Image Courtesy of Bear Shadow Music Festival
For the third year in a row, Highlands Festivals Inc. and Eleven Events are ushering in springtime’s warmth and renewed spirit with music, mountains, and revelry at Bear Shadow Music Festival. From April 28th to April 30th, 2023, Bear Shadow “Base Camp” will be the center of the action for a weekend of jam-packed performances by this year’s headliners - Spoon, The Head & The Heart, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Joining them are Fruit Bats, Neal Francis, and Amythyst Kiah, with support from Lissie, Myron Elkins, and Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth.
A dream brought to life during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, the first Bear Shadow Festival in April of 2021 delivered a breath of fresh air and a phenomenal line-up of celebrated artists to the people of the Plateau. Held on the sprawling and historic Winfield Farm, just minutes from Highlands, North Carolina, this three-day outdoor event has become a highly anticipated annual tradition. Though Bear Shadow is known for having a line-up of some of the hottest names in the Americana space, festival-goers will enjoy everything from bluegrass and country to indie and rock ‘n roll.
A sister to the beloved Highlands Food and Wine Festival in the Fall, Bear Shadow’s roots grew from a deep love for and celebration of the beauty of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau and the classic Americana sounds. Paying homage to our mountain home, the event was named after the incredible phenomena of the bear-like shadow that appears on Whiteside Mountain during the Fall months of October and November and in the Spring from February to Early March.
Before the show starts, join in on one of Bear Shadows Daytime Activities – walk and talk with conservation experts, warm your body up for some dancing with yoga in the park, or get out on the river for some fly fishing with artist and angler Woody Platt.
Come showtime, park your chairs at the farm and kick back to soulful musical entertainment in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A variety of vendors will be serving delicious food and beverages and offering the perfect memorabilia to purchase.
Since 2016, Highlands Festivals, Inc. and ZeroHero, a full-service waste and recycling operation, have diverted over 15,000 pounds of waste from landfills through their recycling and composting efforts. Bear Shadow is proudly committed to growing this number and supporting any effort to maintain the natural beauty of our land. In 2021 and 2022, the festival donated $20,000 to local organizations such as the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and the Highlands Biological Station. This year, $25 of every ticket purchase will go towards Sky Valley-Scaly Mountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue, as well as The Resource Institute, an organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and conserving America’s waterways.
This year, welcome the warm weather, sunshine, and blooming Spring with three days of energizing live music, great food and drinks, and exciting daily activities. Support our local businesses, revel in the sounds, and be a part of Bear Shadow Music Festival’s mission to uplift our local community and uphold the natural beauty of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.
Friday, April 28th, 2023
Lissie
5:30 – 6:30 pm
From Rock Island, Illinois, singer-songwriter Lissie has been in the industry for over a decade, recording and releasing five studio albums since 2009. Her music is a delightful crossover of rock and country with elements of Americana that have you yearning for a sunset drive down a backcountry road. Her latest album, Carving Canyons, is her first full-length album since the 2018 release of Castles, a UK Top 10 album.
Fruit Bats
7 – 8 pm
Leader and creative force behind Fruit Bats, Eric D. Johnson, has been creating music for over two decades. A child of the ‘70s, much of the musical influence of the time can be heard in his tracks – serving up elemental sounds reminiscent of classic rock icons like The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and The Kinks.
Spoon
8:30 – 10 pm
In 2022, Austin-based rock band Spoon released its tenth album, Lucifer on the Sofa, considered by many fans their purest rock ‘n roll album to date. Formed in late 1993 by lead singer and guitarist Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno, the band has cemented its name in the indie/alternative scene over the last two decades.
Saturday, April 29th, 2023
Myron Elkins
5:30 – 6:30 pm
Myron Elkins recently found his path in the music world. Originally set out to become a welder in his hometown of Otsego, Michigan, Elkins only realized his potential to shake up the music scene at the age of 17 when a relative signed him up for a battle of the band’s competition. Now 21, Elkins is set to release his debut album, Factories, Farms & Amphetamines, a collection of stories from his upbringing and the challenges he faced at home and in life. A little bit of rock, a little country, a little blues, and a whole lot of soul, Elkin’s captivating voice is only just beginning to be heard.
