January 22, 2026 Boone, NC – January 22, 2026 – Boone JAM classes are small group lessons, limited to a maximum of six students per class, allowing for individualized instruction while fostering ensemble skills and community among young musicians.
Boone, NC – The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts will host an evening of ARTtalks, a juried photography competition, hands-on artmaking, and community engagement during Fizzy First Friday on Friday, February 6 from 4-8pm. The event features the opening of new exhibitions, artist conversations, refreshments and desserts, and music by a DJ, all in celebration of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition (AMPC). Schedule of Events: 4-8pm: Fizzy First Friday Celebration, all galleries open 4-5pm: ARTTalk with Artist John Shorb (Dieu Donné, NYC) 5-6:30pm: AMPC ARTtalk and Awards Reception 5-7:30pm: Drop-In Artmaking in Moskowitz Gallery 7-8pm: DJ Set with Ty Murray/DJ Soularia All events are FREE and open to the public. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and desserts provided with a cash bar. Exhibitions and Activities Overview: 23rd Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and Exhibition This year’s theme, “I Know Why the Mockingbird Sings,” was chosen by juror Ty Murray, artivist and Director of Art & Communications at The Bottom, a nonprofit cultural organization in Knoxville, TN. Murray describes the inspiration behind the theme: “Joy is at the heart of my creative practice. My gears were turning for a theme that could convey the freedom that joy embodies—like the feeling of an …
December 4, 2025 Boone, NC – December 4, 2025 -Performances are scheduled to “kick off” (pun intended) the 2025 holiday season at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, beginning with an 8 p.m. curtain on Friday, December 5, continuing with two Saturday shows at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. on December 6, and two Sunday shows at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. on December 7.
November 26, 2025 Boone, NC – November 26, 2025 -In 2021, recognizing the large number of Boone festival goers regularly attending FloydFest he dreamed up “The BooneBeam”, a six foot tall, carved wooden “beam”, commissioned by the Festival and crafted by Floyd woodworker (and earth moving master) Bill St Pierre. Following Hurricane Helene, St Pierre trailered down several pieces of heavy equipment and spent weeks digging out High Country resident’s homes, volunteering his time, and setting aside his regular business and customers back home in order to help out in the massive recovery effort.
November 26, 2025 Boone, NC – November 26, 2025 -With a firm commitment to fostering dialogue and understanding around pressing issues, the Turchin Center is proud to present a diverse array of thought-provoking exhibitions.
November 26, 2025 Boone, NC – November 26, 2025 -Throughout the week, local instructors will lead engaging classes across multiple art forms, including gouache painting, block printing, crochet, and more.
October 27, 2025 Boone, NC – October 27, 2025″Art in the Park brings together the heart of our community and the talent of incredible artists,” said Robin Miller, President & CEO of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce. “We’re proud to close out the 2025 season on such a high note and look forward to welcoming artists and visitors back next year.”
September 10, 2025 Boone, NC — The Watauga Arts Council (WAC), in collaboration with the Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA), is thrilled to announce the return of Buskers Fest on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 2-7 p.m. The streets of downtown Boone will come alive with music, performance, demos, and hands-on art experiences for all ages.
September 8, 2025 The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) is proud to announce the winners of the Eighth Annual Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival Show and Sale. The Festival, organized and coordinated by BRAHM, ran from August 19 through August 23, 2025, culminating in a Show and Sale judged by noted plein air painter Kyle Buckland.
August 25, 2025 BLOWING ROCK, N.C. (August 19, 2025) — In the spirit of remembrance, resilience and reflection, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) is partnering with Appalachian State University, Blowing Rock Historical Society, Our State Magazine, StoryCorps, and WFDD Public Radio, to create a unique opportunity for High Country residents to come together and share their stories in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
August 6, 2025 BOONE, NC – The Jones House continues its 2025 Summer Concert Series on Friday, August 8 with a vibrant evening of roots music featuring local sibling duo Fern Hill, followed by the local sibling trio Pickin’ Thistles. The show begins at 5:30 p.m. on the lawn of the historic Jones House, located at 604 W. King Street in downtown Boone.
Fern Hill opens the evening with their heartfelt blend of Appalachian, Celtic, and
Western sounds. Sisters Arwen and Lorien Cockman have music in their blood, having
grown up performing with their father and extended family in The Cockman Family
Band. Now performing as a dynamic duo, their album Sister You Sang to Me
showcases rich harmonies and lyrical storytelling rooted in their deep musical heritage. With multi-instrumental talents and songs that echo through generations, Fern Hill offers a fresh and moving take on traditional mountain music.
July 28, 2025 The Jones House is proud to present a month-long exhibition featuring the dynamic works of local artists Julie Davis and David Davis. Opening August 1 and running through August 31, the exhibit will showcase an inspiring collection of mixed media works that reflect the artists’ decades-long dedication to craft, creativity, and the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains that they call home.
July 22, 2025 BOONE, NC— The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is pleased to announce the award winners of the 39th Annual Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, one of the region’s most prestigious and long-running sculpture programs. This year’s selections were juried by artist, educator, and curator Joseph Bigley, who brought his extensive knowledge and insight to the review and selection process.
