Servant Acts at Festivals

Two festivals in Townsend

Annual festivals in Townsend blends two favorites – bluegrass and barbecue – and throws in arts and crafts for good measure!

Once in spring and again in fall, the festivals fill the grounds of the Visitor Center with sights and sounds that draw thousands of visitors.

CHARM volunteers set up tables and chairs under a big tent where patrons can sit in the shade and enjoy their meals.

Our volunteers talk with folks and keep the tables clean.  Other volunteers empty trash cans throughout the festival grounds. Still others offer help to vendors who are displaying arts and crafts.

Those who want the ultimate servant experience can volunteer to clean the visitor center toilets.

Volunteers serve two-hour shifts and still have plenty of time to visit the arts and crafts vendors and take in the bluegrass shows.

Maryville Fall Festival

The Foothills Fall Festival is one of the largest in the South, attracting as many as 75,000 visitors each hear.

CHARM volunteers are on hand throughout the three day event, serving vendors and visitors.

As arts and crafts vendors arrive and set up, CHARM volunteers help carry their wares to the booths and we manhandle the heavy canvas tent flaps, opening and closing the vendor booths each day.

We have a hospitality tent where vendors can come any time for refreshments. Hot breakfasts are served to the vendors on Friday and Saturday mornings and volunteers take snacks to the vendors at other times throughout the day.

We also host a dining tent at the Maryville festival, similar to the way we do it in Townsend.

Vendors have an opportunity to submit prayer requests and CHARM volunteers staff a prayer chapel and pray for the requests around the clock during the festival.

Volunteer by writing Linda Ledford at lindaledford(at)cbalive.org