A preview of Interesting things going on up, down and around the Parks and Drives. With the slowdown in the economy, our National Parks probably will see a pick up in visitations.So much to see and do and a lot of it free or at a very low cost.
Dear Traveler
This is the tenth issue of our events newsletter about things going on near the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway. They are separated into 12 sections to match up with the map sections on our web site.
http://www.BlueRidgeSkyline.com
Starting with the Northern Section of the Skyline Drive including Winchester and Front Royal and working our way south to the Southern end near Cherokee NC and then on to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge Tenn.
You will see several . major events in some of the towns posted several months before the scheduled event. This is so you can make special plans early enough to make the trip work
Also there is a new Web Page for the 75th Anniversary of the Parkway
http://blueridgeparkway75.org This will occur next year 2010, plan to attend.
Winchester, Front Royal, Middletown and the Northern Section of the Skyline Drive.
Winchester
35TH Annual Apple Harvest & Crafts Festival
September 19 & 20
Jim Barnett Park ...1001 E Cork Street, Winchester
180 arts and crafts vendors, ethnic foods, Virginia State Apple Butter Making Championship, regional apple pie baking contest, Ole Time Apple Growers Exhibit, and more!
Contact Darla McCrary dmccrary@hughes.net
More information here
**************************************
Front Royal
October 10,2009
Annual Festival of the Leaves
This year marks the 39th year of the Warren Heritage Society's annual fundraiser, the Festival of Leaves. Please mark your calendars and plan on joining us on Saturday, October 10, 2009, 9am - 6pm. The Festival takes place in historic downtown Front Royal on Chester and Main Streets.
Our county's beauty is not alone in beckoning you this Fall. Her sons and daughters too await your company for a downtown party that has aged all too well since the Festival of Leaves first debuted in October 1971. Come enjoy Front Royal at its best. Arts and crafts abound on Main and Chester Streets in the heart of our historic district. Bluegrass, blues, country, jazz, big band and choir music entertain at the Town Gazebo, reenactments and short plays at the County Courthouse. Listeners may relax on the grass and soak up summer's last sunny warmth and autumn's first cool breezes. Come Enjoy the Heritage Area at the Warren Heritage Society's Balthis Green, located behind the Society's 101 Chester Street museums, where reenactors, craftspeople, apple butter makers and many others will bring back the traditions of the Valley. Run the 5K race or Fun Walk in the morning and finish in time for the parade!
See the Web Page for the Festival here
Harrisonburg and Luray section of the Skyline Drive
Harrisonburg
The International Festival
September 26th
Hillandale Park, Harrisonburg, VA
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
The International Festival is a free day of family fun that celebrates the many cultures that make up our community. We feature international foods, music, dance, artists, vendors, storytellers, activities for all ages, a multi-language area, and a cultural fashion show featuring traditional dress. Our attendance numbers are currently around 6,500 people and we are accessible to disabled individuals and older adults. This is a rain or shine event.
Web Page Here
Staunton and Waynesboro where the Skyline Drive and The Blue Ridge Parkway meet
Staunton
Guided Walking Tours of Historic Staunton
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
24 North Coalter Street
Staunton, VA 24401
Discover Staunton, the Queen City of the Shenandoah Valley, on a free walking tour guided by Historic Staunton Foundation volunteers. Tours last 2 hours and trace Staunton's development from frontier settlement to booming 19th century commercial center. Stroll through four of Staunton's five Historic Districts as your guide describes the town's history and its beautifully restored architecture.
See dates of Walking Tours
**************************************
Staunton
FALL FOLIAGE BIKE FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 16-18, 2009
Great Event!
see the web site
Road condition information from the National Park Service
Skyline Drive
Blue Ridge Parkway
Lexington, Natural Bridge, Bedford and Buchannan sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Lexington
9th Annual Nothin' Fancy Bluegrass Festival
September 24,25 & 26
Glen Maury Park. 800-555-8845
Good music and good times for all!!
