Sugar Mountain Is Expanding Winter Fun!
Sugar Mountain, North Carolina Weather, weather, weather! If Mother Nature cooperates Sugar Mountain Resorts Tubing Park and outdoor Ice Rink will be open for Thanksgiving. New snowmaking machines designated solely for the tubing area will be positioned all season long in the Tubing Park. When temperatures drop, not only will the slopes begin to see their first blanket of snow but the Tubing Park will begin to take shape as well. As weather varies throughout the season, upgrades over the years including the key addition of snowmaking machines in the tubing park will allow for higher efficiency and more consistent conditions.
This year look for the tubing and ice skating season to match the ski & snowboard season. Sugar Mountain Resorts historical opening and closing dates as well as annual natural snowfall can be found at www.skisugar.com/press/stats.
Join us this season as we continue to make Sugar even sweeter. For additional information please call Sugar Mountain Resort: (828) 898-4521 or visit us at www.skisugar.com.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Stay Connected!
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Offers Lectures on Current Exhibitions in November
Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is holding special lectures for two exhibitions that are currently on display through January 2012.
The first lecture on November 3 at 7 p.m. will discuss the artist and the exhibition, Living in the Light: A Retrospective, displaying a compilation of beloved photographer and former chair of the photography program at Appalachian State University, the late John Scarlata’s work.
On November 9, artist Val Lyle will hold a lecture on her current exhibition, Sanctuary, which emphasizes the aspects of life in the Appalachian mountains. Both lectures are free and open to the public. Call 828-262-3017 or visit www.tcva.org for more information.
Living in the Light: A Retrospective- John Scarlata
November 3, 2011
7-9 p.m.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Lecture Hall
*Reception to follow in the galleries
Guest lecturers Jay Phyfer (Professor of photography and digital imaging, Virginia Intermont College), Gil Leebrick (Professor Emeritus and former Director of the Wellington B. Gray Gallery, East Carolina University) and Pac McLaurin (Photography Department, Appalachian State University) joined by close friends of John Scarlata will gather for an in-depth conversation about the artists life and his work. Other special guests will include Joe Champagne (Professor of Photography & Digital Imaging Virginia Intermont College), Jackie Leebrick, Ben Garfinkle (Oakland California) and Tom Braswell (Photographer and Interim Gallery Director from Wellington B. Gray Gallery, East Carolina University). A reception will be held in the galleries immediately following the lecture.
Sanctuary- Val Lyle
November 9, 2011
7-8 p.m.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Lecture Hall
Join artist, Val Lyle as she discusses her latest work, Sanctuary located in the Mayer Gallery. This exhibition and installation continues the artist’s exploration about what it means to be a human being in Appalachia which is in its eighth incarnation of the exhibition.
Other Upcoming Events at the Turchin Center
First Friday Reception
November 4
Free and Open to the Public
7-9 p.m.
Presented in conjunction with Downtown Boone’s First Friday Art Crawl, the Turchin Center will be open for all visitors to come and celebrate the current exhibitions as well as welcome a new exhibition by painter, Gabriel Lehman celebrating the opening of his solo exhibition My World opening on November 4. Painter and installation artist, Val Lyle, will also be in the gallery to talk to guests about her exhibition Sanctuary.
Healing Arts: Yoga in theMayer Gallery
Saturdays, October 15, November 5 & 19
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
10:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.
$10 per participant
Inside Exhibitions
Free guided tours by one of Turchins volunteer docents one Saturday a month on the exhibition of their choice.
Visit www.tcva.org for more information.
Fall Workshops
Turchin Center offers a variety of arts workshops for kids, older teens and adults throughout the year. Visit www.tcva.org for more information on how you can register.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Stay Connected!
Grandfather Mountain Celebrates A “Beary Scary Halloween”!
Celebrate Halloween with the creatures of the Grandfather Mountain Animal Habitats Saturday October 29th. Join in the first ever “Beary Scary Halloween” festivities and help the Mountain raise funds for renovations on Grandfather’s eagle habitat.
“We wanted to create a fun event that would give kids a chance to be more involved in the animals’ day and provide us with the opportunity to raise awareness about the improvements that we hope to make to our eagle habitat,” said Christie Tipton, habitat manager.
Halloween activities take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are included with regular admission. Kids in costume will get in at half price.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with Halloween-themed crafts in the Nature Museum. At 10:30 a.m. kids can go trick or treating in the animal habitats, which will be decorated in mummy, werewolf, ghost and graveyard themes.
At 11 a.m. Naturalists will meet by the Mildred the Bear statue in the Nature Museum to lead an interactive program titled “Going Batty for Bats.” Participants will learn all about bats and their importance to the environment.
