HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The annual Winter Sound Music Festival is uniting local artists to benefit the Arts Council of Henderson County at Oklawaha Brewing Company this weekend.

The music festival will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Oklawaha, 147 1st Ave. East, Hendersonville.

There will be nine bands performing at Winter Sound, at least seven of which are based in Henderson County. The music festival is the brainchild of Jamie Gorsuch, guitarist in Hendersonville band The Last Full Measure and board member of the ACHC.

The Last Full Measure will kick off the music at Oklawaha for the 4th annual Winter Sound festival.

(Courtesy: Mel Ailiff) Musicians mingle at the Winter Sound Music Festival at Oklawaha Brewing Company.

“We’ve done this in partnership the last few years at Oklawaha Brewing. They’re an amazing partner for nonprofits in the community and we are one of the many nonprofits that they choose to help support, which is awesome and we’re thankful for that,” said Mel Ailiff, executive director of the ACHC.

The festival will feature a small auction and free admission, though donations are encouraged.

“We don’t ask admission fees. We want people to come donate-to-your-choice style of admission,” Ailiff said. “The bands will be playing all day and all the money that we raise will continue to feed into our Hurricane Helene relief that we’ve had going on. So far, we’ve raised over $10,000 to support local artists.”

The schedule of bands for the event runs from 1 to 11 p.m.:

  • 1:00 to 1:40 p.m. – The Last Full Measure
  • 1:55 to 2:35 p.m. – The Dudes
  • 2:50 to 3:30 p.m. – Freeway Jubilee
  • 3:45 to 4:25 p.m. – Joe D. & The Regulars
  • 4:45 to 5:25 p.m. – Derek Stipe + Stillweather
  • 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. – Junior Ranger
  • 6:50 to 8:00 p.m. – Sketoe’s Ghost
  • 8:20 to 9:30 p.m. – Carolina Drifters
  • 9:50 to 11:00 p.m. – Calculated Error

“It’s just a great way to support the arts,” Ailiff said.

Contributions to the Henderson County Recovery Fund, a fundraiser for impacted artists in Henderson County, can be made at www.givebutter.com/heleneartistrelief.

For more information about Winter Sound Music Festival, visit www.oklawahabrewing.com.