34 minute read
Ballet Conservatory presents ‘Nutcracker’ at WCU
Want to go?
Songs From The Road Band will once again host its annual “Asheville Winter Grass” showcase at One World Brewing in West Asheville.
Aside from two performances from SFTRB, special guests will include legendary singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, and Americana/honkytonk sensation Andy Buckner from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5.
Tickets are $20 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to oneworldbrewing.com and click on the “Events” tab. To learn about the SFTRB, visit songsfromtheroadband.com.
Songs From The Road Band.
(photo: Tom Farr Photography)
You left your lonely
Charles Humphrey of Songs From The Road Band
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Within this modern realm of bluegrass music, there’s a particular sonic revolution occurring — one where oncefringe elements of progressive styles and artistic experimentation have now become the center of the acoustic landscape.
When you speak of this omnipresent sea change, names like Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass and The Infamous Stringdusters immediately come to mind. So, too, does the whirlwind sound and attitude that is Songs From The Road Band.
The Western North Carolina quintet is this band of melodic pirates, roaring down the highways and backroads of Southern Appalachia in search of a stage to play, perhaps another kindred spirit to collaborate with in the sacred art of songwriting and creating something (beautiful and permanent) from nothing (thin air and momentary inspiration).
At the core of SFTRB is acclaimed songwriter/bassist Charles Humphrey III. A Grammy-winner and former co-founder of the Steep Canyon Rangers, Humphrey launched SFTRB in 2006.
What started out as a side-project for Humphrey has now become his main gig and intense focus with SFTRB. And, over the years, he’s applied his immense talent (musically and lyrically) into this acoustic bastion of scope and purpose — one currently overtaking a live music scene in need of a kick in the ass.
Smoky Mountain News: Aside from being a professional musician, you also guide fly-fishing excursions around this area. What do you see as some of the similarities between those two careers?
Charles Humphrey: I love teaching. I love meeting new people, being outdoors and on the water. With music and fly-fishing, you’re definitely putting on a show.
When you’re out there [onstage or in the river], you’ve got them right there with you. You’re offering a service. You’re entertaining people. You’re making them happy. They’re there to have fun — spreading joy through music, spreading joy through fishing.
Just like live music, with fishing you’re out there thinking about nothing except what you’re doing right at the moment. You’re not worried about bills or anything else going in your life — it’s an escape. with the time you’ve put towards that activity and passion.
SMN: Whether it’s songwriting or fishing, you’re pursuing something. And then, all of a sudden, something hits the line.
CH: Yep. And I love co-writing. I like working with other people, too. I think it’s a lot of fun and it’s creative. You’re making something out of nothing. And, if all goes well, you’ve created a song that’s going to go out into the world and hopefully find a home.
Whether it’s with Songs From The Road Band or if it goes somewhere else, it’s the act of creating. I enjoy doing it with other people and then having a song that people enjoy.
SMN: And one of the things I’ve always admired about Songs From The Road Band is how you’re very independent — in how you conduct yourself, in how you do business.
CH: Well, a lot of that comes from necessity, where if you want something done right, you’re got to do it yourself. [With my background], it’s rewarding because I’ve seen everything [in this industry].
I know what’s out there and that you can’t take for granted your opportunities to create music with a professional band. I can kind of try and help to open doors for the others and run the business as much as I can. So, it’s nice to have that [previous] experience to draw upon.
But, with that, we’re definitely growing our team and value our team members, whether it’s a new booking agent or a publicist. By having those key people in our lives, it allows the band to focus on the creative side of things more.
SMN: That’s a big part of the ethos of the band, having this family dynamic.
CH: Yeah. Most of us have been longtime friends. We’re very lucky with the chemistry of this band. When we get together, we’re excited to see other, which means we’re going to put on the best show possible.
We don’t take this for granted. It’s always been about making it fun for everybody. And when we’re having fun, that’s going to transfer over into the audience and into the music.
