Dulcimers, Drums & The Fall Equinox

For me autumn starts the first day in September, which is why I have already started the Fall Hiking Series. However, this past Tuesday was the official start of the best of the seasons and I decided to see it arrive at the Fall Equinox Ceremony at Eagles Rest on Mount Oglethorpe.

People gathering on the west observation deck.

It is James Oglethorpe & Sequoyah.

I will blog about the hiking I did in the future, but this part is about the festivities that took place on the mountain. These were held at the new West Observation Deck and Classroom. However, before the main part of the program started people were greeted by the sounds of the talented ladies of Jasper Drum Circle.

The Jasper Drum Circle, notice the cars there was a lot of them.

 

Looks like a crowd of around 100 people.

A crowd of around a 100 people gathered in the new observation area to enjoy the sound of some traditional mountain music in a dulcimer concert featuring the Bent Tree Circle. They played traditional Appalachian songs like “I Will Fly Away.” With the setting of the surrounding mountains the concert was really nice; it was a good way to cap a day on the mountain.

The mountain setting.

 

Talking about the "true American" instrument, the Dulcimer.

 

The Bent Tree Strings.

 

It was a nice concert...

...in a beautiful place.

Ken Rice got a little emotional.

Don Wells takes about Mt. Oglethorpe history.

However, that wasn’t the whole program. Ken Rice, the man who donated the land that is now the Eagles Rest park, introduced Don Wells who gave a lecture on the history of Mount Oglethorpe from the 1900’s forward, including the mountains role in the history of the Appalachian Trail. Overall, it was a fun way to spend the Fall Equinox.