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Weekend Roundup: Things to Do This Weekend in the High Country; Check ‘em Out, Make Plans Feb. 14-16

by Madison V. Fisler

Feb. 14, 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.

The Vagina Monologues: This week, Appalachian State University and Lees-McRae College will both host performances of The Vagina Monologues in celebration of V-Day. For more information on these events, click here

The Great Backyard Bird Count: Bird watchers from more than 100 countries are expected to participate in the 17th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) from Feb. 14-17. Anyone anywhere in the world can count birds for at least 15 minutes one one or more days of the count and enter their sightings at www.birdcount.org. For more information, click here

Friday, Feb. 14

Valentine’s Dinners: Check out our listing of Valentine’s Day happenings here

Valentine’s Day Fireworks at Appalachian Ski Mtn: Appalachian Ski Mtn will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special fireworks celebration on Feb. 14. at midnight. Enjoy the region’s only late-night skiing and snowboarding resort.The resort will also host a special Valentine’s Day Ice Skating session from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Valentine’s Day Dinner Theatre: The annual Valentine’s Day Dinner Theater hosted by The Department of Student Programs and Appalachian Food Services has sold out for this Friday. The dinner and a show event will feature the Appalachian Musical Theater Ensemble in an entertaining “miscast” production of unlikely love song choices.  Fore more information about this event, click here

Saturday, Feb. 15

Blowing Rock Valentine’s Rocks: Come sip, shop, eat and gather with friends and neighbors and celebrate Valentine’s Day with your favorite local merchants with Valentine’s Rocks in Blowing Rock. Enjoy special offers, one day sales and giveaways to kick off the spring season. Stores will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15 and the party will last all day long. For more information on this event, click here

Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute Presentation: The Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute is part of Lees-McRae College that opened last April for students, faculty and animals in the program. With the landscaping and finishing touches going on at the Center now, college officials, faculty and students are ready to show off the new facility along the banks of the Elk River to alumni, friends and the community. The Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute

Pancake Breakfast: Parkway Elementary’s eighth-grade class will be holding a pancake breakfast from 7:30-11 am. Feb. 15 at The Rock in Boone. Cost per plate is $5 and includes pancakes with a choice of bacon or sausage and a beverage. All proceeds go to funding the eighth-grade trip.

Hickory Jazz Orchestra Dinner: Treat your sweetheart to dinner, a show and dancing on the Civic Center stage during Hickory Jazz Orchestra’s signature Dinner, Dance & Romance event. You’ll fall in love all over again to the sounds of swing and big band classics from the full size 18-piece jazz orchestra. HJO is the Piedmont’s premiere jazz music and big band entertainment group reviving the classics from the era of Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Duke Ellington as well as the sounds of modern big bands. Come experience a night of great music, great food and dancing on the stage!

Program at Elk Knob State Park: Elk Knob State Park will host a free winter observation hike on Feb. 15. Be prepared to use your senses and see things that most people overlook Meet at the trailhead parking lot at 2 p.m.

Extended Hours at the Post Office: The U.S. Postal Service, Greensboro District announces the opening or extending of Saturday retail hours for 40 select Post Offices throughout the northern half of the state on Saturday, Feb. 15, the Saturday of President’s Day Weekend. The offices listed will open doors on Feb. 15 at normal weekday opening time until 3 p.m. The extended hours are designed to enhance customer service on weekends of major holidays, when the offices are closed the following Monday. The list of offices with extended hours includes Boone, North Wilkesboro and Hickory. 

ASU Glee Club 50th Anniversary Concert: Celebrate 50 years of song with the Appalachian State University Glee Club Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. in the Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. Dr. Phillip Paul, professor emeritus from the Hayes School of Music faculty and Glee Club Founder, and Dr. Clinton Parker, professor emeritus and former Glee Club director will direct current and former Glee Club members. The singers will be accompanied by Joby Bell, Kimberly Franklin, Ann Miles and Lisa Runner. The program will be selected from the following: “Sweet Love Doth Now Invite,” “Behold Man,” “Salvation is Created,” “What Kind of Peace,” “Last Words of David,” “When I Fall in Love,” “Soon I Will Be Done,” and “Brother Sing On.”

Sunday, Feb. 16

Program at Mt. Jefferson State Park: Mount Jefferson State Natural Ashe in Ashe County will offer a free nature hike at 2 p.m. Feb. 16. Meet at Mount Jefferson Picnic Shelter to begin a nature hike to Luther Rock. On the way, some aspects of Mount Jefferson will be discussed, such as basic geology of Mount Jefferson, some plant identification, along with others.

Ten Essentials to Day Hiking: Meet a Ranger at the Profile Parking Area and learn about the classic ten essential items of backpacking, the Grandfather Mountain ten essentials and see examples of the types of equipment that hikers should be taking with them. The program will last 30-45 minutes and will be outside. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather. 

Baha’i Devotional Meeting: There will be a Baha’i devotional meeting from 10 a.m. until noon in Stony Fork on Sunday, Feb. 16. The theme of the devotional will be “the nature of the soul and its existence after death.” All are welcome. For more information and directions call 828-268-2191.