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Ah, but the pusher ruin your body, lord, he’ll leave your mind to scream
In a recent Netflix documentary, “Take Your Pills,” the film takes an in-depth look at the ongoing widespread use of prescription drugs such as Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, etc.
It’s not so much showing you something new to behold and analyze, rather it’s exposing the fact that “nothing’s the same, everything’s the same,” in terms of these types of medications and its effect on our society, for good or ill.
These modern-day stimulants have been around for decades, and under different guises, too. There really isn’t much difference between the speed taken in the middle part of the 20th century and what’s being sold (legally or illegally) these days to aid in studying, focus or performance.
What’s changed is the branding and the societal view of these things. What was initially used to enhance performance in students, athletes and the military years ago turned into a national crisis in the 1960s, ultimately leading to stricter laws about who could access and use these highly-affective medications.
Thus, the numbers of pills being made and such dropped drastically through the 1970s and beyond, only to resurface in the modern era through different channels of medical use and social acceptance. Hence, the speed of yesteryear for adults morphed into mind-numbing amounts of Ritalin prescriptions for kids in the 1990s onward to the here and now.
Personally, I wrestled with my thoughts and opinions while watching “Take Your Pills.” I found myself glued to the screen, with flashback after flashback coming into my field of vision, remembering all those dusty images of my past, of being told something was wrong with me, and that these new “magic pills” would “make me a better student.”
Back in the mid-1990s, I was a fourthgrader attending an old Catholic elementary school on the Canadian border of Upstate New York. The real deal “suffering Catholics” kind of spot, where everything you do and (mostly) everything about you is a sin in the eyes of God. Repent. Redemption. Find salvation when all is said and done at the end of your life and transition into the next realm — whatever and wherever that may be.
Yadda, yadda, yadda. To each their own with religion and such. It just was never my cup of tea, especially being a kid in a fire and brimstone kind of environment.
y f g e d f d , e , n t e f d o Anyhow, as a kid in those classrooms, I couldn’t sit still. I couldn’t concentrate or focus on what was happening in front of me or the lesson at hand. I wanted to be outside. r r e s I wanted to run around in the nearby field. And I wanted to not sit in an uncomfortable antique wooden desk all damn day. So, the Catholic nuns felt there was “something wrong” with me. They informed my parents that I was rambunctious and needed to be corralled. It was suggested that they take me to a psychiatrist and get prescribed Ritalin to “solve the problem” (aka: e f d n me). Soon, I was diagnosed with ADHD. From age nine until about 15, I was put on Ritalin. Three times a day. Every single day. Early morning. Noon. Late afternoon. I went from a highly-inquisitive kid to a s d r standstill zombie of sorts. In essence, I had my mojo taken from me. All creative urges and sense of self disappeared, replaced by a “go along to get along” vibe that pulsed
Ritalin.
HOT PICKS
1The annual Balsam Range “Art of Music Festival” will take place Dec. 2-4 at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.
2The “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 26-27 at featured studios in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.
3The annual “Hard Candy Christmas” arts and crafts show will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 26-27 inside the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University.
4With the theme of “A Season for Giving,” the Franklin Chamber of Commerce has announced the annual Christmas Parade celebration will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, in downtown.
5Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City. through my now medicated body.
There’s so much to say about this subject, especially from someone like myself who went through all of this back in the day. Way more than will fit in this one-page column, which is why I will most likely revisit this topic again down the road.
But, the cliff notes are as follows: By age 16, I purposely took myself off Ritalin, against my parents, doctor and coach’s sentiments. I wanted to prove I could focus and achieve on my own merit. At 16, I felt like my old self, full of curiosity and passion. I worked hard on learning how to focus (what worked, what didn’t work in doing so). I did well in high school academics and sports, leaving there near the top of my class.
From there, I ended up at a great university, where I found my true calling in writing and journalism. In a simple twist of fate, I had found a lifelong outlet that could hold my attention for hours at a time. Why? Because it was something I was sincerely interested in and wanted to do (still do, more now than ever before).