Prepare to be captivated by ghost stories at 11:30 a.m. in the Nature Museum Auditorium. Local storytellers Maggie Christenbury and Owen Gray will lead scary tales to thrill the whole family.
At 12:30 p.m. kids get a chance to compete in a costume contest and vote on their favorite costume worn by the animal habitat staff. Voting takes place in the Nature Museum lobby.
Immediately following the costume contest, guests have a unique opportunity to participate in the animal enrichments by decorating pumpkins and other treats that will later be given to the animals. An enrichment is anything different that can help to break up the animals’ day such as a scent, a new toy or a treat.
Join the Mountain’s Naturalists in the Nature Museum at 1 p.m. for the “Creepy, Crawly Critters!” program. Participants will learn about creatures of the night, creatures that bite and other spooky animals.
At 2 p.m. the Habitat Staff will begin the animal enrichments. Meet at the deer overlook to watch the animals enjoy their decorated treats.
The last of the day’s programming will take place in front of the fudge shop at 2:45 p.m. An “Owl Encounter” allows guests to meet and learn about the spooky night prowlers that can be found in the High Country.
Throughout the day guests can learn more about the eagle habitat, special programs offered by habitat staff and additional opportunities to get involved on the Mountain. For more information, contact the habitat staff at 828-733-8715.
Grandfather Mountain is a globally recognized nature preserve famous for its 360-degree vistas, native wildlife habitats and Mile High Swinging Bridge. The attraction is located on US Highway 221, two miles north of Linville, NC, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park in the public interest and participate in educational research activities.
For more information phone 800-468-7325 or plan a trip at www.grandfather.com.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Stay Connected!
Festivals Offer Opportunities To Experience Fall In The NC High Country
The slopes of the North Carolina High Country are turning vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow this month and area festivals offer great ways to enjoy the season. The range of elevations in the area make it a premiere location to watch the leaf change and the mix of small towns provides an eclectic offering of autumnal events.
The Boone Heritage Festival October 8 celebrates Appalachian and Daniel Boone heritage with 18th century living history demonstrations, craft vendors, music jam sessions and storytelling. Located at Hickory Ridge Homestead, the event will feature make-and-take crafts including dipped candles, cornhusk dolls and scarecrows.
The weekend of October 8-9 brings the cry of “yodel lay he ho” to the High Country during the 21st Annual Sugar Mountain Oktoberfest. The event, at Sugar Mountain Resort, mixes Bavarian and Appalachian culture and is a great experience for the whole family.
The Valle Country Fair, October 15 in Valle Crucis, is an overgrown church bazaar set in the center of one of the most picturesque valleys in North Carolina.
That same weekend is when one of the High Country’s most well-known events takes place. The 34th Annual Woolly Worm Festival will be held in Banner Elk October 15-16. Crafts, festival foods and the Woolly Worm caterpillar races predicting the coming winter’s weather make this a must-see event!
The 6th Annual Valle Crucis Punkin Festival will be October 22. The Punkin Festival benefits local organizations and offers Punkin Sack Races, Punkin Bowling, crafts and music.
The Ghost Train Halloween Festival at Tweetsie Railroad is safe, scary fun for the whole family. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday evening in October. Visit the Haunted House, Freaky Forest, 3-D Maze and take a journey on the Ghost Train – if you dare!
Many other events occur throughout the month of October including the Todd New River Festival, art crawls in Boone and West Jefferson, Halloween festivals in Blowing Rock and at Grandfather Mountain, special programming at area state parks and natural areas and opportunities to enjoy bluegrass and mountain music at Crouse Park in Sparta.
For ticket information, times and more information on all High Country events please visit the High Country Host website, www.mountainsofnc.com.
North Carolina’s High Country provides the best vacation experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area includes 100 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway and many popular tourist destinations including Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, Linville, Sparta, West Jefferson and Wilkesboro.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Stay Connected!
Fall Color Report From ASU!
Howie Neufeld, Ph.D.
Professor of Plant Physiology
Appalachian State University
This has been an interesting week in the mountains. Beginning on Friday, the temperatures dropped, and the winds picked up.
Jesse Pope, chief naturalist up on Grandfather Mountain, reports that on Saturday winds reached 60 mph with gusts up to 74 mph.
Luckily, for most trees, they were still holding on to their leaves quite tightly, so even though some were blown off, most are still there, and if we don’t get more wind storms like that one, they should turn color quite nicely in the next two weeks.
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Stay Connected!
Grandfather Mountain Predicts Stunning Fall Color!
