Because schedules continue to change as the pandemic persists, this issue’s Regional Happenings cover winter family fun opportunities available throughout the season. Be sure to check with each establishment for COVID protocols, reservation requirements, special events, and more.
Regional Happenings Parkway Theater, West Jefferson NC
Banner Elk’s Winning Woolly Worm
Ashe County
Avery County
Winter at the Movies! From the earliest days of film, West Jefferson, NC, provided venues for local residents to enjoy the moving pictures being produced in Hollywood. In 1938, West Jefferson opened its newest of several theaters, the Parkway Theater. The Parkway featured all the amenities of a modern movie house, and the eye-catching art deco architecture set the new building apart from other buildings on the block. Ten years later, the Parkway Theater relocated to a larger space in an adjacent building at 10 East Main Street in downtown West Jefferson, where it remains today, retaining the same charm and classic mid-century look and feel. Independently owned and operated, the Parkway shows current and recent popular films—at “retro” prices—using state-of-the-art digital projectors and sound. Both matinee and evening shows take place seven days a week, with movie prices ranging from $5-$6, and snacks ranging from $2-$6. The Parkway offers a film selection to suit the entire family. Following are just some of the new titles coming to the Parkway this winter and early spring: n Wonder Woman 1984 n No Time to Die (the latest James Bond film) n Soul n Fast & Furious 10 n Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway n Cinderella: A modern musical version n Tom and Jerry (cartoon) Visit http://parkwaytheater.net for up-to-date movie listings and times. You can also find the Parkway Theater on Facebook. Due to COVID, show times and titles are subject to change. Before or after your movie, be sure to explore the rest of the West Jefferson Historic District. A must-see stop is the Ashe County Arts Council and Arts Center, located in a beautiful stone building constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. The Ashe Arts Center houses The Gallery, a year-round exhibition space that showcases works of art by local and regional artists. The Gallery Shop features locally produced art and crafts. Every year, the Ashe County Arts Council sponsors a number of popular community events. Visit https://ashecountyarts.org/ for all the latest updates.
A Woolly Worm’s Winter Forecast Before hitting all the “happenings” scheduled for this winter, you might want to check the forecast—the woolly worm forecast, that is! The 43rd annual Woolly Worm Festival may have been canceled due to COVID-19, but you can’t keep a good worm down. Previously scheduled for October 17-18, 2020, the festival did not get to welcome the approximately 20,000 attendees who visit Banner Elk in Avery County each year to witness a big prediction from the smallest of prognosticators. During the festival, woolly worms are raced in a series of heats, with the champion given the honor of delivering the winter forecast. According to legend, the color bands on a woolly worm can help predict the severity of winter. Last Oct. 17, the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk (both organizers of the annual landmark event) hosted a private race between their less-than-featherweight contenders—the Chamber Charger and the Kiwanis Kicker—at Holston Presbytery Camp in Banner Elk. Overseen by perennial woolly worm interpreter Tommy Burleson, the race saw
16 — Winter 2020/21 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
