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Weekend Roundup: Things to Do This Weekend in the High Country; Check ‘em Out and Make Plans Oct. 18 – 20

by Madison V. Fisler

Oct. 18, 2013. The High Country has so many exciting events to offer its community and visitors, especially as autumn is already upon us. 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

Alpine Ski Shop at App Ski Mtn’s Tent Sale: October is halfway through, and that means wintertime is swiftly on its heels! Appalachian Ski Mountain welcomes the winter weather with their 16th annual Tent Sale, Ski/Snowbard Swap and Raffle, scheduled for ten full days of fun from Oct. 18-27. “This sale is a great kick-off to the season,” said Brenda Speckmann of Appalachian Ski Mtn. To read our article on this event, click here

Woolly Worm Festival: The 36th annual Woolly Worm Festival, scheduled for Oct. 19 and 20 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. To read our article on this event, click here

Tweetsie Railroad’s Ghost Train Festival: If you haven’t been to Tweetsie’s Ghost Trail Festival, there are only three weekends left for a night of fright! For a family-friendly, yet frighteningly good time, experience Tweetsie Railroad’s 24th annual Ghost Trail Halloween Festival. It is recommended that you get tickets in advance, as this festival sells out frighteningly fast! For more information, click here

 Craft Fair in Asheville: Join us for the 66th Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville on Oct. 17-20. Over 200 juried artists of the Southern Highland Craft Guild will be selling works of clay, metal, wood, jewelry, fiber, paper, natural materials, leather and mixed media. For more information, click here.

Friday, Oct. 18

Wilkesboro’s Weekly Open Air Market: Wilkesboro hosts a weekly Open Air Market on West Main Street in the heart of historic downtown, offering farm-fresh fruits, vegetables and plants, as well as handmade crafts. The market’s focus is on supporting and sustaining the local farm and artisan community. The market takes place every Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., from April 19 through Oct. 18. Admission is free. The town of Wilkesboro will also provide an open mike opportunity during the regular Open Air Market Fridays for local and regional musicians. Open mike signups will be available weekly April through October, not including the Third Friday Events, which are held April through August. To sign up, or for more information, contact Andrew Carlton at Wilkesboro Town Hall.

Bluegrass at Todd General Store: Join us every Friday from late May until Thanksgiving and listen to a variety of live Bluegrass Acts. Dinner will be served at 6pm and music starts at 7pm. Come early to be sure you get a seat.

Saturday, Oct. 19

Operation Medicine Cabinet’s Drug and Hazardous Waste Take Back Day: On Saturday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Operation Medicine Cabinet will host a “Pharmaceutical Take-Back Day” to help residents dispose of all prescription and over-the-counter medications and medical supplies, no questions asked. Alongside the pharmaceutical collection, there will also be a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Watauga County Landfill located at 336 Landfill Road. To view our article on this event, please click here

Valle Country Fair: For 35 years, the Valle Country Fair (on Oct. 19) has been held on the third Saturday of October in the fields of the Valle Crucis Conference Center. Started as a church bazaar by the members of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church to raise money to build a parish hall, today all monies are returned to the community to help those in need. To read the press release about this event, click here

Doc’s Rocks Fundraising Day: Have you ever seen a 345 carat emerald? Perhaps in a museum, or even in your dreams! Doc’s Rocks in Blowing Rock is offering raffle tickets for $20 each for a chance to win your very own gigantic, museum grade emerald, which, for your information, is as large as the palm of your hand. For more information about this event, click here

Watauga County Farmers’ Market: Every Saturday morning from May to November you will find quality locally farmed meats, fresh produce, artisan cheeses, dried and fresh cut flowers, hardy local plants, delicious edibles, and a wide variety of quality crafts. The Watauga County Farmers’ Market is located in the parking lot of the Horn in the West, next to the Daniel Boone Native Gardens in Boone. 

Lenoir Downtown Farmers’ Market: The Lenoir Downtown Farmer’s Market is a local producers only market. All goods are grown, made, designed or processed by the market vendors. Our vendors include vintners, local grass fed beef and pork, free range eggs, goats milk soaps and lotions, honey, alpaca wools, various produce, local arts and crafts, heritage eggs, herbs and spices, both living and dried, Herbville and Crane teas and sauces, just to name a few. We also feature a variety of live music including Celtic music, classic acoustic rock, Jazz saxophone, and many more. 

Fall Festival at Honey Bear Campground: Every weekend in October! Hay mountain, hayride, local vendors, fall themed games and crafts, pumpkin patch, spider web maze, and more! $5 a person!

Mabel School Fall Festival: Mark your calendars for the Mabel Fall Festival that will be held October 19th! You don’t want to miss out on these fun activities.

Sunday, Oct. 20

Baha’i Holy Day Celebration: The Baha’is of Watauga, Ashe and Avery Counties will meet at noon in Stony Fork on Sunday, Oct. 20, to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Bab. The Bab, whose name means “The Gate” was born in Iran in 1819. He taught that he was the forerunner to a great world teacher who would bring unity to the world’s religions and begin a process of movements toward peace and justice among the world’s people. There will be a covered dish meal at noon followed by an all-ages celebration. All are welcome. For more information and for directions please call 268-2191.

Watauga Community Band Performance: The Watauga Community Band will perform their fall concert on Sunday, Oct. 20. The concert will start at 3 p.m. in Rosen Concert Hall in the Hayes School of Music on ASU’s campus. The band, under the direction of Bill Winkler, will be performing such pieces as Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Rhosymedre, and What a Wonderful World by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele. Some fun pieces, such as Bayou Breakdown by Brant Karric and John Williams: Fantasy Flight which is an arrangement of Williams’ most popular movie themes, are also included in the program. The concert is free and all are welcome to join us for an afternoon of music