Just a year ago, fall festivals were disappearing right and left from event calendars in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hurricane Helene may have thrown a wrench in Western North Carolina’s 2024 festival season, but 2025 is back and better than ever. This weekend marks the triumphant return of the LEAF Global Arts Festival for its 30th anniversary at Lake Eden in Black Mountain. Join host Elise Wilson and LEAF Marketing and Engagement Coordinator Natascha Van Aalst Leitner as they uncover how stories, songs, and dance connect Western North Carolina with the rest of the world—and why this year's theme, “Live Life Like a Festival,” is more relevant than ever. 

Together, Elise and Natascha unpack: 

• Why cultural preservation remains an integral part of LEAF’s mission after thirty years
• How LEAF's Artist ReLEAF Fund supports local artists affected by natural disasters
• How to Live Life Like a Festival: Pick up a copy of founder Jennifer Pickering’s new book, which celebrates 30 years of LEAF Global Arts.

How You Can Get Involved

• Purchase tickets for the 2025 LEAF Global Arts Festival, Oct. 16 - 19.
• Donate to LEAF's Artist ReLEAF Fund.
• Shop Live Life Like a Festival.
• Learn about global arts through LEAF’s Schools & Streets program. 
• Become a member of LEAF. 

About LEAF Global Arts

LEAF Global Arts is a non-profit organization that fosters community and cultural connections through world music, arts education, and global experiences. For nearly 30 years, it has worked to build relationships with communities, preserve cultural heritage, and provide arts education to thousands of youth, primarily through its festivals, the LEAF Retreat, and the Easel Rider Mobile Art Lab. Its mission is to connect cultures and create community through shared experiences with art, music, and dance. 

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Episode artwork: Street Creature Puppet Collective.