10/08/2026
🎻 The band lineup is here for the 4th Annual Pickens Appalachian Folk Festival!
Make plans to join us Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Hagood Mill Historic Site for two days of outstanding Appalachian music, storytelling, food, artisan vendors, heritage, and family-friendly fun.
Friday, October 23
🎶 Spare Creek — Featuring members of Creekwater Collective and Spare Parts Band, Spare Creek brings together talented young Upstate musicians for a fresh take on bluegrass, strong vocals, and skillful picking.
🎶 Murphy Campbell and Flat Foot Dancer — A young old-time musician, singer, and flatfoot dancer from Floyd County, Virginia, Murphy brings traditional Appalachian music and dance to life.
🎶 Panther Ridge — A family-and-friends mountain music group performing original songs, traditional tunes, close harmonies, and fiddle-led old-time Appalachian music.
Saturday, October 24
🎤 Storytelling with Johnny Thomas Fowler — An engaging Appalachian storyteller who brings regional characters, humor, history, and mountain traditions to life.
🎶 Buffalo Barfield & Unherd of Entertainment — Led by Greenville multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and storyteller Gregg “Buffalo” Barfield, this lively group shares Southern heritage through music, dance, laughter, and traditional entertainment.
🎶 Swamp Rabbit Bluegrass — An Upstate South Carolina bluegrass group with a fresh, homegrown sound built around traditional instrumentation, tight harmonies, and energetic picking.
🎶 Murphy Campbell — Returning Saturday with her distinctive blend of old-time singing, traditional fiddle music, and Appalachian dance.
🎶 Wanda Johnson Band — South Carolina’s “Lady of Rhythm and Blues and Soul,” Wanda Johnson delivers powerful vocals rooted in blues, R&B, gospel, and Southern soul.
🎶 Appalachian Son — A regional Southern Gothic act blending roots-driven music, dark mountain storytelling, and a modern Appalachian sound.
🎶 Reedy River String Band — Hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, this three-part-harmony string band blends progressive newgrass with Appalachian roots, original songs, and high-energy acoustic musicianship.
The Pickens Appalachian Folk Festival is free to attend, with free parking. Bring your chairs and settle in for a memorable weekend celebrating the music, stories, and traditions of Appalachia.
📍 Hagood Mill Historic Site
138 Hagood Mill Rd.
Pickens, SC
🏕️ Primitive tent and car camping will also be available.
Presented by the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce, Hagood Mill Historic Site, and Holly Springs Center.
For festival details, camping passes, vendor information, and sponsorship opportunities, visit pickensappalachianfolkfestival.org.
