Rutherford County's Cripple Creek Cloggers are in France. The local folk dance group arrived on July 9th for the International Festivals of Morcenx and LaReole. This festival in southwestern France will continue through July 26th.  

Steve Cates, who founded the group 44-years ago, told WGNS News that the Cripple Creek Cloggers started the tour with a performance for several hundred persons in the Atlantic Coast beach town of Mimizan, France. In addition, the pre-Bastille Day workship was held there for elementary students, their parents, area residents and members from a dance troupe from Mexico.

Cates noted that another special event will be on Sunday, July 17th, with a mass for all festival attendees and the townpeople, a parade through the city, and a spectacle featuring all of the performing groups in the city's conference center, The Hall of Morocco. An evening buffet and dance concludes that day.

The Rutherford County group then heads to Mont-de-Marsan on July 18th for a performance. On Wednesday, July 20th, they head to the Festival of La Reole, France and their first show in the town of Bourdelles.