I graduated college with two degrees in four years, and with a 3.67 GPA — a middle finger up in the air to all who felt otherwise about me back then, especially that Catholic school nun (our principal) who said to my 11-year-old self, and I quote: “You’ll never amount to anything in your life.”
As an adult, I do see the value of these medications to folks who truly need it. And, I see the genuine use in pursuing therapy, too. But, for someone who was a kid and experienced both of those things intensely (very early on), it has been tough to be surrounded by this ever-changing culture and societal view of mental disorders, etc.
Growing up, you hid your “issues.” You were embarrassed to take Ritalin, let alone be seen by your peers ducking into the nurse’s office to get your “crazy pills.” Now, folks openly share what they have, what they take, and so forth. And, to that point, these pills are now viewed as a normal enhancement for those who don’t need them but seek them out.
It’s odd to spend most of your life challenging those who say there’s something wrong with you, to constantly (whether consciously or subconsciously) defend yourself and aim to prove there isn’t anything wrong with you, only to now be in a world where being vulnerable to your, perhaps, “flaws” is the first step in truly being accepted, in a sense.
I digress. I guess, lately, I’ve been slowly deconstructing the old ways of protecting myself and also dealing with my thoughts and actions. Like you reading this, I’m also a work in progress, always will be (such is life, eh?). All I can do is what I’ve championed for years, which is the adage, “I will wake up today and try to be better than I was yesterday.” Truth.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all. (Garret K. Woodward is the arts and entertainment editor for The Smoky Mountain News.
He’s also the music editor for Smoky Mountain
Living magazine and a contributing writer for Rolling Stone. You can reach him at garret@smokymountainnews.com.)
arts & entertainment Balsam Range Art of Music
Balsam Range.
The annual Balsam Range “Art of Music Festival” will take place Dec. 2-4 at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.
Alongside two performances by bluegrass icons Balsam Range, there will also be appearances onstage by Chloe Agnew (of Celtic Woman), John Driskell Hopkins (of Zac Brown Band), Blue Highway, Jeff Little Trio, The Cleverlys, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, and more.
Twice named International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year,” Balsam Range has built their reputation not only on stellar live performances, but on countless number one radio singles and albums.
For information on the “Art of Music,” to purchase tickets, a full schedule of events, performers, workshops and activities, go to balsamrangeartofmusicfestival.com.
Glory String Players.
Appalachian music at Marianna
A special holiday concert with the Glory String Players will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Mariana Black Library in Bryson City.
The Glory String Players is a small Appalachian string ensemble that loves giving back to its community. And during the holidays, it seems like a perfect time to give back to it.
The group includes Jim Gribble, a seasoned Appalachian dulcimer player/vocalist; Sandy Perrigo and Shirley Waters, wellpolished dulcimer players; Kenneth Graham, main guitarist/primary vocalist; Sam Brandt, who plays the autoharp; and multi-instrumentalist Dr. Pati Graham.
The audience can expect to hear a variety of instruments that are not usually played together, but they create a unique festive sound for the holidays. The listener can experience that old-time feeling when family members would just sit around, play, and sing songs during the holidays.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 828.488.3030.
Mountain Layers welcomes Espalin
Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City.
Born and raised in Hiawassee, Georgia, Espalin has been entertaining audiences since he was eight years old. A blend of Americana, bluegrass and indie-roots music, he’s a beloved fixture on the Southern Appalachian live music circuit.
Free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.538.0115 or click on mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com. To learn more about Espalin, go to wyattespalinmusic.com.
FOLK, SOUL ROLLS INTO WNC
• Southern Porch (Canton) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.492.8009 or southern-porch.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.743.3000 or theuglydogpub.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 or theuglydogpub.com.
• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Tricia
Ann Band Nov. 26, Mile High Band Nov. 27,
Blackjack Country Dec. 2, Explore The Myth
Dec. 3 and The UpBeats Dec. 4. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.926.7440 or valley-tavern.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.456.4750 or facebook.com/waternhole.bar.
• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.743.6000 or whitesidebrewing.com.
