A Day at Hot Springs
Last Saturday I visited the 24th annual Bluff Mountain Festival in Hot Springs, North Carolina. The Bluff Mountain Festival began as a way to raise funds and awareness to preserve nearby Bluff Mountain from logging. When a compromise with the logging company was reached, the festival has evolved into a fundraiser for the Madison County Arts Council with food vendors, art booths, and, of course, bluegrass and old time music. The festival now takes place on the grounds of the Hot Springs Resort and Spa . The weather would be as good as it gets for June. I arrived a bit later than the 10am start time because I made an unplanned stop near Madison, so a crowd had already set up close to the stage. I decided to check out the red caboose by the road first. A quick search after I got home documented this was once a caboose owned by the Norfolk and Southern Railway . The Festival Before setting up my chair in front of the stage, I walked around the artist vendor area. I too