Come out of Hibernation at Dahlonega’s Annual

Bear on the Square Mountain Festival

Family-friendly April event brings music and arts to the North Georgia Mountains

Dahlonega, GA (February 23, 2010) – A Teddy Bear Picnic, live music, folk dancers, and a juried artists’ market are just some of the highlights of the 14^th annual Bear on the Square Mountain Festival, April 16-18, 2010 in Dahlonega, GA, just 70 miles northeast of Atlanta.  A favorite spring celebration, the festival brings together a variety of talented local, regional, and national musicians, performers and artists for three days of concerts, workshops, auctions, and shopping in the historic Public Square and the adjacent Hancock Park.

The festivities begin on Friday, April 16^th when bluegrass musicians will gather in the historic Public Square late afternoon for street jam sessions.  Visitors are encouraged to bring their instruments and join in on the fun.  On Saturday and Sunday, the Main Stage Tent in Hancock Park is where the action is with performances by headlining acts Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys, and Ginny Hawkers & Tracy Schwarz with Kari Sickenberger.  Tickets to the performances are $15, except Sunday morning which is free of charge, and include a wristband that will allow visitors to come and go throughout the day.  All tickets are sold at the festival.  VIP seating in the front rows is available for $50 per day and can be purchased by contacting Dobbin Buck at 404-975-9215.

Shoppers will be able to purchase one-of-a-kind, handmade items directly from some of the mountain region’s best artists at the Mountain Marketplace, which is sponsored by the John C. Campbell Folk School.  Booths will feature traditional craft exhibits; artists demonstrating skills in blacksmithing, basketry and more; and a wide selection of work from painters, furniture makers, musical instrument makers, potters, and quilt makers.

Additional highlights of the festival include:

• The Live Country Auction on Friday evening that will feature works by area folk artist Billy Roper, along with works by other local and juried artists taking part in Bear on the Square's Mountain Marketplace.  Live music will be provided by premier bluegrass band BlueBilly Grit.

• Friday Master Class Workshops are returning to the Bear on the Square Mountain Festival. These in depth, two-hour long workshops will feature some of the music industry’s top bluegrass and old-time musicians and instructors and are designed to be very hands-on and informative.

• On Saturday, the folk dancers from the John C. Campbell Folk School will be performing in the square.

• Extensive music workshops will take place on Saturday and Sunday in the Workshop and Demonstration Tent and the Hummingbird Gallery.

• The Sunday morning Gospel Jam.

• Children’s activities include an original play, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”, a “Little Pickers” hands-on musical tent complete with banjos, fiddles and other folk instruments and a Teddy Bear Picnic.

• Delicious dining options complete the offerings during the festival.

For additional information on the Bear on the Square Mountain Festival, including a full listing of times and performances, please visit http://www.bearonthesquare.org.

For information about accommodations, dining and other area attractions, please visit www.Dahlonega.org.

Calendar Listing

WHAT: 14^th annual Bear on the Square Mountain Festival

WHEN: April 16-18, 2010

WHERE: On the square in Dahlonega, GA

Three days of bluegrass, mountain and folk music, local, regional and national headliners, workshops, auctions, art, dancing, children’s activities, food and shopping in the historic Public Square and the adjacent Hancock Park.  Professional and amateur musicians flock to this festival, popular with people-watchers, music lovers and folkways enthusiasts.

COST: Free admission to most activities; $15 for some performances; VIP seating, $50 per day.

For more information, visit www.Dahlonega.org.

About Dahlonega, GA:

Located about 70 miles north of Atlanta, Dahlonega is Georgia’s “Golden City” and the gateway to the Appalachian Mountains.  Known for being the site of the first major U.S. gold rush, the historic downtown district is now home to The Gold Museum, gold mines, and gold panning facilities.  Dahlonega has evolved into a center for the performing and visual arts in the North Georgia Mountains and hosts a number of artistic and cultural festivals each year.  Many wineries have taken notice of Dahlonega’s prime growing conditions and have made the area their home.  The rich, fertile hillsides and the favorable mountainous elevations make the area the perfect place to grow and ripen a wide variety of European, French hybrid, and American winegrapes.  Recreational activities are available year round and include miles of hiking trails and the Southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, camping, golf, horseback riding, cycling, trout fishing, and more than 30 waterfalls to explore. Quaint shops around the Square attract some of the region’s top artists and are filled with regional art, antiques, unique jewelry and collectibles.  Delightful bed and breakfasts, country inns, mountain cabins and resorts offer a plethora of accommodation choices for every budget.

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