The Watauga County Arts Council held their fourth annual Buskers Fest Saturday in downtown Boone. This festival highlights local artists with “a wide range of mediums and experience levels,” according to the press release. Art styles varied from traditional folk music to pottery and several magicians.
The festival also featured an art raffle and silent auction showcasing reworked chairs created by local artists. The chairs were previously seen at a fundraising event hosted by The Magnolia Project, an organization focused on empowering women.
Amber Batement, executive director of the Watauga Arts Council, said busking has a rich history in Boone, from the early days of Doc Watson to the 35 solo musicians and bands that filled this year’s Buskers Fest with lively tunes. Musicians lined the sidewalks while vendors filled the gaps, ensuring each artist could be seen and heard.
“My entire life there was always people that would play music on the streets of downtown Boone and sell art, sell poetry,” said Bateman.
Sylvia Sequina-Hitchcock, an App State alum, was out sharing her mixed media creations alongside her sister. Her art included nature inspired paintings along with small twigs wrapped with yarn to form small woven tapestries.
“I make art that’s like really centered around nature,”Sequina-Hitchcock said as she showed off her mini canvas paintings highlighting the landscapes of North Carolina. She said she returned to her roots when she began creating nature-inspired art in the mountains.
In 2024, the festival experienced setbacks after the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene which led to its cancellation. The focus then shifted to fundraising for both the community and the artists. Bateman said they raised over $10,000 to help local artists after the storm.
This year, the festival is even more artist-friendly, after the North Carolina Arts Council decided to waive artist participation fees and provide stipends to artists in need. Bateman said that under current city ordinances, artists are not allowed to sell art on the streets outside of specialized events which is one reason festivals like the Buskers Fest are crucial for artists as well as the community.
One of App State’s a capella groups, Ear Candy, performed for their second year. Evelyn Coco, president of Ear Candy, said the Buskers Fest is “a good opportunity to get some publicity and get our voices out there.” The group sang from an offshoot of stairs near the post office and could be heard down the street.
Of the many sounds, one was a metal structure in which festival goers were handed a wooden mallet and encouraged to make a beat of their own. Bateman said the Buskers Fest encouraged artists to share hands-on experiences to foster interactive experiences for festival goers.
“We want people to come and be curious and we want them to be able to put their hands to some of the arts and crafts so that way maybe they could get inspired,” Bateman said.