Snow Fest @ 4118

Snow Fest @ 4118 is a frosty, frisky celebration that the entire Plateau needs –January 28-29 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park in Highlands.

Are you looking for a way to beat the cabin fever that inevitably hits after the holidays? Look no further than fun-filled Snow Fest @ 4118, a celebration of winter in all its glory, and a chance to have some outdoor fun with your friends, family, and neighbors. Hosted by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/VisitHighlandsNC and held this year from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday, January 28 and 29, at the Kelsey Hutchinson Founder’s Park, this festival promises to chase away the winter blues. “Snow Fest @ 4118 is a great way to keep the fun and spirit of the season going after the holidays have concluded. Highlands is the perfect backdrop for a winter wonderland that can be enjoyed by the entire community, especially families with younger children,” says Kaye McHan, executive director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce. We’ll second that notion of fun and encourage the young and the young at heart to grab their winter coats, gloves and warm boots and come out and make memories during Snow Fest @ 4118. There will be a snowball toss, ice slides, a merry-goround, a chance to make s’mores, and more. Yoga enthusiasts might want to check out the coolest new trend, “snowga” (well, if it’s not the coolest now, we predict it soon will be). Of course, there is also ice skating at the neighboring rink managed by The Town of Highlands.

This festival is not at the mercy of Mother Nature, though of course fingers are crossed that she blesses us with snowfall. If she has other plans, snow-blowing equipment will ensure that there is snow aplenty. You won’t want to miss all this wholesome outdoor fun.

For more information about Snow Fest @ 4118, contact the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC at events@highlandschamber.org or (828) 526-2112.

by Mary Jane McCall

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The Bear & theBands

Spoon

The talent’s already lining up for the third incarnation of the Bear Shadow Music Festival, set for April 28-30. For ticketing and more information visit bearshadownc.com.

There’s something extraordinary on our spring calendar this year and it has to do with the Bear Shadow Music Festival.

Now in its third year and named for the enigma that the Shadow of the Bear casts annually across Whiteside Mountain, the festival returns to Winfield Farms in Scaly Mountain the weekend of April 28-30. Launched in 2019 and conceived as a sister event to the highly successful Highlands Food and Wine Festival, the three-day outdoor event packs a roster of standout talent and an eclectic mix of genres and artists. Headlining the show are: Spoon, Friday, April 28: “Arguably, the greatest American rock band of the past 20 years, unyielding in their excellence,” wrote Rob Harvilla of The Ringer about the band in 2017. Spoon’s 10th album, Lucifer on the Sofa, released September 2022 was nominated for the Best Rock Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. The Head and The Heart, Saturday, April 29: An acclaimed indie folk band formed in Seattle. Known for pairing modern rock with classic folk-pop elements in a way which is catchy, familiar, and compelling, they’ve been met with mainstream media enthusiasm since the release of their 2013 album Let’s Be Still.

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Sunday,

April 30: Through his career as a member of the Southern rock legends the Drive-By Truckers, fronting his own band the 400 Unit, and as a solo artist, Isbell has grown into one of music’s most brilliant songwriters. His 2015 album, Something More Than Free, and his 2017 release The Nashville Sound each debuted at the top of the Billboard rock and country charts, and collected four Grammys between them.

Opening acts include: Fruit Bats, Friday, April 28: An American rock band formed in 1997 in Chicago, and an early entrant into the folk-rock boom of the early 2000s, the group revolves around singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson.

Neal Francis, Saturday, April 29: Performing songs steeped in New Orleans rhythms, Chicago blues, and early 70s rock n’ roll, his music evokes a bygone era of R&B’s heyday. Amythyst Kiah, Sunday, April 30: Kiah, who describes herself as “Southern Gothic,” has spent the entirety of her years in the Appalachian Mountains. One of her first pointedly topical compositions, Black Myself, a down-home testimony to Black pride, earned a Grammy nomination for best American roots song. Also, on stage are Midwestern artist Lissie; country musician Myron Elkins, and bluegrass talents Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth.

The Head and The Heart

by Marlene Osteen

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Book Havens in Winter

The Plateau’s twin libraries are natural havens from the Winter Blahs.

