Dec. 6, 2017. There is no place like home for the holidays, especially when you live in the High Country! There are many holiday traditions in the area, including Studio K’s annual performance of The Nutcracker. The holiday favorite will take place at Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, December 9. There will be two performance; the first is at 2:00 p.m. and the second will take place at 7:00 p.m / Read more…

Dec. 6, 2017. F.A.R.M. Cafe invites everyone to come and celebrate the holidays in a unique F.A.R.M. Cafe style on Friday December 8 at 5 PM.  The celebration will be a thank you for all the volunteers who help to make the Cafe happen.  Everyone is invited to contribute an ornament featuring a food or farm theme to the decoration of the F.A.R.M. Cafe Community Christmas Tree.  In addition, there will be an unveiling of a new Downtown Boone Community Scene above the historic lunch counter where the classic model train will once again come back into operation. / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Grandfather Mountain in December, 12/10 and 12/17

Monthly Torch Club Meeting, 12/11

AppOrtho to Expand Services in Watauga and Ashe Counties, 12/11

Changes to Medicare Part A and B for 2018

Brahm December Events, 12/7 and 12/8

Meetings Board Of Trustees Of Appalachian State University, 12/7- 12/8

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

Dec. 4, 2017. The Watauga Community Band and the Watauga High School Band will ring in the holidays with a Christmas concert  on Thursday, Dec. 7, in the auditorium of Watauga High School.  The concert will open with the Watauga High School Band at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Watauga Community Band. By Kate Herman – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Dec. 4, 2017. The Ensemble Stage Company continued its string of sold out shows this weekend with the presentation of “A Christmas Carol” during Banner Elk’s Small Town Christmas celebration. The show was a live staged adaption of the 1930’s radio play that had the stage filled with actors portraying a radio studio full of folks reading their lines into microphones and making sounds and noises from gadgets for sound effects. Attendees had a chance to see and hear how this all-time Christmas classic was performed for a studio audience. / Read more…

November 30, 2017. The Appalachian Musical Theatre Ensemble (AMTE), the performance arm of the Appalachian Musical Theatre Club (AMTC) of Appalachian State University, will present the musical comedy “The Drowsy Chaperone,” winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, and Best Original Score by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, who also wrote the lyrics. The production takes place at 8 p.m. on December 1 and 3 with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, December 3 in the Blue Ridge Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union at Appalachian State University. / Read more…

Nov. 27, 2017. On Saturday, Jan. 6, at 1:00 p.m., The K9 Keg Pull will host their Third Annual Keg Pull.  This year the event will be held at My Best Friend’s Barkery in Banner Elk. The event is put on annually to benefit PARTNERS! Canines. PARTNERS! Canines rescues dogs from kill shelters and relocated them to non-kill shelters, which leads to adoption. Dogs of all sizes are welcome to compete in the event. By Kate Herman – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Nov. 22, 2017. If you visit Blowing Rock between Thanksgiving and New Years, you’ll find great natural beauty, a Norman Rockwell-esque downtown decorated and lighted for the season, unique shops and restaurants, and numerous holiday-themed events filling the calendar. And if you’re lucky enough to be in Blowing Rock on Thanksgiving day, you’ll find several restaurants and eateries open and offering Thanksgiving fare (reservations are required for those with seating times). For a list of participating restaurants and contact information, go to blowingrock.com/thanksgiving-day-dining/. / Read more…

Nov. 22, 2017. With the Friday and Saturday evening performances of the “Revels of Winter” nearly sold out, you are invited to join the Choir of St. Mary of the Hills in Blowing Rock for the Sunday matinee, beginning with mimosas at 1 pm, December 3rd.  The “Revels” is a legendary musical and gastronomic treat, with four courses of magnificent medieval-style food and drink provided by Gideon Ridge Inn, madrigals and carols sung by the costumed choir as they serve spirits and comestibles, and original (occasionally ribald) entertainment written and performed by the Jester and Wench. It promises to be an afternoon of laughter and high revelry. / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Weekly Events at Lost Province Brewing Company, 11/20- 11/26

Holiday Concert & Craft, 11/25

Winter Exhibition Celebration at BRAHM, 11/30

Madrigal Feast Returns to Blowing Rock, 12/1- 12/3

Boosinger and Goforth Coming to Jones House, 12/3

Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge to host Holiday Cocktail Party and Shopping Bazaar, 12/7

Lees-McRae College Online Learning Programs Ranked No. 18 on List of “Best Online Colleges in North Carolina”

North Carolina Justice Center: Beyond Voting Grassroots Advocacy Training, 11/29

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

Nov. 20, 2017. The 35th Winter Group Exhibition with Small Works begins with a Holiday Open House at Carlton Gallery on Friday and Saturday, November 24 and 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the special time of year when the gallery artists render small works in oils, acrylic, water color, mixed media, glass, wood, clay and jewelry for exquisite treasures for the holiday season.  This Holiday Open House is the last Tour de Art event for the year. / Read more…

