White Squirrel Festival

Go Nuts at the Brevard White Squirrel
6th Annual: May 23-24, 2009 Festival!

Steep Canyon Rangers

Voted "Best Spring Music Festival in Western North Carolina" by Asheville Citizen Times News Poll 2008

White Squirrel Festival Receives Honor: Top 20 Event for the month of May 2009 by the Southeast Tourism Society

Approximately 25,000 people went nuts in Downtown Brevard for the 2008 Memorial Day weekend!

Edwin McCain was one of the reasons we had a record crowd for the 5th Annual White Squirrel Festival. To celebrate our white squirrels this year, Jupiter Coyote and Steep Canyon Rangers will headline Saturday and Sunday concerts.

Our 3rd Annual Squirrel Box Derby continues to attract die-hard race fans. This gravity race is the only legal opportunity in Brevard where you can try to break the speed limit down Jailhouse Hill! All vehicles were hand built and decorated to please the crowd, as well as designed for speed. Contestants competed for trophies for the fastest critter, the squirreliest theme, and the nuttiest design. In addition, businesses fought to win the overall Golden Nut Trophy, which combined speed and design. Team LAGATI won this year's Golden Nut Trophy! Children 8-17 years were able to enter for free.

Back this year is the 2nd Annual 5K/10K White Squirrel Race! Check out Brevard Rotary's website for more information.

We are kicking off the 6th Annual White Squirrel Festival with our 2nd Annual Memorial Day Parade, which is organized by the American Legion and VFW. This crowd-pleasing event will take place on Saturday at 9:00am, followed by a “Presentation of the Wreath” ceremony at our county War Memorial.

For safety reasons, dogs are not allowed on festival grounds.

No alcohol is allowed at festival, except for approved designated area. Thanks!

2009 Musical Performances:(Check back for updates)

6th Annual White Squirrel Festival Music Headliner:

Jupiter Coyote

performing Saturday, May 23rd 9:15pm

Steep Canyon Rangers

performing Sunday, May 24th 9:00pm

White Squirrel Festival

Our musical line-up is one of the region’s best, and no where else can you hear 16 spectacular concerts for free. John Felty (of Looking Glass Entertainment and of Jupiter Coyote fame) continues to bring in some up and coming, as well as some established, performers who know how to get their audience smiling, dancing, and clapping.

Saturday May 23, 2009		Sunday May 24, 2009
Performance	Time	Performance	Time
Davidson River Taiko	1:00-1:45
Cagney Guest	2:00-2:45	The Shakedown	2:00-2:45
Smokey Joe Show	3:00-3:45	Mike Creech	3:00-3:45
Dave Desmelik	4:00-4:45	Lyndsay Wojcik	4:00-4:45
brotherbrother	5:00-5:45	High Windy	5:00-5:45
Odd Meters	6:00-6:45	Jonathan Scales Fourchestra	6:00-6:45
Wilsin	7:00-7:45	Galen Kipar	7:00-7:45
Shannon Whitworth	8:00-9:00	Michael Reno Harrell	8:00-8:45
Jupiter Coyote	9:15-10:30	Steep Canyon Rangers	9:00-10:15

2009 White Squirrel Festival Schedule

SATURDAY – May 23

Memorial Day: Parade 9:00am &

“Presentation of the Wreath” 10:30am (Gazebo)

2nd Annual 5K/10K White Squirrel Race 8:00am

(Brevard Music Center)

Squirrel Box Derby (Jailhouse Hill) 9:00am – 6:00pm

(Races begin at 1:30pm)

White Squirrel Guided Tours (Brevard College) 11:00am, 2:00pm, 5:00pm

White Squirrel Exhibit (TC Heritage Museum) 10:00am – 5:00pm

Squirrel Feeder & Photo Contests

Street Festival: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Food Court (West Main, between Caldwell/England)

Street Vendors (Gazebo block, South Broad)

WSQL Live (West Main)

Pisgah Pete (real white squirrel on the Gazebo block)

Jennifer Burgin, Wildlife Rehabilitator

SUNDAY – May 24

Squirrel Box Derby (Jailhouse Hill) 10:00am – 6:00pm

(Races begin at 1:30pm)

White Squirrel Guided Tours (Brevard College) 2:00pm and 5:00pm

White Squirrel Exhibit (TC Heritage Museum) 12 noon – 5:00pm

Squirrel Feeder & Photo Contests

Street Festival: 1:00pm – 6:00pm

Food Court (West Main, between Caldwell/England)

Street Vendors (Gazebo block, South Broad)

WSQL Live (West Main)

Pisgah Pete (real white squirrel on the Gazebo block)

Jennifer Burgin, Wildlife Rehabilitator

For more information:

Heart of Brevard 828-884-3278

2009 Annual White Squirrel Photo Contest

It’s springtime and all your backyard white critters are scampering about. If you’re able to catch them in some of their high flying acts or their persistent appearance at what you call a bird feeder, now is the time to bring out your cameras.