**************************************
Virginia Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association Alpaca Expo
October 16-18
4th annual VAOBA Alpaca Expo will feature approximately 800 alpacas in halter classes. We anticipate greatly increased performance classes with participation by the many newly formed 4-H alpaca clubs in Virginia and neighboring states. Also includes a fleece show, spin off, fiber arts competitions and many vendors. For sponsorships and advertising contact Judy Howe at wildwoodpacas@yahoo.com
Location: Anderson Coliseum
Contact: Judy Howe at 540.604.4914
Website
**************************************
BEDFORD
National D-Day Memorial
Imagine a place where the lessons and legacy of D-Day are remembered and preserved, a place where veterans of all ages are welcomed and honored, a place where visitors discover and recognize the worthy service of those who answer duty's call, a place where gravity and dignity are hallmarks. The National D-Day Memorial is such a place.
Deliberately sited to rise above the community that experienced this country's severest per capita losses on D-Day, the National D-Day Memorial reminds all who enter it of the heavy price that heartland communities have paid, and still pay, for freedom.
Web Page Here
Roanoke, Salem & Smith Mt. Lake
Roanoke
George Warner: "A Few Things I've Seen"
A Photographic Exhibition
July 30 - October 22, 2009
"Each person brings their own perspective to the universe. We see the same objects before us, but we have our own emotional response to them. Photography lets me capture the moment as I experienced it and share it with you, the viewer. If only for a moment, you see and feel what I saw and felt at that moment in time." This exhibit brings the visitor close to George Warner's eye for color and detail and gives insight into a world that has aesthetic value. Join us for the brightly colored lights and tones of this local photographer's vision.
See info at the O.Winston Link Museum
Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, Wytheville and Floyd
Floyd
Seventh Annual New Works Exhibit at the Jacksonville Center
September
1st - 20th
The Jacksonville Center for the Arts is displaying work never shown in the Hayloft Gallery. Free, donations welcomed. Mon-Sat: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sun: Noon-5 p.m. 220 Parkway Lane South (State Road 8 just south of downtown toward the Blue Ridge)
For more information: see web site here or 540-745-2784
**************************************
Ft Chiswell
Fort Chiswell Animal Park
569 Red Hollow Rd
Fort Chiswell, VA 24360
276-637-6754,
www.fortchiswellanimalpark.com
jt@fortchiswellanimalpark.com
Before Memorial Day- After Labor Day, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-6pm, Memorial Day thru Labor Day Open 7 days a week, Weekdays I-81/I-77 Exit 80 and turn away from Max Meadows onto 52 South. Follow approximately 2 1/2 miles, watch for Fort Chiswell High School on left, immediately past the high school turn Left on Red Hollow Road. The park is located about a mile down Red Hollow.
Bring the family and come on down! Cindy the Cappuchin Monkey lives in the petting zoo, where you can pet and feed goats, African crowned cranes, Bennett's wallabies and parrots. Hop on the Safari Bus go on an outback adventure where you'll meet a camel named Humphrey whose best friend is a zebra named Bindy, water buffalo, wildebeest,fallow deer, llamas and emus. Adults $10.00/ Children 2-12 $8.00 Under 2 Free
Galax Hillsville and Independence
GALAX
Annual Load's Acre SaleFelts Park Saturday September 26th, 2009
9:30 AM Church Service
10:00 Am Sale Begins
Rain Date: October 3rd
*******************************
Rex Theater
Every Friday night in the City of Galax, Virginia WBRF 98.1 FM sends out 100,000 watts of live old-time and bluegrass music from the stage of the historic Rex Theater into five states and over the World Wide Web. Listeners may be in Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee or as far away as Egypt enjoying the traditional music show from the comfort of their homes, or they may be sitting back in one of the 475 seats at the Rex. The show is called Blue Ridge Back Roads and thanks to a faithful group of volunteers has become the cornerstone for the revitalization of this 70 year old theater.
Now owned and operated by the City of Galax, the Rex continues to expand its offerings with vintage movie nights, Saturday concerts and community plays. The Rex is also available for special events and many non-profit groups have found it's a great venue for community oriented fundraising.
With its important history, and current place as a popular destination on the Crooked Road, the Rex remains the jewel in the crown of the City of Galax.
Rex Events calendar here
*******************************
Hillsville
VFW Labor Day Gun Show and Flea Market
Friday - September 4, 2009 through Monday - September 7, 2009
This event is sponsored by VFW Grover King Post 1115 and has achieved such popularity that it now consumes much of the entire town of Hillsville. Antique dealers, gun dealers and traders of all kinds make this one of the largest shows in the southeast. Hillsville expects to draw over 500,000 visitors this Labor Day weekend.
