MerleFest
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2011) |
| MerleFest | |
|---|---|
 Record-breaking crowd at MerleFest during Avett Brothers performance | |
| Genre | |
| Dates | last weekend in April |
| Location(s) | Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro, North Carolina |
| Years active | 1988 to present |
| Founded by | Doc Watson |
| Website | www |
MerleFest is an annual "traditional plus" music festival held in
History
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Originally, the festival was an annual homecoming event in memory of Merle Watson. It is believed the festival got its name when a woman called asking for tickets to "Merlefest".[2]
The festival, founded in 1988 by Doc Watson, is the primary fundraising event for Wilkes Community College and attracts crowds consistently exceeding 75,000 in number, making it one of the largest music festivals in the United States.[3] It is estimated that the festival brings over $10 million in business and tourist revenue to Wilkes County and surrounding areas each year.[4]
The music is spread across 13 different stages and four days, which provides festival visitors with a wide variety of musical venues, groups, and styles to choose from.
Other artists who have performed on MerleFest's 14 stages over the first 24 years have included
See also
References
- ^ "MerleFest’s Richard Watson dies Monday". Wilkes Journal-Patriot.
- ^ Tucker, Chad (April 4, 2022). "New MerleFest director is right at home". WGHP. Event occurs at 0.25. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "MerleFest sees bump in attendance | Music". journalnow.com. April 27, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ Hubbard, Jule. "EDC hears statistics on MerleFest". journalpatriot. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ "About". MerleFest. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ "Cadillac Sky". American Songwriter. by Davis Inman June 7, 2010
External links
