Hurricane Helene forced WCU to cancel the 50th anniversary of Mountain Heritage Day due to anticipated dangerous and high-water levels in the region. Classes at WCU have also been cancelled for Thursday and Friday. The following week of classes up until Friday, Oct. 4 have been cancelled as well.
“The unique and dangerous levels of rainfall and flooding the region is experiencing do not allow us to provide a safe environment for this year’s daytime festival. The festival, held on the University’s intramural field, is bordered by Cullowhee Creek, which has experienced saturation beyond our control, making it impossible to maintain safe conditions,” Chancellor Brown said in a statement sent on Sept. 26.
After roughly a year of planning, nearly 100 vendors involved, hundreds of employees and community members, this was a difficult decision to make.
“The daytime part of the festival is cancelled and will not be rescheduled,” said Julia Duvall, WCU senior media relations coordinator, in an email.
Coleman Leopard, the associate director of student programs & activities, said in an email that over 1800 people had purchased tickets for the concert of Old Crow Medicine Show. The concert that was supposed to be held Saturday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. in the Ramsey Activity Center is now cancelled as well.
WCU is working with regional emergency professionals and plans to continue updating ticket holders on the status of the concert.
Mountain Heritage Day is a beloved community event, and this year was planned to be extra special. The event celebrates heritage and the different cultures in the region. A variety of activities were planned, with everything from McNeely’s Chainsaw Competition to traditional games from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
In addition to activities, there were also supposed to be variety of mountain heritage skills, crafts and historical demonstrations such as basketry and copper smiting.
“I was really looking forward to it, and I mean I am pretty disappointed,” said Kinley Lewis, a student at WCU.
For additional safety and operational updates, please visit WCU’s website.
