Wartburg — Spring has sprung on the Cumberland Plateau and planning is underway for the 8th anniversary of the region’s highly-anticipated Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival, to be held May 19-20 on the Courthouse Square in Wartburg, Tennessee. Sponsored by the Morgan County Tourism Alliance, the festival has events and activities for people of all ages and interests.
Hike MoCo kicked off the Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival Hiking Marathons on Saturday, March 18. Registration form, trail list and log sheet are available online through April 15. Hikers will hike their marathon (half: 13 miles; full: 26 miles; ultra: 100+ miles) by May 20. Keep an eye on Hike MoCo on Facebook for details and organized hikes. Email hikemoco@gmail.com if you have questions.
The weekend festivities will begin with a street festival on Friday, May 19 at 5 p.m. EDT near the Courthouse Square, concluding with a fireworks display by The Brushy Mountain Group at 9 p.m.
Saturday’s activities kick off with the 2nd annual Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival 5k Ridge Run at 8 a.m. The run begins and ends at the Morgan County Visitor Center, located at 3804 Morgan County Highway in Wartburg. Sign-up can be done on run signup.com up to the day before the race, and registration at the race site the day of the race.
On Saturday, the Courthouse Square and surrounding streets will be packed with vendors, food trucks, games and other activities. A silent auction will have a wide variety of items to bid on for purchase. Live musical performances will be held throughout the day. Historic Rugby will be bringing their antique printing press and you can print your very own 2023 Tennessee Mountain Laurel souvenir t-shirt on site. The Historic Tanners Cafe will be serving ice cream on Friday night, and will have a fully menu on Saturday.
The Tennessee Mountain Laurel Car Show will be held on the square from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Register your car or come view those on display.
You are invited to come and experience this year’s Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival. Find the festival on Facebook, @tennesseemountainlaurelfestival, on Instagram @tnmtlaurelfest, or online at tnmlf.com.