Popular Tampa, Florida, singer-songwriter Shane Meade will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City. He will also take the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva. Both shows are free and open to the public. mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Oak Forest United Methodist Church will host the Brasstown Ringers (Appalachian/holiday) at 7 p.m. Dec. 3.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday.
Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 or balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Sanctum Sully (rock/soul) Dec. 11. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.
• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Bob Zullo (guitar/vocals) Nov. 27 ($10 cover) and Kevin Williams (piano/vocals)
Dec. 4 ($10 cover). All shows begin at 7 p.m.
Limited seating. Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
ALSO:
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.369.4080 or coweeschool.org.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.634.0078 or curraheebrew.com. • Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host an Open Mic Night 7 to 9 p.m. on
Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.734.1084 or elevatedmountain.com.
• First United Methodist Church (Franklin) will host the Brasstown Ringers (Appalachian/holiday) at 7 p.m. Dec. 10.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. innovation-brewing.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host a “Jazzy
Holiday Party” 5 p.m. Dec. 16. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host
Shane Meade (singer-songwriter) Nov. 27 and Natti Love Joys (reggae/soul) Dec. 11. All • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Natti
Love Joys (reggae/soul) Dec. 10. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Shane Meade (singer-songwriter) Nov. 26 and Wyatt Espalin (singer-songwriter)
Nov. 27. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. 828.641.9797 or nantahalabrewing.com.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. rathskellerfranklin.com.
• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the week-
We are open to continue providing essential services to our patients in a safe environment. Our staff is following protocol recommended by the CDC and local and state health departments.
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
Want to learn the dulcimer?
The Pic’ & Play Mountain Dulcimer Players has resumed in-person jam sessions at the St. John’s Episcopal Church basement fellowship hall in Sylva.
The group welcomes all beginners and experienced dulcimer players, including mountain (lap) dulcimer and hammered dulcimer players. Songs played include traditional mountain tunes, hymns, and more modern music. The group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of every month in the basement of St. John’s.
Pic’ & Play has been playing together since 1995. The more experienced members welcome new players, help them navigate their instruments, and guide them through some of the basics of tuning, strumming, and playing.
For more information, call Kathy Jaqua at 828.349.3930 or Don Selzer at 828.293.0074.
Call Us to Make an Appointment Today.
289 Access Road, Waynesville 452 4343 32 Asheville Hwy, Sylva 586 8950 188 Georgia Road, Franklin 349 4534 49 McDowell Street, Asheville 254 7716 35 NC Hwy 141, Murphy 835 8389
Dr. William Banks Dr. Robert DelBene Dr. Robert Przynosch
Dillsboro’s ‘Lights & Luminaries’
The annual “Lights & Luminaries” will return from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 3-4 and 10-11 in the streets of downtown Dillsboro
Experience the magic as the entire town is transformed into a winter wonderland of lights, candles, laughter and song. Over 2,500 luminaries light your way to shops and studios.
Each night, shops will stay open way into the night providing free refreshments, musicians and singers performing in individual shops. The sound of hooves will echo through the night with old-fashioned horse and buggy rides (tips much appreciated). Children can share their wishes with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Santa’s Workshop in Dillsboro’s Town Hall.
With retail shops offering a variety of quality arts and crafts, unique gifts, clothing, gourmet foods and wine, and specialty Christmas items, the festival also provides a unique holiday shopping experience.
Entertainment the first weekend include Twelfth Fret (Americana) from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, and singer-songwriter Anna Victoria from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. For the second weekend, award-winning dulcimer player Mathew Dickerson will perform Dec. 10-11.
Free parking and shuttle transportation for the event will be available at Monteith Park each night of the festival. Sing along with carolers. Take the children to see Santa Claus at Dillsboro’s Town Hall. Have some hot chocolate or hot cider. All the restaurants will be open late.
For more information, call the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce at 800.962.1911 or click on mountainlovers.com. To learn more about new happenings, go to facebook.com/dillsboronc.
An annual holiday celebration, “A Night Before Christmas” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, in downtown Waynesville.
