Clinch Mountain MusicFest is gearing up for its fifth-annual celebration of mountain heritage and First Annual Clinch Mountain Challenge Bike Ride as well as "Pickin' Caches in Scott County, VA: A Geocaching event. The musicians for this year’s festival range from the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, Old-Time master musicians from Galax, Virginia, to Papa Joe Smiddy, a regional favorite, to Brinley Addington, a Kingsport native and rising star who returns from Nashville, TN for an encore performance. All of our musicians capture the heart, soul, and spirit of our mountain heritage. Donations to the festival help bring music to the stages and provide scholarships to aspiring music students in the region.

There are two music venues on Saturday: downtown Gate City from 11:00 am to 6:45 pm and The Carter Family Fold, Hiltons, VA from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. FREE activities in downtown Gate City include: all musical performances, Flat-Footin' contest, Petting Zoo, and Pickin' Tent. Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments and pick and jam. Of course, there will be lots of festival food. The festival opens downtown at 11:00 am with a Flag Ceremony in front of the New Peoples Bank Stage on Jackson Street. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen will sing The Star Spangled Banner. After the opening, Moccasin Gap will take the stage then Ron Short and the MECC Mountain Music School Graduates, Papa Joe Smiddy, Scott County Boys, Tennessee Skyline, Sheets Family, Roan Mountain Hilltoppers and Brinley Addington. The Roan Mountain Hilltoppers will play for the Flatfootin’ Contest. Randy and Deborah Jean Sheets and Nina Ketron will be the judges.

Saturday evening, at 7:30 pm, the Carter Family Fold will present the Virginia Whirlwind, a new band to this region, followed by the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, a popular old-time band. Tickets are $10.00, available on the day of performance at the Carter Family Fold.

This year’s festival includes new activities: "Pickin' Caches in Scott County, VA: A Geocaching Event," and a bike ride: "The Clinch Mountain Challenge with three levels, a 50-mile "Clinch Mountain Extreme Challenge;" a 33-mile "Clinch Mountain Challenge;" and an 8-mile family fun ride. Geocaching starts on Friday, June 11th at Natural Tunnel State Park, Shelter #5 with registration from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Registration is $15.00 per person, $20.00 for a two-person team. For additional information on Geocaching contact Karen Davidson: 276-594-1343. Bike Rides start at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 12th. Registration applications are available at Clinch Mountain Arts and Crafts, 142 West Jackson Street, Gate City, VA; Athletics Unlimited, 210 East Jackson Street, Gate City, VA; and at www.clinchfest.net. Cost is $10.00 per rider, $20.00 per family and $5.00 for children under 12 or second rider in the family. For additional information on bike rides contact Ed Britt: 276-386-3561.