Eighth annual Mountain Music Championship to award over $5000 in cash prizes

The Stecoah Valley Center will host the 8th Annual Mountain Music Championship on Saturday, June 16, 2007.

The Music Championship will include individual competitions in both Old-time and Bluegrass music categories and junior and senior divisions. Seniors will compete in Oldtime fiddle, Old-time banjo, Bluegrass fiddle, Bluegrass banjo, Mandolin and Guitar. Prizes for Senior winners are $200, $150 and $100. New to this year's competition will be the division of Senior Guitar into two categories; Finger- Pick and Flat-Pick. Juniors will compete in Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar and Mandolin (Old-time and Bluegrass categories combined.) Cash prizes for Junior's are $100, $75 and $50. There will be no age divisions for the band competition; it will include Old-time Band and Bluegrass Band categories with prizes of $300, $200 and $100 each. Entry fee for competition is $10 per instrumental category and $25 per band category.

Registration will start at 11 a.m. Individual competitions will begin at 1 p.m. and continue throughout the afternoon. Band competitions will begin at 7:30 and continue until well into the evening. Registrations will close 15 minutes prior to the beginning of each category. Complete rules and registration forms are available from the Stecoah Valley Center and on the website: "www.StecoahValleyCenter.co m" .

In addition to the great music and food, the festival will include a variety of vendors, demonstrations and a silent auction benefiting Stecoah Valley Center with the winners announced on June 30th at the opening of "An Appalachian Evening" summer concert series. Admission is: Adults: $5 for the afternoon individual instrument contests only, $8 for evening band contests only, or $10 for an all day pass; $2 for students, children under six free.

Stecoah Valley Center is located on NC Highway 28 North, between Bryson City and Fontana Dam. For more information, contact the center at (828) 479-3364, or "www.StecoahValleyCenter.co m"

JUNE 16 Eighth Annual Mountain Music Championship at Stecoah Valley Center. Music, food and fun all day from 11a.m. - 10 p.m.. Silent Auction benefiting Stecoah Valley Center. Winners announced on June 30.

JUNE 29 - 30 Artisans Drive-About Studio Tour 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.. Silent Auction benefiting Stecoah Valley Center Winners announced at Stecoah Valley Center on June 30 at the opening night of "An Appalachian Evening" summer music series.

JUNE 30 Traditional Appalachian Dinner served in the new dining room located in the old gymnasium building next to Stecoah Valley Center. Served at two seatings, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.. Prices are $12 per adult, $9 for students and $6 for children. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Call 479-3364.

JUNE 30 Stecoah Valley Center presents the opening night of "An Appalachian Evening" summer concert series featuring Iron Station, a hard-driving bluegrass mountain music band. Tickets are $8 per adult, $2 per student, children are free.

JULY 7 Traditional Appalachian Dinner served in the new dining room located in the old gymnasium building next to Stecoah Valley Center. Served at two seatings, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.. Prices are $12 per adult, $9 for students and $6 for children. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Call 479-3364.

JULY 7 Stecoah Valley Center presents, "An Appalachian Evening" summer concert series featuring the Blue Ridge Rounders, a lively old-time string band. Tickets are $8 per adult, $2 per student, children are free.