Hundreds of Luminaries, live music, clogging, church choirs, Santa & Mrs. Claus, storytelling, holiday treats and beverages, and much more.
For a full list of participants and events, click on downtownwaynesville.com.
A Franklin Christmas
With the theme of “A Season for Giving,” the Franklin Chamber of Commerce has announced the annual Christmas Parade celebration will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, in downtown.
The chamber will continue the extended route onto Highlands Road so that spectators can self-distance. No walkers will be allowed, and no items may be handed out, including candy, coupons, etc.
“These precautions are in place for the safety of our community,” said Franklin Chamber’s Executive Director Linda Harbuck.
Entries will line up along Church Street behind the courthouse. The route begins by pulling out on the top of Town Hill beside Town Hall and will proceed down Main Street, turning left at the Lazy Hiker Brewing Company onto Porter Street. Then turn left onto Palmer Street. The route will turn onto Highlands Road extending the route to enable social distancing and end at the Franklin Flea Market.
As noted above, due to safety concerns, candy will not be passed out this year. In addition, all horses must wear a manure bag/horse diaper.
For additional information, contact the Franklin Chamber of Commerce by calling 828.524.3161.
The Main Street Sylva Association (MSSA) will be hosting holiday festivities this year downtown.
Downtown Sylva will continue the holiday season celebration with “Small Business Saturday” on Nov. 27.
The Jackson County Arts market will be running from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the holidays. All of these events are great opportunities to buy local for the holiday season.
The official holiday festivities will kick off with the Tree Lighting at 6:30 Friday, Dec. 3, with special music from the kids of Wonderworks Learning and Arts Center. Families can also take selfies with the Christmas Bear beside the tree.
The Sylva Christmas Parade will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. This year’s theme is “Downhome Christmas” and the Grand Marshals are “Frontline Healthcare Workers.” Anyone interested in participating can access the parade application and information at townofsylva.org. Applications are due Tuesday, Nov. 30.
The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Jackson County Parks & Recreation will host a Holiday Fireworks Display at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, which will be visible from downtown Sylva. Folks can arrive early to hear a live concert on the porch of the Jackson County Chamber and Visitor Center at 6:30 p.m.
All of these events are free and open to the public.
The Main Street Sylva Association is a nonprofit entity formed with the mission to spur economic development in the town of Sylva using the National Main Street Center’s Four Point Approach: Design, Organization, Promotion and Economic Vitality.
The organization spearheads some of Sylva’s longstanding events such as Greening Up the Mountains, Halloween Celebration, the Christmas Parade, and The Sylva Brew Hop.
The MSSA also collaborates with the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Jackson County government, the TDA and other nonprofits in order to promote and enhance downtown Sylva.
For more information, go to mainstreetsylva.org or contact Main Street Economic Development Director Bernadette Peters at mainstreet@townofsylva.org or 828.586.2719.
The 41st season of The Shelton House will continue with the “Tinsel Trail & Appalachian Christmas” celebration, which will be held Dec. 5 to Jan. 1 at the historic home in Waynesville.
Aside from Candlelight Christmas tours of The Shelton House decorated for the holidays, the opening of the “Tinsel Trail” will be Sunday, Dec. 5. The evening also includes a visit from Santa Claus from 5 to 7 p.m. Hot chocolate and treats will be offered, too. Holiday tunes will be played from the front porch for folks gathering on the lawn.
Decorate your business, organization, church or family Christmas Tree for the “Tinsel Train” on the grounds of The Shelton House. How will this work? The Shelton House will purchase trees, which will then be sold for a sponsorship fee of $250.
The Shelton House will set up the trees with bases, provide basic lighting and a sign for each sponsor. Each organization can decorate its tree in whatever fashion they choose. Groups are also welcome to share a sponsorship and/or decorating the tree. The sponsorship is tax deductible.
For more information on a “Tinsel Trail” tree sponsorship, call 828.452.1551 or email dannehl@sheltonhouse.org.
