There’s a particular kind of music that belongs to the Plateau.
You hear it in the lilt of a fiddle tune, in the bright cry of bagpipes rolling across a green lawn, in the steady rhythm of feet moving through an old square dance at Helen’s Barn (or if you’ve only been here for a couple of years, the barn dances at The Bascom).
It’s the sound of memory, of neighbors gathering, and of a community pausing long enough to remember where it came from.
On Saturday, September 26, from 1:00 to 7:30 P.M., that spirit returns to Kelsey‑Hutchinson Founders Park as the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC presents the fifth annual Highlands Heritage Jamboree.
The free, family‑friendly celebration honors the traditions, music, food, and stories that have shaped this little slice of heaven we call home.
Highlanders have always been deeply proud of their mountain heritage. Generations before us worked hard, sacrificed much, and carried a vision for building a life in these hills.
They knew, perhaps better than anyone, that community was not something extra added to life after the work was done. It was part of what made the work worthwhile. When neighbors gathered, they brought music, dancing, stories, laughter, and food to the table.
The Jamboree continues that tradition with an afternoon designed for all ages. Festivities begin at 1:00 P.M. with the stirring sounds of the Highlands Bagpipers, setting a proud and celebratory tone for the day. The Highlands Historical Society will share a historic moonshine display, offering guests a glimpse into one of the region’s most colorful mountain traditions.
From 1:30 to 3:30 P.M., the U.S. Fleet Forces Navy Band: Four‑Star Edition will take the stage, bringing a lively and polished performance to the park. Read more about the Navy Band on page 62.
Later in the afternoon, the Foxfire Boys will fill the air with bluegrass mountain music, carrying forward the sounds that have long been at home on front porches, church lawns, and community gatherings throughout the Southern Appalachians.
Of course, no true mountain celebration would be complete without something good to eat. Highlands Smokehouse will begin serving barbecue at 4:00 P.M., and a moonshine tasting will also be available during the afternoon. Together, the food, music, and fellowship create the kind of easygoing gathering that invites guests to slow down, settle in, and enjoy the company of friends and neighbors.
The celebration builds toward an evening finale with the Darren Nicholson Band performing from 5:00 to 7:30 P.M. Known for blending bluegrass, western swing, classic country, folk, and gospel, the band brings an authentic mountain sound that feels both timeless and fresh. A special guest square dance caller will invite attendees to step in, join hands, and take part in a tradition that has brought people together for generations.
Admission to the Highlands Heritage Jamboree is free, and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Whether you come for the music, the barbecue, the history, or simply the pleasure of spending a September afternoon in the park, the Jamboree offers a warm reminder of what has always made Highlands special.
At its heart, this celebration is more than an event. It’s a homecoming of sorts: a chance to honor the people who came before, celebrate the traditions they loved, and keep the music of the mountains playing for the generations still to come.
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