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Weekend Roundup: Exciting Things to Do This Weekend; Check ‘em Out and Make Plans Sept. 19-21

By Madison Fisler Lewis

Sept. 19, 2014. The High Country has so many exciting events to offer its community and visitors, especially on 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.

Breast Buddies: The Dande Lion’s “Breast Buddies” fundraiser is a little more than halfway over, and so far the month-long event has garnered a lot of attention – and donations. The fundraiser involves 14 bras set up inside the shop that were decorated by local businesses and organizations. Participants can vote for their favorite bra by placing donations in the container designated for their favorite. The contest will take place throughout the entire month of September, and a donation will be made on Oct. 1 to the Wilma J. Redmond Fund just in time for the kickoff of National Breast Cancer Awareness month. For more information about this event click here.

BUMC Fall Bazaar: Since 1984, Boone United Methodist Church has hosted what many have come to call the unofficial kickoff event for the autumn season. The event started out 30 years ago as a fundraiser and turkey dinner to help raise money to buy furniture for the church. But what started as a small local fundraiser has grown into what is now one of the largest yard sales and recycling events in the High Country. For more information about this event click here.

Animals of Farm and Field: The Art Cellar Gallery is pleased to present “Animals of Farm and Field” from Sept. 17 through Oct. 18. This exhibit features the paintings from four accomplished gallery artists: Carolyn Blaylock, Nancy Oppenheimer, Margaret Salisbury and Walter Stanford. Each artist will be sharing their representations of animals from bears to sheep, during the gallery’s animal focused show. For more information about this event click here.

On the Same Page Literary Festival: Ashe County’s seventh annual On the Same Page literary arts festival will take place Sept. 16-20, scattered around different locations in downtown West Jefferson. Each year the Ashe County Arts Council in collaboration with the county’s public library hosts several bestselling writers for the five-day festival, which features lectures, workshops, sit-down meals with some of the authors, a book fair and more literary-themed fun. For more information about this event click here.

Friday, Sept. 19

Goodnight, Texas at AMB: On Friday, Sept. 19, Appalachian Mountain Brewery will host Goodnight, Texas and special guest The Bones of J.R. Jones for a concert raising funds for New River Organic Growers, a nonprofit cooperative of High Country farmers that the brewery and its partner food truck Farm to Flame work closely with. Goodnight, Texas is currently on a cross-country tour promoting their second album “Uncle John Farquhar.” For more information about this event click here.

Music on the Lawn: On Friday, Sept. 19, the Best Cellar presents Soul Benefactor. 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 through Sept. 19 on a weekly basis. The regular market is open every Friday from 4-8 p.m. The vendors selling are farmers with locally grown fruits, vegetables, plants and local art and 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.

Twilight Hike at Grandfather Mountain State Park: Join a Park Ranger for an evening stroll through the Southern Appalachian Forest and see the woods come to life after the sun sets. Experience the park from a different prospective and learn about nocturnal wildlife. Participants must bring flashlights or headlamps and are encouraged to wear hiking boots. Hike will go approximately 1.5 miles. Dress appropriately for the weather. Please no pets.

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.

Saturday, Sept. 20

The Blowing Rock Music Festival: Music will accompany perhaps the sweetest view of the John’s River Gorge on Saturday, Sept. 20, when The Blowing Rock attraction hosts a two-stage, music festival featuring Wayne Henderson, Lacy Green, The Harris Brothers, Moore Brothers Band and several other acts in the Americana genre. For more information about this event click here.

Boone Clean Up Day: The Boone Public Works Department will host the bi-annual Boone Clean-Up Day on Saturday, Sept. 20. Residents are invited to help revive the Town of Boone by liberating the streets and streams of trash and recyclable materials. Saturday marks the beginning of the two week long “2014 Fall Litter Sweep” ending Oct. 4. The Litter Sweep is a statewide roadside cleanup that takes place every April and September. Last April, a record breaking 22 tons of litter was removed throughout North Carolina. For more information about this event click here.

Stickboy Mayview Madness: The 15th annual Stick Boy Bread Company Mayview Madness 5K Run/Walk and Blue Ridge Pediatric Kids 1-Mile Fun Run will be held on Saturday, Sept. 20. The proceeds from this annual event benefit the Blue Ridge Conservancy, which “works with willing landowners and local communities to permanently protect land and water resources with agricultural, ecological, cultural, recreational and scenic value in northwest North Carolina. For more information about this event click here.

Charity Golf Tournament: Makoto’s Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar and The Rock Sports Bar and Grill will host the First Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Boone Golf Club to benefit Blowing Rock C.A.R.E.S. food pantry. Teams are already registering, so get in quick while you can! For more information about this event click here.