The Shelton House is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday for tours and/or visits to the Gift Shop. House Tours are held on the hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the Gift Shop open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Special events and tours are offered throughout the season. Group tours can be arranged year-round by calling 828.452.1551 or emailing info@sheltonhouse.org.
The Shelton House is always looking for volunteers to help with events, tours, the gift shop, archiving, computer work, and much more. If you’re interested in helping out, call 828.452.1551, email info@sheltonhouse.org or stop by during open hours.
Christmas in Sylva
Sylva Christmas Parade.
(photo: Nick Breedlove)
• The Bryson City Christmas Parade will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, on Everett
Street in downtown Bryson City. Floats, marching bands, fire trucks, Santa & Mrs.
Claus, and much more. 828.488.3681 or greatsmokies.com.
• Waynesville Christmas Parade will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6, on Main
Street. Parade starts at First Presbyterian
Church and proceeds down Main Street to
Bogart’s Restaurant. downtownwaynesville.com.
• Sylva Christmas Parade will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, on Main Street. discoverjacksonnc.com.
• The popular “Polar Express” train ride is now running from the Great Smoky
Mountains Railroad depot in downtown
Bryson City. For a complete listing of departure dates and times, call 800.872.4681 or click on gsmr.com.
• “Christmas Cookie Walk” will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at 76 Main Street in Bryson City. Presented by the United Methodist Women’s Group.
Proceeds benefit its outreach efforts. 828.488.8970.
• Waynesville Christmas Tree Lighting will be held during the evening of Friday, Dec. 3, in front of the Oak Park Inn on Main
Street. downtownwaynesville.com.
• Sylva Christmas Tree Lighting will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, in front of the Historic Jackson County Courthouse on West Main Street. discoverjacksonnc.com.
• “Christmas Hayrides Through The
Lights” from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturdays until Dec. 18 at Darnell
Farms in Bryson City. Ride is 20 minutes.
Admission is $12 per person, which includes a holiday beverage. Tickets available at darnellfarms.com.
• “All Through The Town” holiday celebration will run Dec. 1-31 in downtown Waynesville. Participating local businesses, restaurants, galleries and breweries will take extra care in decorating for the holidays, staying open later for shopping, and much more. downtownwaynesville.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host a holiday celebration and market at 5 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 3. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.
• “Winter Wonderland Nights” will return at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, in Franklin. Downtown will feature living window displays of the holidays, live sounds of the season outdoors at the gazebo and inside stores, free holiday attractions (weather permitting), refreshments, hot cider, great sales from local merchants, and much more. franklin-chamber.com.
• Cashiers Christmas Parade will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Cashiers
Crossroads. The theme is “Santa’s
Favorite Christmas Characters.” Live broadcast at live.thehighsouth.com.
Hosted by Cashiers Cares, the Post Parade
Party will be held at the Village Green’s
Commons Hall. There, youngsters will have an opportunity to meet Santa and
Mrs. Claus, enjoy refreshments and receive individual treat bags. Sponsored by the Cashiers Area Chamber of
Commerce. cashiers411.com.
• “Cowee Christmas” will begin at 9 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Historic Cowee
School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.
Holiday music, activities, and much more.
For a schedule of events, click on coweeschool.org.
• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood
Street in downtown Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods. mountainmakersmarket.com.
ALSO:
WAYNESVILLE TIRE, WAYNESVILLE TIRE, INC. INC.
Tires • Brakes • • Alignment • Road Service • Tractor Tires
Reservations are now being made for this year’s “Seasons of Light Multicultural Holiday Celebration” at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville.
The community will have four opportunities to experience this family-friendly celebration featuring food, music, and customs from holidays around the world.
