There is a distinct power in the high, lonesome sound of Appalachian bluegrass: a raw, unyielding vocal style that can silence a room and move a mountain. No one weaponized that sound quite like Hazel Dickens. Born in the coalfields of Montcalm, West Virginia, on June 1st, 1925, Dickens spent her life giving an unapologetic, fierce voice to the struggles of women, labor unions, and working-class families.

Dickens was an inaugural inductee into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Though she passed away in 2011 and was posthumously inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017, her spirit remains fiercely alive in the hills that raised her. This month, Mercer County is set to prove that her legacy is as unshakable as ever.

From Friday, May 29th through Sunday, May 31st, the region will host the second annual Fly Away Home Fest, a weekend long musical celebration marking what would have been Dickens’s 101st birthday. Located just fifteen minutes from her hometown, the festival is a homecoming in the truest sense.

While events will take place at various locations throughout Mercer County across the weekend, Saturday, May 30th serves as the festival’s heartbeat. All day long, the Glenwood Park Amphitheater in Princeton, West Virginia, will echo with the sounds of traditional and modern mountain music. The lineup features some of the finest voices echoing out of West Virginia and Kentucky today, including powerhouse acts like The Local Honeys, Dale Ann Bradley, and Olivia Ellen Lloyd.

Adding a deeply personal touch to the weekend, Hazel’s own nephew, Arnold “Buddy” Dickens, is traveling from Maryland with his band, Arnold “Buddy” Dickens and Co. They will take the stage to share intimate family stories and perform some of Hazel’s most beloved, provocative songs.

But Fly Away Home Fest is doing more than just looking back; it is actively carrying forward the torch of advocacy that Dickens held so high. Inspired by her haunting, critically acclaimed song “Black Lung,” the festival is operating as a benefit event. All proceeds raised will go directly to the Mercer and McDowell chapters of the National Black Lung Association, supporting the miners and families still fighting the devastating respiratory disease today.

Attendees will have plenty to experience between sets. The festival grounds will feature local food trucks, information booths, and community activities. A silent auction will showcase historic coal-mining memorabilia and unique musical items. As evening falls on Saturday, the festival will raffle off a truly remarkable piece of mountain artistry: an engraved rifle bearing the defiant lyrics of Hazel’s anthem, “They’ll Never Keep Us Down.”

The event is made possible through the support of its fiscal sponsor, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Organizers suggest a $35 donation for Saturday’s powerhouse lineup, though they emphasize that in the true spirit of Appalachian community, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

For those looking to celebrate their heritage, support local coal miners, and keep the memory of a true mountain pioneer alive, Fly Away Home Fest promises to be an unforgettable weekend. Pack your favorite lawn chair, grab a blanket, and come prepared to hear the music that shaped a movement.

Want to go?

• When: May 29–31 (Main concert events all day Saturday, May 30)

• Where: Glenwood Park Amphitheater, 4435 New Hope Road, Princeton, WV 24739

• Schedule & Details: Find the full itinerary at flyawayhomefest.com/event-schedule

• Support the Cause: Can’t make it in person? Secure online donations to the National Black Lung Association can be made ahead of time via PayPal.