Ferrum, VA, October 22, 2026 — The 53rd annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival and Arts and Crafts Show returns to Ferrum College on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission; 80 craft, art, and food vendors; four stages of live music and storytelling; traditional folklife demonstrations; and family-friendly activities. This year an expanded Arts and Crafts Show features new and returning artisans offering handmade jewelry, folk art, woodworking, pottery, textiles, and other unique creations.
The festival has earned two Silver Awards in the magazine Blue Ridge Country’s 2026 Best of the Mountains awards. They are Best Events: Heritage and Culture Festival and Best Events: Fall Festival. The Blue Ridge Institute & Museum (BRIM), which has produced the festival for more than 50 years, also received a silver recognition for Best Sights and Dos: Museum.
Inside the museum building, two current exhibits feature extensive and intriguing research by local historians and other citizens, one on The Vanishing Schools of Franklin County, about the history of more than 200 past school buildings. A new exhibit on Raising the Shade, a project funded by a Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia grant, honors the often-overlooked story of the United States Colored Troops from Franklin County during the Civil War and “the role of African Americans in securing the freedom of enslaved people, as well as promoting equality, opportunity and justice for all Americans” (description from the project website).
The exhibits as well as the indoor museum store are open during the festival and beyond, along with the 1800 Virginia-German living history farm museum on the other side of Route 40.
Ferrum College’s Orchestra Appalachia, pictured above at the 2025 festival, will perform on the Youth Stage from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Live music and storytelling by performing artists from across region will fill four stages across the campus and farm museum throughout the festival. A special session at the farm museum stage from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. will commemorate the life and times of the late Kinney Rorrer, an expert on Blue Ridge music traditions who performed at the festival for many years and hosted the popular Back to the Blue Ridge music show on WVTF public radio for sixteen years.
“We are honored that the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival has received two silver recognitions in Blue Ridge Country Magazine’s Best of the Mountains awards, alongside recognition for the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum,” said Dr. Mirta Martin, president of Ferrum College. “As we welcome visitors to campus this Saturday, we’re proud to celebrate the traditions that connect our community to the rich cultural heritage of the Blue Ridge while creating new experiences for artisans, families, and visitors of all ages.”
“These recognitions reflect the lasting appeal of the traditions that bring people back to the festival year after year,” said Bethany Worley, executive director of the BRIM. “We’re excited to welcome visitors to experience the music, craftsmanship, demonstrations, and new offerings that make this year’s festival special.”
Parking fees are $20 per family vehicle (1–9 people), $50 per van or shuttle (10 or more people), and $100 per school bus, charter bus, or motorcoach. There is no other admission fee this year.
For festival details, including the complete program and parking information, visit www.ferrum.edu/blueridgefolklifefestival. Links to photos from past festivals and to recent articles as well as audio and video interviews about the festival can also be found on the BRIM website.