At this family-friendly event, guests visit areas dedicated to Advent, Diwali, Hanukkah, Fiesta de la Griteria, Las Posadas, Winter Solstice and Kwanzaa. Hosts for each holiday share traditional foods as hors d’oeuvres (for the Saturday viewings) and information about music, games, history and customs. • Opening Night: 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Heavy hors d-oeuvres (packaged to go), music, customs from holidays around the world. Admission is $20 for ages 18 and older, $7 for students ages 13 to 17, and $5 for children 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are free. Reservations are required. • Weekday Drop In: noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9. Guests will be able to enjoy the distinctly decorated rooms and learn more about the traditional holiday celebrations, but food will not be served. Admission is a donation of $10 is suggested for attendance at the dropin. Reservations are not required. • Weeknight Presentation: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9. Hot drinks, a dessert bar, music, customs from holidays around the world. Admission is $12 for ages 18 and older, $7 for students ages 6 to 17, and free for children 5 and under. Reservations are required. • Encore Presentation: 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. Heavy hors d-oeuvres (packaged to go), music, customs from holidays around the world. Admission is $20 for ages 18 and older, $7 for students ages 13 to 17, and $5 for children 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are free. Reservations are required.
These events will be structured to include COVID protocols, and masks will be required inside during the event to help ensure the health and safety of our community and families attending.
“We love to host this event because we get to highlight and celebrate the diversity of our community and our world in a way that is festive, fun and brings us together,” said Lin Forney, executive director of the Pigeon Center.
Proceeds support the Pigeon Center, which offers affordable afterschool and summer enrichment programs for students, programs for seniors, emergency food boxes, historical preservation initiatives, community dinners and other programs and services.
To attend Seasons of Light, make your reservation by calling 828.452.7232. The event will be held at PCMDC located at 450 Pigeon Street in Waynesville in the historic Pigeon Street School building, which served African American elementary school students before desegregation.
For more information, visit pcmdc.org, email pigeoncommunityd@bellsouth.net or call 828.452.7232.
JustDoOils.com
WCU to present ‘Nutcracker’
The Bardo Arts Center is pleased to present the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville, which will be returning with a stage production of the “Nutcracker” at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
Showtime will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. This magically festive, full-length “Nutcracker” production features professional classical dancers and the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s celebrated company.
In this classic ballet, Clara’s holiday dream comes to life, sneaking downstairs at midnight with her beloved new Nutcracker doll. Swept up in a fantasy toy-soldier battle, she saves her Nutcracker from the Mouse King. She is then whisked away to enchanted lands of snow and sweets, dancing the night away with a colorful host of captivating characters.
To learn more and/or purchase tickets, click on arts.wcu.edu/nutcracker.
The Calliope Stage Company and Destination Theatre will present Tony Brown’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at 7 p.m. Dec. 9-11, 3 p.m. Dec. 11 and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 12 at 567 Mill Street in Sylva.
“A Christmas Carol” is a co-production between Calliope Stage Company in Sylva and Destination Theatre out of Atlanta, Georgia.
Adapted for the stage by Atlanta-based writer Tony Brown, the production will feature two performers with additional devising by Cory Phelps, Ashlee Wasmund and Dustin Whitehead.
This intimate holiday experience will tour to Sylva, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Columbia, South Carolina, as part of a limited three-city tour in December. The collaborative project is one that is meant to spark Christmas cheer, while blurring the barriers between audience and actors and is sure to be an unforgettable festive experience for all ages.
Calliope Stage Company is a professional nonprofit theatre company established in Jackson County in January 2021. This is their third public production since founding and second partnership with Destination Theatre, a nonprofit professional touring children’s theatre company, also established in 2021.
The Sylva performances will feature festive treat bundles from White Moon and Jame that include a treat and hot beverage. Only 40 tickets per performance are scheduled, with limited VIP seating available.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit calliopestage.com. your friendly, local blue box — smoky mountain news
arts & entertainment
The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Small Works” exhibit will run through Dec. 30 at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts showroom in downtown Waynesville.
This year, the exhibit is sponsored at the producer level by the Reece Family in honor of their father Jeff Reece, who owned the 86 North Main Street building for many years and is in the process of selling it.
The Small Works Exhibit is an annual exhibit that expands the types of work for sale in the downtown Waynesville gallery, as well as who can display their work. With 48 artists participating, the exhibit promises to be eclectic. haywoodarts.org.
