Carolina in the Fall audience at night

March 1, 2018

Wilkesboro, NC – February 28, 2018 ––The fourth annual Carolina in the Fall™ Music and Food Festival, winner of the 2017 IBMA Momentum Event of the Year Award, continues its’ tradition of celebrating the heritage of western North Carolina on September 21st and 22nd, 2018. Over 100 musicians, chefs, vintners and craft beer brewers from the region will gather on Main Street in Wilkesboro, NC to engage audiences with the best of their craft.

“Big changes are coming to Carolina in the Fall™ this year”, says Festival Director Michelle Isom. “We listened to our festival guests and reserved seating is clearly an amenity that they want. This year we will have a very limited number of reserved seats that are part of the VIP Package. This will have little impact on those who still wish to bring their own seating.” More information about the seating and how to select and reserve those available seats is on the festival website, www.carolinainthefall.org.

Wilkes County’s own The Kruger Brothers will once again be the Festival hosts and welcome some of North Carolina’s best Folk/ Roots music bands. They will be joined by bands from other regions that tip their hats to the rich musical history of Wilkes, the Heart of American Folk Music™. This year’s line-up includes The Kruger Brothers, The Steel Wheels, The Roosevelts, Fireside Collective, The Contenders, The Snyder Family Band, The Arcadian Wild, Nikki Talley and many others.

The Kruger Brothers

Originally from Switzerland, brothers Uwe and Jens Kruger began playing North American folk music at an early age and were particularly inspired by recordings of Doc Watson, Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe, and other progenitors of country, bluegrass and folk music. Their first public performances were as a duo, busking on the streets of cities throughout eastern and Western Europe.
After gaining a recording contract as well as a radio show on SRG SSR, the Swiss public broadcaster, they teamed up with bass player Joel Landsberg, inaugurating a trio that has been playing professionally together since 1995. Landsberg is an American citizen from New York, NY. The Kruger Brothers moved to the United States in 2002, and are based in Wilkesboro, NC.
Through their numerous CD releases, radio and television performances, lectures, and collaborative efforts, The Kruger Brothers’ powerful artistic statement continues to inspire and enlighten audiences and musicians around the world.

The Steel Wheels

Hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Steel Wheels are familiar with the traditions of folk music and how a string band is supposed to sound. In fact, they’ve been drawing on those steadfast traditions for more than a decade. Yet their name also evokes a sense of forward motion, which is clearly reflected in their latest album, “Wild As We Came Here”.
Of course, exquisite harmonies remain a strength of the band, shining through on “Sing Me Like a Folk Song.” By making a social statement in uncertain times, listeners will want to lend their voices too. More than a decade into The Steel Wheels’ career, the simple act of singing together – something that carries them back to their Mennonite heritage – is still incredibly special. The stunning closing track, “Till No One Is Free,” provides an elegant ending to the band’s most satisfying album yet.
Home, family, community, a sense of belonging, seeking and finding, the pendulum of gains and losses—these are the Big Issues embedded into the fabric of The Steel Wheels’ music. Their music promises to be as enduringly relevant for the listener as it will always remain for the dedicated artists who poured their hearts and souls into its creation.

The Roosevelts

Born in Austin, Texas, transplanted to Nashville, Tn, the alt-rock band The Roosevelts have vaulted onto the Roots/ Americana music scene touring with bands like Johnnyswim, Grace Potter, Robert Earl Keen and many others. 2017 was spent touring the United States in support of the most recent album, "The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn". After appearances last year at headliner festivals like South by Southwest and Austin City Limits Festival, The Roosevelts are taking their place alongside the best of the best. They have spent the last few months writing and recording new material for 2018 and will bring their latest collaborations to Carolina in the Fall.

In addition to great music, Carolina in the Fall™ offers the N.C. Banjo Championship, The Bobby Martin Young Songwriters Competition and The Chad Lovette Memorial Trail Run. Each evening during the festival, the Kruger Brothers will host the Carolina Jam™ at the Yadkin Valley Event Center at the Wilkesboro Holiday Inn Express. Last year’s jams were the talk of the festival and beyond. These sessions are available to those who purchase a VIP ticket.

Folks who attend the festival will enjoy some of North Carolina’s best cuisine as food trucks from across the state will bring their amazing recipes to feed the masses and vie for the coveted Carolina in the Fall™ Food Truck Championship Award. If you have a grown-up thirst, local vineyards and regional craft breweries will be onsite to provide a taste of the region’s best adult beverages.  For more information about any of these events held during the festival, visit www.carolinainthefall.org.

In its’ fourth year, Carolina in the Fall™ has become an annual pilgrimage for music and food lovers from around the nation. Make plans now to be in historic downtown Wilkesboro, The Heart of American Folk Music, on September 21st and 22nd to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season at Carolina in the Fall™. Festival tickets are available at www.carolinainthefall.org. Round One pricing is as follows: Two Day pass $50.00. The VIP package that includes both days and the evening jam sessions is $120.00. (includes reserved seat at the Carolina Stage) Round Two pricing will begin June 1st with additional band announcements.

Festival sponsorships are available for individuals and companies. If you have interest in partnering with the festival, please contact Chad Treadway at sponsorship at carolinainthefall.org

Carolina in the Fall Music and Food Festival™ is made possible through the partnership of Heart of Folk, LLC, the Kruger Brothers and Town of Wilkesboro.