March 22, 2019 The Mountaineers are back to #DefendHolmes! Appalachian State University women’s basketball will host Marshall in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational on Monday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Holmes Center. Tickets are general admission seating and are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 3-12) for Apps’ first home postseason tournament game since the 2010 WBI championship. Tickets are free for App State students, and there will also be free food available on site for App State students in attendance. / Read more…

March 22, 2019 The Jones House Indoor Concert Series continues on Tuesday, March 26 with Irish-Appalachian band Claudine & the Lads. The band is led by Claudine Langille, a mandolin and tenor banjo player best known for her work with the band Touchstone and collaborations with Triona NiDhomhnail. Langille is known for her prowess on her instruments, her powerful song writing, and her singing voice. She currently performs with the Vermont based band Gypsy Reel. Langille maintains a musical connection with the traditional music of the maritime provinces of Canada, especially Nova Scotia, home of her father. Performing with Langille are “the lads” Fiddlin’ Al McCanless, Colin Shoemaker, and Bob Vasile. / Read more…

March 22, 2019 Seeking an opportunity to spark dialogue regarding economic leadership in 12 Northwest North Carolina Counties, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce announces the creation of Vision Northwest North Carolina, a one-day summit that will highlight local trends in economic, workforce, and talent development. The event takes place Wednesday, May 22nd, at Leon Levine Hall at Appalachian State University. / Read more…

March 20, 2019 Grandfather Mountain will open its gates to High Country residents, employees and their guests for only $3 each throughout April, as the park’s “Dollar Days” promotion returns in time for spring. Discounted admission aside, April offers mountains of activities on Grandfather, including the return of animal encounters, the seasonal reopening of the Fudge Shop, discounts on behind-the-scenes habitat tours and more naturalist programs. “We’re always excited for Dollar Days, as the mountain seems to spring to life with warm weather, friendly faces and new activities,” said Frank Ruggiero, director of marketing and communications for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that owns and operates the Linville, N.C., nature park. The Dollar Days promotion allows anyone who lives or works in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga or Wilkes counties — along with their guests traveling in the same vehicle — to visit at the discounted rate. Students attending a local college or university are also eligible for the discount. / Read more…

March 20, 2019 The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University invites the community to a Spring Exhibition Celebration on Friday, April 5, 6-10 p.m. Held in conjunction with the downtown Boone Art Crawl, the public is invited to engage, discover and connect through the arts at the Turchin Center, where the festivities will include costumed dancers and live music in the Main Gallery, refreshments, and a cash bar. During this event, the Turchin Center will celebrate four exhibitions and many of the artists will be on-hand to meet visitors and provide insight into their intriguing work. This event is free and open to the public. / Read more…

March 20, 2019 Prom night is always a time to remember, but few events capture the magic like that of Joy Prom, now in its sixth year in the High Country. Scheduled for Saturday, April 13 from 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Alliance Bible Fellowship in Boone, Joy Prom is a unique party for a very special population. It is equivalent, on a local level, to a Hollywood event — complete with glamour and glitter, valet parking, the red carpet, flowing gowns, food, flowers, music, dancing, flashing cameras — and more. Special guests — teens and adults with developmental or physical disabilities — are made to feel like shining stars, treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, with a large group of volunteers coming along beside them to make sure it truly is a memorable, stress-free occasion. By Sherrie Norris / 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.

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing

Lonnie Bedwell at Footsloggers March 23

Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce March 2019 After Hours Event Held at Feeding Avery Families

Toe River Arts’ 13th Annual Blacksmith Exhibition Showcases Metal Work from Acclaimed National Smiths

Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce Easter Eggstravaganza to be Held Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m.

Our State Parks & Their Family Roots: Chimney Rock & Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain Hosts Free Environmental Educator Workshops

Tickets On Sale for Third Annual Boone Area Chamber of Commerce 4 Under 40 Luncheon

Upcoming Events at Grandfather Mountain State Park

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

March 18, 2019 An award-winning film shot locally by a Watauga County teen will be available for public viewing this coming week. the screening will be held at Hardin Park School on Saturday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. “Doofuses,” a comedy that would appeal to fans of “Napoleon Dynamite” and ‘Hot Rod,” won the Youth Category in the 2018 Boone Film Festival. The story follows two brothers as they try to throw their wheelchair-using friend the best birthday party ever while dealing with the  crushing weight of grief. Elec McCready, now 18, wrote the screenplay when he was 16 and produced and directed it when he was 17. / Read more…