July 15, 2025 BOONE, NC – July 26, 2025 – Music lovers and river stewards alike are invited to Appalachian Mountain Brewery for “A Watkins Glen Summer Jam Tribute Concert,” a one-night celebration of one of the most legendary rock festivals in history. The tribute honors the iconic 1973 Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, a historic gathering that drew an estimated 600,000 fans to see The Band, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Grateful Dead—a concert that held the Guinness World Record for the largest audience at a pop festival for decades.
June 17, 2025 Engage, discover, and connect through the arts during the 41st season of An Appalachian Summer, presented June 28-July 26 by App State’s Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources. In partnership with the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, App Summer showcases the visual arts through intriguing exhibitions, a juried guided tour of captivating sculptures, and a series of behind-the-scenes chats with visual and performing artists. Each of these events is free and open to the public. For more information, visit appsummer.org.
June 2, 2025 The Watauga Arts Council (WAC) has announced their latest in upcoming summer classes and workshops. Taught by numerous skilled instructors, WAC’s variety of classes provide students the opportunity to learn a new craft or hone in on their current artistic skills. Upcoming courses and workshops for the summer include:
May 26, 2025. Once delayed by Hurricane Helene, a long-anticipated mural project is about to breathe new life into key tunnels along the Middle Fork Greenway, the scenic trail system that will eventually connect Boone to Blowing Rock. Thanks to the support of the AARP’s Community Challenge Grant, the Watauga Arts Council (WAC) is proud to announce that local artist Whitney Landwehrmann will soon begin officially painting three vibrant murals in the tunnels at Tweetsie Railroad and Mystery Hill.
May 23, 2025. Experience 19th-century life in Banner Elk and the High Country in the home of Samuel Henry Banner, one of Banner Elk’s early settlers and his his wife, Jane Hyder Banner, and their seven children. The circa 1870 house has been furnished with period heirlooms donated and loaned by area residents to tell the story of Banner Elk life from the 1870’s to the 1900’s. An exhibition room highlights local history from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In addition, visitors may see a volunteer weaver demonstrating traditional hand-weaving techniques on a floor loom.
May 23, 2025. The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) announces a new exhibition,“Daingerfield & The Tonalist Instinct,” which will be on view from May 31 through October 19, 2025, in the Fort Gallery at BRAHM. “Daingerfield & The Tonalist Instinct” explores the development of Tonalism—a distinctly American response to early modernist impulses in painting—and its connection to Elliott Daingerfield (1859–1932). Featuring works by Daingerfield and other key figures, the exhibition examines how tonalist principles were applied to the landscapes of the American South and became a significant influence on Daingerfield’s artistic evolution.
May 13, 2025. The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) is pleased to announce its third annual “ARS POETICA” exhibition, which will be on view in the Alexander Community Gallery from September 6 through November 13, 2025. The Museum invites poets and visual artists to submit their work by June 13, 2025. Inspired by Horace’s “Ars Poetica,” in which the Roman poet wrote, “as is painting, so is poetry,” this juried exhibition explores the profound relationship between visual art and the written word. While distinct in form, poetry and visual art each strive to move, inspire and deepen human understanding.
May 12, 2025 The 7th annual Blue Ridge Fiber Fest will take place on June 6 and 7, 2025 at the Higgins Fairgrounds, Sparta, NC. Admission is free, but your generous donation for parking helps to support the Marine Corps Leagues of Alleghany and Surry County and the various charities they support. Over 40 vendors will be on site offering materials for makers, finished goods, and beautiful examples of their work
May 12, 2025 Lees-McRae Summer Theatre kicks off its 40th season with the hilarious musical Nunsense. In this zany musical revue, the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters. They are in dire need of funds for the burials, so they put on a variety show to raise money. This Broadway hit has been an international phenomenon for 40 years. Shows will be June 1 at 2 p.m., June 3 at 7 p.m. and June 4 at 7 p.m. Admission is free with “pay-what-you-will” donations going to Lees-McRae Summer Theatre.
May 8, 2025 The Watauga Arts Council is thrilled to unveil its diverse lineup of hands-on classes and workshops designed to spark creativity, foster skill-building, and bring our arts-loving community together. WAC’s course offerings are packed with opportunities for artists of all skill levels to dive into something new or hone a beloved craft.
May 5, 2025 The Project Dance Foundation is proud to announce the launch of Camp of the Arts, a new multidisciplinary summer arts program designed to meet a growing need in the High Country. Starting June 2025, this immersive camp will offer children in grades K–12 professional instruction in dance, music, theatre, painting, and more. While Boone is home to several vibrant arts organizations, families still face limited options for comprehensive and affordable summer arts programming. Camp of the Arts aims to fill this gap by offering a structured, full-summer initiative that nurtures creativity, encourages self-expression, and fosters community among young artists.
May 4, 2025 Inside the Nth Degree Gallery on King Street in Boone, art spills across the walls with a tactile sense of history, memory and recovery. It’s not surprising once you meet the artist behind it — Ashlynd Scovato, a recent Appalachian State University graduate who turns saved materials into mixed-media works that explore human connection and the landscapes of her mountain home. Originally from Asheville, Scovato moved to Boone for its proximity to home and its cultural art and music scene. “I saw videos of the DIY music scene here and thought, ‘This is where I want to be,’” she said. “Boone just felt like art was happening everywhere.” By Greta Jenkins