NC Haunted Places

Dillsboro Holiday Inn Express rates from $89!

The Dillsboro Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites is nestled in the mountains of WNC. This beautiful newer hotel is pet and green friendly with discounts for both AAA and AARP.  Enjoy a complimentary full breakfast, an indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, and easy access WIFI. Rates from $89 per night! 

6th Annual Western North Carolina Pottery Festival in Dillsboro

Nov 6 in beautiful Downtown Dillsboro NC - The 6th annual Western North Carolina Pottery Festival is a juried festival showcasing more than 40 master potters including a variety of demonstrations. Potters from across the Southeast and Eastern United States join together for this juried one-day event allowing clay artists to share their knowledge through hands-on demonstrations, including: raku-firing, throwing, wood-firing and horsehair firing. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm, rain or shine. Admission is $3 per person and includes a ticket for a day-long raffle. Kids under 12 admitted free!

Fall Leaf Color Dominated by Yellows and Oranges

Fall Leaf Color Report for October 28: Sugar maples  are dominating much of the landscape now, with their bright yellow which can meld into an intense orange-red in high light. You can still see red from the long persisting sourwoods and red maples, along with winged and common sumacs  in the lower strata along the roadways.


At lower elevations, you might also find the occasional sweetgum tree, which can turn a myriad of colors, from orange to red to purple, sometimes all on one tree! Other trees that are showing nicely now include the mockernut and bitternut hickories, striped maples, yellow and black birches  and some Fraser magnolias , all of which are predominantly yellow. Burning bushes are prominently planted all around the area and are reaching their peak bright red color this week.

A fall delight now making its appearance in the Boone NC area, and soon to spread southward along the mountain chain, is witch hazel . The leaves of this common shrub turn yellow, but the most amazing feature is the yellow and fragrant spidery flowers, which are in full bloom right now. The hickories, beeches, birches are bright yellow now.

The Asheville metro area is predicted to peak this week and persist into the coming weekend. James Costa, Director of the Highlands Biological Station, reports that the maples, sourwoods, sumacs and oaks are all peaking this week in that area, although there are spots on higher slopes that have lost many leaves already.

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park colors are at or slightly past peak at mid-elevation, however, this year there are still a number of green leaves mixed in with fully-colored and falling leaves at mid-elevation. At low elevation, many areas are at peak and there are still a number trees with green leaves.

Weekend Getaway Retreat in Brevard

BRADLEY CREEK LODGE AND VACATION RENTALS  is a mountaintop retreat in Brevard NC with 2 bedroom 2 bath lodge suites or a 2 bedroom guest cottage. Waterfalls, fire pit, gazebo, stone Celtic meditation area, large observation deck, porches, game rm, conference area. $140 per night, $840 week.

14th Annual Old Time Music Competition in Brevard

Oct 30   Heart of Brevard 14th Annual Old Time Music Competition   The competition begins at 10:30 am at the Courthouse Gazebo and ends with the Old Time String Band Competition from 8:00pm-10:00pm. Musicians can compete in several categories: Junior Fiddle, Folk Song, Lap Dulcimer, Old Time Banjo, Old Time Fiddle, Mandolin, Guitar, and Old Time String Band. Come and support! Come listen. Come play.

Halloween Event: Downtown BOO! in Boone

Oct 29   BOONE   Downtown BOO!  Downtown merchants, Watauga Arts Council at the Jones House and Watauga County Library all participate in welcoming young trick-or-treaters to downtown Boone's celebration of Halloween. The library (on Queen St.) begins the program at 4pm with arts and crafts, sing-alongs and ghost stories. Then all the Ghouls and Goblins parade to the Haunted Jones House on King St. for refreshments before trick-or-treating begins! Merchants will be giving out candy until 6:30pm.

