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Weekend Roundup: Exciting Things to Do This Weekend; Check ‘em Out and Make Plans Sept. 12-14

by Madison Fisler Lewis

Sept. 12, 2014. The High Country has so many exciting events to offer its community and visitors, especially on summer 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.

Avery Country Agricultural and Horticultural Fair: The 21st annual Avery County Agricultural and Horticultural Fair, known as the Avery Country Fair, is already well underway. The fair began on Sept. 9 and will continue until Sept. 13.  This year’s theme celebrates the 100th anniversary of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. For more information about this event click here.

Blue Bear Music Festival: The Music Fest at Blue Bear Mountain will return to Boone for its second year Sept. 11-13. The music festival is in its second year and will bring plenty of performers with local roots to the venue in Boone. Bands this year will feature local favorites Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, the Harris Brothers, The Carter Brothers Band, Jeff Little, Charlyhorse and Melissa Reaves. For more information about this event click here.

Friday, Sept. 12

Ashe County Art Crawl: The Ashe County Arts Council invites art lovers to wander the streets of downtown West Jefferson Friday, Sept. 12 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for this month’s Gallery Crawl. Sixteen galleries will be open after hours to showcase the latest artwork of talented local and regional artists. This month’s Crawl is connected with the county’s seventh annual On the Same Page Literary Festival, happening Sept. 16-20. For more information about this event click here.

Jones House Concert: On Friday, Sept 12, the Jones House presents a Local Traditions Showcase, beginning at 4 p.m. The Jones House Community and Cultural Center presents a free outdoor concert every Friday night from June 6-Sept. 12. The Jones House is located at 604 West King St. in downtown Boone. For more information, call 828-268-6280.

Concert on the Lawn: On Friday, Sept. 12, the Best Cellar presents Klee and Mike. The Best Cellar hosts a free outdoor concert each Friday night through the summer, and is located at 203 Sunset Dr. in Blowing Rock. For more information, call 828-295-9703.

Wilkesboro’s Weekly Open Air Market: The Open Air Market is scheduled May 2 through Sept. 19 on a weekly basis. The regular market is open every Friday from 4-8 p.m. The vendor selling are farmers with locally grown fruits, vegetables, plants and local art & craft vendors, baked goods, plus many other vendors. This market will take place in the town owned parking lot across from the 50’s Restaurant and Royall’s Framing on Main Street in downtown Wilkesboro.

GremlinsDuo Concert at ASU: The GremlinsDuo, which specializes in performing new music, will be featured Friday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall at Appalachian State University. Admission is free.

Saturday, Sept. 13

Elk Knob Community Headwaters Day: On Saturday, Sept. 13, Elk Knob State Park will serve as the setting for an event that strives to preserve and celebrate the heritage of the Meat Camp community. The tenth annual Elk Knob Community Headwaters day will kick off at 11 a.m. with live music, raffles, clogging performances, a pot luck dinner and more history and heritage than you can shake a stick at. For more information about this event click here.

Beach Blast on the Blue Ridge: On Saturday, Sept. 13, the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce presents Beach Blast on the Blue Ridge, held at the Blue Ridge Mountain Club. The exciting event will feature live music, food and beverages, dancing and more. Gates for the event open at 5:30 p.m. and the music will start playing soon after. The tunes will be provided courtesy of The Catalinas at 6:30 p.m. and the Band of Oz at 8 p.m. The opening act for the night will be Owen Campbell, bluesman and finalist on Australia’s Got Talent at 5:30 p.m. For more information about this event click here.

Second Saturday: Once again, the Watauga County Arts Council will host the Second Saturday Arts Celebration. This month’s event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information about this event click here.

Exhibit Opening: On Sept. 13, The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum will unveil its newest exhibit, “Common Threads: Five Influential Women and Their Legacies.” The exhibit will be regionally focused and will highlight five historic women and their influence on North Carolina. The five women featured in this exhibit are Dr. Mary Martin Sloop, Lucy Morgan, Bertha Cone, Vera Lachmann and Emily Prudden. For more information about this event click here.

