NASHVILLE, TN (WGNS) - This past Saturday (5/30/2026), Rutherford County’s own world ambassadors, the Cripple Creek Cloggers, stepped into the spotlight at Tennessee’s Statehood Day celebration in Nashville. The event honored both America 250 and Tennessee’s 230th birthday, and the Cloggers brought their familiar mix of energy, heritage, and heart to the festivities. As the sun dipped behind the State Library and Archives on Tennessee’s capitol hill, the countdown clock started ticking for the 2026 International Folkfest June 7-14 in Murfreesboro.

This year, dance troupes from Croatia, Germany, and France will share their culture and traditions while getting a taste of Middle Tennessee’s hospitality. For longtime festival supporters, it’s a homecoming of sorts. For newcomers, it’s a chance to see how global culture and local pride blend so naturally here. The Cripple Creek Cloggers host this event that began 44-years ago.

International Folkfest has deep roots in Murfreesboro. It began in 1982, founded by Steve Cates and his Appalachian clogging troupe after their own cultural exchange adventures in France, Spain, and Puerto Rico in the late 1970s. This local event was inspired by the festivals that the Cripple Creek Cloggers experienced abroad. Cates and a team of volunteers decided to bring that same spirit of international friendship to Rutherford County. With help from the Performing Arts Council and local committees, they launched a festival that quickly became a tradition. It ran continuously through 1997, then returned in 2004, stronger than ever.

The Cripple Creek Cloggers themselves are a story worth celebrating. Founded in June 1967 at Kittrell School as a 4‑H “Share the Fun” project, the troupe has grown from a local youth group into internationally recognized cultural ambassadors. They’ve performed in more than 30 foreign countries and all 50 states, proudly wearing their handmade 1840 style costumes and dancing to live bluegrass music. Their first major international trip came in 1973, when they represented the United States in Romania. Since then, they’ve appeared at festivals across Europe, Morocco, and Central America, carrying Appalachian traditions wherever they go.

Fifty‑nine years after he first gathered students to learn a few steps, Steve Cates is still leading the way. His dedication continues to shape the troupe and the festival that grew from it. And now, with Folkfest just days away, Murfreesboro is ready to welcome the world once more.

International Folkfest Calendar

Sun-Sun (June 7 - 14, 2026) various times daily: Our own world ambassadors, the Cripple Creek Clogger, host folk dance troupes from Croatia, Germany, and France. Plus, the Cripple Creek Cloggers will also perform. Check their website:  https://www.mboro-international-folkfest.org

Monday, June 8, 2026

AdamsPlace Assisted Living

The Pavilion Senior Living

FREE to the public

Maristone of Providence
Croatia Troupe performs
40 Providence Trail
Mt. Juliet, TN
1:45 pm
(Free - private to residents & guests)

Evening - PRIVATE Event
Dance Troupes/Musicians
VIP invited guests
Folkloric Committee

​​Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Smyrna Senior Activity Center
Germany Troupe performs
100 Raikes St.
​Smyrna, TN 37167
10:00 am
FREE to the public

Smyrna Public Library
France Troupe performs
400 Enon Springs Rd W
Smyrna, TN 37167
10:00 am
FREE to the Public

The Villages
Croatia Troupe performs
2550 Willow Oak Trail
Murfreesboro, TN
10:00 am
(Free - private to residents & guests)

Adams Place Residential Living Center
France Troupe performs
1925 Memorial Blvd
Murfreesboro, TN
4:00 pm
(Free - private to residents & guests)

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Eagleville Public Library
Croatia Troupe performs
317 Old Highway 99
Eagleville, TN 37060
3:00 pm
FREE to the Public

LaVergne Public Library
France Troupe performs
5063 Murfreesboro Rd
LaVergne, TN 37086
10:00 am
FREE to the Public

Linebaugh Library
Germany Troupe performs
105 West Vine St.
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
10:00 am
FREE to the Public

Center for the Arts
EVENING Event - All Troupes perform
Slim Chance Band - house band
110 College St.
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
5:00 PM (all groups)
Open to the Public

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Thursday, June 11, 2026

Tennessee State Veterans Home
Croatia Troupe performs
345 Compton Rd
Murfreesboro, TN
10:00 am
(Free - private to residents & guests)

Stones River Manor
German Troupe performs
205 Haynes Dr
Murfreesboro, TN 37128
9:30 am
(Free - private to residents & guests)
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Don Fox Park Lebanon
France Troupe performs
955 W. Baddour Pkwy
Lebanon, TN 37087
11:30 am
FREE to Public

​​Bell Buckle Banquet Hall
EVENING Event - All Troupes perform
Slim Chance Band - house band
27 Railroad Sq.
Bell Buckle, TN 37020
6:00 PM (all groups)
​FREE to the Public / Dinner available for fee

Friday, June 12, 2026

Myrtle Glanton Lord Public Library
at Patterson Park Community Center
Croatia Troupe performs
521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
11.00 am
FREE to the Public

Technology Engagement Center
France Troupe performs
306 Minerva Drive
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
10:00 am
FREE to the Public

Cannon County Senior Center
Germany Troupe performs
609 W. Lehman St
Woodbury, TN 37190
10:00 am
FREE to members and guests

Cedar Glade Brews
EVENING Event - All Troupes perform
Slim Chance Band - house band
906 Ridgely Road
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
FREE to the public
Bring lawn chairs
Food trucks will be onsite
5:30-7:30 pm

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Saturday, June 13, 2026

Simply Smyrna - Music Festival
EVENING Event - All Troupes perform
Slim Chance Band - house band
Smyrna Depot District
FREE to Public
​​Bring lawn chairs
122 Front St. (closed to vehicles)
(performance will be in front of the British Shoppe)
Smyrna, TN 37167
Festival: 5-9:30 pm (dances: 6:30-8:30 pm)
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