An Appalachian Summer Festival began in 1984 as a chamber music festival and has developed over the years to become one of the nation's largest regional multi-arts festivals with over 26,000 people in attendance each year. Presented by the Appalachian State University Office of Arts & Cultural Programs, the annual arts celebration is held every July on and around the university campus, and features an eclectic, diverse mix of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and film. For nearly a decade, the festival has been named one of the "Top Twenty Events in the Southeast" by the Southeast Tourism Society.
In keeping with its status as a university-based arts program, the festival continually seeks to enlighten and educate—a focus reflected in such initiatives as the festival's discounts for children's tickets and community outreach programs, in which young people are exposed to performances, demonstrations and presentations by artists in partnership with area schools.
