June Update
Greetings kampers! Summer is here and
the High Country is packed with things to do. Head up the mountain to beat the
heat and check out some of our local events in the month of June!
Let’s Get Physical…Biking and Running Events…
5th Annual Cool 5 Race Weekend
June 8th
& 9th
Beech
Mountain, NC
The A Cool 5
Race Weekend is a compilation of events, birthed in June of 2008, held in Beech
Mountain, NC annually. The Race Weekend includes pre-race festivities, a pasta
dinner, guest motivational speaker, cook-out, race expo, kids village, lots of
live music, games, fun and a lively series of family and pet-friendly racing,
running and walking events on Saturday.
14th Annual Blood, Sweat, and Gears
June 23rd
Valle Crucis
Elementary School, Valle Crucis
The ride is a 100 mile loop starting and ending at the Valle Crucis
Elementary School, approximately 5 miles south of Boone, North Carolina. The
route roughly circles Boone through the outskirts of Watauga County, the heart
of North Carolina's High Country.
2nd Annual Boone Cyclo.via!
June 24th
Downtown Boone
On Sunday, June 24,
2012 portions of Howard Street, Depot Street, and Rivers Street will be closed
to vehicular traffic, but open to Human Powered Fun! Enjoy biking, walking,
running, stroller pushing, and many fun activities! So decorate your bike, bring
your family, and experience Boone Cyclovia!
Tweetsie Railroad
Special Events…
A Day Out with Thomas
the Train
June 1st – 10th
Day Out With
Thomas™ is a family event that offers aspiring engineers and their families the
unique opportunity to take a ride with the classic storybook engine, Thomas the
Tank Engine™ at regional heritage railroads across the country.
Dora and Diego
June 22nd
– 24th
Meet
Nickelodeon’s Dora and Diego in person!
The Beauty of Grandfather Mountain…
Naturalist Programs
June – August
Any time you visit you will enjoy the breathtaking scenery and entertaining animals, but tag along with a staff naturalist and you'll take away a much greater understanding of what you have seen and a much deeper appreciation of how rare and wonderful this Mountain truly is.
Any time you visit you will enjoy the breathtaking scenery and entertaining animals, but tag along with a staff naturalist and you'll take away a much greater understanding of what you have seen and a much deeper appreciation of how rare and wonderful this Mountain truly is.
Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble
June 1st – 13th
June 1st – 13th
Our staff naturalists can't wait to share their
excitement for the showy rose-lavender Catawba Rhododendron that blooms its way
up Grandfatherís slopes throughout the month of June. Join us for special
activities designed to help you get the most out of this memorable sight.
Included with park admission.
Birthday
Party at Grandfather’s Animal Habitats
June 13th
Grandfather Mountain celebrates the birthdays of all
the animals in the park with games, contests, crafts and surprises.
Grandfather’s habitat staff has prepared a fun-filled day for guests as well as
programming to celebrate its furry inhabitants. Check out their website
for a full schedule of events.
What’s Happening at Horn in the West…
Watauga County Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, 8am – 12pm
The market has so many things to love: fresh and nutritious
local foods, beautiful handmade crafts, face-to-face interactions with the
farmers who grow your food, scrumptious breads, jams, jellies, and cheeses made
by community members, meat and eggs from local farmers, and of course the
friendly social atmosphere of "Boone's Town Square."
Hickory Ridge Living Homestead
Saturdays, 9am – 2pm
Staffed with
interpreters in period clothing, the 18th century homestead gives visitors a
glimpse into the past and a feeling for the daily lives of early mountain
settlers including how they lived, and what constituted a 'typical' mountain
homestead. The museum also provides insight into the self sufficiency of our
forefathers by showing the routines and skills they possessed such as
hearthside cooking, weaving, making candles, spinning, blacksmithing, etc.
Horn in the West Outdoor Drama
June 15th
– August 11th
Ask the Boone KOA Staff about Discounted
Tickets!!
Loved by young
and old, the Horn in the West drama is located in the heart of Boone, North
Carolina in one of the most beautiful outdoor theatres in the country. This
adventure, from our nation's heritage, has offered thrilling outdoor
entertainment to generations of Americans since it premiered in 1952.
Singers, Pickers, and Concert Series in the High Country…
88th Annual Singing on the Mountain
June 24th
Grandfather
Mountain
The “Singing” is a day-long gathering held out-of-doors
in a meadow at the base of Grandfather Mountain. Music begins at 8:30 a.m. and
continues throughout the day, with a break at mid-day for the sermon. Many
families bring lawn chairs and picnics and make a day of seeing old friends and
enjoying performances by top Southern Gospel groups. Special guest
speaker is Appalachian State Football Coach Jerry Moore. Free admission.
Mountain Home Music
The mission of Mountain Home Music is to celebrate
diverse styles of Appalachian performing arts. Mountain Home Music strives to
educate and build community through the arts, providing accessible
cross-generational experiences.
June 2nd - Rural Roots–Mountain Songs: Dana & Susan
Robinson
Their unique
blend of contemporary songwriting and traditional Appalachian music reflects a
deep understanding of America's musical heritage. They tour throughout the U.S
and the United Kingdom. This will be their first appearance on MHM.
Blowing Rock School Auditorium,
8pm
June 9th - From Asheville to Boone: Red June
Red June is an acoustic trio from Asheville, NC. Their
music defies a category; it's partly folk, partly Appalachian fiddle tunes,
partly classical, and partly jazz. But it's always good, very good.