March 15, 2019 More dump truck loads of snow showed up on Friday afternoon as preparations continue for this Saturday’s Daniel Boone Rail Jam. Skiers and snowboarders will hit the ramp and put on a show for spectators that will be there watching the riders take on 18 tons of shaved ice. “Things are going very well, the weather is behaving now, we’re starting to get some snow put down. So far so good, everything is rocking and rolling and we’re getting prepped for tomorrow,” said Shauna Godwin, the event coordinator for the Daniel Boone Rail Jam. “We are expecting our snow truck to arrive mid morning or early afternoon and we will put down the rest of the base. It looks like its going to be a really nice competition and we’re really excited about it.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

March 15, 2019 The High Country Food Hub, a program of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture is offering a special dinner series this spring that celebrates local food and farmers. This dinner series highlights the unique flavors of High Country agriculture through food and inspiring presentations from local farmers, chefs and food entrepreneurs. Each ticketed dinner will highlight local farms and food entrepreneurs that sell their goods through the High Country Food Hub, Boone’s new online farmers’ market. Each chef will share about the unique meal that they prepared using the local ingredients and the farmers will share about their business, explaining why building a strong local food system is so important and beneficial. / Read more…

March 14, 2019 Empty Bowls at Watauga High School is gearing up…. So have the potters from the High Country. On March 13th, Potters of the Blue Ridge Sponsored a tea party to celebrate the making and presenting of a collection of Tea Pots made for our Local Empty Bowls event. These Tea pots are in Doe Ridge Pottery Gallery and will be on display until they are moved to Watauga High School to be added to the silent Auction at the Watauga County Empty Bowls event. WHS Empty Bowls takes place March 30th from 4:30-6:00 . All proceeds are given back to our county for “families struggling with food insecurity” / Read more…

March 14, 2019 Monkee’s of Blowing Rock will be the exclusive seller of the Gal Meets Glam collection from Instagram influencer/blogger Julia Engel. Engel turned her social media following into a fashion empire. 14 Monkee’s boutiques will debut the Gal Meets Glam collection on Saturday, March 16th, including Monkee’s of Blowing Rock. The first ten customers to purchase Gal Meets Glam merchandise will receive a free limited-edition GMG scarf. The Gal Meets Glam features jumpsuits and dresses with a decidedly feminine flair. We invite you to join us at the launch party to see what style conscious customers will add to their closets for spring. / Read more…

March 14, 2019 The luck of the Irish returns to Boone on March 16, 2019, for the Town of Boone’s second annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Make plans to come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Boone; you might even get a chance to see a real leprechaun! The celebration kicks off on March 16, at 2:00 P.M. on King Street in Boone with the parade. The parade begins at the Poplar Grove Extension traveling east on King Street through Boone, concluding at Appalachian State University’s Legends parking lot, located on Hardin Street.  / Read more…

March 13, 2019 The 40th annual Blowing Rock Trout Derby will take place in Blowing Rock on Saturday, April 6, from sunrise to 4 p.m. No entry fees are required and no pre-registration is necessary. This event has celebrated the opening of trout season for four decades now, encouraging families to get out together to enjoy the outdoors and friendly competition. The casual nature of the Derby makes participation fun- simply catch a trout in Watauga County on April 6, and bring it to Blowing Rock to enter it into the contest. Kids are invited to fish right in town at Broyhill Park. Derby headquarters, where participants’ fish are measured and registered, is at the Blowing Rock Clubhouse at 108 Lakeside Drive. First-place winners will receive trophies in five divisions: Men, Women, Girls and Boys (12-15), and Small Fries (11 and under). / Read more…

March 13, 2019 Appalachian State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance welcomes the first days of spring with its annual Spring Appalachian Dance Ensemble (SADE), showcasing the talent of students, faculty and guest artists. The show will take place in the Valborg Theatre on the university’s campus at 7 p.m. March 20–23 with a 2 p.m. matinee on March 24. Tickets are $10 for students and $17 for adults. The mission of the Spring Appalachian Dane Ensemble is to showcase original works, and this year is no exception. The production will feature eight new pieces — four choreographed by students, three by faculty and one by guest artist Heike Salzer. SADE coordinator and professor of dance studies Marianne Adams is excited about the diversity of dance styles in this year’s concert. “Overall, the Appalachian Dance Ensemble has been a primarily modern dance ensemble. But in this particular show, I think it’s going to have quite a variety,” she said. By Glenn Ramey / 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 presents Adult Field Courses

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing

Galileo’s Serving Up Specials for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patty’s Pop-Up Beer Garden in Blowing Rock this Saturday