Come in From the Cold! Most days of the week, the local library is open and welcoming while winter weather looms. They are the ideal places to take a break from home hibernation and learn, interact, and glean information. Carlyn Morenus, branch librarian at Hudson Library in Highlands, reminds residents and visitors of several opportunities. “In 2023, they will be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:00 A.M. There are always topics of interest to adults, especially seniors,” she said. For these programs, registration is required. Morenus added, “Continuing services include notaries public at our libraries, MakerTools for check-out or in-library use, comfortable spaces for reading, study, remote work, and meetings. Cozy up by the fireplace at Hudson Library, or reserve a Study Room. Online offerings include streaming services, e-books and e-audiobooks, research tools, Universal Class, and much more.” In addition, Kids Zone afterschool programs are on Thursdays at 3:30 P.M. “There’s always something fun to do, ranging from STEAM programs like robotics, 3D pens, and Lego Club, to crafts and art projects,” said Morenus. “Billy Love from The Bascom partners once a month to do a book-into-art project. And, Paisley the READing therapy dog is here on the fourth Thursday during Kids Zone; she loves to have kids read to her!” Family Storytime is every Thursday at 10:40 A.M; Youth Theater programs continue on Saturdays. Finally, starting in February, libraries in the Fontana system are joining libraries across North Carolina for the second year of North Carolina Reads, a program of North Carolina Humanities. Copies of each month’s book will be available to check out. February’s book is Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander, a story based on the life and legacy of Josephine N. Leary, an African American entrepreneur and businesswoman who built a real estate empire in Edenton, North Carolina, during the Reconstruction era. Storytimes, STEAM programming, and much more is also available at Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library. “And, we’ll be continuing our youth performing arts classes,” said Branch Library Serenity Richards, noting that opportunities to play Mah Jongg continue through the winter months, from Mondays at 1:00 P.M. “These are friendly games for players of all skill levels. Plus, one-on-one tech help is a good reminder for all the gadgets and devices people may have received over the holidays.”

by Deena Bouknight

So Dear and So Here

With its We Love Locals program, Old Edwards Inn offers a luxurious Winter Getaway to its neighbors. For more information and reservations, visit oldedwardshospitality. com/locallove.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the “secret season” when nature spins magical scenes all around on the Plateau, when snow blankets the terrain and parking spaces remain empty on Main Street. How lucky are we? Locals can explore the wonders of our outdoors while luxuriating indoors in true European elegance at Old Edwards. Again, this winter, thanks to Old Edwards Inn’s We Love Locals specials, residents of Macon, Jackson, Transylvania and Rabun counties need not a king’s riches to escape to this rural oasis; to a place where the Plateau’s Mountain grandeur is truly embodied. From January 2 through March 30, the European-luxury style rooms at Old Edwards are available to locals for $195 per night Sunday through Thursday, plus tax. At sister property Half-Mile Farm, known for its bucolic charm and laidback luxury, the Sunday through Thursday rate is $165, plus tax. At either location, guests can be assured of welcoming hospitality and the super attentive services from Old Edwards Inn’s cadre of valets and concierges, for which it has been universally acclaimed. Whichever Old Edwards’ accommodations you choose, there’s much to do. You can stay close and sit by a roaring fire and read a book. You can join a fitness or yoga class for only $20, book a massage or luxuriate with a treatment at The Spa at Old Edwards. Treat yourself or a loved one to a gift from the curated and artful selection Old Edwards home décor, furnishings and gift shop, Acorns and enjoy 25 percent off your purchase. You can unwind with a glass of complimentary champagne with dinner at Madison’s. Best of all, you can indulge in the farm-to-table cuisine that celebrates Appalachian ingredients and enjoy wine from the restaurant’s Wine Spectator award winning list. Venture further afield and you can view granite rock faces glistening with ice formations and frozen waterfalls along the Panthertown Valley Trails, often referred to as the “Yosemite of the East.” You can go horseback riding or fly fishing on the icy waters of nearby rivers. In February, you can visit Whiteside Mountain and witness the specter of the Shadow of the Bear as it comes out of hibernation – making its appearance for just 30 minutes on sunny days. “Getting away from it all” has never been so near nor so dear.

All rates quoted are subject to availability. Local ID is required from Macon, Jackson, Transylvania and Rabun counties for each person receiving the discount. For further eligibility and restrictions, visit oldedwardshospitality. com/locallove.

by Marlene Osteen

Get Out This Winter

The Plateau is home to a raft of activities that’ll get your heart pumping and invigorate your outlook. (In the words of Highlands’ unofficial commentator and eternal friend of the editor, the late Walter Taylor: “Make sure you wear two pairs of socks. And a few sips of peach bounce wouldn’t hurt.”)

