The day will begin at 10 a.m. with an address from museum founders Alen Baker and Forrest Parker, and representatives from surrounding communities and fly-fishing organizations will offer thoughts as well. A ceremonial ribbon-cutting will follow. 

Lunch, beginning at noon, will be offered, and a free casting clinic will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Fly guides, all masters of their craft, will provide one-on-one instruction to improve participants’ skills. 

Registration will also be available at the event for Casting for Hope, a fly fishing tournament to be held in Cherokee Sunday, June 7, to raise money for survivors of ovarian and gynecological cancers. 

The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians is aimed at showcasing the past and present of fly fishing in the mountain states from West Virginia south. The undertaking is largely volunteer-based, with assistance from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which is providing the space, and the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, which will run the day-to-day of the museum.