Last Weekend for the Ashe County Corn Maze

Visit Mountain Advantage Tree & Landscaping in Crumpler for a day of fun in the corn maze with games and prizes.  Find your way through the Corn Maze, play the games to win prizes or just jump, jump, jump in our Castle Jumpers  (there us a smaller hay bale maze and playground for the little ones).   Open Thursday-Sunday until Oct. 31st. $7/person. Visit their Website for details and directions, www.ashecountycornmaze.com.

Halloween Event: Trick or Trail at Lake James State Park

On Oct 29 Old fashioned Halloween spirit is alive and well at Lake James State Park with campfire stories of local legends, face-painting, treats, and a short night hike on one of the trails. The Trick or Trail fun begins in the campground parking lot at 6:30 p.m. and continues in the outdoor amphitheater along the Lake Channel Overlook Trail. Register by calling the park office at 828-652-5047. Lake James State Park is located in Nebo, NC - near Marion.

MoogFest this Weekend in Asheville

October 29-31 MoogFest celebrates the legacy of electronic music pioneer Robert Moog by featuring innovative acts whose music has been influenced by his inventions. The lineup includes Girl Talk, Panda Bear of Animal Collective, Jónsi of Sigur Rós, Big Boi from Outkast, RJD2, Dan Deacon, Devo, and Massive Attack.

In addition to the concerts, a ticket gives festivalgoers access to art exhibits, installations, and films. Attendees can participate in workshops and artist panel discussions. Performances will take place at the Asheville Civic Center, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, and The Orange Peel. After parties will keep the music going, and costumes are encouraged.

See Asheville's Ghosts, Goblins and Ghoulies on Tours, Crawls and Walks...if you dare!

October 1 - 31   experience a 75 minute fully narrated 75 minute tour, the  Haunted History & Murder Mystery Trolley Tour.  Sit back (if you dare) as we illuminate Asheville's dark side with astonishing stories of spirits & spies, ghosts & goblins, hauntings & hoodlums and mountain-made murder & mayhem.

October 1 - Nov 30   Asheville's Historic Trolley Tours offer their annual  Historic Trolley Ghost Tour.  Relax on the trolley as you weave and twist through the oldest, and most haunted, mountains to visit the chilling sites of Asheville. Spend 60-90 minutes absorbed in the darkest clouds of the "Land of the Sky".

October 13 - 31   take a 90 minute  Walking Ghost Tour  through downtown Asheville. Vsit the locations of some of the most famous haunts in Western North Carolina. The tour was designed by paranormal investigators who have been featured on National Geographic Channel. Be sure to bring your camera!

Oct 13 - 31   find lots of Spirits on the Haunted Pub Crawl. Enjoy drink specials at actual haunted bars and end the night dancing at a Haunted House! There’s no better, spookier, more entertaining, more authentic way to experience Asheville.

October 15 - 31  the always entertaining  LaZooms Haunted Comedy Tour   is an horrific and hysterical exploration through Asheville's dark and sordid past. Your tour guide Lando Sky has will uncover mysteries, tell tales of murder, deceit, scandals and ghosts.

Gourmet Community Feast and Fest in Polk County

Oct 23 in MILL SPRING NC the Farm to Fork Supper is a true fest under the giant magnolia on the front lawn of the Ag Center. Dine by candlelight. Local farms, culinary-trained chefs and BBQ-contest champions will prepare a gourmet, buffet style community feast using local ingredients. Live music, an on-going auction, inFARMation stations, and a 50/50 raffle provide the entertainment. It is an experience not to be missed!

Enjoy your outdoor dinner by candlelight in the beautiful setting of the Mill Spring Ag Center’s front lawn in Mill Spring, NC. The building is the former Mill Spring School, est. 1928 and the evening and its’ guests will give you a sneak peek into the past 100 years of farming and rural culture in Polk County.

Fall Leaf Report Weekly Update

October 20 Fall Color Report: Color is believed to be peaking in the Boon Area and throughout the "high Country". The major change from last weekend to this one has been the continued coloration by the maples and the beginning of coloration by the red, scarlet, pin and black oaks

Between Asheville and Highlands colors arrived early this year at the higher elevations and may peak at about the same time as in Boone, which is somewhat unusual. At lower elevations, colors should peak this week and be good through the next 2 weekends,  including the Lake Lure/Chimney Rock.

