After thoughtful consideration, the Blue Plum Organization has made the decision not to host the Blue Plum Festival in 2026.

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Since its beginning in 1999, when the organization was founded as Friends of Olde Downtowne, the Blue Plum Festival was created with a clear purpose: to invest in downtown Johnson City and introduce the community to the arts, cultural experiences, and all that downtown has to offer. 

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Today, we feel we have met the mission that launched the festival more than two decades ago.

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Blue Plum was one of the first events to consistently bring people to downtown Johnson City. Today, downtown flourishes with incredible events and celebrations, including Meet the Mountains, Fridays After Five, Main Street Days, Umoja, Art•Struck, and many more. We are deeply proud to have helped inspire this vibrant ecosystem of community events.

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The Blue Plum Organization remains committed to Johnson City. We will continue to organize the Johnson City Christmas Parade, and we are excited to explore new ways to support downtown’s continued growth and success.

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For more than 25 years, the Blue Plum Festival was where summer began in Johnson City. 

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Over the course of the festival’s history, we welcomed more than 200 musical acts and over half a million people to downtown Johnson City. From nationally recognized names like Doc Watson, Nickel Creek, The Wood Brothers, The Mavericks and Dustbowl Revival to countless regional and local artists, Blue Plum became a place where music, food, art, and community came together. Alongside live music, the festival grew to include vendors, a Ferris wheel, kids’ activities, 5Ks, silent discos, and experiences that evolved with each generation.

 

From organizing festivals, timing Bunny Hop 5Ks, spreading cheer at the Johnson City Christmas Parade, working with JC Public Art to help fund the Traditions of Appalachia mural, and partnering with the City to launch the first Candy Land Christmas in 2020, our organization has supported downtown through moments of growth, a global pandemic, and more than a few rainy festival weekends. 

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We are deeply grateful to the artists, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, partners, past board members, former planning committee members, and festival-goers whose support and talent made this community festival possible for over two decades. 

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As an all-volunteer organization, stepping back from hosting the festival in 2026 allows us to honor the work that has been done while looking thoughtfully toward the future.

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Blue Plum has always been more than a weekend festival. We bring people together to create shared experiences. Our impact lives on. We look forward with gratitude, pride, and anticipation for what comes next.

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-Blue Plum Organization