BUSI NESS
More than Music The Outdoor Music Series is hosted by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC. For more information about this or other events, go to visithighlandsnc.com or call the Highlands Welcome Center at (828) 526-2112.
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few weeks ago, we kicked off our Outdoor Concert Series, filling downtown Highlands’ streets with live music every Friday and Saturday night. “Friday Night Live” showcases traditional mountain music and local talent at the Town Square on Main Street, while “Saturdays on Pine” features a variety of popular, regional bands and musicians at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.
Scheduling 48 outdoor concerts for a five-month period is no small task, but it is an important one, given the history, values, and culture of our town. In addition to the Outdoor Concert Series, we host bagpipers the first Saturday of each month from May through October – a nod to our town’s heritage – and we include musicians in our “Meander in May” and Christmas festivities. Indeed, our hills are alive with the sound of music.
The Friday night series qualified for recognition by Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, an initiative of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and the North Carolina Arts Council.
But it’s about more than music. The fiddles, banjos, and guitars are part of a universal language. Memories are stirred as toes tap and hands clap. Friends and neighbors sing along as others grab a partner to dance or clog. Children move about as they become the next generation to experience the songs.
“Traditional music is flourishing across many parts of America, but in the mountains and foothills of North Carolina, more so than elsewhere, the music is part of the fabric of community life,” as explained on the project’s website, blueridgemusicnc.com. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
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The scene is one of community joy. We hope to see you there. by Kara Addy Communications Manager, Highlands Chamber of Commerce photo by Colleen Kerrigan
