Blue Ridge Explorer

Cloaked in the delicate colors of spring, the North Carolina mountains beckon with beauty as dogwoods lace the woodlands and wildflowers carpet the forest floor. Discover a breath of fresh air--springtime in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
Go Fly a Kite! Kite flying enthusiasts can find exciting springtime kiting adventures in some surprising, non-traditional places. Instead of keeping to flat land, kiters are discovering the thrill of flying kites from the high balds of the North Carolina mountains such as Max Patch and... Click here to learn more.
Wildflower Hikes Explore Nature's Rebirth Hiking in the North Carolina mountains is exhilarating at any time of year, but there is something special about... Click to learn more.	MerleFest--Celebrating Americana Music The largest Americana music festival in the world, MerleFest takes place April 26-29 at Wilkes Community College... Click to learn more.
Junior Appalachian Musicians Fostering the next generation of traditional mountain musicians is the goal of the popular... Click to learn more.	Hand-Crafted Cheeses Travelers in the North Carolina mountains have the opportunity to discover some of the freshest, tastiest hand-crafted cheeses... Click to learn more.

Go Fly A Kite! Kite flying enthusiasts can find exciting springtime kiting adventures in some surprising, non-traditional places. Instead of keeping to flat land, kiters are discovering the thrill of flying kites from the high balds of the North Carolina mountains such as Max Patch and Roan Mountain's Round Bald. These wild and windy open spaces offer breathtaking vistas as well as a place for kites to soar in the fresh April air. April is National Kite Month, with hundreds of kite festivals held nationwide, including Hendersonville's Mighty Kite Flight on Saturday, April 21. Later in the year, the Chamber of Commerce of Beech Mountain, the highest town in the eastern United States, sponsors the annual Mile High Kite Fly as part of the town's Labor Day Weekend festivities. Photos courtesy of Narnia Studios and Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce.
Wildflower Hikes Explore Nature's Rebirth Hiking in the North Carolina mountains is exhilarating at any time of year, but there is something special about a walk in the woods in the springtime when fragile wildflowers dare to peek out from beneath their winter coverings. You may discover the shy face of the blossom of trailing arbutus peeping from beneath the plant's leathery leaves, or happen upon a forest floor covered with large-flowered trillium like a fairy kingdom. Wildflowers can be enjoyed throughout the warm weather seasons along the trails of the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as the State and National Forests and Parks in the region, but studious wildflower lovers may opt for a guided hike or workshop to sharpen their skills. Among the many wildflower hikes and workshops in the region are: Annual seven-day Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Great Smoky Mountains Two-day North Carolina Botanical Garden Workshop in Cashiers Grandfather Mountain's Guided Wildflower Walk, Sat. May 5th. Swannanoa Valley Museum's Annual Wildflower Hike, this year held in conjunction with the Great Southeastern Hiking Conference. Sunday, May 2. Click here for a bloom calendar for Western North Carolina's wildflowers. Photos courtesy of Rich Stevenson.
MerleFest--Celebrating Americana Music The largest Americana music festival in the world, MerleFest takes place April 26-29 at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC. Last year, more than 82,000 people participated in the four-day festival to celebrate the emerging genre of Americana music. MerleFest offers an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary roots music, bringing together the very best of bluegrass, contemporary acoustic, blues, folk, old-time, Cajun, jazz, and singer-songwriter music that appeals to young and old alike. The festival is hosted by legendary guitar player Doc Watson and is named for his son and musical partner, Eddy Merle Watson, who died in a tragic accident in 1985. MerleFest is a family event, with something for all ages, including contests, music jams, and four days of Americana music performed by a variety of nationally-known artists on thirteen stages. MerleFest photos by Becky Johnson.
Junior Appalachian Musicians Fostering the next generation of traditional mountain musicians is the goal of the popular Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program in the mountains of North Carolina. Building on the time-honored mountain tradition of musicians coming together to play and learn from each other, JAM brings kids from the fourth through eighth grades together with seasoned musicians in after-school venues. The master musicians tutor the younger generation in the intricacies of playing the fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, and lap dulcimer. Started in 2000 in Alleghany County, NC, JAM is rapidly spreading throughout the region, and JAMmers are now performing in such renowned venues as the Fiddler's Grove Fiddler's Convention and the Fisher's Peak Traditional Music Interpretive Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photos courtesy of the North Carolina Arts Council.
Hand-Crafted Cheeses Travelers in the North Carolina mountains have the opportunity to discover some of the freshest, tastiest hand-crafted cheeses in the country. Made from the milk of goats and cows lovingly raised on small mountain farms, these cheeses are sought after by some of the region's finest restaurants, as well as discerning individuals. Yellow Branch Farm, in Robbinsville, NC, creates mild, buttery, full-bodied farmstead cheese from the fresh milk of dairy cows with pet names like Violet and Primrose. Spinning Spider Creamery in Marshall is a family operation that hand crafts selected artisanal fresh, bloomy rind, and raw milk aged cheeses. Both their cheeses and their goats have won recognition regionally. Others in the region include Dark Cove Pottery and Farm in Cullowhee, NC, and Yellow Wolf Farm in Todd, NC. Cheeses from these farms and others are available at farmers' markets and tailgate markets throughout Western North Carolina. You can ask for them in area restaurants and grocery stores. Click here for a comprehensive list of all outlets for these and other fresh North Carolina farm products, or pick up a copy of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project's Local Food Guide. Photos courtesy of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.
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