In the Great Smoky Mountain National Park colors are slightly past peak in the highest elevations (above 4,000') of the park. Colors are near peak in many mid-elevation areas of the park, however, this year there are still a number of green leaves mixed in with fully-colored and falling leaves at mid-elevation.

At low elevation, pockets of vivid color have developed, with a number trees still with green leaves. Many of the trees along the roadsides such as Little River Road are at peak, while the mountainsides above the road are still rather green. Leaf colors on the North Carolina side of the park are further along than those on the Tennessee side. Get more details...

Fall Leaf Season Event" Asheville Hosts Fall Harvest Days

Oct 21-23   Come to Asheville NC for the Fall Harvest Days-Antique Engine & Tractor Show   The largest show in Western North Carolina featuring crafters, demonstrations, farm tools, antique engines, antique tractor pulls & swap meet. Sponsored by the Apple Country Antique Engine & Tractor Association.

Photography Workshop at Chimney Rock Park

Oct 23 - 24   Chimney Rock Park offers the  Shutterbugs Nature Photography Workshop   The Park is the perfect backdrop for capturing amazing photographs. Take advantage of this information-packed 2-day clinic with noted WNC photographer Jeff Miller. Jeff’s photography has been featured in many regional, state and national publications.

Brevard Lodge Vacation Rentals has October Availability

BRADLEY CREEK LODGE AND VACATION RENTALS  A mountaintop retreat in Brevard NC with 2 bd 2 bath lodge suites or 2 bd guest cottage. Waterfalls, fire pit, gazebo, stone Celtic meditation area, large observation deck, porches, game room, conference area. $140 night, $840 week. See the fall color during peak leaf season -  Availability in October!

NC Fall Event: The Legend of Tommy Hodges at The Cradle of Forestry

Oct 22 - 23 in Brevard NC The Cradle of Forestry Presents: "The Legend of Tommy Hodges".  It was Halloween night in 1906 when one of the students from the Biltmore Forest School, the fictitious Tommy Hodges, disappeared. The Cradle of Forestry will present this outdoor drama about the first forestry school in America. The audience will walk one mile along the trail to see the entire play, so audience members are asked to dress warm, wear walking shoes and bring a flashlight. This is a rain or shine event!

Chimney Rock Park Fall Color and Events

Fall is a special time of the year at Chimney Rock Park. Beautiful autumn color is spreading down the mountainside, highlighting cool temperatures and fun events. Check out the weekly fall color report, complete with images. And for even more color some fall wildflowers are blooming including turtlehead, aster and wood sorrel.  

October 23 at 9 AM Chimney Rock hosts Pardee Hospital's 2nd Hike to Health. Hikers have the option to choose their skill level from three of the Park's trails: the Great Woodland Adventure, the Hickory Nut Falls trail or the Four Seasons trail. Registration for Hike to Health is now open. Interested participants can register by calling 866-790-WELL (9355). Registration is $15 per hiker, with no charge for children age 10 and under

October 23 -24  join the Shutterbugs Nature Photography Workshop with noted WNC photographer Jeff Miller. This information-packed weekend includes plenty of field time as well as classroom instruction. Space is limited, so sign up today. If you've visited the Park this year and taken pictures (and pretty much everybody does), you may enter the Annual Photo Contest by using an online submission form, so send in your pictures. The Grand Prize winner will receive a weekend getaway to Hickory Nut Gorge including two nights at the historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn and Spa.

Peak Leaf Season Cabins Available in the Asheville Area

Carolina Mornings in Asheville NC offers cabins and luxury vacation rentals with mountain and waterviews, fireplaces, hot tubs, WIFI and more. Browse an exceptional selection, 70+ of the finest vacation home rentals in the Asheville NC area from a Smoky Mountain Log cabin to a Biltmore luxury condo. Availability for October and last minute Specials on select vacation cabin rentals!

