By Madison Fisler Lewis
Oct. 10, 2014. The High Country has so many exciting events to offer its community and visitors, especially on autumn weekends! Check our site every Friday for something new and exciting to look forward to while you’re watching the hour hand crawl to 5 o’clock. Find live music down the street, explore a nearby town’s local secrets or try out a new square dancing class. There’s always something fun to do in the High Country.
Weekend-Long Events
To check out this week’s movie trailers and this week’s movie review, click here.
Ghost Train Halloween Festival: It’s safe, scary fun for the whole family! Visit the Haunted House and the Freaky Forest. Step in to another world in the 3-D Maze and the Black Hole. Kids will enjoy the Halloween shows and trick-or-treating. And take a chilling journey on the Ghost Train – if you dare!
ASU’s Homecoming Weekend: For most, the homecoming football game is the highlight of the weekend. This year’s contest pitting the Mountaineers against Liberty will take place on Oct. 11 with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Tickets are still available for the game and can be purchased at appstatesports.com/tickets, by phone at 828-262-2079 or in person at the ticket office located in the Holmes Convocation Center. But the football game is just one of the exciting events to take place during homecoming weekend. For more information about this event click here.
Oktoberfest: Oktoberfest is back at Sugar Mountain Resort, and this year is expected to be ever better than ever! On Oct. 11-12, the sights, sounds and flavors of Bavaria will abound as hundreds of attendees flock 5,300 feet up the mountain to enjoy one of the most highly-anticipated annual festivals of the year. Enjoy weekend Oktoberfest activities from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day of the festival and be sure to bring the kids and the grandparents because the festival is for the whole family. Admission, parking and shuttle services are free. Rain or shine or show, the festival will go on! For more information about this event click here.
BRAHM Birthday Weekend: The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum will host a full weekend of events for the entire family beginning on Friday, Oct. 10, with a new exhibition opening. Following that, BRAHM will celebrate its third birthday with a birthday celebration on Saturday, Oct. 11 and the weekend will culminate on Sunday, Oct. 12 with the Alexander Arts Lecture. For more information about these events click here.
Autumn Landscapes at Carlton Galleries: The landscape in the High Country is comparable to the many landscape paintings found at Carlton Gallery during the Autumn Group Exhibition. Traditional and abstracted styles in oils, acrylics and pastels by Kevin Beck, Egi Antonaccio, Sharon Rusch Shaver, Linda Apriletti, Amy Sullivan and Andrew Braitman are rendered in a palette as stunning as Mother Nature’s. Carlton Gallery celebrates 32 years during this Autumn Group Exhibition which runs through Nov. 22. For more information about these events click here.
Live Music at Twigs: Twig’s Restaurant in Blowing Rock hosts live music every Friday and Saturday night, from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. featuring great local and regional artist with no cover charge. On Friday, Klee and Mike will perform, with The Joe Randolph Band performing on Saturday evening.
Urinetown: On Homecoming weekend, the Appalachian Musical Theatre Ensemble will present the multi-award winning musical comedy “Urinetown” by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann. Performances take place at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall on the Appalachian State University campus. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door, and are available in the lobby of the Valborg Theatre Monday through Friday from 1 – 5 p.m.
Heritage Hall: Yours Truly, Tom Dooley will premiere at Heritage Hall Theatre on Friday, Oct. 3 and will continue until Saturday, Oct. 11. Johnson County Community Theatre presents the old mountain legend about Tom Dula, who was accused of murder and who fled to the mountains of Tennessee. For more information about this event and other Heritage Hall productions click here.
Hillbilly Horror Trail: Get ready to experience the scariest attraction Boone has to offer during October at Honey Bear Campground. Hillbilly Horror is a one-of-a-kind experience that allows you to choose to be a participant or become a zombie hell-bent on scaring anyone in sight. Activities range from Hay Rides, Zombie Paintball, and even Outdoor Movies so people of all ages can have a blast. If you think you can handle the fright of Hillbilly Horror, make your way down every weekend this month for more blood and guts than you ever thought possible!
Friday, Oct. 10
Pink Day: On Friday, Oct. 10, Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation will host the second annual Pink Day. Show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness by sporting your pink. Don’t own any pink clothing? Pink apparel is available for purchase in Appalachian Regional Healthcare System’s gift shops. Celebrations will be held at the Cannon Memorial Hospital lobby from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and again at the Watauga Medical Center auditorium from 2 p.m.. – 4 p.m. For more information about this event click here.
Concerts on the Lawn: On Friday, Oct. 10, the Best Cellar presents Jody Lee Hager. The Best Cellar hosts a free outdoor concert each Friday night, and is located at 203 Sunset Dr. in Blowing Rock. For more information, call 828-295-9703.
