​National Park hosting 15th annual Cosby in the Park Festival

Cosby in the Park festival features Southern Appalachian music. Lost Mill String Band playing at the festival. Image courtesy of the National Park.

COSBY, TN – Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host its annual “Cosby in the Park” festival on Saturday, May 17, at the Park’s Cosby campground. In its 15th year, “Cosby in the Park” is presented by the Cocke County Partnership, Great Smoky Mountains Association, and the National Park. The event celebrates the cultural heritage of this area and highlights the many recreational opportunities available in the Cosby area of the park. This free event will be held from 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

“Each year we take this opportunity to celebrate the life and culture of the people who lived in this area,” said Kent Cave, Supervisory Ranger at Sugarlands Visitor Center. “We are looking forward to another year of music, cultural demonstrations and fellowship in Cosby during this beautiful time of year.” The festivities this year will all take place in the campground amphitheater, and the group campground areas. All of the crafts and children’s games will take place near the amphitheater. Free parking for attendees will be provided in campground Loop B.

A full day of activities is planned that includes Southern Appalachian music, hikes, and demonstrations on local history, blacksmithing, quilting, corn shuck dolls and crafts, old time toys, natural foods and medicinal plants, and other folk arts.

At noon there will be a special program by Cocke County Historian and Newspaper Columnist, Duay O’Neil. Duay will share his knowledge of the interesting stories surrounding moonshining and its history in this area.

“We are excited to welcome Duay back to the event this year with this new program,” said Cave. “We hope people come to learn some of the history but also to enjoy the stories of moonshining in this area.”

The scheduled activities are:

Amphitheater Stage
10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Honoring of Sunset Gap Community Center
11:00a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Lost Mill String Band
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Moonshine Fact v. Fiction by Duay O’Neil
1:00 p.m. - 2:00p.m. Boogertown Gap Band
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Tony Thomas
3:00 p.m. - 4:00p.m. Mountain Strings

Ongoing Activities:
• Blacksmithing – Len Landrum, ongoing demonstration
• Quilting – Courtesy of Maria Holloway, ongoing demonstration
• Traditional Corn Shuck Crafts- Lori Anderson, ongoing demonstration
• Traditional Broom Making –Chuck Anderson, ongoing demonstration
• Children’s Crafts- Robin Goddard, ongoing activities
• Children’s Toys – Roy Henson, ongoing activities

Published May 12, 2014