Official Start of Summer Travel Revs Up With Events Celebrating 
The Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Year

ASHEVILLE, NC, AND ROANOKE, VA (May 23, 2010) – Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend is considered the kick-off of summer travel across America, and communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway have special reasons to celebrate with the 75th Anniversary of “The Scenic.”

With a nod to the nostalgia of traveling America’s Favorite Drive at a leisurely (and unplugged) pace, motorists, cyclists and motorcyclists will find an array of activity, special events, and exhibitions up and down the scenic road’s 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina. A complete list of events is at www.blueridgeparkway75.org but here are some of the happenings around Memorial Day.

·       Roanoke’s Festival in the Park – May 26-31, Roanoke, VA. Now in its 41st year, the event focuses on art, music, and family. www.roanokefestival.org

·       Hotel Floyd Concert Series – Every Thursday through October, Floyd, VA. Hotel Floyd and Mitchell Music Company host free bluegrass music during their “Live After 5” series. www.HotelFloyd.com

·       13th Annual Memorial Day Festival and Parade, May 28-29, Shenandoah, VA. The event includes tractor shows and a carnival by the area’s volunteer firemen. www.townofshenandoah.com

·       Valdese-Waldensian Trail of Faith Founder’s Festival, May 28-29, Valdese, NC. The celebration commemorates the original Italian settlers crossing the Atlantic and arriving by train on May 29, 1893. See a 115-year old sawmill in operation as well as exhibits, mountain crafts, and bluegrass music. www.waldensiantrailoffaith.org

·       Women of Appalachia Exhibit, Brevard, NC. A display of artwork by Western North Carolina women. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

·       Montebello Spring, VA, Horseback Trail Ride, May 28-30, Nelson County, VA. Bring your own horse to the mountains and ride through woodlands and meadows and along ridgetops. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

·       Grapestompers Annual Amateur Winemakers Festival, May 29, Laurel Springs, NC. This free event offers tastings of wine made by amateur wine makers with a winner selected through attendees’ votes. www.grapestompers.com

·       Hit & Miss in the Mountains, May 29-31, Meadows of Dan, VA. The 6th Annual Antique Engine Show also features traditional local music, local art and craft, and heritage demonstrations. www.mountainmeadowscrafts.com

·       More Than A Mountain: Celebrating the Land and Community of the Peaks of Otter, May 29-June 9, Bedford County, VA. A juried art exhibition inspired by the Parkway’s legendary landmark. www.morethanamountain.com

·       Summer Art and Craft Show at Valley Green Gallery, May 29-30, Nellysford, VA. The 18th annual show features more than 30 local and regional artisans with works of pottery, textiles, jewelry, glass, and photography.

·       Fading Voices, May 29, Little Snowbird Church, Robbinsville, NC. A celebration of the traditional ways of the Snowbird Cherokees, including the Sacred

·       Mountain Ceremony, Cherokee hymn singing, storytelling, traditional dance, beading, basketry, traditional games, and food. www.grahamcountytravel.com

·       Opening of Floyd County Historical Society Museum, May 29-30, Floyd, VA. Grand opening of the new museum devoted to the rich cultural heritage of the region and the Blue Ridge Plateau. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

·       “Not So Back of Beyond” Exhibition, June 1-16, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC. Focuses on the tourists and travelers who have visited the region first by horse, then by train, and then by automobile. Photographs, documents, and ephemera will highlight cultural and environmental areas as well as examine the various recreational pursuits of camping, hiking, fishing, and rafting. www.toto.lib.unca.edu

·       Downtown Boone’s First Friday Art Crawl, June 4, Boone, NC. www.boone-nc.org

·       Pickin’ and Poetry on the Porch, June 4 and each 1st and 3rd Fridays through October, Asheville, NC. Musicians, poets, and writers perform on the front porch of author Thomas Wolfe’s homeplace, Old Kentucky Home. www.wolfememorial.com

·       Patchwork Folk and Fabric Festival, June 5, Jackson County Recreation Center, Cullowhee, NC. Experience traditions of Appalachian spinning, weaving, quilting, sewing, and other hand stitchery. This year, classes are also available to the public, from making cornhusk dolls to traditional “punching.” www.spiritofappalachia.org

·       Blue Ridge Bliss, June 5-11, Rockbridge County, VA. Discover the Parkway by bicycle. This multi-day tour will cover 300 of the Parkway’s 469 miles. www.adventurecycling.org/tours

·       Clay Day at the Folk Art Center, June 5, Asheville, NC. Features craft demonstrations as well as hands-on activities for children and adults. Volunteers from the Blue Ridge Parkway will also be on hand to answer questions. www.craftguild.org

For more information about the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary, including upcoming events in neighboring communities along the road, visit www.blueridgeparkway75.org.