November 15, 2017. Several noted ballad singers and scholars come to the Jones House Cultural and Community Center Sunday, November 19, to swap songs and present a concert open to the public. Performers for the afternoon concert will include North Carolina Folk Heritage Award recipient Bobby McMillon, President of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, Ruth Perry, Beech Mountain tradition bearer, Rick Ward, and western North Carolina scholar and singer, William Ritter. / Read more…

Nov.13, 2017. Chetola Resort is known for being a holiday destination in the High Country. On November 24-25, join us for our Thanksgiving Weekend Events. Our events range from horse and carriage rides to visiting with Santa to cookie decorating to our lights festival and so much more. Happy holidays! / Read more…

Nov. 13, 2017. The Town of Boone is pleased to announce this year’s holiday events: The Jones House Christmas Tree Lighting and the Boone Christmas Parade. These events are free and open to the public. All are invited to join us for our holiday celebrations. Happy holidays! / Read more…

Nov. 13, 2017. The holidays are on the way! Blowing Rock celebrates all season long, from Christmas in the Park to Winterfest. You’re invited to enjoy all the fun along with us, so mark your calendar for one or more of the following celebrations! / Read more…

Nov. 27, 2017. Christmas with the Ensemble Stage is full of staged Radio plays for the entire family to enjoy. Each show offers a few performance times. Tickets sell very quickly, so call in advance to ensure that there are tickets available.  Call 1-828-414-8144 for further information.  / Read more…

November 13, 2017. The High Country’s new holiday tradition is here! Celebrate the joy of the season when Tweetsie Railroad transforms into a winter wonderland for Tweetsie Christmas. On Friday and Saturday evenings from November 24 through December 30, guests can experience countless holiday delights at North Carolina’s first theme park. / Read more…

November 11, 2017. A new dance program, Anyone Can Dance!, is coming to Boone in January 2018. The program, which will take place on Fridays at Northwestern Studios, will offer free ballet and tap lessons to children in the Boone community. Its mission is to expand access to dance classes to all children. Anyone Can Dance! is led by Appalachian State University student, Emily Sharpe. She has danced for 15 years, focusing in the disciplines of ballet and tap. She has six years of experience as an assistant dance teacher and two as a lead teacher. She credits dance with giving her confidence and friends that are more like family, and sought to create a program that would allow all children to have the same experience. / Read more…

November 6, 2017. West Jefferson, North Carolina, located in Ashe County,  is known for its Southern small town charm.  West Jefferson is the perfect place to purchase your Christmas Tree, to watch a small town parade, to shop at a holiday farmers market, shop at local retail stores, to watch the performance of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, to spend some of your Saturday with Santa, and so much more.  Below is your guide of 2017 Holiday events happening in Ashe County. By Kate Herman – Photos by Matt Powell / Read more…

November 6, 2017. BOONE— The “The Schaefer Center Presents…” performance series, presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, continues its 2017-18 season with a performance by Us The Duo, comprised of singing/songwriting couple Michael and Carissa Alvarado, on Friday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for Appalachian faculty/staff and retired faculty/staff and $10 for students. For more information, call the Schaefer Center Box Office at 800-841-ARTS (2787) or 828-262-4046, or visit http://theschaefercenter.org/. / Read more…

November 6, 2017. The High Country’s only children’s museum, The Children’s Playhouse will celebrate its fifteenth birthday with a five day celebration running from Tuesday, November 7th through Saturday, November 11th. The Playhouse 15th Birthday Bash will feature free admission, membership sale, special activities all week, and free pizza and cake on Saturday. The Children’s Playhouse is located at 400 Tracy Circle, Boone. / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Florence Art School & McFarland Host Book Launch for Local Author Doug Munroe on Saturday, 11/18

Blowing Rock: A Sense of Place, 11/9

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

By Popular Demand, Asheville On Tap Returns, 11/11

Boone Sunrise Rotary Citrus Fundraiser, Now Through 11/10

Life on the Appalachian Trail: A Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture, 11/9   

The Travelers Institute Will Host Every Second Matters℠ Symposium Series, 11/7

North Carolina Ski Areas Association’s Gold Card Takes You Places, 11/1

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

November 1, 2017. Lions, tigers, and princesses? Oh my! Downtown Boone held their annual Boone BOO! Halloween celebration on October 31. Families in the High Country gather from near and far to show off their cute costumes, to socialize with friends, and of course to get a lot of candy! The shops in downtown Boone, Jones House, and public library joined in collaboration from 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m., for the Boone Boo! Collectively, the Boone BOO! had arts and crafts, a kid-friendly haunted house, and trick-or-treating at the local shops. The streets were blocked off, to ensure safety while hundreds of families walked up and down the streets. By Kate Herman – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Oct. 31, 2017 I had never seen any of the “Saw” movies prior to “Jigsaw.” The first seven films all came out before I was doing this column regularly, and I had no desire to pump money into a franchise that promoted unapologetic gore. That isn’t to say I didn’t do my research in preparation for this film. I knew that the action would be based on elaborate traps devised by John “Jigsaw” Kramer (Tobin Bell). I knew that his motivation is to make people who have disregarded human life in the past find new respect for it… if they survive. I also knew that Jigsaw himself died in the third movie and his plots are usually carried out by some sort of disciple. Oh, and the puppets, I knew about the little red-eyed puppets that ride tricycles. I still don’t know why I’m supposed to be scared of them, maybe that’s explained in an earlier installment, but I knew about them. By Bob Garver. / Read more…

