History & Archives

Festival History 

by Jordan Lindsey

In 1996, Glenda and Nick Pender, the founders of Bear on the Square, wanted to create a new and unique festival that captured the authenticity of bluegrass music and Appalachian traditions. One spring day, the muse for their new festival appeared: A baby bear cub stuck in a Sycamore tree. That day a “big commotion” erupted in the historic town square as a mother bear and her two cubs strolled into town. The mother and one of the cubs were soon scared away, but one little cub decided to stay in town and climbed up a nearby Sycamore tree, where it stayed for several hours. Eventually, after a large crowd had formed, the Forest Service rangers were able to coax the bear down and return him safely to the woods.

Even after the bears were gone, the excitement and shock from the day’s events did not extinguish. People everywhere asked their friends and family if they had “seen the bears.” Appreciating the buzz that this event had stirred up in the community, Glenda decided that this baby bear would be the perfect mascot and name for the festival: The Bear on the Square Mountain Festival. Even today (save for a brief respite during the pandemic), the festival runs strong, bringing new people in swarms to visit the festival and ask about the bear.

MainStage Tent

The MainStage Tent presents a non-stop concert of all kinds of bluegrass, folk, and old-time bands and musicians. Whether it be professional musicians or students from Georgia’s Pick and Bow after school program, the music played on the main stage will always get you in the Southern spirit. Some musicians that play on the main stage are and have become big names in their industry, such as BlueBilly Grit, Joe Newberry, Zac Brown, and many others. The main stage also invites patrons to events such as contra dancing, a form of folk dancing—but don’t worry, no experience is needed to participate in this event. The main stage has gone through some changes since its inception, the main one being an improvement in sound equipment so that now the musical experience can be even more enjoyable to its listeners. 

Gospel Jam

Many argue that the gospel jam is the focal point of the festival. The gospel jam has brought the community together to play traditional gospel music since the beginning. Even if your roots are not in Appalachia, the gospel jam welcomes people from all walks of life to enjoy the sound of gospel music. Every jam begins with a special bagpipe performance, parading through the square playing a rendition of Amazing Grace. The gospel jam has been widely loved by the Festivals patrons. One year, Gary Mccullough, the late mayor of Dahlonega, joined the performance and was dubbed the “singing mayor.” 

Jamming on the square

During the entirety of the festival, groups of musicians form all around the square. The instruments consist mainly of strings such as the banjo, guitar, and dulcimer, but jams can also have percussion and vocal performers. They gather in a circle facing each other to play a variety of bluegrass and old-time music. They may play for themselves rather than an audience, but don’t let that discourage you from listening to their masterful playing and beautiful songs. 

Artist Market 

The artist market is an integral part of the festival, showcasing the creative arts of Appalachia. Sherry and Joel Moser were the original organizers of the artist market and together they made sure that every booth was full of handmade pieces of art that tied back to the traditions of the area. Now, North Georgia’s best artists gather to sell their works at the festival. Their wares range from handmade baskets, soaps, and candles to pieces made from wood, glass, and metal. Some are tasty and sweet and some are just sweet to look at. 

Country Auction 

For many years, the Friday night auction played a huge part in raising funds to keep the festival alive. Local businesses, artists from the market, and individual festival supporters donated all sorts of things to auction off to help support the festival’s funding. One year, the Sheriff donated a framed picture of the famous bear cub, the one the festival is named after, that he took the day the bear was stuck in the tree. The picture sold for $2,500 at the auction.