Your Christmas Tree is waiting for you!
North Carolina ranks second in the nation in live Christmas tree production. Here in the North Carolina High Country it is truly an electrifying time of the year! There are thousands of acres of Christmas trees. Sure there’s holly and mistletoe but a Christmas tree is a must have during the holiday season! Christmas trees bring happiness and cheer to the faces of children throughout the nation. Maybe its time to start your family tradition, after all, the holiday season is quickly approaching!
The Watauga County Christmas Tree Association helps promote and educate the public about Christmas trees and their local growers. They also work closely with the Choose & Cut tree farmers to ensure top-quality products and a wonderful experience for their customers. Christmas tree farms send their trees throughout the Carolinas for purchase each year and also have individual sales through their Choose & Cut programs!
There are twenty-nine Choose & Cut farms in Watauga County. Each Choose & Cut Christmas tree farm is a little different. All twenty-nine Choose & Cut farms provide Fraser Fir Christmas trees and a select few provide Canaan Fir and White Pine Fir Christmas trees. If you are planning to decorate with garland or wreaths this holiday you can find these items and even a few Christmas shops at some Watauga County Choose & Cut farms. Some farms have put the idea of family first into your Christmas tree hunt experience by having animals, hayrides, sled and pony rides! For more information, or if you have any questions about the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association, please contact them at 828-264-3061
READ THE ENTIRE PRESS RELEASE!
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Have You Been To Stick Boy Bread Company?
From their website:
We are a small, family-owned artisan bakery where high quality baked goods and great service come together to create a special experience for you, our customer. We offer everything from fresh baked breads, steaming cappuccinos, delicious cinnamon rolls, and decadent chocolate tortes.
The best part is that everything is made right here in our bakery using the best ingredients and methods. Nothing that we serve is shipped in frozen from thousands of miles away like in most “supermarket” bakeries. Nothing is taken out of a box, put in the oven for 10 minutes, and then labeled “fresh baked”. This is the real thing. We promise – and we promise that you will be able to taste the difference.
Check out: http://www.stickboybread.com
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Broyhill Inn to Host 2nd Round of Social Media Workshops
Professional Blogger and Social Media Expert in The High Country to hold second round of Social Media Workshops for area businesses!
Sarah Pinnix, founder of HighCountryMomSquad.com, WiiMommies.com and RealLifeBlog.net is gearing up for a second round of “Talk of the Town” Social Media Workshops…to be held once again at The Broyhill Inn & Conference Center on the campus of Appalachian State University.
The new series begins on Tuesday, March 2nd and will be held on the first Tuesday of every month moving forward.
The first round was a huge success and consisted of 6 sessions where local area businesses could come to the workshop and learn how to effectively use social media to promote their products and services.
Doug Uzelac, General Manager of The Broyhill Inn & Conference Center and host of the workshop series states, “Social Media Marketing is such a fast growing segment and it is the Broyhill Inn’s pleasure to be to be able to host these very informative sessions. I would greatly recommend folks that have an interest in increasing their social media knowledge to attend.”
Vicki Stevens, Marketing Manager for the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System adds, “The Talk of the Town series provided phenomenal insight to the world of social media and assisted our organization in establishing a new presence with our audience. I highly recommend the series!”
Julie Hayes from the NC Christmas Tree Association also adds, “The Talk of the Town workshops showed us what Social Media is, gave helpful hints, and provided resources to get us started.”
Mast General Store also comments, “The Talk of the Town Series helped us understand the power of social media and how we might use it to start a conversation with our customers. We found the interaction with Sarah, Boomer, and Scott to be informative and refreshing and also enjoyed brainstorming ideas with our fellow classmates. Our Facebook page has grown by leaps and bounds – surpassing all of our expectations, and it is a ready resource to convey timely happenings.” 
These workshops cover such hot-button topics as Website Design & Development, Search Engines, Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Analytics and much more.
Success stories abound as attendee, Mast General Store has nearly 5,500 Facebook fans. Also, The NC Christmas Tree Association is experiencing online traffic growth on their site and the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System is setting up multiple Facebook pages, writing social media policies and growing followers on Twitter.