The Knob and the Bonk: The Knob is a grueling, 2-mile ascent up Howard’s Knob, which climbs nearly 1,000 feet above the town of Boone. The race is known not only for its challenging nature, but also for the beautiful views of the fall foliage that come with participating. This year, however, a new race has been added to be run on the same course, only backwards! For more information about these events click here.
Saturday, Oct. 11
Second Saturday: Check out this month’s lineup for the Watauga Arts Council’s Second Saturday Arts Celebration. The event will be held at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace at 377 Shadowline Dr. in Boone from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information about this event click here.
Pumpkin Contest: As Halloween creeps closer, pumpkins are beginning to become a common sight. They are a great way to be creative and festive, and there is no better place to show off your talents than at the Watauga County Arts Council’s Pumpkin Competition on Saturday, Oct. 11. For more information about this event click here.
Festival of the Frescoes: The annual Festival of the Frescoes is a traditional country fair that lasts all day and is fun for all ages. There will be art, crafts and baked goods available. The event takes place each year on the grounds of the Mission House across the street from the Holy Trinity Church in Glendale Springs. For more information about this event click here.
Todd New River Festival: The 20th annual Todd New River Festival, presented by the Todd Ruritan Club, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11. The beloved fall festival features crafts, food, music and more for the entire family to enjoy. This decades-old festival has something for everyone, and is held on the banks of the beautiful New River in Todd at the Walter and Annie Cook Memorial Park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information about this event click here.
Blues Porch Jam: The Blues Porch Jam will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace. The intent of The Blues Porch is to bring musicians, vocalists and listeners together in a format that lets everyone participate easily and fluidly. For this, The Blues is the perfect focal point. The Blues Porch will not be a jam session confined to the Blues.
Mountain Home Music: On Saturday, Oct. 11, Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music will honor the legacy of its founder with “A Tribute to Joe Shannon.” This performance, presented at the First Baptist Church of Blowing Rock, features the Mountain Home Music Bluegrass Boys and begins at 7:30 p.m. The MHM Bluegrass Boys include David Johnson, Steve Lewis, Scott Freeman and Josh Scott, some of the finest and most highly-regarded pickers and singers found anywhere. For more information about this band click here.
Adult Learning Series: Join Dr. Ming Singer for the next installment of the “mind and consciousness” adult learning series. This Saturday, Oct. 1, the topic of discussion is “information and electronic technologies and the mind.” This session would be ideal for anyone interested in the effects of technology on the mind. The event is free and open to the public.
Boone Country Dancers: The Boone Country Dancers will be at the Apple Barn in Valle Crucis for its next community contra dance on Saturday, October 11. Everyone is welcome to attend the contra dance regardless of dance experience. The evening will begin with a beginners’ workshop from 7:30-8:00 p.m. The goal of the workshop is to teach the fundamentals of contra dance with a focus on having fun. After the workshop, the regular dance will run from 8:00-11:00 p.m. with a waltz break at 9:30 p.m. The dance will feature the band Indian Summer and the caller will be Emily Abel. Dancers of all ages are encouraged to attend and no partner is necessary. Come as you are and wear clean, soft-soled flexible shoes for dancing. As always, our dances are smoke and alcohol free. Admission to the dance is $7 for adults, $5 for high school students, and free to anyone 12 years old or younger. For further information please visit the Boone Country Dancers webpage at boonecountrydancers.org.
Woolly Worm Woad Wace: The five-mile Woolly Worm Woad Wace will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11 beginning at the Lees-McRae College track in Banner Elk at 9 a.m. The one-mile fun run will be held at 10:15 a.m. The races are being held the week prior to the annual Woolly Worm Festival held annually in downtown Banner Elk. Preregistration for the five-miler is $25. Race day registration, which begins at 7:30 a.m., is also offered for $30. Fun run registration for kids ages 12 and under is $10. The events are sponsored by the Williams YMCA and the Avery County Chamber of Commerce. The race will start and end at the Lees-McRae track and will loop through some of Banner Elk’s back roads and onto the trails on the grounds of the Holston Camp. Rolling hills and beautiful scenery make this course both challenging and fun, race officials said.
Elk Knob Volunteer Trail Work Day: Warmer weather has finally returned along with the Volunteer Trail Work Days at Elk Knob State Park. Every Saturday beginning April 5 and running through the middle of November (except June 28 and September 13), staff and volunteers will meet at the Summit Trailhead at 9 am and work until approximately 3:30 pm, weather permitting. Tools are provided but volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and bring work gloves, lunch and water. Most of the time will be spent building our new one mile loop trail, the Beech Tree Trail, although we may include some repair work on the Summit Trail. If you would like to be involved in a fulfilling project that will fill you with a well-deserved sense of pride, then join us on Saturdays at Elk Knob State Park. For more information please call 828-297-7261.