October 30, 2017. Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation presented the Haunted Horn: Curse of Wendigo  every Friday and Saturday of October. The event was a huge success, and quickly became a High Country favorite. The curse of Wendigo was located at the Horn in the West’s Daniel Boone Amphitheater. There were two events offered: The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo and the Haunted Trail.The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo was open from 6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. The Haunted Trail was open from 8:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. The event was packed with hundreds of participants every weekend. By Kate Herman – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

October 27, 2017. The Ensemble  Stage will  perform their first radio play,  Dracula, on October 27 and October 28 in honor of Halloween.  While we have all are vaguely familiar with the story of Dracula,  the Ensemble Stage added a unique twist to the story. The Ensemble Stage has relocated Dracula’s castle to Banner Elk. There are a lot of local references, while keeping the plot and characters from the traditional tale. Everything is localized in this event.  Tickets for the 27th (tonight) are sold out, and two tickets are available for October 28. The shows start at 7:00 p.m., for both nights.  By Kate Herman- Photos by Ensemble Stage / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Domestic Violence Includes Elder Abuse, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Poetry Reading by Lees-McRae Professor, Melissa Mercer: A Lees-McRae College Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture, 10/31 

Greenway Baptist Peewee Basketball Sign-Up Open Now – 12/3

WCEA and the Watauga Humane Society Adoption Event, Sponsored by S.N.I.P.S. 10/31

Children’s Book Author Visits ASU and Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Speaks on the Uses of Fantasy, 10/29

Watauga County Gospel Singing, 10/28 

The Walker Center presents “Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage” on Friday, 11/10

National Parks at the Crossroads, 11/2

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

July 26, 2017. Every October, all around the world, people come together to share their old home movies with their community. Appalachian State University is hosting its own event this fall, on Sunday October 22nd, from 2pm to 4pm. Come to room 421 on the 4th floor of the library with your own home movies to see what Home Movie Day is all about. / Read more…

July. 26, 2017. The Mysterium Escape Adventure presents the Mountaineer Mystery Tour. During the tour participants are invited to, “explore the paranormal, ghostly spirits, and strange happenings of downtown Boone.”  Each tour is led by a storyteller who will lead participants on a one-hour jaunt through the dark and eerie alleys, dimly lit downtown streets, and the tormented graveyards that compose Boone’s ghoulish past.  The tours will be held on October 20- October 21, and October 27- October 28. There will be two different tour times per night. The first tour begins at 7:00 p.m., and the second tour begins at 8:30 p.m.  By Kate Herman – Photos by Mysterium Escape Adventure / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

Cyclocross Returns to Historic Patterson School Campus, 10/28

Small Business Bootcamp, 10/25

Legal Aid N.C. Clinic: Health Care Power Of Attorney / Living Will, 10/24

Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) presents Beauty Lou and the Country Beast, 10/21

Read more…
Compiled by Kate Herman

July. 26, 2017. For the seventh consecutive year the High Country Turkey Trot 5K will take place Thanksgiving morning on the Boone Greenway Trail at the Clawson-Burnley Park entrance.  Coach John Weaver, Director of Track, Field and Cross Country for Appalachian State University, and Big Kahuna Timing will be assisting with the event, utilizing fully automatic chip timing for the 5K Race. / Read more…

October 18, 2017. Tonight,  the Hayes School of Music’s Jazz Ensemble I at 8:00 p.m., at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, in celebration of Ella Fitzgerald.  They are performing with Count Basie Orchestra vocalist Carmen Bradford in “A Centennial Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald.” Admission for students and children is $5. Admission for adults and the general public is $10.  / Read more…

July. 26, 2017. Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation’s Curse of Wendigo has been a huge success! Besides have food trucks, and AMB refreshments, there will be a live band on Friday and Saturday. The Adam Church Band is playing Friday, and Alexa Rose will play on Saturday. The Curse of Wendigo’s Shauna Godwin says, “ The first weekend of the event was great! We had more in attendance than we expected. We expect this weekend to be even busier due to Friday the 13th.” Buy your tickets before the event sells out!
Tickets are available for Fridays and Saturdays in October only. By Kate Herman – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

July 26, 2017. The Watauga County Art Council is proud to present this Fall’s workshops, classes, and lessons for kids and adults. Under each subheading, viewers may find art, music and other types of lessons.  / Read more…