By Jon Tharp, Broker · July 2, 2026
At a Glance
Balsam Mountain is a high-elevation section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, reachable by car off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Cherokee and Maggie Valley. At 5,335 feet, it runs 10 to …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · July 2, 2026
At a Glance
More than 25 Franklin residents, business owners, and officials met at Twenty-Eight Main on June 23, 2026, to draft a new economic vision and support the town's reentry into the N.C. Main Street Program. Groups …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · July 2, 2026
At a Glance
Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual in Cherokee, North Carolina celebrates its 80th anniversary on August 23, 2026, making it the oldest Native American art and craft cooperative in the United States. Founded in 1946, the …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · July 1, 2026
At a Glance
Statesville and Iredell County pack a full weekend into one Piedmont town about two hours east of the WNC mountains. Highlights include the Carolina BalloonFest, Fort Dobbs State Historic Site dating to 1755, Southern Distilling …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · July 1, 2026
At a Glance
Highlands, NC offers kid-friendly summer activities including Dry Falls, where families walk behind an 80-foot waterfall, the Scaly Mountain Screamer alpine coaster at Highlands Outpost, gem mining, ziplines at Highlands Aerial Park, and live animals …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · June 30, 2026
At a Glance
Anne Henschel and Linda Girardi are member artists at Trackside Studios in Asheville's River Arts District, located at 375 Depot Street in Buncombe County. Henschel turns raw wood into bowls, vessels and abstract sculptural forms, …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · June 30, 2026
At a Glance
Shining Rock Angler & Outfitters, a family-owned fly shop, opened in Waynesville, North Carolina on June 29, 2026 with a ribbon-cutting. Owners Josh and Nina Whorton bring 25 years of guiding across Western NC and …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · June 30, 2026
At a Glance
Western North Carolina growers are preserving heirloom tomato varieties bred for the mountains, including Barnes Mountain Pink and the West Virginia classic Mortgage Lifter. Christina Gordon of Fun Frolic Farm near Burnsville nearly lost the …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · June 29, 2026
At a Glance
Four new food spots are open in Flat Rock and Hendersonville this summer. Hey Chickadee serves honey-infused soft-serve made with local milk and honey on Greenville Highway in Flat Rock. Zelda's Café & Speakeasy at …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · June 29, 2026
At a Glance
Dogwood Crafters, a craft cooperative in Dillsboro, North Carolina, turned 50 in April 2026. Founded in 1976 with $1,000 in leftover Bicentennial grant money and a dozen members, it now represents roughly 100 Appalachian artisans …