Free. Saturday, August 22, 9-11am. Guided Mushroom/Ecology Walk at Swiftwater Farm. Join Conserving Carolina for an interpretive nature walk to look for mushrooms with Olga Katic, owner of Mushroom Mountain. Advance reservations are required – go online at: https://conservingcarolina.org/event/guided-mushroom-ecology-walk-at-swiftwater-farm-2/ to reserve your seat....
Free. April 18, 10:30am-12pm. Walnut Creek Preserve Speaker Series: Land sides in WNC – Stories, Tools, and Tips at Walnut Creek Preserve. Speaker Jennifer Bauer discusses impactful landslides triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27, 2024 as well as other landslide events in WNC. She will also give the audience some tips on ways to identify landslide features, tools that are available for making informed decisions about land use, and examples of how to protect themselves from or avoid landslide hazards. Please RSVP for this free event at: https://conservingcarolina.org/...
Free. Tuesday, March 31 at 4pm. The Amazing World of Plants at Columbus Library. This program is designed for ages 5-13. Enjoy an educational program with the NC Arboretum to learn all about the many different plants that call Western NC their home. Make a DIY plant press together, go on a plant scavenger hunt, and venture outside to see what’s growing. Hear about the ecoEXPLORE program, find out what makes a plant grow, how a plant makes their own food, where different plants can be found, plus more. ....
Free. Wednesday, March 18 at 3:30pm. Chimney Rock State Park presents Animals of Appalachia at Columbus Library. Get up close with animal ambassadors while learning about the wildlife that roams our region. This program is designed for kids and their families, but all ages are...
Free event. Tuesday, March 3, 7pm. Special Film Screening of “The Extraordinary Caterpillar – A Film Celebration of Nature’s Unsung Heroes” at the Historic Tryon Theatre, Tryon. ♦ Prepare to be amazed, fascinated and most importantly inspired to do your part to support these tiny unsung heroes – the extraordinary caterpillars. Reserve your free seat online at:...
Free. Wednesday, September 24, 1pm, Live @ Lanier at the Lanier Library, Tryon, NC. ♦ The program will feature Andy Ruff, Operations Director of Pearson’s Falls and Glen, and Rae Ann Wessel, President of the Tryon Garden Club. They will share how staff, volunteers, contractors, and experts have transformed storm damage into new trails and fresh views. They will also share updates on recovery efforts and the ongoing work to preserve this Foothills treasure....
GUIDE: Earl Scruggs Music Festival 2025 It is time to get geared up for the annual Earl Scruggs Music Festival at the Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC) in Mill Spring, NC. The 3-day festival brings together an all-star line-up of bluegrass, Americana, and roots music to celebrate the contributions of North Carolina’s own Earl Scruggs to the rich musical culture in the area. Earl Scruggs, born in nearby Shelby, NC, is a musical icon known for radically redefining old time and string band music. He developed a new playing style with picking rolls and timing patterns. He crossed musical boundaries, bridged generations, and his “Scruggs style” spread rapidly. Earl Scruggs has dozens of awards and Hall of Fame accolades. Learn more at the Earl Scruggs Center. The 4th Annual Earl Scruggs Music Festival will be held Labor Day Weekend – from August 29-31, 2025. This year’s line-up includes more than 40 bands, from headliners Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush, Watchhouse, and so many more. For more information on this year’s festival and to purchase tickets, visit earlscruggsmusicfest.com. Get your festival tickets, then pick out a great place to stay close to the festival venue. Browse our lodging listings or use our interactive map to find someplace to make the weekend even better. Within the festival at TIEC you can enjoy several musical spaces, from the main stage to a jam session pickin’ pavilion. Each stage is a short walk to the other, but positioned so you hear who you came to enjoy. Past attendees liked the fact...
Free. May 17, 10:30am-12pm, Walnut Creek Preserve Speaker Series: Update from the Green Riverkeeper with MountainTrue. Speaker Erica Shanks gives an update on the Green River. RSVP required:...
Walks are scheduled mid-March through mid November, weather permitting, join Saluda Community Land Trust members to explore local favorite walks in the Saluda area. Walks generally last about an hour and a half, and besides showcasing our local treasures, encourage getting folks outside. Walkers meet at the parking lot of the Saluda Library at 2pm. A SCLT member will keep you aware of the terrain of the trail and share their insights about the history, flora, and fauna of the area as they lead each walk. April 6: Lazy Girl is an easy one mile walk that takes about an hour. The trail traverses a stream and connects Esseola Drive through the woods to Laurel Drive in Saluda. No pets on this walk. April 20: Walk and egg hunt to celebrate Easter. Henry’s Nature Center is wooded terrain and a moderate two mile walk that transverses an old home site and the new Pavilion. May 4: Walk at Adawehi Stewardship Forest in Columbus, to celebrate the spring ephemerals and learn about the ecosystem of a wetland and stream side habitat. Easy. May 18: A new Henderson County park offers walking trails in the tranquil forests of the Green River Gorge. An observation deck is next to a rushing waterfall. 1.8 miles. Moderate. June 1: Old Home Place #1 is an easy to moderate walk giving walkers a glimpse of life in the 19th century. See an old homestead, fields, streams, and water cascades. June 15: Little Hungry is a moderate hike on a trail that is rarely visited, along a stream through fields and woods. July 6: Historic Saluda....
Free. Tuesday, April 29, 4-7pm, McCreery Park, Saluda, NC Come investigate and meet these fascinating creatures with the Chimney Rock State Park Rangers. This program is designed for kids and their families, but all ages are welcome.
