MusicFest 'N Sugar Grove,

The 11th Annual Musicfest 'N Sugar Grove NC on both July 10 & 11 will feature The Steep Canyon Rangers, Kruger Brothers and Carolina Chocolate Drops, and Doc Watson. Joining them either Friday or Saturday will be Lost Ridge Band, Andy Owens and 1-800-Bluegrass, Cockman Family, BackPorch Bluegrass, Amantha Mill, ETSU Pride, and other regional favorites. You won't want to miss it!

MusicFest 'N Sugar Grove NC, an event that is held each year at the Historic Cove Creek High School grounds is sponsored annually by Cove Creek Preservation and Development (CCP&D), a non-profit organization formed by concerned citizens to "save the old high school".

The rock building on the banks of Cove Creek was built by local citizens as one of the last WPA projects in the 1940's, under the FDR administration's "Second New Deal" - a massive employment relief effort established after The Great Depression of the 1930's.

The rocks for the school were "harvested" from a nearby farm, with the mortar mixed from sand from the creek. The former Cove Creek High School/Elementary School had been replaced by new schools and the old building was at risk of ruin. CCP&D was formed and had the site designated "Historic" and began renovations to restore the building to its original condition. The old cafeteria has recently been completed to serve as the "Red Raider Community Room", restored down to the old brick tile floors.

Not only has CCP&D preserved and developed this old school, but in doing so, our annual fundraiser, MusicFest 'N Sugar Grove, has served to preserve our mountain musical heritage and celebrate the diversity it has inspired. "Cove Creek", as our community is known, has been a place for local and regional musicians to gather and share their talents with one another for many decades. MusicFest allows that opportunity to continue. The beautiful rock building now houses three non-profit entities: the Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine, the Doc and Merle Watson Folk Art Museum, and Sugar Grove Developmental Day School.

MusicFest is our annual fundraiser for continued restoration. Proceeds from the festival also benefit the Doc and Rosa Lee Watson Scholarship Fund awarded annually to an ASU student majoring in Sustainable Development. The community has worked hard to not only preserve this historic site, but a part of our heritage as well. Numerous volunteers have given incredible amounts of time to making our community one to be proud of for all its citizens. You won't want to miss this magical musical celebration under the BIG tent on the banks of Cove Creek!