Fall Leaf Color News: Stay at a Mountain Golf Resort from $79!

Enjoy the October Leaf Season at great rates in the Smoky Mountains, when you stay at The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa. Guests can relax in the casual mountain atmosphere, while playing a round of golf on one of our championship courses, indulging in fresh local cuisine, or soothing their body and mind with one of the many spa services. 

"October in the Smokies" rates from $79* per night

*The $79 rate is available most Sunday – Thursday evenings and is based on availability. This offer cannot be used with any other discounts or offers and is valid for new reservations only.

"Escape to the Mountains" rates from $119* includes $50 resort card for golf, dining etc.

The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa invites you to envelope yourself in the Western North Carolina Mountains as the leaves transition from red to gold. The Escape to the Mountains package combines fantastic dining, golfing, and spa services, all while staying in a beautifully appointed guest room, perfect for any fall retreat. This package features:

• Accommodations for one night
• Complimentary room upgrade upon check-in
• $50 resort credit to be used for golf, pro shop, dining, or spa
• Complimentary hot "High Country" breakfast buffet for two

*The $119 rate is available most Sunday – Thursday evenings and is based on availability. Guest receive only one $50 resort credit per stay, which is given in the form of a gift card. Room upgrades are based on availability. This offer cannot be used with any other discounts or offers and is valid for new reservations only.

The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa

NC Mountain Events this Weekend

This weekend in the NC Mountains is the beginning of the "peak" of fall color. For the next two to three week color will be visible in all it variety throughout the mountain areas. Get current details for the fall color in the Great Smoky Mountains or a general overview of leaf changes throughout Western North Carolina. What a wonderful backdrop for this weekend's events:

15 VALLE CRUCIS Valle Country Fair
15 BREVARD Discovery at Dusk - A Guided Canoe Trip
15-16 MAGGIE VALLEY Bluegrass Music Weekend Celebration
15-17 MAGGIE VALLEY 4th Annual Mountain Music Jamboree
15-17 CHEROKEE ATHS Big Rigs Show
15-17 FRANKLIN 21st Annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree
15 - 17 BRYSON CITY PeanutsTM - The Great Pumpkin Patch Express
15-17 FLAT ROCK Fall Harvest of Quilts
16 WAYNESVILLE 22nd Annual Apple Harvest Festival
16 ASHEVILLE Art in the Park
16 BLACK MOUNTAIN Fall by the Tracks
16 MAGGIE VALLEY NC Mountain Corvair Club Show
16 LITTLE SWITZERLAND The Blue Ridge Brass & Montreat Scottish Pipes and Drums
16 BRYSON CITY 20th Annual Bryson City Chili Cook-Off
16 - 17 TRYON 3rd Annual Tryon Arts & Crafts Fall Festival
16 - 17 BANNER ELK Woolly Worm Festival
16 - 17 SAPPHIRE VALLEY Sapphire Valley Arts & Crafts Festival
16-17 ASHEVILLE NC Chrysanthemum Society Annual Show
16-17 MAGGIE VALLEY Maggie Valley Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Festival
17 OLD FORT Classic Car Show
17 OLD FORT Informal Jam on the Porch

   
    

Robbinsville's Smoky Mountain Mansion Available for Weddings and Reunions

SMOKY MOUNTAIN MANSION in Robbinsville NC sleeps 18 to 20 and is the perfect venue for  Mountain Weddings and all types of Reunions. Amenities include an outside dining pavilion, fire pit, two jetted tubs, ping pong table, pool table, gas grills, formal garden and covered parking for motorcycles. There is a Chapel and outside ceremony areas. A Huge master suite along with a spacious living room, dining, and well equipped kitchen are interior features. $500 - $750 nt, $3000 - $3750 wk

Fall Color Event: Harvest Festival in Robbinsville

October 15-17 - Robbinsville hosts the Appalachian Harvest Festival and Antique Tractor Show   From an antique tractor show to a Civil War encampment, this event celebrates Appalachian history. Watch demonstrations in weaving, spinning, wood splitting, and open-fire cooking. Works by the Cherohala Quilters will be on display, along with other art and crafts. Dine on barbecue and apple dumplings. The Country Fair presents jam, cake, and pie baking contests. Live  Mountain music and gospel complement the weekend. The Event is located at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center, 121 Schoolhouse Rd.; Friday, 6-8 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m.; free on Friday & Sunday, $3 on Saturday.

