Canceled– The Swannanoa Valley Museum has canceled this event in cooperation of the social distancing policy mandated by Governor Roy Cooper. We are making every effort to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers, and patrons by following the social distancing policy during the COVID-19 situation.  For those signed up to attend the event you have two options. 1) We will give you a credit for the next Tea event. 2) We will provide you with a full refund. Please contact the Swannanoa Valley museum at (828) 669-9566 or email us at info@swannanoavalleymuseum.org. We appreciate your ongoing support of the Swannanoa Valley Museum and its programs.

On Saturday, April 4, 2020, the Swannanoa Valley Museum will host it’s 3rd annual Appalachian Spring Tea at Camp Rockmont for Boys, the former (and final) home of Black Mountain College from 1941 – 1957. A Tea with a Twist will take place in the historic Black Mountain College Dining Hall with delicious, home-cooked Southern food served to all attendees. An optional tour of “The Ship,” the College’s historic Studies Building, will be available for attendees after the Tea. This event will honor the experimental nature of the College by featuring live improvisational musical performance and contemporary dance.

Black Mountain College’s focus on democratic governance and arts-based learning made it unique amongst colleges and universities of the time. The college was owned and operated by the faculty, who practiced democratic decision-making. All staff and students took part in the day-to-day operations of the school, including farm work, building construction, and food preparation. Staff did not give credits or accreditation to students, but rather encouraged students to create their own patterns of study and to request an examination when they felt they were ready to graduate. The college put the arts at the center of its curriculum, encouraging students to take courses in painting, theater, poetry and music. 

A Tea with a Twist will take place in the historic dining hall of Black Mountain College.  Attendees will dine on delicious Southern cuisine at long tables similar to those used by the college’s students and staff in the mid-20th century. Each table will feature unique tablecloth and centerpiece designs that reference the broad range of media and art genres practiced at the college during its heyday. A dessert table will feature several Southern favorites.

Programming for the Tea will include activities both inspiring and educational. An original cello piece as well as a contemporary dance performance will take place, and Heather South, Lead Archivist of the Western Regional Archives in Asheville, will speak about the College’s relationship to the town of Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley. After the main meal, attendees will have the rare opportunity to take an exclusive tour of The Ship, Black Mountain College’s iconic Studies Building. The tour will be conducted by John Corkran, son of Black Mountain College professor David Corkran. During the tour, John will share his experiences of growing up at the college’s Lake Eden campus in the 1940s and 1950s.

PROGRAMMING: 11:00am

TEA: 11:30am to 1:00pm

OPTIONAL TOUR: 1:30pm