Blowing Rock School Auditorium, 8pm
June 16th - Creative Country–Singers & Songwriters: The
Jeanne Jolly Band
Singer and songwriter Jeanne Jolly broke onto the
musical scene as the featured vocalist for Grammy Award winning trumpeter Chris
Botti. She is classically trained and earned a master's degree from the New
England Conservatory of Music. But her heart was, and is, in the country and
rural traditions of North Carolina.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 7:30pm
June 23rd - Old Time Banjo, Fiddle and Mandolin: Joe Newberry
& Mike Compton
Joe Newberry and Grammy Award winner Mike Compton have
deep roots in traditional American music. Joe plays banjo with old-time music
legends Mike Craver, Bill Hicks, and Jim Watson, and he also plays with Big
Medicine, a band that's been featured on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home
Companion. Mike has played
with John Hartford, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, and he appears on the
soundtracks of O Brother Where Art Thou, the Songcatcher, and Cold Mountain.
Blowing Rock School Auditorium, 8pm
June 30th - Gentle Rings, Dulcimer Strings
Ken Kolodner (hammered dulcimer, fiddle, hammered
mbira) and his son Brad Kolodner (banjo, banjola, gourd and fretless banjo,
guitar, fiddle) perform Appalachian and original music. Their most recent CD,
Otter Creek, was the most played instrumental recording on the international
folk charts in 2011.
Blowing Rock School Auditorium, 8pm
Music in the Valle
Join Valle
Crucis Community Park as we celebrate the 10th anniversary season of Music in
the Valle! All concerts begin at 7:00 and end at sundown. Admission is free,
but a $5 donation per person to the park is recommended. Pets are welcome but
must be leashed. There is absolutely no smoking allowed in the park. Bring a
picnic, a blanket or chairs, and enjoy!
June 1: Brother Gravity, sponsored by Wren's Nest
Landscaping & Garden Center
June 8: The Mountain Laurels, sponsored by Rivercross Market
June 15: Sound Traveler, sponsored by Valle Crucis Conference Center
June 22: The Major Sevens, sponsored by High Country Local First
June 29: The Worthless Son-in-Laws, sponsored by the Justus and Nettles Ridge 'Hood
June 8: The Mountain Laurels, sponsored by Rivercross Market
June 15: Sound Traveler, sponsored by Valle Crucis Conference Center
June 22: The Major Sevens, sponsored by High Country Local First
June 29: The Worthless Son-in-Laws, sponsored by the Justus and Nettles Ridge 'Hood
Concerts on the Lawn
Jones House,
Downtown Boone
June 1st - Matthew Weaver and
Trevor McKenzie (5:00) Swing Guitars (5:30)
& Major
Sevens (7:30)
June 8th - Wayne Henderson &
Elkville String Band
June 15th - Celebration of Doc
Watson w/ the Kruger Brothers & Charles Welch
June 22nd - New River Boys &
Roan Mountain Hilltoppers
June 29th - 20 seasons of Concerts a
celebration w/ Becca Eggers-Gryder and Amantha Mill & Diane Hackworth &
Steve and Ruth Smith
The Arts…
Art Crawl
June 1st
Downtown
Boone
Each month the Downtown Boone Development Association
(DBDA) hosts the Art Crawl which happens every First Friday.
West Jefferson Gallery Crawl
June 8th
Stroll the streets of a historic mountain town, enjoy the cool
mountain breeze while listening to the comforting sounds of street musicians
and "popping" in and out of West Jefferson's many galleries. Open
House in more than 15 art galleries and studios.
Art in the Park
June 16th
Blowing Rock
Art in the
Park was created in 1962 by a handful of area artists and craftspeople to
showcase local talent. Now, Art in the Park is host to 90 artisans at each
show. Some of the best local and regional artists and craftspeople showcase
their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and
more.
Independence Weekend Fine Arts & Crafts Show
June 30th
– July 1st
Old Banner
Elk Elementary School
Artists from all over the country will showcase their handmade work.
Event hours are typically from 5pm to 2am with galleries and shops open until 7:30pm, restaurants and bars open until 10pm or 2am and two late-night galleries, open on Art Crawl nights only, from 7pm to 12am.
Special Events in the High Country…
Boone Bike Rally
June 1st
& 2nd
High Country
Fairgrounds, Boone
Bike games,
contests, and live music! No colors or glass bottles allowed.
89th Annual Blowing Rock Charity Horse
Show
June 7th – 10th
At the L. M. Tate Horse Show Grounds, at the Blowing
Rock Equestrian Preserve located in the mountain splendor of Western North
Carolina's Moses Cone Memorial Park, the Pisgah National Forest, and one mile
from historic Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
47th Annual Roasting of the Hog
June 30th
Beech Mountain
An annual
event, the hog is roasted all day to perfection and cut up right in front of
the crowd. With music, moon pies, games, and fireworks, this is a family affair
that you won’t want to miss!
And as always, we'll leave you with some inspirational June quotes...
Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like
it. ~Russel Baker
A perfect summer day is when the sun
is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is
broken. ~James Dent
If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented
romance. ~Bern Williams
It is the month of June,
The month of leaves and roses,
When pleasant sights salute the eyes,
And pleasant scents the noses.
~Nathaniel Parker Willis