The Hilliard Institute

The Hilliard Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation offering sensory education programing, experiential learning, and academic research and publishing while also supporting philanthropic initiatives through fundraising and educational training and activities—all under the umbrella of the concept of Educational Wellness. 

The Hilliard Institute. 4440 Savage Pointe Drive. Franklin, TN 37064

Email Dr. K. Mark Hilliard at mark.hilliardinstitute@gmail.com

or Professor Jessa R. Sexton at thehilliardpress@gmail.com.

Son of a Preacher Man Tour Update: Boho Hippie Festival

May 20, 2026  /  Jessa Sexton

By Emilee Micah Butler

The 2026 Son of a Preacher Man Tour has been off to an amazing start!

Dr. Mark Hilliard recently finished his 5th event of the tour at the Boho Hippie Festival in the mountains of Maggie Valley, North Carolina. His third year coming to this particular festival, Dr. Hilliard expressed his enjoyment in seeing both new and old faces among the 2000 people who came!

This festival is built on four movements from history: the Bohemian Movement, the Beatnik Movement, the Hippie Movement, and the Jesus People Movement. Each movement emphasizes different creative activities including writing, jazz, art, theology, and sensory learning/teaching. While each movement is unique and holds many different elements, they come together at this festival to share a creative environment for learning, teaching, and community.

Dr. Hilliard spent his time not only speaking to the crowds onstage but also connecting personally with individuals in his tent, where he gave away a total of 200 books, including Bibles and a selection of wellness books, spirituality books, and teaching and learning books, written and published by himself and his daughter.

This current tour is under a new program of the Hilliard Institute (which includes not only books, but workshops and wellness talks). Dr. Hilliard is calling it “The Hilliard Institute for Educational Wellness: A Multi-Sensory Teaching and Learning Centre for the Spirit, Soul, Mind, and Body.” 

The Multi-Sensory Teaching and Learning Centre wasn’t the only new addition to this festival, however. Among friends from the Cherokee Reservation Church of Christ, Jesus People friends, and others, Dr. Hilliard brought along his grandson Isaac Hilliard. Isaac came along to be trained in sensory teaching, an action that hopefully will continue in the future with an intern training program we hope to start implementing as soon as next year.  

This all combined to make a very successful trip in the Son of a Preacher Man Tour! The tour continues, stopping at more festivals and farmers markets where Dr. Hilliard will continue to provide learning opportunities, books, and Bibles, leaving a loving imprint on everywhere he visits. Hope to see you there!

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