The Union County Historical Society’s Annual Mountain Heritage Festival had a whole host of features to enjoy over Labor Day Weekend. 2026 marked an intentional return to the two-day festival’s focus on history and cultural education – clearly a hit among guests downtown.
Musicians were moved to the front lawn, where they performed out of the heat in a trailer set up before a tent where guests could sit and either check out merchandise or just listen for a while. The lineup included local favorites like John Cochran and the Cowhands, the Mars Hill Porch Pickers, The Tunnel Rats, Davy Henderson and The New Byers Creek Band.
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On the porch of the 1906 Grapelle Butt Mock House, the Historical Society and Byron Herbert Reece Society offered local history buffs opportunities to find like-minded individuals interested in preserving the history of Union County.
And a multitude of vendors highlighted everything from gourmet foods to handmade goods, including wood carvings, soaps, toys and a multitude of other options for anyone looking to treat themselves or find the perfect gift.
Food consisted of mostly local vendors, including Rick’s Gourmet Grill, which offered Italian sausages and a variety of hot dogs. Behind the Mock House, Ken Jones, portraying the resourceful Appalachian “Mountain Man,” handed out his homemade chili with all the fixings.
In fact, the backyard hosted multiple stations to educate visitors about what life was like back in the day. Jayne Jones, for example, taught kids what a clothes iron was and showed them how to do household chores with equipment on display at the Mountain Life Museum.
Given the heat and the opportunity to splash around in the water, the most popular station appeared to be the washboard, and Jones said one little girl was so enthusiastic that she wanted to wash all the clothes on display. Other children enjoyed making biscuits and donuts with Play-Doh.
Meanwhile, Joan Drake managed the corn husk doll table, noting that “ladies of all ages” enjoyed sitting down and following a time-honored tradition. Right next door, the blacksmith’s hammer sounded off frequently.
Art Bailie was another new addition this year, dressing up as one of Appalachia’s first European settlers. He represented the typical Ulster Scotsman, donning his cap, kilt and sporran. Standing out front of the Payne Cabin, he talked a bit about his own family’s heritage and how it ties into the area.
On the porch of the Payne Cabin were Garry and Cindy Walter, sharing some common crafts and demonstrating looping, known to some as tatting or nalbinding. The practice originated from Europe and continued as a popular pastime in America.
“This was traditionally done with a wooden toothbrush handle,” Cindy explained as she worked, adding that weaving and other textile arts were known by both women and men. “(In the Civil War), on the Confederate side, they used to give them wooden toothbrushes in their mess kit. Sewing needles, thread, things like that.”
Their goal, like the educators around them, was to spark an interest not just in history but the simple pleasure of creating art and crafts. Along with the live demonstrations, the Walters contributed toward that end by offering craft kits and their own artwork of nature.
Up in the Mock House Annex, Curtis Young returned this year with his collection of Native American artifacts, bringing with them his knowledge of the Cherokee culture and experience with local archaeology.
Kathleen Cook sewed a quilt, happy to chat and share stories of Union County’s history and people dating back to her own childhood working in the fields to her experiences helping found the first Head Start program in the area.
The North Georgia/Western North Carolina Fiber Friends, otherwise known as the Highlander Fiber Friends, were also present. Ro Borr, Sandy Sandmeyer and Mandi Aumann were practicing different methods of crafting with fibers in various states.
Sandmeyer was trying an experimental method to make gradient yarn between lavender, magenta and white. While using brighter, more modern colors, Sandmeyer said that the skill was not, despite popular misconception, a “dying art,” and has in fact seen a resurgence with crocheting especially.
Aumann, utilizing a drop spindle to twist clean, raw wool into yarn, felt a connection with those who came before her by honing her craft.
“I know that these crafts are important to Appalachian history, but they’re important to all of our heritage because they’re universal skills,” Aumann believes. “I’m not trying to be discriminatory, but these skills were important in all cultures at all points in history.”
“This brings us all the way back to campfires in front of caves. It’s just a sisterhood,” agreed Borr.