The first hints of autumn are in the air and Grandfather Mountain is preparing for the vibrant colors that are sure to follow. In an effort to help visitors experience all of the beauty that the High Country has to offer, Grandfather Mountain provides many opportunities for guests to learn more about the amazing transformation that overtakes the forest in fall.
“We are seeing lots of color change already for this early in September. The trees are looking healthy with lots of leaves, so I’m very optimistic that this will be a good season,” said Director of Education Jesse Pope. “The peak viewing time in the higher elevations will likely be around the first two weeks in October.”
Grandfather Mountain has ideal conditions for leaf looking due to a wide range in elevation, which allows visitors to see the changing leaves over a greater number of weeks. On the weekends of October 8-9 and October 15-16 Grandfather’s Interpretive Rangers and Naturalists will offer “The Colors of Grandfather” guided walks at 1 p.m. These hikes will lead guests through woodlands populated by many different species of hardwoods, provide an opportunity to learn more about the phenomenon of leaf change, and answer questions about Grandfather’s unique ecosystem.
Grandfather is a great destination for leaf looking, not only because its high peaks are a good vantage point for looking out across the color on the hillsides below, but because the mountain hosts such a tremendous variety of plant life.
In addition to the planned programming inside the park in October, fresh fall color photos are posted daily throughout the month on the Mountain’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account. These postings include up-to-date reports on leaf looking conditions, helpful tips for visiting the area in fall and the best routes for finding the brightest trees.
Grandfather Mountain is a globally recognized nature preserve famous for its 360-degree vistas, native wildlife habitats and Mile High Swinging Bridge. The attraction is located on US Highway 221, two miles north of Linville, NC, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park in the public interest and participate in educational research activities. For more information phone 800-468-7325 or plan a trip at www.grandfather.com
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Stay Connected!
Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic, August 20-21!
The Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic is a two-day seminar that covers the nuts & bolts of making good photographs.
Designed for the enthusiastic amateur, this event brings in working professionals to share tips and techniques for making better photographs.
Admission to the Camera Clinic for photography enthusiasts who are not currently working photojournalists is $50 per person.
A special two-day admission ticket is available for guests who do not plan to attend the clinic. Guests may also purchase tickets for the Saturday night buffet dinner.
CLICK HERE for more information!
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Stay Connected!
The 56th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games!
The 56th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games will be held July 7-10, 2011 at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, NC!
OUR MISSION: To carry on and promote the annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans, to foster and restore interest in traditional dancing, piping, drumming, athletic achievement, music and Gaelic culture, and to establish scholarship funds to assist students from Avery County High School to study at American colleges and universities.
For more on the history of the games, visit: http://www.gmhg.org/history.htm
For a full schedule of events, visit: http://www.gmhg.org/events.htm
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Stay Connected!
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Spring Exhibition Celebration
The Turchin Center for Visual Arts invites you to celebrate a fantastic Spring Exhibition. The Turchin Center is located at 423 West King Street in Downtown Boone. This event will be held from 7:00 to 9:00pm, on Friday April 1st. This event is FREE and open to the public!
There will be Food, Live Music, a Cash Bar and a chance to meet the artists! On the first Friday on each month the Turchin Center participates in the Downtown Boone’s First Friday Art Crawl, and this celebration is part of Aprils. The Spring Exhibition Celebration is a wonderful program to get engaged with the Appalachian community and intact with the arts which is both therapeutic and educational for all ages.
The Turchin Center takes pride in the ability to provide visitors and residents with a dynamic, year-round program rotation of visual art exhibits. The center’s mission is to make programming accessible in support of the university’s role as a key educational, cultural and economic resource for Appalachian State University’s campus, greater community, and beyond.
Spring Exhibition Celebrating:
Appalachian Alumni in the Arts
8th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition
Open Spaces, Sacred Places: Tom Stoner & TKF Foundation
Beyond Their Natural Range: April Flanders
Places for Contemplation in the Public Buildings: Alex Poorman
Chromata: Laura Berman
For more information about the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts or these Exhibits please call 828-262-3017 or visit www.tcva.org
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Stay Connected!
High Country Host Holiday Open House!
High Country Host Visitor’s Center Holiday Open House!
Tuesday, December 7th from 10am - 4pm!
We are located at 1700 Blowing Rock Road, Boone, NC (Next to KFC)
Come and go and enjoy Holiday snacks with your High Country neighbors!
Please share in the Season of Giving by bringing an unwrapped child’s Christmas gift or a check made payable to Santa’s Toy Box!
No RSVP is required; all are welcome as 2010 comes to an end and we look forward to 2011 in the Beautiful High Country of North Carolina!
For more information contact The High Country Host at 1-828-264-1299!
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Stay Connected!
Recent Comments