform at 4 p.m. on the main stage, Lakeside, and again at 10:45 in The Barn.

SUNDAY

The Wood Brothers will close out LEAF (music finishes at 6) with their blend of Americana, folk, and rock. Also up are We Banjo 3, the amazing Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, and Les Filles de Illighadad, who are also on the Saturday lineup.