Going to a music festival usually involves long hours of driving, standing in line and being trapped in an arena complex for way too long. Luckily this year, May 3-5, there is a different type of music festival – the Pangaea World Music Festival – in Jonesborough.
“We’re bringing the world to Jonesborough,” said festival organizer Steve Cook. “I believe that through music, we can all learn from and enjoy the many cultures of the world.”
Artists from all over the world will perform in three “villages” set up on Main Street in Jonesborough. Performers include Grammy winner Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys (bluegrass), Grammy nominees Trout Fishing in America (folk/children’s music), Charivari (Cajun), Sigean (Celtic), Rick Simerly (jazz) and over 30 more musicians and bands from around the world.
Musicians and experts will lead workshops throughout the three-day festival on music-related topics such as technique and instrument building and repair.
Vendors will also be present with CDs and cassettes, musical instruments, food and drinks and trinkets from around the world.
“We want to offer music-related items of outstanding quality,” said Cook.
Pangaea World Music Festival has been in the making for five years, and Cook hopes to make it an annual Jonesborough tradition, much like the National Storytelling Festival.
“Our goal with Pangaea is to offer enriching and exciting educational opportunities for the entire family,” Cook said. “To do that, we will focus musically on quality, originality and talent.”
No stranger to concert booking, Cook originated Jonesborough’s Music on the Square summer concert series, and is a musician and artisan himself.
In a broad sense, the concept of Pangaea originated with German meteorologist Alfred Wegener in 1912.
Wegener theorized that millions of years ago, all of the continents of the world were joined together in one large land mass, and he referred to this “one land” as Pangaea.
Pangaea comes to Jonesborough May 3-5. Tickets are $15 per day, or $35 for a weekend pass. Students can pay $5 tickets for Friday’s events.
Visit www.pangaeafest.com for more information.

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