Lees-McRae College Student Nurses Association to Host Panel Discussion and Screening of Beautiful Boy on March 20

The Walker Center Presents Artrageous on March 28

2019-2020 Downtown Boone Public Art Exhibit Seeking Submissions by April 8

Celebrate Girl Scout Week With Your Local Girl Scout Council

Find Your Farm Share

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

March 11, 2019 It will be summer before you know it, and with that will be another year of great shows and performances by Ensemble Stage. Season tickets for Century Club members and 2018 season ticket buyers are already on sale, but if you are a first time season ticket subscriber, you can make your purchases beginning this Saturday, March 16. The cost is $84 for each season ticket or $77 for senior citizens, military veterans and students. Single show ticket purchases will go on sale April 1. Ensemble Stage shows take place at the Historic Banner Elk School, located at 185 Azalea Circle in Banner Elk. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

March 11, 2019 After using their off season to recoup, regroup and innovate, Appalachian Roller Derby is back in action and ready to begin their season with a win against Classic City! Appalachian Roller Derby is currently ranked 99 out of 339 qualifying teams in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. This season, ARD is embarking on a new journey, facing difficult teams, and traveling to New York to play in a highly competitive tournament. Thanks to the direction of returning Coach Scott “CoolHandDuke” Herman and Bench Coach Ian “Sinbad” McCauley, these skaters are more than prepared for the perseverance, endurance, and heart they must give on and off the track to earn each and every victory they will receive this season! Join Appalachian Roller Derby in West Jefferson on Saturday, March 30th as they take on Classic City! / Read more…

March 11, 2019 Since 2012, Sky Valley Zip Tours has been delighting High Country visitors with unforgettable mountain zip line adventures. Easily accessible from Boone and Blowing Rock, but located deep in the woods down a gravel road, the attraction offers a variety of tours to satisfy all ages and levels of thrill-seekers. Each of these experiences begins with an ATV ride and Ground School training with expert Zip Rangers. Over the winter, Sky Valley staff reworked lines 7, 8 and 9 of the Canopy Tour to increase zip line lengths and improve angles for viewing the natural beauty surrounding the course. Lines 7 and 8 border and cross the rushing Flannery Fork Creek and approach a 35-foot tall cascading waterfall. Between lines 8 and 9, guests walk across the swinging bridge over the waterfall. Line 9 now crosses under line 8, allowing guests the joy of viewing others in their party from above or below while in motion! To celebrate the course improvements and the start of their eighth season, Sky Valley is offering a special promotion for their Canopy Tour. Between now and March 31st, buy two tickets for $99 (a 45% discount) / Read more…

March 8, 2019 A special tribute beer, the 828 Lager produced by Appalachian Mountain Brewery in special collaboration with Rivers Street Ale House and Town Tavern Blowing Rock will be released on March 15. The beer will be sold exclusively at those two locations and with every pint of the 828 Lager sold at each location, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Alzheimer’s Association. This disease afflicts an estimated 5.7 million Americans and someone is diagnosed with the disease every 65 seconds. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

March 8, 2019 Some of the best up-and-coming skiers and snowboarders are preparing to shred at Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s Daniel Boone Rail Jam on Saturday, March 16th, St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The annual event attracts several thousand spectators who watch athletes throw their best tricks and put on quite a show.   If you have hesitations about the weather, have no fear! 18 tons of shaved ice will be brought to the venue, in order to ensure plenty of snow for the event. In 2019, Daniel Boone Rail Jam is going to be bigger than ever. Prize money for the competitors will total an unprecedented $12,000!  The ramp, located in the center of the amphitheater, will be larger to allow for an even bigger setup. Other upgrades include several bar locations, entertainment by Handlebar Betty, local vendors, food trucks including Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s Farm To Flame, and more.. / Read more…

March 8, 2019 Lots of exciting events coming up at F.A.R.M. (Feed All Regardless of Means) Cafe at 617 West King Street. H & T Chair Company owner, Rick Todd, is generously covering the meal cost for an upcoming Buy Boone Lunch on Wednesday, March 13 from 11-2pm. Each and every additional donation received that day will be utilized by the cafe in its mission to fight food insecurity in the High Country. Just like each day at F.A.R.M Cafe, guests are encouraged to donate what they are able for a great lunch. Next up is the March ‘Local Lunch’ and Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture takeover on Thursday, March 21. This event will feature a meal created from local ingredients sourced through the High Country Food Hub. Shake the hands behind Watauga County’s online local marketplace and learn more about the amazing products grown or made within one hundred miles of Boone, NC.  / Read more…

