The Swan and the Loon is a multimedia performance that was born in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The story is told through stunning art, puppetry and music, and centers around holding together the griefs too big to hold on our own.

Don’t miss a one-of-a-kind evening of roots music. Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, fresh off a first-place win at the Telluride Bluegrass Band Contest, bring their musical finesse and Rachel’s lyrical bite to the farm. Sharing the bill is acclaimed songwriter Erik Koskinen—praised as “the real deal” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune—with plainspoken poetry and a genre-defying sound.

Sparrow Smith will celebrate her new record, a love letter to Madison County, with a concert and songwriting workshop at Rare Bird Farm.  On Saturday evening, Sparrow will play the new album in its entirety, plus some other select tunes, with a 5-piece band. Sweet Megg opens. Workshop on Sunday. SONGWRITING WORKSHOP WITH SPARROW OFFERED SEPARATELY.

Step into a world of haunting ballads, old-time harmonies, and soul-stirring melodies as Elizabeth LaPrelle and Brian Dolphin weave together the deep traditions of Appalachian music with a global folk sensibility. HARMONY SINGING WORKSHOP

Lemonbalm is experimental dream harmony folk trio based out of Sandy Mush, NC.

Join us for an unforgettable night of raw emotion, dynamic soundscapes, and genre-blurring folk rock as Squirrel Flower, Free Range, and Styrofoam Winos take the stage. With ethereal intensity and a voice that cuts through like a storm, Squirrel Flower delivers haunting, atmospheric indie rock that lingers long after the last note. Free Range brings introspective songwriting and lush, understated arrangements that feel both tender and expansive. Styrofoam Winos round out the night with their off-kilter harmonies and effortlessly cool blend of alt-country and lo-fi charm. Three boundary-pushing acts, one night of beautifully unfiltered music—don’t miss it! Also on the same day - Cherokee Basket Weaving Workshop

Experience an unforgettable evening where the past and future of Appalachian music intertwine. The Cultural Crossroads Series brings together tradition-bearers and an innovator, weaving a rich musical conversation between heritage and evolution. This edition features the deeply rooted harmonies and fiddle-banjo interplay of Maddy Mullany & Clarke Williams, whose devotion to Appalachian traditions captures the heart of old-time music. Joining them is Sarah Kate Morgan, a visionary dulcimer player whose innovative techniques and emotive storytelling push the boundaries of mountain music while honoring its deep legacy. WORKSHOPS OFFERED SEPARATELY.

CANCELLED - Refunds will be issued ASAP!

Chris Wilhelm is known for bringing positive vibes and an uplifting message to his audience. He plays Americana, folk rock originals that are infectious and insightful, and sprinkles in covers too.

Madtom & the Chubs is a bluegrass band hailing from Boone, NC.

Hannah Kaminer is an artist and singer-songwriter writing songs about love, loss, and home. Raised in small towns in Western North Carolina, she fuses echoes of Appalachian and country traditions with wistful, Americana-style songwriting.

Matthew Clark Pike is a seasoned bassist/carpenter/father, and a budding singer and songwriter, born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC, and currently living in the rural outskirts of Asheville, in Marshall, NC. 

Together, the two form a sound that is warm and inviting, atmospheric and playful. Each is a well developed songwriter with a distinctive voice, and their songs range in style from classic to quirky. Lyrics-driven and intellectual with a keen ear for arrangement, they make music perfectly suited to a listening room or a pair of good headphones.

With a sound that moves between folk, rock, and alt-country, Kelly McFarling’s vocals are the throughline: warm, assured, and often breathtakingly strong. She has been releasing music in the Bay Area independently since 2010. 

Former founding member of Hiss Golden Messenger, Scott Hirsch’s collaborations include Alice Gerrard, William Tyler, and audio work on films by Rick Alverson, Lucy Walker, and Kelly Reichardt. He owns and operates the post-production and music production studio collective Echo Magic.

Jane Kramer has deep roots in the musical traditions, culture and lore of her beloved Appalachia, her songs are introspective, gracefully gritty and fiercely memorable.

Hearts Gone South plays original, classic style country and honky tonk full of heart and soul, laced with wit and woe. They bring fire and feeling to the age old stories of loss, love, heartbreak and victory for the underdog.

Folk. Folk Rock. Americana. Poet from Chicago, rambled out to Montana, cut a banjo from a tamarack, strings across the country, foot like a freight train, voice rushing down over lush Appalachia, sings a thrush tune through the rush hour and into your long-forgotten prairie dreams.

Ryan Taylor Price is a singer/songwriter in Asheville, North Carolina.  Price was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and cut his teeth on Seattle’s dynamic music scene, where he was a founding member of successful bands Human Ladder and Alkai Diggins. Those rock n roll roots fuse his music with a fantastic raw energy, even as he leans into the imagery and storytelling of American Roots music. 

Born in the foothills of the Sauratown mountains in Stokes County, North Carolina, Tyler Dodson's musical journey has been a tapestry of sounds and stories as eclectic as the South itself. From the soulful, country hymns of his uncle’s Baptist church, to the Old-Time and Bluegrass that were ever-present in his hometown, to the Rock and Soul records that echoed through his formative years, Dodson draws from a deep well of tradition and innovation. In his distinctive style of Americana, one can hear echoes of the past, the pulse of the present, and the promise of the future, all mingling together in a blend that is uniquely his own.

Jennifer Jane Niceley, Feathered Mason, & Jason GoForth are an incredible trio with an ethereal and expansive sound. Click on link to read more and register.

Cat Clyde’s two shows SOLD OUT!

Jackson Grimm is an accomplished and respected multi-instrumentalist and teacher in the Asheville music community. His songs marry folk pop melodies with the lonesome sound of traditional Appalachian music. In a region with a strong music culture, it is no surprise that Grimm's songwriting is representative of his musical birthplace: Asheville, NC. Grimm studied Traditional Music at Warren Wilson College under the tutelage of great players like Wayne Erbsen and Kevin Kehrberg.

Sounding Arrow with opener, Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast (acoustic duo).

Sounding Arrow is the first solo project from Scott Kinnebrew, singer and lead guitarist of roots rockers Truth & Salvage Co., and former ringleader of Smoky Mountain indie faves Scrappy Hamilton.

Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast is a powerhouse soul rock band hailing from Asheville, North Carolina. Krisko captivates her audiences, bringing the perfect blend of power and vulnerability throughout her shows. The acoustic duo is Caitlin Krisko (vocals) and Aaron Austin (guitar) with Krisko’s songs and storytelling.