Appalachian cultural dances reflect Native American ceremonial dance traditions, African American calling and step dancing, English country dances, and French cotillions and quadrilles. The Lexington Gathering offers urban Kentucky the rare opportunity to learn and enjoy these traditions. Our callers include tradition bearers like Randy Wilson and tradition innovators, like the nonbinary caller Abby Huggins.

Our performances offer intimate settings with some of this country’s most exciting roots musicians. We invite masters of traditional Kentucky mountain music to perform alongside nationally touring artists who find inspiration in traditional roots— including Alice Gerard, Joan Brannon, Sue Massek, The Local Honeys, Lee Sexton, Empty Bottle Stringband, Joan Shelley, The Codgers, Cornbread & Tortillas, JD Wilkes, Same Gleaves, & Tatiana Hargreaves.

Our workshops inspire a more expansive understanding of Appalachia’s histories while giving neighbors a great opportunity to pick up a new skill, tune, interest, or even a new friend. Our presenters have included Dena Jennings on the Story Goard, “Hillbilly Highway Reading Series” writers like Michigan Poet Laureate Nandi Comer, & the Andrew Carnegie Fellow and feminist labor rights scholar Jessica Wilkerson.

We explore how Kentucky literary writers draw from traditional arts roots to innovate storytelling, featuring keynote readings by award-winning locals like 24th Poet Laureate of the United States Ada Limón, NAACP Image Award recipient Crystal Wilkinson, United States Artists Fellow Rebecca Gayle Howell, & New York Times bestselling author Silas House.