Rural Academy Theatre: The Rural Academy Theater kicks off their 2014 tour in Lenoir on Sept. 20, bringing their horse-drawn carriage to the High Country. The troupe will be traveling through western North Carolina with no shortage of performances. Featuring stops in Linville, Boone and Banner Elk, the tour will end on Oct. 18 in Black Mountain. Admission to the shows is free. For more information about this event click here.

Overmountain Men Program: Glimpses in History: The Overmountain Men will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Linville Falls Campground. Take a step back and hear about the men from over the mountain who placed their mark in history and turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. Come learn their story and get a feel for what life in the backwater country was like.

ASU Fall Open House: High school students and prospective transfer students are invited to learn about academics and campus life at Appalachian State University during Fall Open House on Saturday, Sept. 20. The event is sponsored by the Office of Admissions. Activities begin at 9 a.m. in the Holmes Convocation Center with a Family Assembly, followed by an information fair from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The fair includes opportunities to talk with students, faculty and university representatives about admissions, financial aid, academic areas, campus support areas, student clubs and organizations, study abroad, The Honors College and other special opportunities that make up “the Appalachian Experience.” There will also be a special program for transfer students from noon until 1 p.m. Student Ambassadors will provide tours of campus. Residence Halls will be open for guided tours. Academic departments will also conduct open houses. The day concludes around 1 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.admission.appstate.edu/visit/open house.

Creek Walk Arts Festival: The tenth annual Bakersville Creek Walk Arts Festival, including dozens of fine artists and craftspeople, local food vendors and nonprofit vendors, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This year’s event will feature artists from throughout the region: from all areas of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida. All have been carefully selected to ensure attendees have access to the highest quality of art and craft. Local nonprofit organizations including the Rhododendron Festival Pageant Committee, and the Centro de Enlace will be selling a variety of food and beverages with all proceeds going to these community groups. The Festival will also conduct a special Silent Auction featuring items from exhibiting artists, as well as local galleries, artists and businesses with all proceeds and donations going to support Mitchell County resident, glass artist and animal rights activist Jan Williams in her efforts to fight cancer.

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 is located in the parking lot of Horn in the West in Boone and runs from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Rocky Knob Triathlon: Boone Kiwanis is sponsoring the first annual triathlon to raise money for Project Eliminate. Run 8 miles, kayak 4 miles and mountain bike 19 miles through beautiful scenery. Register on-line or day of. Teams encouraged and student discounts available!

Elk Knob Volunteer Trail Work Day: Staff and volunteers will meet at the Summit Trailhead at 9 am and work until approximately 3:30 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. For questions, please contact our park office at 828-963-9522.

The Blues Porch Jam: 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. The jam is held at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace.

Flora of Elk Knob: On Saturday, September 20 at 2 p.m., come wander through the park to see Elk Knob’s diverse flora before winter starts creeping in. Meet at the park trailhead.

Moth Madness at Grandfather Mountain State Park: 2014 is the Year of the Lepidoptera for North Carolina State Parks! Lepidoptera is the scientific name for moths and butterflies and means ‘scale wing’. Moths are just as beautiful and varied as their butterfly cousins. Join a Ranger for some Moth Madness as we turn on the lights after dark and try to lure in some moths for observation and identification. Please dress for the weather conditions, bring a headlamp or flashlight and be prepared for walking on uneven ground. Please No Pets.

Sunday, Sept. 21

International Day of Peace: The Mountain Peacemakers will observe the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21. The International Day of Peace is an observance that is “dedicated to world peace and specifically the absence of war and violence,” according to a release. The day officially began in 1982 and is observed by many countries around the world. For more information about this event click here.

Music on the Veranda: On Sunday, Sept. 21, the Green Park Inn’s Music on the Veranda will present Pop Ferguson Blues starting at 5 p.m. For more information about this event, call 828-414-9230.

Sunday Jazz Brunch: On Sunday, Sept. 21, 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.

Mushrooms at Elk Knob State Park: Come on a mushroom hunt with fungi guru Julie Mullis and learn about this amazing organism. Meet at the park office.

Voices of Peace Concert: The Watauga Community Band will be among the groups performing in Watauga County’s Voices Of Peace Concert, Sun. at 3 pm in Rosen Concert Hall, Broyhill Music Ctr., ASU. The WCB is made up of local and visiting music-lovers of all ages and performs frequently in the area. This concert will also feature individuals, church groups, and small ensembles promoting peace and harmony.

Oom-Pah Band Concert: As part of Blowing Rock’s Art and Music Month, Watauga Community Band’s Oom-Pah Band will be performing German-style music this Sun. at 4 pm in the gazebo of Blowing Rock Park. Rain location will be the American Legion Hall. Come enjoy the fun!