Learn more about Sarah Pinnix and her team of coaches and speakers at the workshop series. Visit: http://www.talkofthetownworkshop.com/speakers-and-coaches
For more information and to register for the upcoming sessions, please visit: http://talkofthetownworkshop.com
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Snow Tubing At Hawksnest!
Our 20 Lane Snow Tubing Park has four different areas to snow tube; lanes are 400 – 1000 feet long.
Our 2 conveyor lifts take our snow tubers back to the top for more rides.
Hawksnest has 100% snow making and lighting on all lanes to provide the best possible conditions and fun for the whole family.
Snow tubing is a great outdoor activity for large groups of family, friends, students or church groups. Hawksnest has four different areas of snow tubing with different rollers and pitch. No experience or special skills are required. Please check out our list of “Things to Keep in Mind” which will give you ideas on clothing and weather related precautions. Reservations for groups are required for group discounts.
Also, don’t forget to enjoy our Coffee Bar, Carolina BBQ and Pizza before, during and after your tubing sessions!
Sessions are 1 hour and 45 minutes. Children must be 3 years old to snow tube. Holidays are December 21st to January 1st, January 17 & 18 & February 14 & 15. A liability waiver must be signed for each adult 18 and over.
For more, visit http://www.skihawk.com!
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Broyhill Inn in Boone Offers “Choose & Cut” Packages!
The Broyhill Inn has teamed up with Circle C Tree Farms to provide a deal on a Christmas tree!
As a guest of the Broyhill Inn you can receive a voucher for a Christmas tree from Circle C Tree Farms!
This will only be available for a limited time, restrictions apply. One night and Two night packages available.
| One Night Package – double occupancy | $119.00 inclusive |
| One Night Package – 3 guests per room | $124.00 inclusive |
| One Night Package – 4 guests per room | $129.00 inclusive |
| Two Night Package – double occupancy | $182.00 inclusive |
| Two Night Package – 3 guests per room | $192.00 inclusive |
| Two Night Package – 4 guests per room | $202.00 inclusive |
For more information, visit http://broyhillinn.com/events/christmastree, or call: 800.951.6048
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Downtown Blowing Rock’s Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Town
Visit: http://www.blowingrock.com
Located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock offers an abundant array of adventure. From golf to horseback riding, whitewater rafting to canoeing, hiking, biking, rock climbing and fishing, there is something for every avid outdoor enthusiast.
Blowing Rock is also home to Appalachian Ski Mtn., a premiere ski resort in North Carolina, and to many popular spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway including Price Lake, Moses Cone Manor and more.
The History of Blowing Rock, NC
Before 1752, when Moravian Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg visited the Blowing Rock area, the windy cliffs of the area were home to the Cherokee and the Catawba Indian tribes, hostile to each other, and the basis for the story of “The “Blowing Rock”. Two star-crossed lovers, one from each tribe, were walking near The Rock when the reddening sky signaled to the brave that he must return to his tribal duty, and the maiden urged him to stay with her. His desperation in choosing between duty and love caused him to leap from the edge of the gorge toward the rocks below, while the maiden beseeched the Great Spirit to bring him back to her. The famous winds of the John’s River Gorge blew her lover back into her arms, and this legend about The Blowing Rock is still told today.
After the mid-eighteenth century, when the Scotch-Irish began to settle close to this area, the passes from southern Virginia into Kentucky attracted many colonists, farmers, hunters, and trappers who continued south to the mountains of North Carolina. The first family to settle in Blowing Rock were the Greenes who were established by the mid-1800’s on a site that would become the Green Park Hotel property. Other early settlers in Blowing Rock included the Hayes, Coffey, Bolick, Estes and Storie families. About this time, summer residents began to come up from Lenoir to enjoy the cool fresh air, magnificent mountain views and the wonders of nature.
As word traveled to other parts of the South about the merits of Blowing Rock, more visitors began to arrive, first camping out, and later taking rooms at boarding houses like the Hayes and Martin Houses on Main Street. When the space to accommodate guests proved too little, many homes turned into hotels, and the Watauga Hotel, built in 1884, added cottages in 1888; the Green Park Hotel opened in 1891 and was followed eight years later by the Blowing Rock Hotel. Walter Alexander touted the clean air and healthy environment of Blowing Rock, as he developed the Mayview area, opening the grand hotel, Mayview Manor in 1922.
