By Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
All photos courtesy George Carlton
Transylvania County has obvious connections to the upcoming Halloween holiday, but one sometimes misunderstood annual event occurring through these woods is Pisgah Thunder’s annual Thuderween at 185 King Street’s brewery and concert venue.
Halloween 2026 marks the 11th year a group of Transylvania County men have donned gold lamé light-up high-top sneakers, white tube socks, jorts (cut-off or sometimes hemmed blue jean shorts), mustachioed tank tops, red satin training jackets and athletic headbands for a pulse-pounding performance at the popular brewery and music hall to collectively bump, thump, and yes, grind a brief dance routine together under the moniker of Pisgah Thunder.
BrevardBeagle.com spoke exclusively with Jason “J.J.” Shepherd, the founder and official spokesman of this super cool and macho dance troupe, to clarify the mission Pisgah Thunder has undertaken for more than a decade (one year was cancelled due to COVID) to raise money for the Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County.
How did Pisgah Thunder begin? “It was 12 years ago when Jackie Witherspoon, who was the former resource director for the Boys and Girls Club, went down to New Orleans and saw a 610 Stomper event. She was like, ‘Oh my God, these guys are amazing. We need to do something like this in Brevard to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club!’ Somehow my name got thrown in, and she asked me if I wanted to start an all-male dance troop to raise funds for the Club. And I was like, ‘Sure. Let’s make it a party!’
We pulled together a ragtag group of guys. I think we had 12 in our first performance and we didn’t even have a venue. We just danced outside on the street in front of 185 King Street at a concert set break and convinced all the patrons to come outside to watch us dance.
After our night at 185 King Street, we were able to recruit a couple new members at the bar afterwards and they actually danced with us the next morning at Halloweenfest. Some of us were in better shape than others, but people loved it so this became an annual thing called Thunderween.”
How do you describe Pisgah Thunder and Thunderween?
“Our dancing is best described as semi-synchronized amateur man dancing. It’s a lot of pelvic thrusts and air punches, then we like to throw in some aerial and partner moves to really spice things up.
For our dancers, we actually have a wide age range: guys anywhere from in their 20s to almost 80. For our fanbase, it’s hard to say. We hear a lot of screams and we hear some grunts. We can’t tell if it’s the ladies who are into us or if it’s the men who are into us. And we don’t really care. We’re just out there pumping and bumping trying to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club.”
What can Transylvania County expect from the Thunder this year?
“We started practice in August and until the week before the show it’s really early too say what his year’s theme will be and what special dance weapons will be unveiled. We try to come up with something new and exciting each year that will rouse the crowd. That I can tell you for sure. Buy a ticket for a good cause and find out along with our fans what something special the Thunder has in store for you this Thunderween.”
Thunderween featuring music by the High Flying Criminals and dance moves by Pisgah Thunder
Friday, Oct. 30th; doors open at 3 p.m. Music starts at 7:30 p.m.; mandancing and costume contest judging during the set break.
General admission advance tickets available in person and online (limit of 10 per online order) for this age 21+ event at 185 King Street in the Brevard Brickyard Entertainment District
