The October weekend at Lake Eden is back as Lake Eden Reunion, October 16-18 in Black Mountain. LEAF founder Jennifer Pickering is behind it, and Grey Eagle Music Hall is booking the music: The Suffers, Of Montreal, Tyler Ramsey, El Khat and Electro Lust, plus 20+ hours of contra and square dancing, drum circles and lake time.

It's kept small on purpose, so grab passes early. Kids 10 and under are free, and camping and cabins are add-ons.

Lake Eden Reunion is a three-day gathering at Lake Eden in Black Mountain, October 16-18, 2026, on the same October weekend LEAF held here for three decades. LEAF founder Jennifer Pickering and Leigh Maher are putting it on, with Grey Eagle Music Hall curating the music. Grey Eagle hosted the first festivals at Lake Eden back in the 1980s.

The music lineup includes The Suffers, Of Montreal, Tyler Ramsey, El Khat, Electro Lust and Secret Agent 23 Skiddoo. There are also 20+ hours of contra, waltz and square dancing in Brookside Dance Hall, fire-lit drum circles, healing arts, poetry with James Nave, and Elfhaven childcare for the kids. Sunday is the launch party for Pickering's book, Live Life Like a Festival.

For a lot of folks around here, the October weekend at Lake Eden is a family tradition. This year they're keeping it smaller on purpose, with more dancing and play and fewer big stage sets, so old friends actually get time to catch up.

Lake Eden Reunion

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Lake Eden Reunion, Oct. 16-18

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