A FREE Daily Visitor Guide for the North Carolina Mountains and 50+ NC Mountain Cities

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

40th Annual Fall Festival at the John C Campbell Folk School

October 5-6 John C Campbell Folk School Fall Festival Celebrate the rich heritage of Appalachia at the 40th annual Folk School Fall Festival, featuring over 200 juried and non-juried craftspeople. Handcrafted items for sale include jewelry, woodturning, pottery, weaving, ironwork, photography, rugs, woodcarvings, furniture, paintings, baskets, and much more.

Enjoy live music and dance on two stages, great food, craft demonstrations, and kids' activities - just a few more reasons why the John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival is one of the most popular events in the region.

John C Campbell Folk School is located at 1 Folk School Road in Brasstown NC. For links to local visitor information visit the Hayesville NC Guide or the Murphy NC Guide.

Mountain Spirits: Joe Cruz Live at the WineSeller this Weekend

October 4 - The Classic WineSeller, 20 Church Street in Waynesville NC - Joe Cruz on piano and vocals performs live the best of the Beatles and Elton John. Join the fun from 7 PM to 10 PM and also enjoy small plate fare from 5:30 PM - 9 PM. $10 per person minimum for food, drink of tickets.

Get links for complete visitor information on the Waynesville NC Guide.

Brushy Mountain Apple Jam in North Wilkesboro

October 5 Brushy Mountain Apple Jam This event is one of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast and features a large variety of arts and crafts, food and entertainment. Events begin at 8 AM and continue until 5 PM. There will be live entertainment at the corner of 10th and Main Streets. Open jam. Sponsored annually by the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club and held on the 1st Saturday of October since 1978.

Get links for local visitor information on the North Wilkesboro NC Guide.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Bascom Lamar Lunsford Music Festival at Mars Hill College

October 5 Bascom Lamar Lunsford Music Festival An all-day festival celebrating regional music and dance traditions. The event is the second oldest folk festival in Western North Carolina and was named in honor of cofounder Bascom Lamar Lunsford.

Lunsford was a musician and folklorist who dedicated his life to collecting and promoting the music of the Southern Appalachians. Through his work he became known as “Minstrel of the Appalachians.”

The festival, which is now in its 46th year, brings out the region’s finest musicians and dancers. Numerous music and dance performances, jam circles, and a ballad and story swap will occur for free throughout the day. The Concert at 7 PM has a $10 fee for adults and $5 for children.

Learn more about local lodging, attractions and visitor information on the Mars Hill NC Guide.

The Blue Ridge Parkway at 469 miles long is the nation's longest scenic rural parkway. Now 70 years old it is administered by the National Park Service and host to approximately 20 million visits annually. It connects the Shenandoah Valley National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Along the route are opportunities for lodging, dining, camping, hiking and simply enjoying breathtaking views from easily accessible overlooks and picnic areas. For additional information visit :The Blueridge Parkway Association

The River Arts District is open year around with the opportunity to meet artists in their studios. Schedules are available online. This unique area along the French Broad River is home to more than 165 artists with working studios located in 18 turn-of-the-century industrial buildings. The artists of the River Arts District welcome you into their studios to talk with them, see their latest artwork, watch demonstrations, and experience for yourself the magic hidden inside the time-worn factories and warehouses along the French Broad River.

Chimney Rock Park is named for a 500 million-year-old giant granite monolith overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge. Visitors are awed by the breathtaking view that spreads 1200 vertical feet beneath them and 75 miles across the Carolinas. The now state owned park encompasses 1,000 acres offers the best of the mountains in one place with spectacular 75-mile views, hiking trails for all ages, a 404-foot waterfall, a variety of special events and much more. Chimney Rock NC

The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provided funding for almost 1500 state and nationally designated byway projects in 48 states. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.

Tsali Recreation Area is an outdoors lover's paradise. Probably the most popular features of Tsali Recreation Area are the 39 miles of trails suited for mountain bikers and horse-back riders, as well as hikers. The 4-loop system offers a variety of landscapes. You can climb 1-foot wide rugged paths or travel flat, well-beaten roads. The four trails--Right, Left, Mouse Branch, and Thompson Loops--meander through mixed pine and hardwoods on a peninsula stretching into Fontana Lake. Near Bryson City NC and Robbinsville NC.