Neal Francis
7 – 8 pm
Piano prodigy Neal Francis from Chicago started playing when he was just four years old and has successfully crafted two studio albums. His latest album, In Plain Sight, was born from Francis’s time spent living in a purportedly “haunted” church in Chicago. Through his music, Francis enchants with a mixture of retro-inspired soul, R&B, and New Orleans rhythms while confronting his demons through the lens of introspection.
The Head and the Heart
8:30 – 10 pm
In 2009 Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion) joined forces to form The Head and the Heart. Adding to the band’s classic indie folk sound are Charity Rose (violin, guitar, vocals), Chris Zasche (bass), Kenny Hensley (piano), and Tyler Williams (drums). Since 2009 the group has released five studio albums with Warner Bros Records. The Head and the Heart’s most recent studio album, Every Shade of Blue, was released on April 29th, 2022.
Sunday, April 30th, 2023
Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth
12:30 – 1:30 pm
Artist and singer-songwriter Shannon Whitworth and her husband Woody Platt, both accomplished artists, have joined forces to bring Whitworth’s original songs to the stage. Whitworth toured and recorded with the iconic bluegrass band, The Biscuit Burners. Platt is the guitarist and lead vocalist of the Grammy award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers, with 13 studio albums under his belt.
Amythyst Kiah
2 – 3 pm
A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Amythyst Kiah has been recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the best up-and-coming Americana artists. The singer-songwriter has released two solo albums and one Ep, with her most recent, Wary + Strange, released in June 2021. Kiah’s vocals are deep and full of emotion, her music a mix of iconoclastic alt- rock and acoustic folk and blues roots, her stories reflective of her experiences growing up, enduring childhood trauma, and living as a queer Black woman in the South.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
3:30 – 5 pm
While Jason Isbell spent many years as a solo artist, landing four solo Grammy Awards, his joining forces with a talented group of musicians from the Muscle Shoals of Alabama to form The 400 Unit led to the release of numerous studio albums and a 2017 Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. Their music is steeped in their northern Alabama roots and classic Americana folk sounds. The band’s name was inspired by the local nickname, “The 400 Unit,” referring to the psychiatric ward of Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, Alabama.
Daytime Events
Summit & Sound
Friday, April 28th, 1 – 3 pm
Saturday, April 29th, 1 – 3 pm
Follow along a guided journey through Highlands forests and trails led by conservation experts. At the end of this afternoon hike, you will be treated to intimate performances by Bear Shadow artists. These are moderate to strenuous hikes, and patrons should prepare for a 1–2-mile hike. Dress for the weather; mother nature can be unpredictable!
Live Stream
Saturday, April 29th
Join Musician and Angler Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers for an exclusive half-day fly fishing experience on private waters, guided by Brookings Anglers.
Bearfoot in the Park
Saturday, April 29th, 9 – 10 am, Kelsey
Hutchinson Founders Park
Sunday, April 30th, 9 – 10 am, Kelsey
Hutchinson Founders Park
Get your sweat on before soaking in the sights and sounds of the festival! Sarah Frick, Owner of The Works – Charleston’s Sweat Studio, will lead one- hour flow sessions in downtown Highlands. These classes are complimentary; however, students must sign up on the Bear Shadow website to reserve their spots. Don’t wait too long; this will fill up fast!
Musician Clinics
TBA
Join some of your favorite Bear Shadow artists to learn tips, tricks, and riffs.
The Details
Three-day passes for Bear Shadow Base Camp are available for purchase online. VIP and General Admission pass options are available, as is the opportunity to purchase single-day tickets. Daytime Events are not included with either pass. Tickets must be purchased separately on the Bear Shadow website.
VIP passes provide access to all three days of Bear Shadow, including nine live musical performances, up-close, prime viewing areas, and the exclusive VIP bar with complimentary beer, wine, spirits, premium non-alcoholic beverages, and coffee. Enjoy the ease of access with a priority entrance lane, VIP bathrooms, and complimentary shuttles to and from downtown Highlands to Winfield Farm. Enjoy all the food, sponsors, craft vendors on site, and complimentary small plates by local and regional food partners.
A General Admission pass provides access to all three days, as well as all nine musical performances. Beer, wine, premium non-alcoholic beverages, and coffee are included as well as access to a variety of food, sponsors, and retail vendors. The General Admission pass includes the complimentary shuttle to and from Downtown Highlands to Winfield Farm.
To purchase passes and tickets for Bear Shadow Music Festival and its Daytime Events, or more information, visit BearShadowNC.com.