March 6, 2019 It has been over 35 years since the much-beloved P.B. Scott’s Music Hall hosted its last show in Blowing Rock. For many of the musicians that played there and the fans that remember spending many nights listening to the music, P.B. Scott’s will never be forgotten. On Sunday, March 10, 3pm-7pm, the coordinator of the past PB Scotts Reunion Parties at Canyons, Jean Travers, has planned an amazing four-city 10th anniversary event.   “Lisa Whittington started the Facebook page on March 10, 2009 and it just so happened that I realized it at a perfect time to be able to have a celebration,” Travers said. “We want as many faithful PBers as possible to attend. It’s crazy, but we’re doing it in four different cities in hopes that PBers and music lovers that graduated or moved away, can reunite. Anyone can attend the parties, but we especially hope to see our long lost PBs family.” Travers has said that “it’s not a private party, it’s a reason to party,” a mantra that she hopes will bring out a bunch of fans and former musicians that made so many great memories at P.B. Scott’s. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

March 7, 2019 The Town of Boone’s Cultural Resources Department announces the St. Patrick’s Day Parade judges. The panel of judges includes Town of Boone Mayor Rennie Brantz, Appalachian State University Chancellor Sheri Everts, Appalachian State football head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, and professional snowboarder Louie Vito. The Town of Boone’s 2nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place on Saturday, March 16, 2019. The parade kicks-off at 2:00 PM and will travel down King Street. Vito’s professional accomplishments include membership on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team, four Overall U.S. Grand Prix Champion awards, and two Dew Cup Overall Championships. He has also won six career X Games medals, competed on Dancing With The Stars, and was featured in ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue.” The panel of judges will be stationed on King Street in front of the Jones House Cultural and Community Center during the parade. Judges will evaluate parade entries based on their interpretation of the parade theme, “Lucky to be in Boone,” and will take into consideration the detail of their entry, difficulty of construction, and overall originality.  / Read more…

March 6, 2019 Beginning March 6, March Madness at Sugar Mountain Resort begins. Every day until the end of the season customers receive twenty-five percent discount off lift/slope tickets-including group prices, ski and snowboard lessons, equipment rentals, and tubing and ice-skating rates. That’s not all! Items throughout the ski shop are on sale too and Winter Value Package prices drop another notch and expand into weekends. Extra March Madness fun includes an Easter egg hunt on the slopes and Sugar Bear’s birthday. / Read more…

March 6, 2019 Chetola Resort is sharing its love of all things fish-related with an itinerary of family friendly activities surrounding the 40th Annual Blowing Rock Trout Derby, April 5 & 6. Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort kicks off the popular weekend with a Fly Tie & Fish Fry lakeside picnic Friday, April 5 from 6-9pm. Fried trout, hush puppies, cole slaw, French fries, tartar sauce, and Cajun remoulade are what’s for dinner for $14 per person on the Timberlake’s patio buffet. Chicken tenders and fries will be available for children 12 and younger at $7 per person. Blowing Rock Fire and Police Departments eat for free. / 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.

Lees-McRae Cheerleading Develops Cheer-Readers Program at Local Schools

Foxx Supports Public Lands Package

High Country Senior Softball Team Gearing Up for the 2019 Summer Season

What’s Happening This Month at Banner Elk Cafe

Campus Emergency Siren Test to be Conducted March 6

Upcoming Watauga Cooperative Extension Events

Free Intro to Buddhism Class Happening March 9

Baha’i Devotional Meeting is March 10

Watauga County Public Library Hosting Meeting on Next Chapter Book Club March 13

Watauga County Public Library to Host Author and Himalayan Trekker Mark E. Johnson 

UNC and NCSU Basketball Camp Scholarships Available for Middle School Students, Deadline to Apply is March 31

Boone Area Chamber of Commerce to Host Vision Northwest North Carolina May 22

88.5 WFDD’s Radio Camp Comes To Boone July 15-19

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

March 5, 2019 Are you interested in playing soccer but not quite ready to commit to travel soccer? High Country Soccer Association is accepting registrations for youth players ages U6 to U15 for the spring season. The U6, U8, and U10 Academy programs are designed to teach kids the fundamentals of soccer and prepare them for travel soccer. The U9-U15 Challenge programs are designed for kids who have aged out of Academy but do not want to commit to travel soccer. All Academy and Challenge Soccer programs will be held at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex on Brookshire Road in Boone. Each team will be assigned a licensed, paid coach. HCSA, which opened in 1986, offers soccer training to youth ranging from U6 to U18 and competes in the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association. / Read more…

