by Madison V. Fisler
April 18, 2014. 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 of Noah, click here.
Grandfather Mountain Dollar Days: All those who work or live in Mitchell, Avery, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany or Wilkes Counties along with guests traveling in the same vehicle can visit Grandfather Mountain for only $3 during April with proof of local employment or residency.
Friday, April 18
Good Friday Events at Boone UMC: The Stations of the Cross will be on exhibit in the sanctuary room from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. All sojourners are welcome to read about and travel a short pictoral journey depicting Christ’s last earthly days and his resurrection. A worship service will begin at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary with reflections on Christ’s last seven words. Speakers include Keith Tutterow, Tyler Godshalk, Tyler Godshalk, Brandon Wrencher, Alexis Martinez, JB Beyer, Gene Ammons and Price St. Clair.
Spring Wildflower Hike: The popular weekly spring wildflower hikes in Grandfather Mountain State Park are back! Hopefully spring will be along soon. Park Rangers Sue McBean and Luke Appling are ready to get out on the trails and start leading excursions to see what is blooming.
Free Concert a Honey Bear Campground: Come see the upcoming band Armadillo Cargo at Honey Bear Campground’s Good Friday concert! Free and open to the public.
Lion’s Club Dance: Friday Night Chilhowie Lions Club Dance – For a great time, fellowship and clean family fun, come listen and/or dance to the music of a different band every Friday night
Saturday, April 19
Breakfast at the Post: The Watauga American Legion Post #130 will host the Country Breakfast at the Post on Saturday, April 19 from 7-10 a.m. Cost is $8 per person for an all-you-can-eat country breakfast with menu items including country ham, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits and gravy, hash browns, grits, cooked apples and fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee, regular and buckwheat pancakes and take out is available. The breakfast is open to the public and supports local veterans and veteran programs. The post is located at 135 Junaluska Trail in Boone.
Volunteer Trail Work Day: Warmer weather has finally returned along with the Volunteer Trail Work Days at Elk Knob State Park. Every Saturday beginning April 5 and running through the middle of November (except June 28 and September 13), staff and volunteers will meet at the Summit Trailhead at 9 am and work until approximately 3:30 pm, 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.
Easter Egg Hunt at Crosspoint Church: BIG Easter Egg hunt for the community at Crosspoint Church, Saturday April 19th from 10 to 11am. It is for children toddler to 4th grade. There will be an area for pre-K kids and an area for K to 4th grade. Coffee and bagels for the adults. Come out!
Tea Friendship Caravan at BHAC: Come join us for Panther Moon Tea’s Friendship Caravan. Sumitra from Panther Moon will perform the traditional Chinese Gongfu style tea ceremony which is a casual social ritual that promotes relaxation and openness, while enjoying the subtle nuances of luxury, hand-crafted teas.
Wordkeepers at Ashe Arts Council: Come on out for Wordkeepers in beautiful downtown West Jefferson for an evening of poetry, short stories, music and prose by local writers. Hear some always great original prose and poetry from local/regional writers. It’s free. We have refreshments (including wine!) and feature original music at 3 p.m. and readings at 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 20
The Harvest House Church, located at 247 Boone Heights Drive in Boone will start their services at 10:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday. The weekly Sunday Morning Worship Service is every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue located at 247 Boone Heights Drive between Goodwill and Boone Bowl.
St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church will hold mass on Sunday at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Easter lilies will also be commemorated in memory of those passed. St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church is located at 259 Pilgrim’s Way in Boone.
The First Presbyterian Church of Boone will host “A Grave Robbing God: An Easter Message” this Sunday in Celebration of Easter. The church will celebrate the resurrection or Jesus Christ at 8:45 and 11 a.m. The church is located at 131 Big Valley St. in Boone.
The Boone United Methodist Church will host a family Easter Celebration on Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m. Sunday worship times are 8:45, 10:55 and 11 a.m. Boone United Methodist Church is located 471 New Market Blvd. in Boone.
Alliance Bible Fellowship will host Sunday worship services at 8:15, 9:45 and 11:15 a.m. Alliance Bible Fellowship is located at 1035 N.C. 105 Bypass in Boone.
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church will host Easter Sunday services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. with with an Easter Breakfast at 9:30 a.m. A children’s flower cross program will be held at 10 a.m. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 115 East King St. in Boone.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Boone will host Easter Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. followed by a potluck brunch and Easter egg hunt. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is located at 170 Council St. in Boone.
The First Baptist Church of Blowing Rock, located at 350 Sunset Dr. in Blowing Rock will host a 6 a.m. Easter sunrise service hosted by Rumple Presbyterian.
Sunrise Service at Honey Bear Campground: Pastor Jason English from The Heart in Boone will be delivering a sunrise service on Easter morning.
Elk Knob Trout Lily Hike: Come hike to see and learn about our swaths of trout lilies, a nice beginning to spring. Meet at the trailhead parking lot at 2 p.m.
Spring Wildflower Hike: The popular weekly spring wildflower hikes in Grandfather Mountain State Park are back! Hopefully spring will be along soon. The rich, humid coves of the lower Profile Trail will soon be lush with with herbaceous spring wildflowers and each week provides new blooms, buds or emerging leaves to discover. Park Ranges Sue McBean and Luke Appling are ready to get out on the trails and start leading excursions to see what is blooming.