Waldensian Festival brings music and tradition to Valdese

Each August, downtown Valdese fills with music, food, art, dancing, and the story of a people whose journey still shapes the town more than 130 years after its founding.

The 51st Waldensian Festival — Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8 — is one of Valdese’s signature celebrations, drawing more than 15,000 visitors and residents for a two-day tribute to the town’s unique heritage. The festival began as the Festival of the Glorious Return, commemorating one of the most important events in Waldensian history.

In the late 17th century, King Louis XIV of France attempted to destroy the Waldensian people. Thousands were killed, and survivors were imprisoned. After other European Protestants objected to the persecution, the men who survived prison were released and forced into exile in Geneva, Switzerland.

Forced from their valleys, they crossed the bitterly cold Alps in the dead of winter. Many died along the way. Those who reached Geneva were welcomed, but they remained determined to return to their homeland.

In August 1689, led by Henry Arnaud, 800 men fought their way back through a French force of 2,500. The Glorious Return has been celebrated each August for more than 300 years as a tribute to the spirit that led the Waldenses home.

That history found a new home in Burke County when Waldensian settlers founded Valdese in 1893. For many years, the community marked the Glorious Return with a picnic and worship service on Aug. 15. In 1976, Valdese held its first Festival of the Glorious Return on the second Saturday in August.

Today, the Waldensian Festival blends that history with a weekend of entertainment and community celebration.

The festival begins Friday night with live music, a classic car show, amusement rides, and a special presentation of the outdoor drama “From This Day Forward,” which tells the story of the Waldensian settlers and the founding of Valdese.

On Saturday, Main Street comes alive with more than 170 food, art, and craft vendors, along with amusement rides, a bocce tournament, an open art competition, attraction tours, street dances, and live music throughout the day.

Part history lesson, part street festival, and part homecoming, the Waldensian Festival remains a celebration of the culture, faith, and perseverance that helped shape Valdese.

— AKC