The FSU Appalachian Festival, which takes place on the Frostburg State University campus and inside the Palace Theatre Friday-Saturday, September 18-19, 2009, is truly a community-based endeavor.

At its heart, Frostburg State University’s Appalachian Festival is a celebration of regionalism. It is a celebration of the region’s natural landscape, history, culture, food, musical and artistic traditions—all of those aspects that make this section of Appalachia unique. The cultural traditions demonstrated at the FSU Appalachian Festival are living traditions that continue to be practiced here. Many traditions have been passed down from one generation to the next for three generations or more. Despite the changes introduced through new technology, what remains stable in these artist expressions is their connection to community, culture, and place.

Through its music and dance performances, historical, cultural, and environmental presentations, hands-on traditional arts workshops, and numerous children’s activities, the FSU Appalachian Festival provides participants and attendees with an opportunity to share regional knowledge and become engaged in perpetuating long-standing traditions. Together, the exhibitions, discussions, workshops, lectures, and performances highlighted at the FSU Appalachian Festival provide Mountain Maryland and the contiguous region with a rich sense of place.

Capstone Concert: The Legendary Jean Ritchie & Family!