 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will throw its annual birthday bash for all resident animals on Wednesday, June 10 — and you’re invited! Included with park admission, the celebration will feature games, contests, crafts and surprises.
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The Barn at Cornerstone & Stonewalls Catering
Let Stonewalls and the Barn at Cornerstone take all the Hassle out of your Holidays! They are partnering together to offer everything you need for a festive gathering, from beautiful decor to tasty meals.
828-898-5550
[email protected]
Let Stonewalls and the Barn at Cornerstone take all the Hassle out of your Holidays! They are partnering together to offer everything you need for a festive gathering, from beautiful decor to tasty meals.
828-898-5550
[email protected]
Sorrento's | Thanksgiving Day Meal
Spend Thanksgiving at Sorrento's. A beautifully curated holiday menu will be served from 3pm to 10 pm.
Bayou Banner Elk | Thanksgiving Meal
If your kind of Thanksgiving is good food, good people, and a laid back atmosphere… Bayou’s the spot! Think slow smoked brisket, char grilled oysters, mac-n-cheese, sweet tater tots, and pecan pie to finish.
Holiday hours: Breakfast 8–12, Lunch/Dinner 12–8. Come hungry!
My Best Friend's Barkery | Thanksgiving Meals for your Pup
This hit event returns! Join Banner Elk Presbyterian Church for this fun 90-minute concert, featuring love songs from our favorite musicals. This performance features singers from the Lees-McRae Summer Theater and the Banner Elk Presbyterian Choir.
Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. 100% of the donations benefit the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church Preschool.
Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. 100% of the donations benefit the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church Preschool.
School may be starting back up soon, but fun is still in session at Grandfather Mountain!
Beat the heat and learn something new at one of their many educational events.
Aug. 2: Educator Workshop: WILD About Elk
Aug. 7: Grandfather Presents: Jeff Corwin
Aug. 8: Grandfather by Night: Twilight Hike
Aug. 9: Junior Naturalist Day
Aug. 15: Grandfather by Night: Naturalist Program
Aug. 22: Mindfulness and Well-being Series: Exploring Forest Bathing with Creative Experiences
Aug. 22: Grandfather by Night: Twilight Hike
Aug. 23-24: SOLO Wilderness First Aid Course
Aug. 29: Grandfather by Night: Twilight Hike
These concerts take place on the stage in the plaza between Sorrento's and Bayou!
LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will host its annual Junior Naturalist Day on Saturday, Aug. 9. Activities, included with admission, will be provided specifically for children ages 5 to 12 — though all ages are welcome — to explore their environment and experience all that Grandfather has to offer.
Programming takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature birding with a naturalist, nature journaling, looking for lichen and more.
In honor of the mountain’s upcoming “Hawk Watch” event during the month of September, there will be a Junior Hawk Watch program near the Mile High Swinging Bridge in the afternoon. Grandfather is one of more than 300 Hawk Watch sites officially designated by the Hawk Migration Association of North America.
Grandfather Mountain’s Junior Naturalist Program offers an experience that caters to curious young explorers at the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Conservation Campus — which will be expanded in fall 2025 through the opening of Yonni’s Clubhouse, a space designed to combine learning and fun via indoor and outdoor, hands-on, education opportunities.
Programming takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature birding with a naturalist, nature journaling, looking for lichen and more.
In honor of the mountain’s upcoming “Hawk Watch” event during the month of September, there will be a Junior Hawk Watch program near the Mile High Swinging Bridge in the afternoon. Grandfather is one of more than 300 Hawk Watch sites officially designated by the Hawk Migration Association of North America.
Grandfather Mountain’s Junior Naturalist Program offers an experience that caters to curious young explorers at the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Conservation Campus — which will be expanded in fall 2025 through the opening of Yonni’s Clubhouse, a space designed to combine learning and fun via indoor and outdoor, hands-on, education opportunities.
Save the Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
Join the Avery Humane Society for an enchanting evening and their 2025 FurRaiser - There's No Place like a Furever Home!
Location:
The Venue at Boulder Creek
1001 Beech Mountain Parkway
Beech Mountain, North Carolina 28604
United States
Date & Time:
Thursday, 08/28/2025
5:30pm EDT - 9:00pm EDT
Price:
$150 - $5,000
Join the Avery Humane Society for an enchanting evening and their 2025 FurRaiser - There's No Place like a Furever Home!
