Blue Ridge Explorer

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One of the most beautiful months of the year in the North Carolina mountains, May is also a time of celebration. Visitors and natives, people in tiny communities and large cities, from all walks of life celebrate the unique art, music, food and wine, crafts, and natural treasures of the region. Let the festivals begin!
Get the Go Blue Ridge Card and Save! Explore some of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area's top attractions with the new Go Blue Ridge Card, your passport to fun and adventure in the North Carolina mountains... Click here to learn more.
Let the Festivals Begin! Whether it's ramps, white squirrels, or strawberry jam, music, heritage, or vintage cars, folks who live in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area... Click to learn more.	Cherokee in May The town of Cherokee and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians kick off their summer season on Thursday, May 10... Click to learn more.
Riding the Dragon Spring in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area beckons motorists to take to the open road, especially to... Click to learn more.	May is for the Birds May is a prime time of year for birdwatchers in Western North Carolina... Click to learn more.

Get the Go Blue Ridge Card and Save! Explore some of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area's top attractions with the new Go Blue Ridge Card, your passport to fun and adventure in the North Carolina mountains. The Go Blue Ridge Card, a multi-attraction pass that will be launched in May 2007, includes admission to over 20 of North Carolina's most popular attractions in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area at ONE LOW PRICE.
Let the Festivals Begin! Whether it's ramps, white squirrels, or strawberry jam, music, heritage, or vintage cars, folks who live in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area know how to celebrate the best of their region. Some events are large, starring local, regional, and international musical talent and storytellers; others are smaller community celebrations that preserve local interests and traditions. All offer great family fun for all ages. Below is a sampling of what's in store in May: French Broad River Festival, Hot Springs, May 4-6, benefits American Whitewater and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of WNC. Music, camping, raft races and more. MayFest, Rutherfordton, May 5, now in its 35th year. Food, arts, crafts, live entertainment, children's activities and car show. LEAF, the Lake Eden Arts Festival, held bi-annually, Black Mountain. This year's spring festival is May 11-13 and will feature Arlo Guthrie and the Guthrie Family Legacy Tour. Saluda Arts & Music Festival, Saluda, May 19. More than 50 area artists and craftspeople will offer their creations for show and sale, and there will be music throughout the day. Yadkin Valley Wine Festival, Elkin, May 19. Featuring more than 20 wineries pouring the Yadkin Valley's best, as well as displays from new vineyards coming on the scene. Carl Sandburg Folk Music Festival, Flat Rock, May 28, at the historic Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Photos courtesy Bob Hodge, Yadkin Valley Wine Trail (yvwt.com) and LEAF Festival.
Cherokee in May The town of Cherokee and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians kick off their summer season on Thursday, May 10, with Cherokee Visitor Appreciation Day. Music, free food, storytelling, dance, entertainment, and arts and crafts will highlight the event, which will be held at the Downtown Welcome Center Kiosk, 946 Tsalagi Road. The Oconaluftee Indian Village, a living history exhibit, opens for the season on May 11, while the Museum of the Cherokee Indian is open year-round. Together, they render a comprehensive history of the Cherokee from prehistoric times. Although powwows are not part of the Cherokee tradition, they have become popular as social gatherings among many Native American tribes across the U.S. and Canada. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will host a Memorial Day Powwow, May 26-27 at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. Highlights include native drumming and chanting, champion Indian dancers in competition and exhibition, and the magnificent regalia worn by participants. Photos courtesy Adam Taylor, Cherokee Travel & Tourism.
Riding the Dragon Spring in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area beckons motorists to take to the open road, especially to two of western North Carolinas most scenic—and challenging—roadways. One has been called "the Dragon," for a reason—it is a beast of a roadway. Accessed through Robbinsville, the Dragon winds through the rugged mountainous terrain between Deal's Gap, NC, and Tennessee, bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with 318 curves in 11 miles. Scenic, undeveloped, and challenging, the Dragon is considered by some to be America's number one motorcycle and sports car road. The nearby Cherohala Skyway is another breathtaking highway that climbs to elevations of over 5,300 feet between Robbinsville, NC, and Tellico Plains, TN. It took 30 years to construct this paved 50-mile, two-lane road that gets its name from the two National Forests it crosses, the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest. Photos courtesy Tail of the Dragon.
May is for the Birds May is a prime time of year for birdwatchers in Western North Carolina. Not only is the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in the north-south migratory flight path for many species, it is also a permanent home to some "northern" species of birds that migrate to and from higher elevations rather than over thousands of miles. Some of these species include the slate-colored junco, black-capped chickadee, and saw-whet owl. Simon Thompson, the staff ornithologist at Chimney Rock Park, leads "Simon Says" birding walks in the park throughout the year. He also leads birding walks in Jackson Park in Hendersonville, one of the finest migration spots in the Carolinas, and at Beaver Lake Sanctuary in Asheville. The Carolina Bird Club is the state ornithology society, and there are two chapters of the Audubon Society in Western North Carolina. Click here to learn more about birding in the North Carolina mountains. Photos courtesy Simon Thompson, Venture Birding Tours.
Share this eNewsletter with a friend. Print this newsletter with images or as text only. Subscription Information: You are subscribed as %%EMAIL%%. To unsubscribe from this eNewsletter, please click here. This eNewsletter is provided by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. You have previously expressed an interest in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. We hope you will enjoy these eNewsletters about what to see and do in the beautiful North Carolina mountains. Visit the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area website for more information. The Blue Ridge Explorer is not supported by paid advertising; events, businesses, and other resources included herein illustrate some aspect of interest to travelers to the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. This is a post only email. Please do not reply to this message. For inquiries, send mail to Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, 134 Wright Brothers Way, Fletcher, NC 28732.