Groundwork: In/Visible Theatre presents, Groundwork, a new play by Mike Ostroski and Derek Davidson on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Harvest House located at 247 Boone Heights Dr. in Boone. Tickets are $17 online or $15 at the door. To purchase tickets online visit www.InvisibleTheatrenc.org. For student discounts, email invisibletheatrenc@gmail.com or call 828-387-7661.

Friends Day: Henry Ford once said, “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” When friends get together, more can be accomplished than going it alone. On Saturday, Sept. 13, the Mast Store will be hosting volunteers for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation at the Original Mast Store and Annex in Valle Crucis and the Mast Store in Boone. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation works with the National Park Service to enhance the visitor experience along the 469 miles of America’s Favorite Scenic Drive. Through fundraising efforts, the sale of Blue Ridge Parkway vanity plates and donations from dedicated members the Foundation underwrites many of the improvement projects along the scenic roadway, like the construction of restrooms at Bass Lake and trail improvements at Price Lake.

Girl Scout Day at Grandfather Mountain: The 44th annual Girl Scout Day is set for Sept. 13 at Grandfather Mountain, offering free admission and fascinating nature activities for participating troops. The tradition started in 1971 when Grandfather Mountain “adopted” the Girl Scouts. The Scouts returned the gesture by adopting the Mountain’s late mascot, Mildred the Bear, as an honorary Girl Scout and presenting her with pins to mark her years with the organization. “We’re happy to invite the Girl Scouts once again to explore Grandfather Mountain,” said Kellen Short, public relations specialist for Grandfather Mountain. “This is a great place to learn skills like confidence, environmental awareness and teamwork.”

Golf Tournament: The High Country Home Builders Association will host the 2014 Golf Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Mountain Aire Golf Club located at 1396 Fairway Ridge Dr. in West Jefferson. The tournament is a Captain’s Choice format with four player teams. Cost is $400 per team or $100 per player. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. with a shotgun tee off at 8 a.m. There will be food, beverages, tournament prizes, hole-in-one contest sponsored by Alfred Glover & Boone Ford and more. Proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity, Scholarships and HCHBA. Please join us in raising funds for a great cause. Soft spikes and collared shirts required – no jeans! In event the tournament is cancelled, lunch is still on! Vouchers will be issued to each player for future play.

Trail Work Days: Every Saturday beginning April 5 and running through the middle of November, staff and volunteers will meet at the Summit Trailhead at 9 a.m. and work until approximately 3:30 p.m., weather permitting. Tools are provided, but volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes and bring work gloves, lunch and water. Most of the time will be spent building our new one-mile trail loop, the Beech Tree Trail, although we may include some repair work on the Summit Trail. If you would like to be involved in a fulfulling project that will fill you will a well-deserved sense of pride, then join us on Saturdays at Elk Knob State Park. For more information, please call 828-297-7261.

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 market starts at 8 a.m. and is held in the parking lot of Horn in the West.

Sunday, Sept. 14

Music on the Veranda: On Sunday, Sept. 14, 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.

Sunday Jazz Brunch: On Sunday, Sept. 14, 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.

Jan Keron Meet and Greet: Tent space for the Jan Karon meet and greet at Chetola Resort Sept. 14 is currently filled. But have no fear, Mitford Series lovers, there is still plenty to do to celebrate the release of the newest book in the series, “Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good.” Local Author Jan Karon is the New York Times-bestselling author of 23 books including the Mitford novels, the Father Tim novels, a popular cookbook, the Mitford Bedside Companion and several books for young readers. For more information about this event click here.

Elk Knob Medicinal Plant Hike: Come stroll through the park and learn about the history of Appalachian medicine. Step into the forest and identify plants that are edible, medicinal, and/or harmful. Meet at the park office.