taylorsville

Mark your calendars for RockyFest 2019, set for Saturday, April 13 at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area in Hiddenite. The 7th annual family-friendly event features live music, food, arts/crafts vendors, children’s activities, free rock climbing and rappelling sessions, trail races, and more.

The event begins with the RockyFest Trail Races at 8:00 a.m. with distances of 4.5, 9, or 13.5 miles. The race will start at the new multipurpose building. Alexander County residents and county employees (active and retired), and ALL emergency service personnel, military, and teachers can participate for FREE.

Free rock climbing and rappelling sessions will be offered from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with 75 openings available. Registration must be completed online on a first-come, first-served basis.

The rest of the festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. and last until 4:00 p.m. Activities will include live music, inflatables for the children, arts and crafts vendors, a wide variety of food, and much more. There are four (4) inflatables this year that will provide entertainment for children of all ages, including a dual-lane slide, a fire station combo, a jousting ring, and a basketball shootout game.

Live music will be performed on stage under the tent from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bands include The Sugar Loaf Ramblers (10:00 a.m.), Todd McCloud & Charlie Carpenter (11:00 a.m.), The Ya Yas (12:00 p.m.), Wood Family Tradition (1:00 p.m.), and Shelby Rae Moore (2:00 p.m.). These bands are sure to delight the crowd with a diverse mix of bluegrass, Americana, blues, country, and more.

The main food vendors include Apple City BBQ, Wingz on Wheelz, Wilson’s Weenie Wagon, and Snack Wagon Concessions. Other food vendors are Granny’s Old Fashioned Doughnuts, The Vashti Ice Cream Man, Sunset Slush for the Troops, and other festival foods.