Enjoy RiverMusic this Friday and take advantage of a Volunteer Opportunity

September 13, 5 PM. - 10 PM  at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza, 144 Riverside Drive in the River Arts District. 

This summer has been great fun at RiverLink's RiverMUSIC. The final show of the season is this Friday night and welcomes the The Alan Evans Trio. These special events wouldn't be possible without all the amazing volunteers, and help is still needed for this concert.

There are openings for:

• First Shift Wristbands/Tokens (5:00-7:30)- 2 people
• Second Shift Wristbands/Tokens (7:30-10:00)- 5 people
• Second Shift Beer Sales (7:30-10:00)-6 people
• Second Shift Parking (7:30-10:00)- 4 people
• Second Shift River Access Watch (7:30-10:00)- 1 person

Remember all RiverMusic volunteers get a free wristband and drink token, plus an invite to the volunteer appreciation party. If you're interested, email jess@riverlink.org with you preferred shift ASAP. 

September 19, at 5:00 PM at the RiverLink Sculpture Plaza-

Volunteer Appreciation Party - RiverLink wants to show their lappreciation for all of the hard work that you've put in this summer to help make RiverMusic an amazing success. The gates will be open so you'll be able to park there. There will be free food, drinks, and RiverLink swag- like RIVERMUSIC SHIRTS. The party starts at 5:00 PM so come if you can.   

Special Volunteer Opportunity-  Thanks to Mary Noel, the special projects coordinator, RiverLink is going  to have interpretive signs along the French Broad River Paddle Trail and  needs help with sign painting, construction, and installation. The tools and supplies will be provided.  There is no set in stone date for this project so if you're interested please contact mary@riverlink.org  or to work out a time that you'll be able to come help.

September 21, 9 AM - 5 PM, across the French Broad River Watershed -- NC Big Sweep. It's time for the annual Fall river cleanup from 9 AM - 2 PM. There will be teams in boats and on foot cleaning creeks, streams, and rivers throughout the watershed. RiverLink is specifically working on the French Broad. Afterwards, all will meet together for a volunteer appreciation party with free food and libations. People with reliable water transportation are encouraged to participate - more boats are needed. To signup (as a team or individual), working along the French Broad River, email
jess@riverlink.org.

 

Brevard Music Center Hosts the 8th Annual Mountain Song Festival

September 13-14    8th Annual Mountain Song Festival held in the beautiful covered, open-air auditorium by the lake at Brevard Music Center. This foot-stomping, banjo-picking celebration of bluegrass and newgrass music will feature Steep Canyon Rangers, O'Brian 3 and Carolina Chocolate drops. The event supports the Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County and has become a premier southeastern festival drawing 5000 music lovers annually.

Find links for local cabin rentals, attractions and complete visitor information on the Brevard NC Guide.

Mountains to Sea Trail has announced the first online day-hike guides for the 1000-mile trail.

September 9, 2013

ONLINE DAY-HIKE GUIDES GIVE ‘SNEAK PREVIEW’

OF MST TRAILS AT FALLS LAKE, ENO RIVER AND BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY 

Just in time for fall the Friends of the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail (FMST) has created the first online day-hike guides for three sections of the 1000-mile Trail.

“While we welcome long distance hikers, for most people the trail offers opportunities to get away from it all for a few hours without carrying a big backpack,” said Kate Dixon, FMST executive director. “Just a few minutes after starting hikers will be surrounded by beautiful sights, sounds and serenity.”

Each guide includes information about distance, degree of difficulty, connecting trails, an easy-to-use map and very detailed descriptions of each leg of the trail., plus photos and videos. The information is under Happening Now on the organization’s web page, www.ncmst.org.  Joe Miller, writer and blogger at www.getgoingnc.com and www.nchikes.com, assisted in producing the guides.

“These guides provide a sneak preview that we hope will encourage both occasional and experienced hikers to give these shorter trails a try,” said Dixon. Day hikes for the Falls Lake Trail in northern Wake and Durham counties, the Eno River near Durham and the northern section of the Blue Ridge Parkway are featured. The goal is to eventually have online guides for every major area that the MST runs through. .

The guide for the Eno River portion of the MST features five day hikes. Most of the trails are around two miles in length. The Blue Ridge guide describes 15 sections ranging from 3.7 miles to 10 miles. The Falls Lake Trail, at 60 miles one of the longest MST sections in the state, has 18 day hikes from less than a mile to seven miles. Most are in the 2-3 mile range.

The FMST is in the process of developing a day-hike guide for the Neusiok section in Eastern North Carolina. The existing Neusiok guide is limited to detailed information on how to use car shuttles to get to trailheads. There are seven sections in the Neusiok trail ranging from under two miles to nearly seven.

The MST is part of North Carolina’s state trail system. It stretches from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey’s Ridge on the Outer Banks. FMST is a non-profit volunteer organization that helps build and maintain the trail.

There'll be Thunder in the Valley at this Weekend's Bike Rally in Maggie

September 13 - 15   Thunder in the Smokies Fall Rally   Come ride the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy Tour Rides, Music Concerts, Bike Builders, Bike Games, Bike Show, Prizes, Vendors and much more during the three day rally.  All bikes and ages welcomed.

Get links for lodging and visitor information on the Maggie Valley NC Guide.