News Release

Carl Sandburg Music Festival offered on Saturday, June 3

News Release Date: May 25, 2023

Contact: Public Information Officer, 828-693-4178

Flat Rock, N.C. – Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site will host the annual Carl Sandburg Music Festival on Saturday, June 3, 2023. This free festival offers live music performances between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the amphitheater and barnyard areas. Seating is available, and visitors are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs. Due to expected large crowds, pets will not be allowed at performances.

“We moved the Sandburg Music Fest from its previous late May date into June, to honor Sandburg family history and the love of music passed down to the Sandburgs’ children and grandchildren,” said Superintendent Polly Angelakis. “Carl Sandburg and Lilian Steichen were married on June 15, 1908. Music Fest dates will now occur closer to their June wedding anniversary.”

Amphitheater
At 11 a.m., Dr. Jhon Akers presents “Sandburg and the Guitar.” Come hear the music that Sandburg loved to listen to, what he wrote about the guitar and how the guitar inspired him. Dr. Akers is an Associate Professor of Modern Languages at Wofford College. An avid classical guitarist, Akers has performed at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Notre Dame University, Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, and the Free Library of Philadelphia. 

At 1 p.m., James “Bo” Taylor will bring Cherokee traditional song and dance to the Sandburg stage. Bo Taylor is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Growing up in the Wolftown community, elders in the tribe presented traditional songs and dances, which Bo now performs in their honor. Important subjects, such as native language, history, and stereotypes will be intertwined within the performance, giving the audience a more complete understanding of the Cherokee culture.  

Barnyard
From 12 to 2 p.m., Patrick Ballard will play acoustic guitar and banjo. Patrick has performed all over western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and Georgia. He plays eight instruments and performs primarily as a volunteer at care centers. He has more than 40 years of musical experience.

Sandburg Home Tours
As part of the one-day festival, free tours of the Sandburg Home will be available at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are first come, first serve, from the Visitor Center/Park Store beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Visitor Center/Park Store is located on the ground floor of the Sandburg Home and will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For information on other house tour days, please visit www.nps.gov/carl or www.recreation.gov.

Shuttle and Parking
There are three parking options available: the Main parking lot, located on Little River Road across from the Flat Rock Playhouse; the Flat Rock Playhouse lot; and the Hikers’ parking lot. Visitors with accessibility needs should pull into the Main parking lot and stop by the accessible parking spaces where a ranger will provide assistance. Other non-accessible parking lots are available in Flat Rock. For all festival, accessibility, shuttle, and parking information visit https://www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/musicfest.htm.

The Sandburg Home and Park Store/Visitor Center are open Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A shuttle from the Main Parking lot to the farm area and Sandburg Home is available Thursdays thru Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Park grounds and trails are open every day of the week from sunrise to sunset. Leashed pets are allowed on trails and grounds. Access to the goats in the farm area is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Access to grounds, trails, and the farm is free.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, located in Flat Rock, NC, is open daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. For park updates and all parking options visit www.nps.gov/carl.