Apple Atcha Fest is a celebration of the creative people and ideas that shape the fabric of life in our region. This festival focuses on the arts – written, visual and performance – as a medium to bring people from diverse backgrounds together to celebrate the past, present and future of what makes Appalachia unique.

Schedule of Events

October 17, 2024

6pm: Hoot and Holler at Wytheville Farmers Market

Bring your instruments for a community jam session for our first ever Hoot and Holler with Food Trucks and local spirits.

October 18, 2024

7pm - Cast Iron Curious at Millwald Theatre

Cooking in cast iron has grown in popularity in recent years, as more people appreciate its superior benefits. Katie Hoffman and Brett Tiller, founders of Vintage Kitchen Cast Iron, enjoy sharing the reasons why they prefer cooking in vintage pans as opposed to newer ones. There are a lot of practical benefits: a well-seasoned pan won't stick, the thermal density of cast iron keeps food hot longer, and there's no need to worry about toxic non-stick coatings, to give a few examples. But there's more to it for Brett and Katie, including the fascinating history of cast iron cooking vessels in the US and Appalachia in particular--and the fact that so many of these individual cast iron pieces have their own stories to tell, and a beautiful patina that started in great-grandma's kitchen!

During an evening presentation at the Millwald Theater in Wytheville, VA, Katie and Brett will talk a little bit about this history. They'll also offer advice on choosing the right cast iron for your cooking style. Of course, they'll cover the most popular topic of all--the basics of cast iron care and maintenance. A lively Q&A session will follow.

After the presentation, Brett and Katie invite you to join them for an in-person Cast Iron Clinic. During the clinic, you'll have one-on-one time to discuss what interested you most about cast iron--including your own heirlooms! Bring your own treasured cast iron, along with your questions about its history and condition. Brett and Katie will try to tell you something about the age and maker of your pan if they can. They'll give you advice about restoring it. If you want to try it yourself, they'll point you in the right direction. If you want them to do it, they can give you an estimate and you can send it away with them to their "pan spa." As you wait your turn to speak with them you can peruse pieces from their own collection that are a little "museum" that they sometimes display for those interested in cast iron history. There will also be some restored cast iron for sale.

This will be a fun and informative night. Bring your curiosity and your cast iron!

8pm - LaPrelle at Millwald Theatre

Appalachian Art Panel with Bluz Rogers, Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry, and Elizabeth

9pm: Appalachian Road Show at Millwald Theatre

All great music serves a purpose, but for the members of Appalachian Road Show, their collective goal transcends mere entertainment. The award-winning acoustic outfit is on a mission to illuminate the history, challenges, and rewards of life in that storied region and celebrate the spirit of the Appalachian people who call it home. They did so on their sophomore album Tribulation and are back again on the aptly titled Jubilation, a colorful song-filled journey chronicling not just the past but the present.

The album begins with a voice synonymous with Appalachia as the legendary Dolly Parton introduces the project, gently reminding listeners: With faith and resilience, Appalachians have endured cold, dark winters, punishing work and hunger, floods and fires. But pride in this place and our people endures, even into the modern age. Every loss is mourned, and the sunrise of every new day inhaled as a blessing from God. For we know that for every dark valley on our journey, we will arrive on another peak. Every tribulation is answered, in time, with Jubilation.

October 19, 2024

10am: Appalachian Artifacts at Millwald Theatre

The Appalachian Artifacts walking tour provides an opportunity to learn about the history of the people and places of Wythe County and our Appalachian culture.

10am: Lawson Photography Exhibit at Millwald Theatre

10am: Art at the Crossroads at Downtown Wytheville - Main Street

Join us in Downtown Wytheville for the annual Art at the Crossroads to check out the work of local artisans and crafters! Once again, Art at the Crossroads is collaborating with the Millwald Theatre's Apple Atcha Fest: A Celebration of the Arts. The Apple Atcha Fest is being hosted by the Millwald Theatre on October 18th and 19th. The Apple Atcha Fest will showcase Appalachian artists and musicians in various performances and demonstrations. Art at the Crossroads will be the art vending portion of the festival, showcasing some of the incredible talents within our community.

2024 Art at the Crossroads Participating Artists List

2pm: Appalachian Ballad Singing at Millwald Theatre

Elizabeth LaPrelle has been performing Appalachian ballads and old-time songs since she was eleven. Join us for this educational workshop on Appalachian Ballad Singing as a part of the Apple Atcha Festival 2024.

8pm: Elizabeth LaPrelle at Millwald Theatre

Elizabeth LaPrelle has been performing Appalachian ballads and old-time songs since she was eleven. Her magnificent voice, her respect for the songs, and her authentic mountain sound and style brought her to the attention of first Ginny Hawker and then Sheila Kay Adams. Raised in Rural Retreat, Virginia, Elizabeth attended old time fiddlers' conventions and sang harmonies with her family, who taught her traditional singing styles and encouraged her to sing their own favorite American folk music. She received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary with a major in Southern Appalachian Traditional Performance, and now tours the US regularly both performing and teaching.

9pm: Hogslop String Band at Millwald Theatre

Staying true to tradition while maintaining a bold irreverence is something that rarely goes hand-in-hand, but Hogslop String Band manages to walk that line. With their roots in old-time string band music, and their energy based in wild rock- and-roll; you could almost call them punk purists.

It's an unlikely combination, but given the talents of singer and fiddler Kevin Martin; guitarist, harmonica player and singer Gabriel Kelley; banjo player and singer Daniel Binkley, and bassist and all-round entertainer Pickle, they pull it off with natural ease. The name alone hints at their wacky ways, but catching them live will give you a true sense of these bizarre, seemingly contradictory descriptions.

They thrive on crossing genres, casting off the confines of straight old-time and bluegrass, delving into a deep repertoire of rock, folk, psychedelic, and original numbers that can only be described as,"The Hogslop Sound." It's clear that these guys are going places, and they've quickly become one of the most unique and exhilarating outfits in live music today.

Date: October 17-19, 2024

Locations:
Wytheville Farmers Market, 210 West Spring Street, Wytheville, VA 24382
The Millwald Theatre, 205 West Mian Street, Wytheville, VA 24382
Downtown Wytheville - Main Street, Wytheville, VA 24382

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