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Tourism

Town of Boone Awarded the Accessible Parks Grant; Will Go to Rivers House Project

September 3, 2024 The Town of Boone was recently awarded $250,000 from the Accessible Parks Grant Program through the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation.. With this award, the Town will renovate the detached garage of the Rivers House into publicly accessible ADA-compliant restrooms. The Town has also committed $50,000 of local funds toward this project. The Rivers House and the Rivers House Park, located at 150 Clay House Drive, were willed to the Town of Boone by Ms. Rachel Rivers-Coffey, a prominent member of the Boone Community.

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Explore Boone Unveils Upgrades to Beloved Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park; Grand Re-Opening and Ribbon Cutting Sept. 21

August 27, 2024 The Watauga County Tourism Development Authority (Explore Boone) is thrilled to announce the completion of upgrades to Rocky Knob, a 185-acre mountain biking park home to roughly 10 miles of trails for all experience levels alongside other amenities. Enhancements include a new observation deck, refreshed branding, additional parking and state-of-the-art additions to the pump track, which reopened to the public on August 9, 2024.

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The 34th Annual Blue Ridge Brutal Bike Ride Will Be Held in Ashe County on Saturday, August 17

August 13, 2024 The 34th annual Blue Ridge Brutal Bike Ride will be held in Ashe County on Saturday, August 17, 2024. Hosted by the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, the ride offers 25-, 50-, 70-, and 100-mile routes, each including scenic stretches, elevation changes, and stunning long-range views throughout Ashe. After completing one’s chosen course, riders may elect to take on the Assault on Mount Jefferson. Its 1,476-foot elevation gain within 3.4 miles makes for an unforgettable ending to an already memorable ride. In recent years, each Brutal ride has had approximately 400 participants, most of whom were visitors to the High Country

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America’s Favorite Cowboys “Riders In The Sky” are Coming to Tweetsie Railroad August 10 & 11

July 31, 2024 Once again, Tweetsie Railroad is hosting Grammy Award-winning Riders In The Sky (a.k.a “America’s Favorite Cowboys”) for a weekend of Western music and comedy performances, August 10 and 11. “This is one music performance you don’t want to miss,” said Cathy Robbins of Tweetsie Railroad. “Riders In The Sky are very talented musicians. They bring lots of energy, laughs, and their spirit is infectious.”

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Blue Ridge Conservancy and Watauga County Officially Open Valle Crucis River Access

July 29, 2024 “On Friday, Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) and partners officially opened the Watauga River Access on 194 in Valle Crucis. BRC staff were joined by officials from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Watauga Tourism Development Authority (TDA), MaryAnn Mueller and Diana Travis, who gifted the majority of the land for the access point, and supporters of the project. This beautiful spot, including 1,300 feet of river frontage located in between the Valle Crucis Community Park and the Watauga Gorge Park, provides parking and recreational opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, tubing, and fishing.

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Highland Games Set to Return to Grandfather Mountain’s MacRae Meadows July 11 – July 14

July 3, 2024 The long and storied tradition that is the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games returns to MacRae Meadows on Thursday, July 11, continuing through Sunday, July 14. This marks the 68th year for the beloved and historic celebration of Scottish ancestry and heritage, with the popular festival once again bringing a “wee bit o’ Scotland” to the High Country of North Carolina. Throughout the weekend of events, guests can take in the awe-inspiring spectacle of traditional Scottish athletic competitions, which includes Scottish heavy athletics, track and field competitions, Highland wrestling and more.

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Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Hosts the Annual June Jamboree, Sat. June 15

June 6, 2024 On Saturday, June 15, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) welcomes the public to explore conserved land in the Highlands of Roan during a day of FREE, guided hikes. SAHC will host its annual June Jamboree event at a variety of locations in the Roaring Creek area; these SAHC preserves are only accessible with a guide. “The June Jamboree showcases SAHC’s conservation work across the Highlands of Roan and helps people get outside to enjoy beautiful, protected places so that they can connect with nature,” explains Cheryl Fowler, SAHC’s membership director. “For years, this event has been a favorite for SAHC members and folks new to the organization alike. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the Highlands of Roan, and to be able to see, hear, and feel the direct benefits of conservation in the community.”

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Watauga County Public Library Presents: What’s In a Name? Park Ranger Olivia Burke on the Creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway on April 11

April 8, 2024 Olivia Burke, Lead Park Ranger for the Highlands District of the Blue Ridge Parkway, returns to the Watauga County Public Library on Thursday, April 11 at 5:30 PM to discuss the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the context of the larger history of the National Park Service. Come on over to the library to learn about how National Parks came to be, how they’re managed, and where the Blue Ridge Parkway fits into the mix. Ranger Olivia will also dive into how the Parkway was planned and constructed. Light refreshments will be served.

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Blue Ridge Parkway Specialty License Plate Sales Top $570,000 in 2023 to Help the Roadway

March 15, 2024 North Carolina drivers raised $574,461 to enhance the Blue Ridge Parkway by purchasing or renewing the national park specialty license plate in 2023. It is the largest amount raised for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s work through the tag program in more than a decade. The specialty plate fee is $30, of which $20 helps fund key improvements along the Parkway, including repairs at trails, campgrounds, and picnic areas. Proceeds also support projects such as wildlife studies, historic preservation, and educational programs

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Blowing Rock TDA Partners with Black Folks Camp Too to Promote More Unity and Inclusion

March 15, 2024 Blowing Rock, North Carolina is known for its beautiful natural setting and exciting outdoor recreation opportunities. Through a new partnership with Black Folks Camp Too (BFCT), the Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority (BRTDA) aims to promote more unity and inclusion in those outdoor spaces and activities. Black Folks Camp Too was created not only to inspire more Black folks to explore the outdoor lifestyle and industry,but to bring awareness to the reasons why more Black folks have not been participating in the outdoors, what the current industry can do to help create more Unity, and why they should.

