Pets at Waynesville fests?

If you stick around in local government long enough, you could find yourself considering the repeal of an ordinance that you yourself wrote years prior — like Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown.

WCU’s Mountain Heritage Day

Celebrating Southern Appalachian culture through concerts, living-history demonstrations, competitions and awards programs, Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, on the campus in Cullowhee.

Huge success for Canton Labor Day fest

The longest running Labor Day festival in the South is meant to commemorate the contributions of the organized labor movement in the Unites States; appropriately, the Town of Canton’s popular weekend event wasn’t just spent guzzling sweet tea, pounding barbecue and listening to bluegrass.

High On A Hilltop: Yonder Mountain String Band to headline Canton Labor Day

Where to from here?

It’s the lingering question within bluegrass and string circles nowadays. Amid the traditional pickers and grinners, there is an urgency arising in recent years, one that wonders just what will happen to the beloved, deeply held music once the last of the elder statesmen vanish.

Meet ‘Mr. Folkmoot’: Rolf Kaufman has played a large part in festival’s success

Rolf Kaufman has been a fixture on the Folkmoot scene since before it even began, bringing people from foreign lands together and welcoming them to Western North Carolina much as he himself was welcomed here from a foreign land 70 years ago.

Between the fingers lies the soul

art frThey all do something with their hands.

Meandering around Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia, one thing becomes apparent — folk ‘round here are quite imaginative. It’s been said you can’t throw a rock in any direction without hitting someone with a zest for life coupled with a deep sense of the creative self.

Greening Up The Mountains welcomes spring

art frDrawing thousands of visitors each year, the 19th annual Greening Up The Mountains Spring Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in downtown Sylva. 

The daylong event is a celebration of renewal, of revitalization, and a time of reconnecting with friends, relatives and neighbors. Browse the more than 190 vendors, representing arts, crafts, demonstrators, culinary delights, local schools, business, community, environmental, health, safety, children’s activities, and more.

Sylva OKs outdoor alcohol sales

fr greeningupThis year’s Crawfish Boil at Greening Up The Mountains will offer local brews to wash down the shellfish following a vote last week to start allowing alcohol at some special events in Sylva.

Sylva considers loosened alcohol ordinance

sylvaAlcohol could start showing up at some downtown Sylva events if town commissioners approve an ordinance slated for public comment on April 7.

Hillbilly festival accused of trademark infringement

fr hillbillySix years ago, Becky Ramey and Terry Frady started a little festival in the parking lot of their Maggie Valley restaurant with improv performers on the back of a flatbed truck and one keg of beer.

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