READ MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BLOWING ROCK
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Benefits of Joining The High Country Host
Don’t just take our word for it. Hear what others are saying about the benefits of joining The High Country Host…
“High Country Host does an excellent job of attracting visitors to our area through its marketing. Just as importantly, they do a great job of helping our visitors find lodging, shops, places to eat, and things to do to make their visit a success. Happy customers come back and they also tell their friends to come. All types of businesses need to be part of HCH’s marketing and service efforts.”
-Harris Prevost
Grandfather Mountain
“High Country Host’s ongoing efforts to attract visitors to our area has been remarkable. Through the creation and distribution of a resourceful guidebook, to the development of and continued achievements in the High Country Host website, to co-op advertising and joint marketing opportunities, Chetola enjoys the continued benefits of our marketing partnership with High Country Host.”
-Kent Tarbutton, Proprietor
Marcia Field, Marketing Director
Chetola Mountain Resort
“We are thoroughly satisfied members of High Country Host. Your organization far outshines any other similar service in Boone in promoting our bed & breakfast to visitors. As far as we’re concerned, we cannot afford NOT to be members! Thank you and your excellent staff for serving us since 1997.”
The Baird House
-Tom & Deede Hinson
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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The History of Horn in the West!
On April the 11th, 2001, Dr. Kermit Hunter passed away in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Hunter wrote the script for “Horn in the West” as well as forty other historical productions. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he wrote “Unto These Hills” as his Master’s Thesis under Dr. Paul Greene.
He had been working on a script titled “Wilderness Road” and when asked to write a script for the Boone area, adapted that one into “Horn in the West.”
Dr. Hunter was an eloquent spokesman for the outdoor drama art form. He was an accomplished musician who attended the Julliard School of Music and often composed the scores for his shows. He was also an accomplished indoor theatre playwright and poet. His voice and support of the uniquely American art form that is outdoor drama will be missed dearly. Over 1.4 million people have seen Horn in the West since it opened in 1952. We now have the privilege of keeping Dr. Hunter’s words alive for generations to come.
Don’t miss this amazing outdoor theatre! An establishment and tradition in The High Country!
To learn more, visit: http://www.horninthewest.com/
For lodging and other travel information, contact North Carolina High Country Host at 800-438-7500 or visit: www.mountainsofnc.com.
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Blue Ridge Learning Centers – “Because the Future Matters”
Blue Ridge Learning Centers, Inc. is a leader in experiential education. We develop, deliver, train, facilitate exciting team building events and retreats.
Using new and innovate tools, such as ropes courses (challenge course) we offer programs that help individuals and organizations develop leadership abilities, communication processes, and teamwork skills.
Blue Ridge Learning Centers, Inc. is much more than our average team building company. We can offer our clients a range of services including, but not limited to, outdoor adventures, team building retreats, environmental programs, Earth Education, outdoor living skills, challenge course (ropes course).
Along with offering programming we construct a variety of fun and exciting learning activities.
To Learn More, Visit: www.brlc.org
To request a free High Country vacation guide, call (800) 438-7500 or go online to: www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Visit Daniel Boone Native Gardens!
The Daniel Boone Native Gardens, located near downtown Boone, N.C., contain an outstanding collection of native Appalachian trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Hundreds of plant varieties provide a progression of blooms throughout the growing season.
Opened in 1966, the three-acre Daniel Boone Native Gardens were an educational and conservation effort to nurture rare or endangered Appalachian plant species.
A project of the Garden Club of N.C., Inc., these public gardens comprise a bog garden, fern garden, rhododendron grove, rock garden, rock wishing well, vine-covered arbor, pond alongside the historic Squire Boone Cabin, and several grand vistas. Wrought-iron gates at the entrance were made by a descendant of Daniel Boone, who hunted in the area.
For more information, visit: DanielBooneGardens.org!
To request a free High Country vacation guide, call (800) 438-7500 or go online to: www.MountainsofNC.com.
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