20th Annual Bryson City Chili Cook-Off

October 16 from 10 AM - 3 PM come enjoy 20 years of HEATat the Annual Bryson City Chili Cook-off. The event is a traditional cook-off with prizes awarded in both professional and amateur classes, showmanship, and, of course, peoples choice! Between chili samples, enjoy the music or the many local arts and crafts. This event is a favorite year after year and held at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot in downtown Bryson City NC.

The RiverLink Bus Tour Open to the Public

October 21 The RiverLink Bus Tour departs from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce parking area . The public is invited to tour the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers with RiverLink and witness their magic firsthand.

This is an opportunity to see the improvements that have occurred and hear what is coming over the next several months and years to make our rivers better places to work, live and play. You will learn some local history and visit some streets and neighborhoods you have never seen before.

The tour is free for RiverLink members, non-members pay $15 per person. Lunch is not provided but you can bring your own. Reservations are required  online or call 828-252-8474 ext. 11.

33rd Annual Woolly Worm Festival

Oct 16 - 17  Come to the Wooly Worm Festival for a weekend of caterpillar races designed to choose the one brown & black stripped caterpillar that will be used to forecast the coming winter weather in a village nestled between two of the south's largest ski resorts. In addition to the Woolly Worm Races, the festival features crafts, food vendors, live entertainment and much more. Last year's festival attracted an estimated 20,000 fans, 140 vendors and around 1,000 race entrants. Banner Elk NC.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hosts Birds Of Prey Programs

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials invite the public to attend several special fall programs at the Mountain Farm Museum, adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, N.C., and the Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, Tenn., in October.

A Birds of Prey program will be conducted twice by naturalist Doris Mager.  The first program will be at the Mountain Farm Museum on Wednesday, October 13, from 11:00 a.m.-noon.  She will do another one at the Sugarlands Visitor Center on Saturday, October 16, from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Mager, also known as the "Eagle Lady", has been working with raptors for over 35 years. During the two programs, she will have four birds with her, including an American Kestrel, a Screech Owl, and a Great Horned Owl. The public will have an opportunity to "get up close and personal" with these fascinating creatures.  At age 84, Mager still travels the Eastern United States giving educational programs. She has cared for over 80 injured eagles and hundreds of other raptors, and has housed up to 36 birds of prey in her backyard at one time.  For more information contact the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at (828) 497-1904.

photo Courtesy of Sam Hobbs

Peak Leaf Availability - Last Week of October

It's not too late to visit the NC mountains during the peak of the fall color leaf season! A variety of cabin rentals and mountain inns are still available for weekdays, weekends or a full week during the last week in October:

October Special: $129 per night any night of the week! Available in October including projected Color Peak the weekend of the 23rd. Smoky Mountains cabin on 40 acres in Nantahala Forest. Sleeps  up to 6, views, on site hiking trails. Nearby rafting and trout fishing THE CABINS AT LONG BRANCH


Timber Frame Rentals are 2 luxury vacation rental homes  between Franklin and Highlands. The Pond House sleeps to 6 with views of the mountains, the Cottage sleeps to 10 and sits along a natural spring stream. Upscale furnishings. $200 -$325 nt, $1300 - $2100 wk. Perfect for couples! Available the last week in October.