To help in planning your visit to this event we have gathered information on area Lodging, & Restaurants. You'll also find a link on traffic information from the Virgina Dept. of Transportation as well as the current weather conditions. see all of this on our Web Page
*******************************
Independence
Grayson Highlands Fall Festival
Last full weekend in September. One of the Premier Festivals in the Area. Music, Arts/Crafts, Food and don't miss the auctioning of the Wild Ponies from Grayson Highlands State Park. Call 276-579-7092 or visit their website at HERE
*******************************
FRIES
Festival by the River-3rd Saturday in September. In Fries Town Park, right on the New River! Arts & crafts, music & food. Call 276-744-7861.
Mt Airy, Sparta, Elkins and Wilkesboro NC
Sparta
Mountain Heritage Festival
Saturday, Sept. 19, Main Street, Sparta, NC
10:00 am - 4:30 pm - Free Festival Admission
Special 150th Anniversary activities
Arts and Crafts and Food Vendors line Main Street
Food Court Features a Variety Menu
Live Demonstrations and Exhibits in Downtown
Mountaintop Cruisers (restored and unusual cars)
Old Timey Car Show (1932 & earlier - No entry fee charged)
Corn Meal Grinding
Antique Tractors
Traditional Mountain and Bluegrass Music live on-stag
Possum Queen Contestants Competition and Crowning
Bounce House for the kids
Pony Rides
See more here
*******************************
Elkin
13th Annual Pumpkin Festival & 4th Annual Pumpkin Weigh-Off
Saturday, September 26, 2009 marks the date for the 13th Annual Pumpkin Festival to be held in Historic Downtown Elkin.
The festival brings more than 15,000 visitors to downtown Elkin to enjoy live entertainment, shopping, great food and gigantic pumpkins galore. The festivities begin Saturday morning with the 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off. at the former Smith Phillips Building Supply located at 257 Standard Street. There will be pumpkins from growers located all over the East Coast. Some will weigh-in at an excess of 1,000 lbs with hopes of placing in the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth top ten.
The Main Street of Elkin will be lined with vendors of every description featuring everything from funnel cakes to functional pottery, canned green beans to gourmet coffees, wood furnishings to wine racks, BBQ to baked goods, sand art to sunrooms, pumpkin butter to polish sausages, plus a variety of live entertainment and the ever-popular pie-eating contest sponsored by Yadkin Valley General Store.
Web Site Here
*******************************
Sparta
Appalachian Musical Instruments Exhibit
July 23rd-September 26
Sparta Teapot and Fine Arts Gallery, 18 S Main St, Sparta
Starting July 23 through September 26, the museum presents an exhibit of the variety of instruments made and used by Appalachain musicians. Free admission. Donations appreciated. For information phone 336-372-7238
*******************************
Mount Airy
Autumn Leaves Festival
October 9-11
The Autumn Leaves Festival is an event sponsored by the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce to celebrate our cultural music and craft heritage. This is the 43rd Annual year of the Autumn Leaves Festival and it will be held on October 9-11, 2009. This event is one of the longest running in-and most successful-events in the state. The Autumn Leaves Festival is always the second full weekend in October. We will host well over 170 craft booths and 25 food booths. The festival showcases our rich musical heritage, such as Old-Time, Blue Grass and Gospel performed by local musicians on the downtown stage. The unique arts & crafts of more than 170 juried craftsmen line the streets with many demonstrating their talents and skills passed down through the generations; then there is "Food for the Soul", ham biscuits, collards & cornbread, barbeque, hamburgers, ground steak and more served with hospitality by our local civic and service organizations. It's a walker's paradise with visual delights and mouthwatering treats at every stop. It's a toe-tapping, foot stomping, hand clapping kind of weekend where old friendships are renewed and new friendships are made. The Autumn Leaves Festival is a homecoming where guests become neighbors.
more info here
Boone,Blowing Rock ,Jefferson and Banner Elk
Boone and Blowing Rock
Hank Williams: Lost Highway
by Randal Myler & Mark Harelik
August 21 - September 6, 2009
Blowing Rock Stage Company's 24th Season
$30 / $14
MUSICAL PORTRAIT OF A COUNTRY LEGENDS
This spectacular musical biography is a tender ode to the brash, pioneering country star who stands among the greatest innovators of American popular music.
