By Madison Fisler Lewis
Oct. 17, 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.
Woolly Worm Festival: Who will pick the winning winter weather worm this year? The 36th annual Woolly Worm Festival, scheduled for Oct. 18-19 in Banner Elk, is coming up quick! Since 1978, the residents of beautiful, scenic Banner Elk have celebrated the coming of winter with the highly-anticipated event that always takes place on the third weekend of October. For more information about the festival 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!
Wait Until Dark: This weekend, the Ashe Civic Center will play host to a classic suspense thriller that will have audiences sitting on the edge of their seats. Ashe County Little Theatre presents “Wait Until Dark,” Oct. 17-18 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. This performance will be the final production of 2014 for the theatre and tickets are on sale now. For more information about this event click here.
Alpine Preseason Sale: With hopefully another stellar winter season on the horizon, Appalachian Ski Mountain presents its 17th annual preseason sale from Friday, Oct. 17 to Sunday, Oct. 26. The 10-day sale features a lively atmosphere and includes huge discounts on last year’s merchandise, a used-equipment swap shop and a raffle to win a 2014-15 winter season pass on the mountain. For more information about this event 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, The Doesn’t Madder Band will perform, with Groove Bucket performing on Saturday evening.
Non-GMO Month: Through the entire month of October, Bare Essentials Natural Market will join more than 1,500 grocery stores across the country who are participating in the fifth annual Non-GMO Month, an initiative of the Non-GMO Project. This month-long initiative puts a spotlight on the consumer’s right to choose food and products without genetically modified organisms (GMOs). For more information click here.
Friday, Oct. 17
Wash, Rinse and Spin Dry: On Friday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., Barter Theatre’s Wash, Rinse and Spin Dry will be showcased at Heritage Hall Theatre, sponsored by Redden Realty, BodyMind Dynamics and Watauga Lake Winery. The play follows the story of a single mom who gets involved with an actor, and deals with the hilarious and awkward morning after when she realizes she knows him already! For more information about this event click here.
Fall Fish Fry: The Appalachian Shrine Club will be having their Fall Fish Fry on Friday, October 17, 2014 from 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Snow Masonic Lodge on Temple Drive in Boone, North Carolina near the Old Watauga High School. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 5-12. Children under 5 eat free. All proceeds go to benefit the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. Menu includes Catfish, Slaw, Hush Puppies, Fries, as well as an option for chicken or hotdogs for non-fish lovers. For more information or FOR TICKETS contact Josh Teague at 828-262-9897 or at The Law Offices of Joshua J. Teague, P.A. 827 West King Street Boone, NC 28607. Please make checks payable to Appalachian Shrine Club. Free Delivery is available to local businesses. For Deliveries call 828-264-1230.
Saturday, Oct. 18
Mountain Home Music: On Saturday, Oct. 18, Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music will present Mountain Front Porch Picking and Singing featuring Strictly Strings and Jim Avett. The concert will be held at Blowing Rock School Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information about this event click here.
Valle Country Fair: The 36th annual Valle Country Fair will celebrate the fall color season with local crafts, food, mountain music and entertainment for children on Saturday, Oct. 18, on the grounds of the Valle Crucis Conference Center in Valle Crucis. Always held on the third Saturday in October, the Valle Country Fair takes over the grounds of the Valle Crucis Conference Center at the intersection of N.C. 194 and Dutch Creek Road from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is free and ample parking is available. For more information about the fair click here.
Blues Porch Jam: On Saturday, Oct. 18, the weekly Blues Porch Jam will take place at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace. This Blues-Centric Jam Session features the Blues but caters to the whims, interests, and favorite tunes of those present. Musicians, vocalists, foot-stompers, groupies – all are welcome to this unplugged (no amps) session each Saturday afternoon.
Harvest for the Homeless: Ashe County Coalition for the Homeless (ACCH) and Hospitality House are teaming up for Ashe County’s first Harvest for the Homeless Campaign. Taking place Saturday, Oct. 18, from 8 a.m. until noon at Bohemia in downtown West Jefferson, the public is invited to stop by for a free large coffee and learn about the issue of Ashe County homelessness in a relaxed community environment.
Adult Learning Series: Join Dr. Ming Singer for the final installment of the “Mind & Consciousness” adult learning series! This Saturday, Oct. 18, the topic of discussion is “Emotions“. This session will focus on: emotion and reason, emotional intelligence and emotions and illness. Free and open to the public.
Watauga County Farmers’ Market: Join us for the 40th anniversary season of Watauga County Farmers’ Market! The farmers’ market has been Boone’s Town Square since 1974. The farmers market is located at the parking lot for Horn in the West in Boone. The market runs from 8 a.m. until noon through October.
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 though Nov. 8, staff and volunteers will meet at the Summit Trailhead at 9 a.m. and work until approximately 2:30 p.m., 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.
Johnson County Farmers’ Market: The main work of the Johnson County Farmers Market is to help strengthen a sustainable local agricultural and food economy. We do this by providing education, engaging in community and economic development, and promoting the availability and benefits of local food and agriculture.
Grandfather Mountain Volunteer Trail Work Day: Join the Park’s staff for a day of trail maintenance and get a feel for what goes into managing a highly popular hiking destination. Volunteers will learn how to safely and effectively use tools, be shown sustainable trail design techniques and become familiar with trail labor. Work will be based on experience and skill level of volunteers and will range from easier low level physical activity to advanced highly physical trail construction. This volunteer day is suitable for adults and children above 12 years of age. All volunteers under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal adult guardian present. Volunteers should be dressed in appropriate clothing for outdoor work, bring work gloves, wear closed toed shoes and bring food and water for refreshment during the day. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 828-963-9522.
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.
Annual Chicken Supper: Valle Crucis School Annual Chicken Supper – Saturday, Oct. 18 from 4-7 p.m. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, slaw, biscuits and homemade dessert. Tickets are $9 Adults/$6 Children. Tickets are available at Valle Crucis School and the Mast General Store in Valle Crucis. 8th graders will be hosting BINGO at 7 p.m. and our Book Fair will be open 3:30-7:30 p.m. 8th graders will also be offering parking at our school lot for $5 during Valle Fair.
Sunday, Oct. 19
Music on the Veranda: On Sunday, Oct. 19, the Green Park Inn’s Music on the Veranda will present The Neighbors starting at 5 p.m. For more information about this event, call 828-414-9230.
Sunday Jazz Brunch: On Sunday, Oct. 19, 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.
Cone Manor Tour: Open House Wednesdays at Cone Manor are finished for the season. The final guided tours of Cone Manor for the 2014 season will be Sunday, Oct. 19.
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.
The Opossum at Elk Knob State Park: The opossum is a strange looking animal and is our country’s only marsupial. Come get a closer look at this nocturnal animal Sunday, Oct. 19. We will learn through a PowerPoint presentation at 2 p.m. at the Park Office.
NAACP Monthly Meeting: On Oct. 28, 2013 local Watauga citizens began collecting membership commitments to establish a local NAACP Chapter. On Feb. 15, 2014 our Watauga NAACP Branch was officially chartered by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. We were largely inspired by the North Carolina NAACP and Forward Together Moral Movement beginning in the spring of 2013, and we have participated in many of the demonstrations in Raleigh. We are committed to making a difference here in Watauga County to enhance dignity, democracy, and freedom; and to eliminate race-based discrimination. We support equal status and equal rights for all; and we stand against all forms of injustice.