Friday kicks off Lake Eden Reunion. On the Meadow Green, Songs From the Road starts at 4, then Hatti Love Joys at 5:45, El Khat's Yemeni psychedelic folk at 7:45 and Electro Lust at 9:45. Over in Compton Dance Hall it's contra dancing with Playing w/ Fyre and Stringrays Trio into the night.

There's an opening ceremony at the waterfront, a heart opening cacao ceremony and a drum circle after dark. Day passes are good until midnight, and kids 10 and under are free.

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 Friday, Oct. 16

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