Sylva Inn includes complimentary breakfast, cable, HBO and WIFI. Pet, smoker, green friendly with outdoor pool and meeting spaces. Discounts for AAA, AARP, State, Military, WCU parents. Call  828-586-3315 for details and reservations ( no website) -  rates are $49 - $89, weekly $289. Sylva NC - Availability in October

DANCING STONES LOG CABIN (1)  1800s restored mountain view log cabin with gas fireplace, AC, waterfall fountain, plenty of rocking chairs, cable TV/ DVD, full kitchen with microwave & coffee pot. Sleeping loft with 1 full-sized bed. Located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.$75 nt, $450wk.  Available October 25 - 31

HUMMINGBIRD REALTY, Ltd  has October availability for a variety of properties and dates. Check the site for details. 15+ vacation home rentals including waterfront, superb mountain views and natural mountain settings. Fantastic area to enjoy the best of the cool NC mountains - numerous waterfalls,  Brevard, Cashiers and Highlands. Rates from $100 per night, $600 per week.
Find more North Carolina getaways in October...

Andrews NC Apple Festival this weekend

This year's Andrews Apple Festival is October 9 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM in front of the mural on Main Street. You'll find Andrews Apple arts, apple crafts, apple foods, and a Fine Arts and Crafts Sale, arts demonstrations,  face painting, and more.  Also visit the Gallery Store on the mezzanine level of Valleytown Cultural Arts Center at 125 Chestnut Street for Art demonstrations by exhibiting artisans. Ribbons will be awarded to the best apple dessert. Bring your favorite to enter. The event is sponsored by the Valley River Arts Guild. 

27th Annual Church Street Arts and Crafts Show in the heart of the Smoky Mountains

October 9 attend the Church Street Arts & Crafts  as Main Street Waynesville NC is transformed into an art & craft marketplace for this one-day event, widely know as one of the finest juried art shows in the Smoky Mountains region. Live mountain music & clogging, entertainment, local & international foods. 10am-5pm. And it's FREE! Get a complete schedule online.

October in the Smokies from $79* per night - Golf Resort!

Enjoy the crisp fall air in the Great Smoky Mountains, when you stay at The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa. Guests can relax in the casual mountain atmosphere, while playing a round of golf on one of our championship courses, indulging in fresh local cuisine, or soothing their body and mind with one of the many spa services. 

 

*The $79 rate is available most Sunday – Thursday evenings and is based on availability. This offer cannot be used with any other discounts or offers and is valid for new reservations only.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fall Color Report for 10-7-2010

Fall Color Report - October 7, 2010. The mountains at low to mid elevation in the park are still predominantly green. The earliest trees such as dogwood and sourwood are turning red, but these are scattered amid an otherwise green forest. At high elevation, yellows and reds are showing, however, the tree species at high elevation are typically not as colorful as those at mid to low elevations. For a view of how fall colors are progressing, visit the park's Purchase Knob (high elevation) and Look Rock (middle elevation) webcams. Read more...

Tweetsie's Ghost Train Halloween Festival is a Freaky Good Time

October 1 - 31 the Ghost Train Halloween Festival  provides safe and spooktacular fun for the entire family. Voted as a top 20 event in the southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. Friday and Saturday nights only (park open for daytime Wildwest Adventure Friday-Sunday). New this year: The Freaky Forest! Advance tickets required, limited number of guests admitted nightly! Print-at-home tickets available on-line. Blowing Rock NC.

Smoky Mountain Cabins Available for October Leaf Peak

THE CABINS AT LONG BRANCH are secluded on 40 acres bordered by a trout stream. Enjoy the incredible fall leaf color of the NC mountains for a special discount rate of $129 per night. The cabins offer easy access and are only minutes to whitewater rafting, restaurants and shopping. Amenities include: stone gas log fireplace, outdoor grill, large porch with rockers, central H&A, locally crafted furnishings, full kitchen, W&D, flat screen satellite TV+DVD. Each cabin sleeps up to 6. Book NOW while there is still October availability!