March 5, 2019 Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s J.E. Broyhill Civic Center will present the 21st annual Traditional Musicians Showcase on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. The theme for this year’s event is “From the Hollows to the Honky-Tonks.” Designed to highlight the achievements of local musicians, the series has presented more than 200 musicians since it’s first show in 1998. Local band Strictly Clean and Decent featuring Patrick Crouch, Kay Crouch and Ron Shuffler will once again host the event. According to Patrick Crouch, the goal of the showcase is to “increase awareness of live music as an important cultural resource. Performers of all ages, representing an array of musical styles, will be performing at this year’s showcase including Blackberry Jam, Will Knight, Home Brewed, Opal Moon, JJ Hipps, Andy Trivette and Hannah Grace. / Read more…

February 28, 2019 Bayou Smokehouse and Grill Restaurant in Banner Elk, NC will be holding “Party Gras” festivities throughout next week to celebrate Mardi Gras with live music, food specials, freebies, and giveaways. “This year we’re planning to have a week long celebration,” said Winston Ammann, co-owner of the Bayou, “So, instead of just partying on Mardi Gras, or maybe the weekend after; which they wouldn’t do in Louisiana, but we’ll do it up here; we’ll have live music kicking things off on Mardi Gras evening which is the 5th of March. Then Smokin’ Joe Randolph Band and Hope Harvey will be back again on Friday to play, so we will have music on Tuesday and Friday. My brother still lives in New Orleans so he’s shipping me all sorts of goodies from his years of standing on the side of the road and saying ‘throw me something, mister!’ So we’re going to have all sorts of giveaways, beads, goodies, and a couple of special prizes we’ll be giving away Mardi Gras night too. Our goal is to make sure that everybody walks out of here with something in their hands, even if it’s just some beads!”” By Joe Johnson / Read more…

March 5, 2019 Bruce Molsky and his band, Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, visit the Jones House Saturday for afternoon workshops and an evening concert. Bruce Molsky has been called “one of America’s premier fiddling talents” by Mother Jones, and he is a Grammy-nominated artist who plays fiddle, banjo, and guitar. Molsky has been recording and performing for decades, collaborating with a host of world-class musicians, including Mark Knopfler, Joan Osborne, Aly Bain, Jerry Douglas, and many more. He is a visiting scholar in Berklee College of Music’s American Roots program. / Read more…

March 1, 2019 Ashe County Arts Council has announced this year’s upcoming events in their March paper. Among the most recent of these are the Hayes Faculty Member Ensemble (March 3), Molly Tuttle (March 15), the Raleigh Flute Choir (March 23) and Ashe County Little Theatre (March 29-31). The schedule also announces the rescheduled Keynote Address by Tracy K. Smith (April 1). By Hailey Blevins / Read more…

February 28, 2019 The Ashe County Arts Council and the Ashe Chamber Music Society will sponsor a Cello and Piano Recital on Sunday, March 3 at the Ashe Arts Center at 2:00 pm. Bair Shagdaron and Ellie Wee will perform. The duo is on the faculty at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University. The program includes at Sonata for Cello and Piano by Back, Chopin’s Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor, Sonata No.2 in F Major by Brahms and Sonata for Cello and Piano OP.3 Introduction and Polonaise Brillante by Chopin. In the fall of 2000, Dr. Bair Shagdaron joined the faculty of Appalachian State University and is now the Professor of Piano at the Hayes School of Music. Dr. Shagdaron continues to actively participate in the music world of today, including the world premiere of Edward Bullock’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. He has been guest artist for An Appalachian Summer Festival, and soloist with the Western Piedmont Symphony performing the Second Piano Concerto by Shostakovich. / Read more…

February 27, 2019  Artemis Independent, a production and media company based in Boone, will premier their new short video series ‘boonies’ next month. Artemis Independent will host a viewing party at Boone Saloon, located 489 W King Street, Boone NC. It will take place Thursday, February 28, 2019 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. It will consist of a screening of the series and a presentation by the producers. Artemis Independent is a media and production company based in the mountains of North Carolina. / Read more…

February 26, 2019 Learn about the life of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of The Yearling, during the next Lees-McRae Stephenson Center for Appalachia lecture on Thursday, March 7. Starting at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium at the Cannon Student Center, Director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia and English professor Michael Joslin will lead the illustrated lecture on Rawlings’ season in the mountains in 1936. Escaping from Florida heat, humidity, and malaria, Rawlings came to Banner Elk to research material and work on the first draft of her book, The Yearling, which later became a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and a movie that won Oscars and a Golden Globe. The program will examine what she learned from her mountain experience and how it affected her writing. / Read more…