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.

14^th Annual Blood, Sweat, and Gears

June 23^rd

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. 

2^nd Annual Boone Cyclo.via!

June 24^th

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 1^st – 10^th

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 22^nd – 24^th

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.

Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble
June 1^st – 13^th

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 13^th

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 15^th – August 11^th

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…

88^th Annual Singing on the Mountain

June 24^th

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 2^nd - 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 9^th - 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 16^th - 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 23^rd - 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 30^th - 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

Concerts on the Lawn

Jones House, Downtown Boone

June 1^st - Matthew Weaver and Trevor McKenzie (5:00) Swing Guitars (5:30)

& Major Sevens (7:30)

June 8^th - Wayne Henderson & Elkville String Band

June 15^th - Celebration of Doc Watson w/ the Kruger Brothers & Charles Welch

June 22^nd - New River Boys & Roan Mountain Hilltoppers

June 29^th - 20 seasons of Concerts a celebration w/ Becca Eggers-Gryder and Amantha Mill & Diane Hackworth & Steve and Ruth Smith

The Arts…

Art Crawl

June 1^st

Downtown Boone

Each month the Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA) hosts the Art Crawl which happens every First Friday.

West Jefferson Gallery Crawl

June 8^th

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 16^th

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 30^th – July 1^st

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 1^st & 2^nd

High Country Fairgrounds, Boone

Bike games, contests, and live music! No colors or glass bottles allowed.

89^th Annual Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show

June 7^th – 10^th

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.

47^th Annual Roasting of the Hog

June 30^th

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