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Just Released New Video Spotlights Village of Sugar Mountain Summer Stays

March 14, 2024 A new summer promotional video created by the Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority in conjunction with Visit North Carolina has been released just in time for family vacation planning. The video creation began with three days of shooting in July 2023. It will be utilized by both local and state tourism agencies. The 2.5-minute video is also available for all local tourism-related businesses to embed on their websites and share on social media to assist with their marketing efforts.

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Blowing Rock WinterFest Brings Winter Fun January 25 – 28; Run Down of Events Here

January 25, 2024 The 26th Blowing Rock WinterFest event istarts today, featuring a calendar full of seasonal activities. From Thursday, January 25 through Sunday, January 28, everyone is encouraged to join in the celebration. Don’t hibernate- celebrate! “Blowing Rock WinterFest offers unique opportunities to come out and celebrate this exciting season,” says event coordinator, John Goheen. “Of all our events, I think this festival really showcases our town’s hospitality and fun-loving spirit!”

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All Aboard! History of a Beloved Train

September 20, 2023 I remember when the only way a person could get to Boone was to be born there.” These words of a homespun philosophy were credited to an anonymous speaker at a railroad convention over a century distant, although the quote is debatable among avid railfans who enjoy fond remembrances. “Hear that train a’commin through the valleys and up the mountain side?” Locals and visitors to the High Country of Western North Carolina have been able to answer in the affirmative since 1957, when the Tweetsie Railroad amusement park opened between Boone and Blowing Rock, and its high pitched horn signaled a limited 30-minute ride through the park. By Peter Morris

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Behind the Scenes at Lazy Bear Lodge

May 1, 2023 “It’s the little things that make a difference,” said Marsha Speer, innkeeper with her husband John at Lazy Bear Lodge Bed and Breakfast near Valle Crucis. By Jan Todd

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Ski Season Begins Today at North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Ski Resort!

November 14, 2022 SUGAR MOUNTAIN – Ski season begins today at North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Ski Resort. After Hurricane Nicole ferociously blew through the North Carolina mountains this past weekend, temperatures plummeted, and Sugar’s snowmaking machines began churning water and air into snow. Today, eight to twenty-two inches of man-made powder and frozen granular snow coat five of Sugar’s twenty trails.

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Grandfather Mountain to Celebrate 70th Anniversary of Mile High Swinging Bridge

August 24, 2022 On Friday, Sept. 2, the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will reach a major milestone. One of the most iconic destinations in North Carolina will be turning 70 years old, and the park is throwing a celebration with a mile-high slate of activities.

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Today’s Email Announcements

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

  • Mayland Community College Courses
  • Public Water and Sewer System Development Fee Act
  • Grandfather Mountain State Park 2018 Annual Wildflower Walks Free and Open to the Public
  • Public Comment Period on Proposal to Move Confederate Monuments to Close, 4/12
  • Mayland Community College Plant Swap, 4/28
  • Announcing: The First Ever Fundraising Event For Spirit Ride, 5/5
  • Watauga County Public Library, Author Visit Program: “Kirk’s Raiders”, 4/19
  • JAM Day Planned at Blue Ridge Music Center, 5/19
  • Ashe County Marathon Jam, 5/19
  • Caldwell Arts Council Call for Artists for “Art Around Caldwell Studio Tour” to be Held 6/23

Compiled by Kate Herman

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Today’s Email Announcements

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

  • Writers Advocate to Speak in Boone, 3/31
  • Get a Taste of Technical Theatre with Wilkes Playmakers: Backstage Courses Series, March-May
  • Appalachian Gastroenterology Will Join Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, April 1
  • Boone Area Lions Hold Country Breakfast, 4/7
  • High Country Writers Guest Speaker, April 12
  • Day Trips With Watauga County Parks and Rec, April 18-May 25
  • Men’s Senior Softball League Signup, June- September
  • Caldwell County – Call For Artists – Caldwell Visual Artists Competition, Submission Deadline Mid June

Compiled by Kate Herman

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Black Mountain College Semester 2018 at Appalachian — March events

Feb. 26, 2018. Black Mountain College was structured differently than most educational institutions at the time. In 1933, it was founded out of a desire for a more progressive education through the use of art, hands-on learning, close student-faculty interaction and critical thought. As an early example of a liberal arts college, this model has since spread throughout the U.S. and is used at Appalachian State University today.

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The Winterfest 2018 Series: Everything You Need to Know About Winterfest Jan. 25- Jan. 28

https://www.hcpress.com/boone/winterfest-2018-series-everything-need-know-winterfest-jan-25-jan-28.html
Jan. 12, 2018. It’s that time of year again- Winterfest is right around the corner! Blowing Rock’s Annual Winterfest will be held on Thursday Jan. 25 through Sunday Jan. 28. Winterfest 2018 is unique to years in the past due to new additions including Ice Skating in Memorial Park and an improved format of Winterfeast. Winterfest offers a plethora of shopping opportunities, wine tastings, dining opportunities, winter athletics, and musical opportunities for all to enjoy.   Complied by Kate Herman – Photos by The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce

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