Beech Tree Trail Opening: Come help us cut the ribbon on the new Beech Tree Trail Saturday, October 11, a one mile loop trail which will also serve as the permanent home of the Kid’s TRACK Trail. Join us for a short ceremony followed by a short hike to “break in” the trail. Please meet at 10 a.m. at the trailhead of the Beech Tree Trail which takes off from the Trailhead Parking Lot at Elk Knob.
Round Up for a Cause: For the month of October, Bare Essentials Natural Market will be partnering with the Valle Crucis Community Park for our Round-Up-For-A-Cause Program. Each time you check out, you will have the opportunity to round up your total a few cents to help provide beautiful, peaceful, and eventful park for locals. Every penny counts!
Fall Color at Grandfather Mountain: Join Grandfather Mountain’s education staff from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday for guided walks on the mountain’s trails to learn about fall foliage, including the reasons leaves change and different forces that affect the coloration. Included with park admission.
Grandfather Mountain Sunset Opportunity: Grandfather Mountain’s sunrise and sunset opportunities are back by popular demand! Photographers and sightseers can take advantage of this rare opportunity to marvel at the nearly 360-degree views available from Grandfather Mountain’s peaks as the sun rises and sets.
Sunday, Oct. 12
Boone Heritage Festival: The fourth annual Boone Heritage Festival will celebrate southern Appalachian heritage and the history of Daniel Boone on Sunday, Oct. 12. The festival will take place all day from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and is a great event for the entire family to enjoy. The event will feature vendors, storytelling, live music, crafts, demonstrations and much more at the Hickory Ridge Living History Museum in Boone. The event is completely free of charge and is open to the public. For more information about this event click here.
Music on the Veranda: On Sunday, Oct. 12, the Green Park Inn’s Music on the Veranda will present The Harris Brothers starting at 5 p.m. For more information about this event, call 828-414-9230.
Jazz Brunch: On Sunday, Oct. 12, Canyons in Blowing Rock will host the weekly Sunday Jazz Brunch with Todd Wright. Starting at 11 a.m., the event will feature live jazz music at Canyons located at 8960 Valley Blvd. in Blowing Rock. For more information about this event, call 828-295-7661.
Evensong: The choir of St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church will present choral evensong this Sunday afternoon,Oct. 12, at 3:30 p.m. in the nave of the church. Service music will include the Walmsley setting of theMagnificat and Nunc dimittis and the Clucas Preces and Responses. The Introit will be O sing joyfully by Batten, and the anthem will be the celebratory I was glad by Parry. This month’s evensong, the last of the season, highlights the new Lively-Fulcher organ in the recently-renovated nave of St. Mary’s. The choir of St. Mary’s sings Evensong one Sunday each month through October, and everyone is welcome.
Permaculture Workshop: Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) announces an Educational Farm Tour and Potluck Gathering on Sunday, Oct. 12 from 2 – 4:30 p.m. Join Elise McLaughlin at her family’s farm in Blowing Rock where Elise will teach participants about low-effort gardening methods, including important species and techniques to utilize, in order to sustainably maximize crop productivity on less than one acre of land. Acquiring large areas of arable land in the High Country can be difficult and expensive, but employing permaculture practices can help farmers make small plots of land more productive. During this Educational Farm Workday, Elise McLaughlin will explain how she created and continues to care for and tend to her orchard, which was funded by a BRWIA grant.
Blowing Rock Jazz Society Concert: Melva Houston has been a Jazz and Blues vocalist for over 30 years and will be a pleasing conclusion to our 2014 concert season. Playing with Melva will be Ron Brindle on bass, Rick Dilling on drums, Keith McMcCutchen on piano and Todd will bring his sax. Please call the Meadowbrook Inn at 828-295-4300 within the next few days to make your reservations. Reservations are needed no later than noon on October 8. Thank you and we hope you will join us for another special concert!
Fall Color at Grandfather Mountain: Join Grandfather Mountain’s education staff from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday for guided walks on the mountain’s trails to learn about fall foliage, including the reasons leaves change and different forces that affect the coloration. Included with park admission.
Animals of Elk Knob: Learn about the animals that call Elk Knob home and what they are doing this time of year. A table will be set up at the trail head parking lot from 2 until 3 on Sunday, October 12. Program is weather dependent.
To Build a Fire at Grandfather Mountain State Park: Fire is one of the cornerstones of human civilization that many of us take for granted in today’s modern lifestyle. Could you build a fire if necessary? Join a Park Ranger at Grandfather Mountain State Park to learn techniques on fire building and emergency fire starting for camping, heating or survival. Participants will learn about fuel sources, alternative fire starters and some of the science behind fire. This program will last approximately one hour. Children must be accompanied by an adult and please leave pets at home.