Location:
The Venue at Boulder Creek
1001 Beech Mountain Parkway
Beech Mountain, North Carolina 28604
United States
Date & Time:
Thursday, 08/28/2025
5:30pm EDT - 9:00pm EDT
Price:
$150 - $5,000
Slope and road repairs completed at milepost 306.8 near Beacon Heights, NC following Hurricane Helene damage.
NPS Photo
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, NC/VA – On Monday, July 21, 2025, Blue Ridge Parkway officials opened a section of the 469-mile historic route in North Carolina from milepost 305.2, near Beacon Heights and U.S. 221, to milepost 317.5, just south Linville Falls also at U.S. 221. The opening of this road section, closed since Hurricane Helene due to a landslide and large amounts of debris, is the first of multiple openings expected in the coming weeks and months as the Parkway’s first round of recovery repair projects nears completion. Due to remaining damage in the area of today’s opening, Linville Falls spur road, campground, picnic area, and visitor center remain closed.
As a result of Hurricane Helene, the Parkway identified at least 57 landslides of varying complexity across nearly 200 miles in North Carolina. Work to restore road access, repair road damage, and stabilize slide areas began in the fall of 2024, and is planned in three phases, as outlined:
This phased system provides both public access to newly opened areas as soon as possible, and access to previously unreachable areas by contractors. Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations.
For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to be patient and respect remaining closures. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment at work make areas unsafe. Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are also still underway, and caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges.
Visitors should plan carefully for any trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, about the park’s recovery process at go.nps.gov/Helene.
Slope and road repairs completed at milepost 306.8 near Beacon Heights, NC following Hurricane Helene damage. NPS Photo
NPS Photo
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, NC/VA – On Monday, July 21, 2025, Blue Ridge Parkway officials opened a section of the 469-mile historic route in North Carolina from milepost 305.2, near Beacon Heights and U.S. 221, to milepost 317.5, just south Linville Falls also at U.S. 221. The opening of this road section, closed since Hurricane Helene due to a landslide and large amounts of debris, is the first of multiple openings expected in the coming weeks and months as the Parkway’s first round of recovery repair projects nears completion. Due to remaining damage in the area of today’s opening, Linville Falls spur road, campground, picnic area, and visitor center remain closed.
As a result of Hurricane Helene, the Parkway identified at least 57 landslides of varying complexity across nearly 200 miles in North Carolina. Work to restore road access, repair road damage, and stabilize slide areas began in the fall of 2024, and is planned in three phases, as outlined:
- PHASE 1 – This initial round of projects, including today’s opening, addresses 12 repairs in eight geographic areas. Once complete, across the summer and into the fall of 2025, over 48 miles of the Parkway will be restored for public use in various locations across western North Carolina.
- PHASE 2 – Projects included in this phase will repair 21 landslide areas primarily between milepost 318.2 and 323.4, in the area south of Linville Falls. Contracting is currently underway for projects included in this phase, and work is expected to be complete by fall of 2026.
- PHASE 3 – Planning is underway for this phase, which addresses repairs to over 23 sites primarily between milepost 336.7 and 351.9, in the area between Little Switzerland and the Mount Mitchell.
This phased system provides both public access to newly opened areas as soon as possible, and access to previously unreachable areas by contractors. Parkway construction activity is complex and highly technical, including factors such as remoteness, challenging terrain, and reduced construction seasons due to ice and winter weather at higher elevations.
For safety reasons, the park asks that people continue to be patient and respect remaining closures. Multiple seen and unseen hazards exist in closed areas, and crews and heavy equipment at work make areas unsafe. Visitors should also be aware that trail assessments are also still underway, and caution should be exercised as hikers may encounter hazards on trails such as landslides, tree debris, and washed-out sections or bridges.
Visitors should plan carefully for any trip along the Parkway and consult the park’s website for a wide variety of planning tools. The park’s website provides extensive information, including current road status, multiple regional maps, and other helpful information, about the park’s recovery process at go.nps.gov/Helene.
Slope and road repairs completed at milepost 306.8 near Beacon Heights, NC following Hurricane Helene damage. NPS Photo
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