Sarah Atkins
mnjreporter@gmail.com
“Nine months ago, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to do this,” said Charlie Burleson to the large crowd that had gathered for the Rhododendron Street Dance Friday night.
When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in September, the streets and stores of downtown Bakersville were heavily damaged, as was the stage typically used for the annual street dance.
But as the sun set behind the mountains Friday night, the community gathered and the streets of Bakersville came alive with music once again.
For 78 years, the North Carolina Rhododendron Festival has drawn tourists and locals alike to Bakersville for crafts, dancing and pageantry. Saturated in tradition, the festival holds a special place in the hearts of locals, especially this year.
The 2025 Rhododendron Queen, Andi Creech, rallied sponsors to fund a new stage and make it possible for the festival’s street dance to return.
The street dance has been a part of the festival since its start in 1947 and continues to draw crowds of festival goers who want to dance, socialize and listen to live music.
From 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday night of the festival, Bandana Rhythm plays bluegrass music as crowds trot along to the calls from Burleson, Stan Young, and other callers who have called traditional mountain square dances for over 15 years.
When the band stops for breaks, the crowd organizes into lines and dances to songs like the “Cupid Shuffle” and “Cotton Eye Joe.”
Before the energy of the nightly street dance commences, many festival goers visit the craft fair.
Though typically located along the Bakersville Creek Walk, damage from Hurricane Helene moved this year’s craft fair to the Bowman Middle School football field. Crowds continued to make their way to the craft fair despite the location change and enjoyed perusing the tents of many local vendors.
Not all of the artisan vendors were locals. One tent, adorned in hanging frames of colorful glass art, welcomes visitors in from the hot sun with two bubbly personalities.
Debra and Larry Harrison traveled from South Carolina to enjoy the festival and sell their glass art. What the Harrisons appreciate most, though, is that the craft fair allows them to connect with festival-goers.
“A lot of the people who are coming through are sharing their stories of what they went through with the storm and how they have recovered,” said Larry Harrison.
Beyond the craft fair, the weekend’s schedule was packed with other long-standing traditions that bring the community together year after year — Bakersville also hosts a classic car show, 10K run, and the main event, the NC Rhododendron Pageant.
Two evenings of competition narrow contestants down to the two young ladies who will shoulder the responsibility of representing Bakersville and Roan Mountain for the next year. This year’s pageant winners are the NC Junior Rhododendron Queen, Kimber Ostrander and the NC Rhododendron Queen, Kaylyn Fairchild.