Sledding, literally dashing through the snow, is an endlessly repeatable pastime practiced by all ages in winter conditions. Here in the High Country, the mixture of winter weather and terrain make it an excellent region for the beloved winter hobby. Finding the nicest spots to go to, what t…
Nestled within the High Country, an array of shops line the streets of Ashe, Avery and Watauga. Most of these shops are small businesses and give the gift of shopping local. Both tourists and locals thrive off of these shops, as well as the businesses themselves. Whether you’re looking for t…
The High Country bounced back in a limited capacity with summer festivals in 2021 following a crippling season due to COVID-19 in 2020.
Sugar Mountain Resort is the largest winter sport destination in the state of North Carolina and lives up to the name as a grand place to be. Sugar Mountain Resort features skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, tubing and a snowshoe experience.
The High Country area, including Avery, Ashe and Watauga counties, have been well known for its scenic, idyllic mountains and the Appalachian culture. For more than 50 years now, the area is synonymous with winter sports and the ski resorts.
With the greatest amount of snowmaking pump capacity per acre of any ski resort in the Southeast region, Appalachian Ski Mtn. is primed to bring plenty of joy and recreational opportunities to winter sports enthusiasts.
As society and the High Country alike continue to move forward with the COVID-19 pandemic, live performance is returning in force.
Northwestern North Carolina is home to a wide variety of art galleries featuring work from countless local artists who exhibit their individual talents in their respected artistries. Individuals planning to visit galleries in the High Country should call ahead or check gallery websites for c…
Dating back longer than 2,000 years, the frescoes have become a staple of the arts within the High Country. From the Last Supper, the Mystery of Faith to works from the area’s very own Ben Long, it isn’t hard to see the hard work and care that has been built into these pieces.
Despite uncharacteristically warm temperatures leading up to the festival weekend, Mother Nature flipped a switch to bring back typical fall weather, as a wet and damp beginning to the opening day of the 44th Annual Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival on Saturday, Oct. 16, gave way to a cooler a…
Stage productions, musicals, dance recitals and more line the stages of the theaters of the High Country. Visitors to the region can indulge in performances from the next up-and-coming student performers, as well as seasoned experts who take the stage in the mountains.
Imagine yourself living in the High Country around the year 1700. You are probably a frontiersman — or a Native American. It’s wintertime and snow has piled up on the trail ahead as you pad through the forest in your moccasins. Looking at the fresh snow, you suddenly see footprints of a larg…
If a combination of speed, exhilaration and scenic beauty are your thing, winter ziplining at Hawksnest in the High Country could be just the ticket.
Northwestern North Carolina is home to a wide variety of art galleries featuring work from countless local artists who exhibit their individual talents in their respected artistries. Please note, that due to the COVID-19 pandemic gallery hours and events may be subject to change. Individuals…
Nearly five decades have past since internationally renowned artist Ben Long first put brush to wet plaster in the historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, outside of West Jefferson to create what would become the first in his collection of larger than life Fresco paintings in North Carolina — …
Few things go together as well as crisp, fall weather and a football game. From backyard scrimmages to Friday night lights, autumn is the season of the pigskin.
Pickleball is a game beloved by many, with anyone of any age being able to join in the fun. Many fans of the sport may not know that its origins connect family, fun and the federal government.
The North Carolina High Country has long been regarded as an outdoors playground, where myriad activities await adventurers wanting to get out into nature and enjoy all the excitement available within a brief drive or hike.
The fall is a special season in the High Country, ushering in a fresh color scheme and renewed appreciation for the mountains every year. As football season kicks off, students return to their dorm rooms and the mountains swap lush summer greens for bright yellow, rich red and orange and war…
In the 152-year history of American college football, it has played a role in shaping the sports culture and societal traditions like few entities.
Due to the success of the inaugural BOONE DOCS documentary film series in 2020-21, the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country has announced an expanded schedule of screenings including a new Cinema Classics series. On seven different weekends during the autumn months, “Cinema Sundays at the…
The celebratory shouts that went up when it was announced that the 2021 Valle Country Fair would be back live and in-person could have rivaled the enthusiasm that burst forth when Noah threw open the doors and let all his passengers off of the ark! Now in its 43rd year, the fun and fellowshi…
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic community members in the High Country still find the arrival of fall as good a reason as any to celebrate with fun, food and fellowship. The changing of the leaves, the crisp autumn air, the promise of the coming winter are each a perfect opportunity to …
West Jefferson’s 10th annual Olde Time Antiques Fair takes place Friday, Sept. 17-18, in historic downtown West Jefferson. Admission to the fair is free, and the event will be held rain or shine. The event will be open from noon until 8 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country announced that it is reopening its doors to the general public on Sept. 3 for the first time since March 2020. This concludes an extended period of time during which ATHC produced 15 online broadcasts of seven films and eight “Live from the Appalac…
More than 70,000 visitors each year come to Mystery Hill to experience the historical landmark’s “gravity vortex.” Despite your best efforts to stand upright, these gravitational anomalies force your body into a 45-degree angle, water will flow uphill, and balls will roll upward right before…
“Reminiscence” pretends to be based on the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. But to the cinephile, it is reminiscent of such sci-fi movies as “Strange Days,” “Inception,” “Minority Report,” “Blade Runner,” even “Waterworld” … as well as such film noir classics as “Casablanca,” “Laura,” “The Ma…
Hugh Jackman is like a split personality – (1) the star of all those bare-chested, clawed Wolverine superhero movies, and (2) all his other roles. So let’s take a look at his top movies, according to critics’ rankings on the Rotten Tomatoes website.
