Category Archives: What to Do

A “Capitol” Fourth

RALEIGH – Pack a picnic lunch, bring the lawn chairs and blankets, and come enjoy the Independence Day holiday weekend at the State Capitol’s annual patriotic celebration.  A downtown Raleigh tradition, the Friday, July 4 event will take place from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and offers musical performances, historic and military displays, a crafts demonstration and [...]

Affordable Family Fun at Historic Sites

RALEIGH – Don’t let rising gas prices derail your plans for having fun this summer.  The 27 North Carolina State Historic Sites offer many free entertaining experiences.   In just an hour’s drive or a day trip, the historic sites will allow you to escape today’s cares and see how others managed work and play in [...]

July 12 Performances During Blue Ridge Traditions

The free summer series Blue Ridge Traditions at the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center in Old Fort brings another authentic mountain experience on Saturday, July 12. Well-known musicians George Shuffler and Family, Denise O’Sullivan and the New North Carolina Ramblers will perform in the amphitheater, beginning at 7 p.m.
Come early between 2 to 6 [...]

Transportation Museum Salutes Model T

SPENCER, N.C. – The North Carolina Transportation Museum will host a celebration of the Ford Model T, Saturday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in combination with the Museum’s annual All-Ford Show. This is one of the only Model T centennial celebrations in the Southeast, and is one of a series of regional [...]

Music at Mountain Gateway June 28

Enjoy another weekend of the free summer series Blue Ridge Traditions on Saturday, June 28, at the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center in Old Fort. Hear award-winning fiddler Bobby Hicks, the Cherokee gospel quintet called the Welch Family Singers, and Cherokee storyteller Freeman Owle. This trio of performances will begin at 7 p.m. in [...]

Give Dad Father’s Day Adventures on the Tracks and on the Trails

SPENCER – This year get dad in motion for Father’s Day.  The perfect gift is to make dad “Engineer for an Hour” at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer.  The “Tracks of an Engineer” program is ideal for dads and rail fans everywhere.  Let dad control the throttle of a full-sized diesel locomotive.
 
A 45-minute training [...]

Wolfe Memorial to Host “In the Good Ole’ Summertime” June 21-22

Living History Program to Evoke Early 20th Century Asheville
 
ASHEVILLE - In 1916, as the United States found itself becoming ensnared in World War I and summer settled heavily over most of the country, the resort of Asheville in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains was thriving.  Eager to breathe in the cool mountain air as well [...]

Sheila Kay Adams and Balsam Range Present Free Performances

Enjoy a cool mountain evening during the second outdoor concert of the summer series Blue Ridge Traditions on Saturday, June 21. Hear award-winning Sheila Kay Adams and the bluegrass band Balsam Range, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center in Old Fort. The performances will take place in the amphitheater. [...]

Boatbuilding Classes Offer a Unique Family Experience

Wooden boatbuilding is a cherished pastime and plays an important role in North Carolina’s history.  Avid carpenters or families  looking for a unique experience will find the boatbuilding classes offered at the North Carolina Maritime Museum’s Watercraft Center a great choice.  A variety of classes for all skill levels, adults and kids age 8 and [...]

Blue Ridge Traditions: Free Weekly Concerts and More

For an authentic mountain experience under the stars, enjoy six Saturdays of free evening concerts at Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center in Old Fort. David Holt, the Krüger Brothers and Sheila Kay Adams are among the well-known musicians who will perform traditional music at the site’s picturesque outdoor amphitheater. The performances every Saturday (except [...]