Maggie Valley will celebrate one of its most infamous moonshiners with the third annual Popcorn Sutton Acoustic Jam Aug. 3-4. The event is a music festival and summer jam to celebrate legendary moonshiner Popcorn Sutton. Sutton gained notoriety during the years, and in 1999, he published Me and My Likker, an autobiography and guide to moonshine production. He was also featured in a History Channel production and was the subject of a documentary by Neal Hutcheson. Sutton committed suicide in 2009, on the eve of having to serve a prison sentence for moonshining.
The jam celebrating Sutton will feature a bluegrass, country and rock bands as well as a number of food and merchandise vendors.
In conjunction with the festival, the Smoky Falls Lodge will host a book signing with Tim Smith of the Discovery Channel Program “Moonshiners” starting at 7 p.m. Aug. 4 at its’ Moonshine Grille. Smith is a famous moonshiner from Virginia.
The festivities will run from 4-11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $2 a day.
www.maggievalleyfestivalgrounds.org.
Music Schedule
Friday, Aug. 3
• 5-5:40 p.m.: Gypsy Wind
• 6-6:40 p.m.: My Highway
• 7-7:40 p.m.: Michelle Leigh
• 8-8:40 p.m.: Brian Randle & Southern Justice
• 9-9:40 p.m.: Runaway Home
• 10-10:45 p.m.: Popcorn Sippers
Saturday, Aug. 4
• Noon-12:40 p.m.: Anna Kline with Grits & Soul
• 1 -1:40 p.m.: Rafe Hollister
• 2-2:40 p.m.: Twisted Trail
• 3 -3:40 p.m.: Tennessee Jed
• 4 -4:40 p.m.: Barefoot Movement
• 5 -5:40 p.m.: Loose Lug Nuts
• 6-6:40 p.m.: Cutthroat Shamrock
• 7-7:40 p.m.: Rock Bottom
• 8 -8:40 p.m.: Michelle Leigh
• 9 -9:40 p.m.: Popcorn Sippers
• 10 -10:45 p.m.: Outta Luck Band
Stephen Dobyns has written 20 novels and more than 10 volumes of poetry; however, he is difficult to “classify.” His writing is praised by big league names as varied as Francine Prose and Stephen King, but he is most famous for a “sexual harassment” charge brought against him while he was teaching at Syracuse University (allegedly, he was overheard making “salty and crude” comments at a party).