The annual “Hard Candy Christmas” arts and crafts show will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 26-27 inside the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University.
This mountain tradition started in 1987 in Franklin with eight local artists. It has grown to dozens of original artisans who sell their work at great prices. Expect a dazzling display of hand-crafted creations such as Father Christmas dolls, fresh mountain greenery, and folk dolls. The ornament collectors always find new additions for the tree.
Admission is $5 for a two-day pass. Children under 12 are free. Parking is also free. mountainartisans.net.
Want to paint, sip craft beer?
Robin Arramae of WNC Paint Events will be continuing her fun paint nights to bring you not only a “night out,” but an experience that lifts your spirits.
Join others as Arramae shows you stepby-step how to paint a beginner level painting as you sip on your favorite craft beer.
Events will be held at the following locations: Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 9; and Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 22; BearWaters Brewing (Canton) from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 23. For 2022, events will also be held once-a-month at the 828 Market on Main (Waynesville).
Please visit WNC Paint Events (@paintwnc) Facebook page, under “Events” for date and time of upcoming events. For pricing and to sign up, text Arramae at 828.400.9560. Space is limited. Drinks sold separately.
Smoky Mountain News Real Experience. Real Service. Real Results. 828.452.3727
www.TheRealTeamNC.com Stecoah Drive-About Tour
The annual Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 26-27 at featured studios in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.
With their studios open to the public, the self-guided driving tour highlights artisans who have built a livelihood with their creative talents. Media include pottery, beeswax lanterns and pillar candles, original paintings and drawings, fiber, quilts, photography, artisan cheeses and more.
The tour includes Nantahala School for the Arts (Southwestern Community College), Gallery Zella, Stecoah Artisans Gallery, Yellow Branch Pottery & Cheese, Taylor’s Greenhouse, Wehrloom Honey & Essentials, Junk ‘n’ Style, and Hunting Boy Wood Carving. stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• “Holiday Market” with local artisans will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Dec. 18 at 117 Island Street in
Bryson City. Outdoor event. Leashed pets are welcome. 828.488.7857 or greatsmokies.com.
• “Pop-Up Holiday Shop” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Darnell Farms in
Bryson City. Gifts from local small businesses. darnellfarms.com.
• A creative miniature art class with Renae
Dotson will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Those attending the class will be making a quilt “book” that opens to reveal a quilt room. This is not a quilting class. The fabric will look like mini-quilts.
You will make a hanging quilt rack with quilts, hanging thread spool rack, and other accessories — all in miniature. And all made by you. Supplies for this class are $25.
Pre-register by calling Dotson at 828.342.8919. Class size is limited.
• The “Contemporary Clay 2021” exhibit will be on view through Friday, Dec. 10, at the
Western Carolina University (WCU) Fine Art
Museum in Cullowhee. The showcase gathers artists from a variety of backgrounds who push boundaries on topics including race, culture, sexuality, gender, and class.
For information, call 828.227.ARTS. wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center/fine-art-museum. • Jesse Adair Dallas will be showing his artwork at the Macon County Public Library in
Franklin during the months of November and
December. Open to the public. For more information, email jesse@enjoyarttoday.com.
• “Jefferson Pinder: Selections from the
Inertia Cycle” exhibit is currently on display at the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina
University. Pinder focuses on themes of labor and endurance in his video art practice with metaphoric references to African American identity, history, and experience. Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday and until 7 p.m.
Thursday. For information, call 828.227.ARTS or visit arts.wcu.edu/jeffersonpinder.
• “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays at The
Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. For more information, call The Uptown Gallery at 828.349.4607 or contact Pat Mennenger at pm14034@yahoo.com. franklinuptowngallery.com.
• Haywood County Arts Council’s “Art Works @ The Library,” a collaborative program between the Haywood County Public Library system and the HCAC, is currently showcasing works by artist Cayce Moyer at the
Canton Library. Working in traditional and mixed media, Moyer blends the worlds of high-brow and low-brow work.
