The first Blue Ridge Area Handbell Festival was held in 1994. Would local groups enjoy gathering with a well known composer-director to play and learn together? They would -- and they do! The festival has become popular and well known; attendance has grown to accommodate nearly 200 ringers. The acoustically wonderful Barber Christian Life Center has been filled to capacity every year.

 

The local supermarkets and juice companies have donated food & drink, the banks have given pencils, and Jeffers brings their mini store. Students from the Lanham Christian School, MD, near Washington, DC, made an annual event of this festival for many years.

 

Many of the same groups come every year; and every year some new ones make a different and interesting mix of ringers. We have fun ringing, learning and perfecting new techniques together, as well as meeting personally some of the composers whose music we ring. We have made friendships and created a ready pool of substitute ringers for our local handbell groups. We have a devoted following in the community: a large, appreciative audience attends the Closing Concerts.

 

To fill out a full hour's concert when not enough groups choose to ring solo selections, there has sometimes been a 'showcase choir' to show ringers and audience what an 'advanced' handbell choir can sound like. With a huge, fascinated audience from the community, we don't want to short change them! Hendersonville's own Blue Ridge Ringers also perform.

 

 

To promote interest in and enjoyment of handbells and handbell music in the community
To encourage people to play, support, and enjoy this medium.