Barn quilts are a fairly new art form based long standing craft traditions of years past, and Western North Carolina is home to one of the largest concentrations of barn quilt blocks in the country. A symbol of Appalachian heritage, these colorful squares with elaborate geometric patterns ar…
Halloween in the High Country is hauntingly good. No wonder people flock to the various attractions during the witching season.
You’ve probably taken the Jungle Cruise at Disney World (or one of Disney’s many theme parks around the world). Appropriately, it is part of Adventureland. The popular ride – a steamer that travels along a waterway surrounded by audianimatronic animals that makes you feel like you’ve been th…
Disney can squeeze blood out of a stone. It repurposes all it properties. The animated fantasy “Cinderella” becomes a live action film. “Lion King” becomes a Broadway play. “Snow White” turns up on ice. And “The Wind and the Willows” winds up as “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” at a theme park.
More than 70,000 visitors each year come to Mystery Hill to experience the historical landmark’s “gravity vortex.” Despite your best efforts to stand upright, these gravitational anomalies will force your body into a 45-degree angle, water will flow uphill, and balls will roll upward right b…
Boone and the rest of the High Country have always had a unique culture that breeds art, expression and resilience, with many people taking the time to make sure that the culture is not lost to time.
Performers will once again tread the stage of Lees-McRae College’s Hayes Auditorium for summer performances following 2020’s hiatus due to COVID-19. The school’s Summer Theater program has been going strong for more than three decades and offers high quality, professional performances to com…
Since its opening in 1938, the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country has survived a fire, undergone a lengthy restoration and like so many other entertainment venues this past year bore the brunt of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic.
Nestled in a historic 1930s Works Progress Administration building in downtown West Jefferson, the Ashe County Arts Council has long been committed to promoting the arts as a hallmark of an active, engaged community.
Though small in stature, the 99-seat Ensemble Stage in Banner Elk boasts big talent. Established in 2009, the Ensemble Stage provides the residents of The High Country, along with its visitors, a variety of live theatrical presentations of the highest possible quality at an affordable price.…
After a topsy-turvy year in 2020 that severely affected businesses, especially the entertainment industry, virtually every usual festival hosted in the High Country was forced to suspend activities in the era of COVID-19.
Picture a game that’s a hybrid of two sports, easy for people of all ages to play, and provides hours of entertainment and competition when played either indoors or outdoors. Such a game exists, and it’s known by an unusual name: Pickleball.
With a large selection of galleries displaying a wide variety of art from local, regional and nationally renowned artists, the High Country is a must visit destination for anyone interested in creative culture.
The beautiful peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains make the perfect backdrop for any summertime event and are a key subject for many High Country artists. Because of the areas natural beauty and number of quality artist that call this region home, it’s no surprise that the High Country is the p…
There’s something surrounding the mountains of the High Country, an energy of sorts that floods into the lives of anyone around. This energy is filled with light and life, giving people an experience they will never forget. For motorcyclists, taking a ride through the all-encompassing Blue R…
Nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains is the vast High Country, full of dirt, rocky mountains and hidden trails holding the perfect stomping grounds for mountain bikers. The thrill of the unknown has been dug into these grounds, creating an audacious abundance of exploration opportunities …
The High Country has become the perfect place for cyclists to roam through all the scenery and trails it has to offer. Many locals find themselves riding around in their own neighborhoods, through downtown and even competing in races.
Frescoes are a unique art form that dates back thousands of years, and they hold up to the test of time. The artist will use watercolor paints to create the work on wet plaster, usually on walls or ceilings. When the plaster dries, the pigment is chemically bonded and can last for centuries.
Viewing trees, houses and businesses aglow with Christmas lights is a holiday classic that won’t be stopped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country is like many other theaters and cultural facilities around the country that are going through what Keith Martin — the theater’s chair calls a “major paradigm shift.”
One of the longest-running festivals in the state of North Carolina is the state’s official woolly worm festival, the annual Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival, held each third weekend in October in downtown Banner Elk.
Northwestern North Carolina is home to a wide variety of art galleries featuring work from countless local artist who exhibit their individual talents in their respected artistries. Please note, that due to the COVID-19 pandemic gallery hours and events may be subject to change. Individuals …
We are lucky here in the High Country, as even though we live in the mid-south region of the U.S., our mountains enable us to experience wintertime in all of its glory and enjoyment. Too many, winter is a period to hunker down and lay low and stay warm. For those cheerful in all weathers, ho…
