51st Annual Waldensian Festival: Festival Saturday on Aug. 8, 2026, 9 a.m.

Festival Saturday includes a lineup of day-long entertainment at Main Stage, from theatrical performances to tumbling. Over 160 specialty vendors will line Main Street- selling one of kind goods and all your favorite street foods: funnel cakes, gyros, chicken on a stick, snow cones, turkey legs, and more! Saturday’s festivities will also feature a bocce tournament, the Waldensian Footrace, attraction tours, open art competition, and a special performance of the outdoor drama “From This Day Forward”. NEW this year- FREE Kidz Zone with Bouncy house and water slides galore!

Interested in participating as a vendor? Download the application HERE!

Food Trucks apply HERE!

Interested in sponsoring the Waldensian Festival? Download the application HERE!

Saturday Highlights:

• 160+ Street Vendors
• Attraction Tours
• Waldensian Footrace
• Open Art Competition
• Free Kids Zone at the Rock School
• Bocce Tournament at the LPDA
• Live Entertainment on Main Stage
• 9am – The Skillet Jumpers
• 10:30am – Old Colony Players performance
• 11am & 2pm – J Creek Cloggers

The J Creek Cloggers team evolved from a little girl’s dream (Kim Campbell Ross) of becoming a flatfoot dancer at the tender age of 10 in the small, unincorporated community of Snowflake, located in Scott County, Virginia. Growing up, she watched her father flatfoot and loved the seamlessly floating style of the dance.

As Kim got older, she headed to the popular Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, VA to watch some of the best dancers on the floor showcasing their moves. Kim mimicked their steps, adding several of her own, as well.

As the years went by, Kim moved to Waynesville, NC, got married, and had two boys, each sharing their mom’s passion for the old-time dancing style. Kim’s desire, above all else, was to preserve the heritage of flatfoot and buck dancing, thus becoming the founder of the J Creek Cloggers. Kim, to this day, enjoys ‘freestyle’ clogging.

Under Kim’s guidance since the team’s founding to present, the J Creek Cloggers boast 25 members currently, ranging in age from teenage years into their 80s, performing across the United States showcasing the vibrant diversity of these dance forms.The digital media has brought new avenues for traditional arts to showcase their expertise. Zeb Ross, dubbed the “blue shirt guy” for the group’s signature teal shirts, and the J Creek Cloggers, as well, saw their dance team flourish and excel on social media. Zeb Ross followed in his mom’s footsteps, literally, by becoming an overnight success with fancy footwork added to his basic flatfoot and clogging skills.

With a simple 22 second clip of Zeb dancing with the clogging team, caught on tape by an individual in the crowd and uploaded to TikTok, Zeb was ‘discovered’! His combination of moves, fast footwork, easy smile and long hair all came together on that magical night at Darnell Farms in March 2022. Zeb was a sensation overnight, as well as giving the J Creek Cloggers the exposure due them.

Epic Games licensed Zeb’s moves for Fortnite, Google licensed the viral video for their 2022 #YearInSearch compilation video, and Peacock licensed the viral video for their year-end wrap-up with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson. The J Creek Cloggers were in many music videos, showing how traditional dance can find a place in contemporary popular culture.

• Twist the Balloon Man – 12pm
• Tumblemania & Elite Storm – 1pm
• Aces & Eights – 3pm

Band members are Mike Albright - Drums, Bert Eastwood - vocals, Tony Epley - Guitar, Russ Spregh - Guitars and Eric Clarke on Bass. A true fan favorite from the 2025 summer concert series, Aces & Eights is sure to bring an entertaining variety of music to the festival stage.

• 7pm Festival Finale featuring 80's sensation Cassette Rewind

Who You Gonna Call to Go Back in Time? Born in the ‘80s and raised on radio, CASSETTE REWIND is the ultimate authentic ‘80s experience. Valley girls, jocks, preppies, and nerds will have the time of their life when the DeLorean hits 88 mph and suddenly they’re at like, the most righteous party of the era. Feel the power of love when your bedroom boombox comes to life with captivating, dynamic performances of countless hits from 1980s icons. Grab your Members Only jacket and put on your leg warmers because nothing’s gonna stop you now – let’s cut footloose!