The musical documents the singer-songwriter's rise from obscure hillbilly to Country-Western super-stardom to his early demise at age 29. An unforgettable tribute, Lost Highway highlights Williams' unique magic as a performer and the unbreakable spell of his haunting songs
See the Stage Company Web Site Here
Flat Rock, Henderson and Black Mountain
Fletcher
September 11 - 20
NC Mountain State Fair, WNC Agricultural Center, the third largest fair in North Carolina,
(celebrates the heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including agriculture, music, crafts, art, food, entertainment, display of livestock, competitions, & midway amusement rides), Fletcher, NC 828-687-1414July 1 - August 14
Web Site of the Fair
*******************************
Hendersonville
BOOK SALE
September 12-13, 19-20, & 26
Friends of the Henderson County Library Book Sale, 1940 Spartanburg Hwy., 100,000 books, CD's, videos & cassettes will be on sale for a fraction of their original price, Sept. 12, 19 & 26 10:00AM-5:00PM, Sept. 13 & 20 1:00PM-5:00PM, benefits the Friends of the Henderson County Library to fund & enhance library programs, Hendersonville, NC 828-697-4725
*******************************
Flat Rock
Sept 30-Oct 18, 2009
Flat Rock Playhouse presents Marty's El Paso. A musical review featuring the music of Marty Robbins and starring Jason Petty, from "Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes." Onstage September 30 - October 18. Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8:15 pm, with matinee performances most Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:15.
Event date(s):
Flat Rock Playhouse
Web Site
Asheville
Asheville
62nd Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
Thursday, October 15th, 2009 - Sunday, October 18th, 2009
It's the 62nd season of the bi-annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, October 15-18, 2009. The Craft Fair is an event where connoisseurs and novices alike come to craft a collection, connect with tradition, and invest in regional culture. The Craft Fair takes place in beautiful downtown Asheville at the Civic Center, 10am-6pm Thursday through Saturday, and 10am -5pm Sunday. Over two hundred craftspeople fill two floors with fine handcrafted items, while local musicians play live on the arena stage, and craft educators share their knowledge with children in hands-on projects.
Additional information about this event is available at 828-298-7928
Web Page
Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville,TN
Gatlinburg
34th Annual Fall Craftsmen's Fair
October 8th thru 25th, 2009
10am - 7 pm Daily
10am - 5 pm Sundays
Admission: Adults $6.00, children 12 and under, free
Colorful, breathtaking mountains, cool autumn freshness and the allure of nature's beauty. these are some very good reasons to visit the Great Smoky Mountains this fall. But if you need a little more coaxing, how about making plans to attend one of the Southeast's most popular events - the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair at the Gatlinburg Convention Center!
Art, crafts and music lovers will find over 200 booths featuring some of the nation's finest work.
Artisans and craftspeople are on-hand to demonstrate their skill, answer questions and offer their unique art for sale.
Country & Bluegrass
music shows!
Web Page Here
Some special links to make your visit more worthwhile
2010 75th Anniversary Web Site of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Join us on an extraordinary journey through the stories of this remarkable route and the region through which it passes. Discover the opportunities the 75th Anniversary presents for us all!
**************************************
Chestnut Creek School of the Arts
Chestnut Creek School of Arts preserves and promotes the cultural heritage of southwest Virginia by fostering artistic and individual growth through classes in visual and performing arts, heritage and contemporary craft, and traditional music.
Visit the Web Site
**************************************
The Crooked Road
Craft
Virginia's Heritage Music Trail
**************************************
Friends of The Blue Ridge Parkway
Friends of The Blue Ridge Parkway web site
ODDS and ENDS Some interesting things
Google Earth on Steroids This is cool, especially the part showing the facility in Iran.
Take a look at this short video from PBS - a program about a touch-table.
(It's Google-Earth on steroids!!!!) It has many capabilities. Notice about
half way into the video it shows Iran's nuclear facility and does something
interesting. It moves the satellite pictures as a function of time in years
and lets you see what has really has been happening there! And what they
"hid" or thought they "hid" underground! Now if you have around $60,000, you
can get one of these.
Visit here