Enter our 6th Annual White Squirrel Photo Contest. Photo entries must include at least one local white squirrel. Submit your entries to the Heart of Brevard office (175 East Main Street, Suite 200) on or before May 20th. Call beforehand to make certain staff is on hand to receive your photo (884-3278). Entry forms are available at the office.

Prizes are award for first place ($50), second place ($25), and third ($10). There is a $5 entry fee to help generate funds for the prizes.

All photos will be displayed during the White Squirrel Festival (May 23-24).

Download entry form now!

Contest rules:

No more than 2 photos per person can be submitted.
Photo(s) must be taken by the entrant.
Photo(s) must be mounted or framed (no larger than 8”x10’ print; frame no larger than 11”x14”)
Photo(s) must have on the back of the photo entrant’s name, contact information, and name/title of the photo

Judges will make their determination based on: subject, composition, technique, lighting, creativity, attractiveness, impact.

Winners of the 2008 Fifth Annual White Squirrel Photo Competition were:

1st Place: Joseph D. Bester

2nd Place: Pamela Sassak

3rd Place: Roy Merritt

Honorable Mention: Robert Stoutamine

2009 Annual White Squirrel Feeder Competition

Make your feeder at home and bring it to the Heart of Brevard. The public can vote for their favorite squirrel feeder during the White Squirrel Festival

Call Heart of Brevard for feeder competition details 828.884.3278

Download entry form now!

Winners of the 2008 Fifth Annual White Squirrel Feeder Competition were:

Tie for 1st Place: Bauer/Pierron Family

& Katherine Merritt

Other 2009 white squirrel festival weekend activities

Brevard's 4th Friday Gallery Walk

May 22nd 5:00 - 9:00pm

Enjoy an evening of art, wine, food in downtown Brevard.

Street Vendors Application:

Street Vendors

Applications for the 6th Annual White Squirrel Festival can be downloaded now! Applicants must fall within the following categories:

food
craft
non-profit

The White Squirrel Festival was a huge success that could not have been accomplished without the following sponsors....

white squirrel festival music fund

The Heart of Brevard announces the creation of the “White Squirrel Festival MUSIC FUND.” This is a fund through the Community Focus Foundation that will allow for tax-deductible donations by individuals to support the festival concerts.

The 6th Annual White Squirrel Festival takes place in downtown Brevard over the Memorial Day Weekend (May 23-24, 2009).

16 concerts will be held throughout the weekend, which are absolutely FREE to the public.

The only way to keep these concerts FREE to the public is through business sponsorships and now, individual donations.

Where else can you see Steep Canyon Rangers and Jupiter Coyote perform at one festival?!

Jupiter Coyote headlines Saturday’s performances. For over 18 years Coyote has played “Mountain Rock” – a mixture of Southern Appalachian boogie, bluegrass-infused, funk-rock-- in more than 4,000 concerts. Jupiter Coyote has shared the stage with The Allman Brothers Band, Dave Matthews, Widespread Panic, String Cheese, The Radiators, and Kansas to name a few.

Steep Canyon Rangers will close the weekend concerts on Sunday. The Rangers base their music around a stunning catalogue of original songs, drawing on the sounds of early bluegrass, honky tonk, and blues. Nominated for 2 international Bluegrass Music Awards in 2008 (including Album of the Year, “Lovin’ Pretty Women”), Steep Canyon Rangers have toured worldwide to festivals in Sweden, Ireland, Germany, and Canada.

They are joined by new and former favorites: Michael Reno Harrell, High Windy, Galen Kipar, Odd Meters, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, The Shakedown, Dave Desmelik, Davidson River Taiko, Smokey Joe Show, Mike Creech, Wilsin, Brett & Adam, and others.

This is your chance to be part of the only White Squirrel Festival in the world and showcase the talents connected to Transylvania County! Show your support for these fine musicians and the warm hospitality of this mountain community.

Donations can be mailed to the:

Community Focus Foundation

c/o Heart of Brevard

175 East Main Street, Suite 200

Brevard, NC 28712

(Memo: White Squirrel Festival Music Fund)

For your tax-deductible donation, you can receive:

(Please indicate preferable tee shirt size)

$50 Level

White Squirrel Festival 2009 Tee Shirt

$100 Level

-White Squirrel Festival 2009 Signed Poster