The 13th Annual Greening Up the Mountains is right around the corner. The festival will be held Saturday April 24, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in downtown Sylva. This annual Spring festival, named for the way spring creeps up the mountain sides, began over a decade ago as a celebration of Earth Day.

Under the leadership of the Downtown Sylva Association, the festival has evolved into a community celebration of Spring. The festival will be held on Main Street and in the Bridge Park. The fun will begin with a 5K Race sponsored by the Jackson County Greenways Project. Vendors at the festival will include local artisans, community organizations, children’s activities, environmental education groups, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia’s traditional Heritage Walk with youth talent contest and food vendors.

Two stages will be filled with live music all day! Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show. White Cedar seedlings will be given away throughout the day from the Bridge Park stage. Bring the kids down to enjoy the 15′ slide and other children’s activities. Come enjoy tastes of Frybread, BBQ, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Ribbon Fries, Fried Twinkies and Oreos, Ice Cream and more. The center block of the festival is devoted to environmental education and “green” initiatives including demonstrations and information from community groups.

Bridge Park stage line-up: Triple Threat Performing Arts Academy at 10:00, Golden Lace and Home Remedy at 10:45, Rafe Holister at 12:00, Hurricane Creek at 1:15, Sylva Community Children’s Chorus at 2:30 and closing out the day is Big House Radio from 2:45-4:00 pm.

Founder’s Day stage line up in the Suntrust parking lot: Heritage Alive! Youth Talent Contest from 10-1, Whimzik at 1:10, Keither Shuler at 2:10 and closing the show is Thea and the Greenman from 3:10-4:00 pm.

For more information, please email Claire Collins at greeningupthemountains@gmail.com or call (828) 586-1577