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Weekend Roundup: Things to Do This Weekend in the High Country; Check ‘em Out, Make Plans Feb. 7-9

by Madison V. Fisler

Feb. 7, 2014. On this beautiful winter weekend, the High Country has so many exciting events to offer its community and visitors. 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

Check out this week’s movie trailers and our weekly movie review here.

National Girl Scout Weekend: To honor the Girl Scout Cookie Program, Girl Scouts of the USA and councils across the country will celebrate National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend this Friday through Sunday, February 7-9. Representing the High Country, troops from Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont (GSCP2P) will be out in the community operating cookie booths this weekend. For locations, click here

Be a Sweetheart, Feed the Hungry: The Mast General Store is partnering with the Hunger and Health Coalition Feb. 8 and 9 to fill its larder with food. The annual Be a Sweetheart, Feed the Hungry event matches each pound of candy purchased with a $1 donation to help ensure that those in our community needing a good meal will have access to enjoying one. For the article on this event, click here. 

Friday, Feb. 7

First Friday Art Crawl: Welcome back to the First Friday Art Crawl! On Friday, Feb. 7, downtown Boone will be taken over by the first Art Crawl of the year. Like always, this month’s crawl will feature food, drinks and live music with work and exhibitions from local artists. And as usual, everyone is invited to come out and enjoy some Friday night fun. If you’ve never experienced First Friday Art Crawl, here is your chance to get in on what the locals already know! Head on down to downtown Boone and enjoy a Friday night out on the town. For the Art Crawl Round Up, click here

National HIV Awareness Day: AIDS Leadership Foothills-area Alliance (ALFA) is a United Way member agency providing Medical Case Management, Prevention Education, HIV testing and counseling as well as volunteer opportunities. Its mission is to improve the lives and health of those affected by HIV/AIDS while preventing transmission through education and testing. ALFA serves Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Lincoln, Watauga, and Wilkes Counties. For more information about ALFAs services, please visit www.alfainfo.org. Friday, Feb. 7, in National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

App Ski Mtn Student Ski Night: This winter, on Friday nights January 17th, February 7th, and February 28th, Appalachian State University students will receive a special discount to enjoy Appalachian Ski Mtn Midnight Blast evenings. Students will receive a discount on lift tickets on those nights and can enjoy a 7 hour night session (5pm to midnight) for only $15. There are group lessons and equipment rental discounts available to ASU students on those nights as well. All you need to do is show your ASU identification to the ticket window at Appalachian Ski Mtn on these dates.

– Olympic Opening Ceremonies – Sochi, Russia –

Saturday, Feb. 8

Heart Shape Event: February is heart month, and to commemorate, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) will sponsor the second annual Heart Shape event on Saturday, Feb. 9. Last year, more than 100 people came to the inaugural Heart Shape event, and even more are expected to attend this year. For the entire article on this event, click here

Fiddler’s Convention and Luthiers Gathering: On Saturday, Feb. 8, the Appalachian Heritage Council at Appalachian State University will host the fifth annual Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention and Luthiers Gathering at the Plemmons Student Union. This annual event lasts all day beginning at 10 a.m. and will include competitions, contests, concerts, workshops and more for fiddling fanatics and music lovers of all ages. For the entire article on this event, click here

Book Signing: Join author Melissa Halsey Caudill for a book signing for the newly-published Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. She will discuss her story: ‘Uncomfortable’ and sign copies of the bok in the meeting room of the Watauga County Public Library. For more information or special accommodations, please call the library at 828-264-8784 or visit www.wataugacountylibrary.com. 

Contra Dance: The Boone Country Dancers will host a contra dance on Feb. 8 at the Old Cove Creek School gym in Sugar Grove. A new dancers workshop will begin at 7:30 p.m. New dancers are always welcome and participants don’t have to bring a partner. The dance will run from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Concert at the Ashe Arts Center: When Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth take the stage together things begin to happen!! Join us for musical magic with traditional old time music from the mountains of North Carolina at the Ashe Arts Center on Saturday, February 8 at 7:3 0pm. Tickets are $12 adults and $5 students and are available over the phone with a credit card. Call 336-846-2787 for more information.

Free Tax Assistance at Library: The Watauga County Public Library is proud to participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (V.I.T.A.) program. V.I.T.A. is an I.R.S. grant supported initiative which offers free income tax help to people making $52,000 a year or less. All volunteer tax preparers are certified and have received training to prepare basic tax returns. By appointment only. 

Sunday, Feb. 9

Baha’i Devotional Meeting: There will be a Baha’i devotional meeting from 10 a.m. until noon on Sunday, Feb. 9 in Stony Fork. The theme of the meeting will be “God has created all and all return to God.” Prayers will be followed by a study on the nature of life after death. All are welcome. For more information and directions call 268-2191. 

ASU Faculty Performance: Scott Kallestad is the featured musician Feb. 9 during the Hayes School of Music’s Faculty Performance Series at Appalachian State University. The program begins at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall. Admission to the event is free. Kallestad, who plays alto saxophone, will be joined by Bair Shagdaron, piano; Nancy Schneeloch-Bingham, flute; Andrea Cheeseman, clarinet and Todd WRight, alto saxophone. The diverse program begins with “Suite pour saxophone solo” by François Daneels. Also on the program is “Elegie et Rondeau”by Karel Husa, “Aeolian Song” by Warren Benson, “Mai” by Ryo Noda, “American Counterpoint” by David Gillingham, “Bop Duets” by “Bugs” Bower and “Escapades” by John Williams from the film “Catch Me If You Can. 

Winter Tree Identification Hike: Grandfather Mountain State Park will offer a free winter tree identification hike at 2 p.m. Feb. 9. Meet at the Profile Trail parking lot, located off N.C. 105 South, one-fourth mile north of the N.C. 184 intersection. Participants will learn how to identify local trees without the aid of leaves by learning differences in bark, limb, bud and branching patterns.

Elk Knob Winter Hike: Elk Knob State Park will offer a free winter hike on Feb. 9. Dress appropriately for the weather. Meet at the summit trailhead at 2 p.m.