Authentic Cherokee Log Cabin

DANCING STONES LOG CABIN  is an 1800s restored mountain view log cabin with gas fireplace, AC, waterfall fountain, plenty of rocking chairs, cable TV/ DVD, full kitchen with microwave & coffee pot. Sleeping loft with 1 full-sized bed. Located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.$75 per night, $450 per week

98th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair

Oct 5 - 9   CHEROKEE NC the Cherokee Indian Fair  celebration includes artwork, crafts, agricultural items, and traditional food items made by local artisans. Carnival rides and games, traditional Indian games and contests, and lots of fun!

For nearly 100 years, residents of and visitors to Western North Carolina have known this is the place to be in the first full week of October. The fair offers topnotch nightly musical entertainment, fireworks, a carnival midway full of rides and games, craft vendors, food vendors including some featuring traditional Cherokee food, and an exhibit hall displaying the Eastern Band enrolled members traditional and contemporary arts and crafts.

The fair began as a way for members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to showcase their arts and crafts and invite neighboring communities to the Qualla Boundary, the tribe's traditional homeland. The fair has grown since its early days, but its original focus remains - showcasing Cherokee's remarkable culture and heritage. This is a hugely popular event among Eastern Band members and a great opportunity for visitors to experience the fun, welcoming qualities of the Cherokee culture.

October Availability: $99 Fall Folliage Getaway at Lake Junaluska

$99 Fall Foliage Getaway September - November, 2010. Lake Junaluska is here to provide a place for you to relax and escape the everyday stresses of life. Don't miss out on spectacular mountain fall colors. Take advantage of our Fall Foliage Getaway packages starting at $99 for 2 nights up to four people. Take a solo retreat or bring the family, either way it's $99. Call 800-222-4930 to reserve your spot today!   www.lakejunaluska.com/fall

Leaf Report Update

October 1 Update for Fall Leaf Color:
Color is increasing at the higher elevations around Grandfather Mountain. Ash, Yellow birch, sourwood, Black gum, the Red and Sugar maples, and the virburnums, such as hobblebush, are all starting their foliage displays now. In the Boone area, maples are really starting to show, as are the birches, dogwoods, beech and ash trees. The hills are still mostly green, but patches of color are starting to show up, especially along the higher ridges. From Highlands up to Asheville is still mostly green, but the colors are beginning to show. Read more...

Tonight's Sylva After Dark - a Hometown Experience

For those of us who long for a bygone day when an evening stroll down a city street was a fitting end to a hard-worked week there is a little town in the Western North Carolina mountains ready to take us "home".

Sylva NC may be one of the lesser known NC mountain towns, but once you've been there it will become one of your favorites. Tonight's Sylva After Dark is the perfect opportunity to explore this special place with an of evening of art, music, food, shopping and lots of friendly, smiling faces.

Begin your stroll at  It’s by Nature (678 W. Main St.) as the gallery hosts an artist demonstration/reception with Tara Melton-Miller demonstrating Kumihimo, a form of Japanese braiding. Meet the artist from 6-9 PM and enjoy live music and wine & cheese.  At  City Lights Book Store (3 Jackson St.)  Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, will be reading from her new novel, The Improper Life of Bezillia Grove at 7 PM.  The Spring Street Café (3 E. Jackson St.) offers live music and a terrific menu  mixing local freshness with eclectic originality.

Stop by Annie’s Naturally Bakery (506 W. Main St.) for a bread tasting from 5 PM - 8 PM with toasted Whole Wheat Walnut bread topped with Annie’s scrumptious Pumpkin Butter - wash it down with Smoky Mountain Roaster’s Pumpkin Spice coffee.  Gallery One (604 W. Main St.) will host an opening night event  from 6 PM - 9 PM for the exhibition, “Hand + Craft: A Jackson County Celebration".  At Papou’s Wine Shop and Bar find  a free wine tasting from 6 PM - 9 PM or stop by The Wilderness Society  (563 West Main Street, Suite 1) for poetry and art  from 6 to 9PM featuring the Dreams and Distillations series of Rabun County artist Honor Woodard, and local poets Thomas Rain Crowe and Laurence Holden.

And don't forget Sylva's own brewery,  Heinzelmannchen Brewery for a Food & Beer Pairing from 5 PM - 8 PM.