Despite it traditionally being named the Sleepy Season, winter on the Plateau has always been home to winter activities that’ve been anything but drowsy. Over the decades, Highlanders have congregated at Mirror Lake and Harris Lake once they’d frozen over, often outfitted with skates lent out by the sadly-shuttered Highlands Country Store. Of course, there was the massive Polar Bear Plunge at Lake Glenville on New Year’s Eve 1994 (which we have reason to believe has become a tradition in isolated pockets). And, though we hesitate to mention it here, there have been generations of Highlands High School daredevils who’ve accpted the challenge of late-night ice climbing up the frozen spill of Dry Falls. (Please, kids, stop it! It’s not only illegal, it’s an invitation to a grim future of poorly-mended bones and concussive brain damage – if you’re lucky!) So it’s only natural that our passion for cold weather fun would carry into the 21st Century. You can read all about Snow Fest @ 4118 on page 16 and Sapphire’s outlandish Outhouse Race on Page 30, but one is only operating for a single weekend, and the other for a single afternoon. Here then, are other acitivities to get your blood pumping and make your frosty nose flow like the aforementioned unfrozen Dry Falls. In Highlands this winter, visit Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, where they provide safe, modern skates, you can enjoy ice-skating until March 6 (as long as the ice holds). Times: Thursday, 1:00 to 8:00 P.M.; Friday and Saturday, 1:00-10.00 P.M.; and Sunday, 1:00-6:00 P.M. On cold nights, warm yourself and socialize at the lower level fireplace. It’s a wonderful family outing right in the middle of town where the air is crisp, the fire is warm (get even warmer with hot chocolate or coffee), and the rink invites everything from rockin’ to romance. Only $5, and that includes skate rental. Why not have a party at the rink (limit 25 skaters)? Visit highlandsnc.org for more info. Of course, for some people, ice skating isn’t the only cold

weather activity that’ll get your blood pumping as the mercury plummets. Cast your gaze toward Sapphire Valley Ski Resort in Sapphire – a 1,600-foot main run with a vertical drop of 200 feet, a learning center slope and the newly-expanded, multi-lane snow tubing run. And then there’s all the action at Highlands Outpost in Scaly Mountain. Have you heard about the Outpost’s Mountain Coasting, a gravitational hybrid of an Alpine Slide and a Roller Coaster? It’s 3,800 feet of thrills through the magnificent Appalachian Mountains. You can zip, plunge, and glide through Mother Nature’s best. After a spin in 360-degree curves, the cart disengages, and gravity takes over. Guests, one or two to a cart, coast down a winding descent, using a set of handbrakes to regulate their own cart speed – up to 27 mph. In addition to gravity-coasting, don’t miss snow-tubing at Highlands Outpost. They’ve added new tubing slopes to accommodate even more guests. And you can strap on your ice skates and have a go at the Outpost’s rink. And new this year, the Outpost has opened a snow play area for littler kids, perfect for safely romping and enjoying every measure of delight to be found in a snowscape. Take advantage of Outpost booking and confirmation of reservations/tickets. For more information, visit highlandsoutpost.com or call (828) 526-3737.

by Luke Osteen

Your Cover Worthy Photo

Laurie Metzger

Elizabeth King

Show us the magic of Winter on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau – it’s all around you. If it’s just right, we’ll put you on the cover of Laurel and proclaim you a Winner!

We’d invite you to gaze at the deeply evocative cover of this Winter 2023 Issue. It’s the product of Christena Brostrom’s artist’s instincts and her refined photographic talents. You can read all about Christena and her magic moment in Donna Rhodes’ profile on page 56. We’re inviting you to capture your own Plateau Winter Image and submit it to our Laurel Winter 2024 Cover Contest.

The Laurel Magazine’s annual winter photo competition is your chance to become the cover artist of our 2024 Winter Edition. Each year we look forward to seeing everyone’s magical winter photos as you, our readers, log onto our website and vote for your favorites. Whether you’re a professional photographer, or just someone who loves to capture the magic of the moment on your cell phone or pocket camera, The Laurel is offering you a chance to become a cover artist. That’s right, the 2024 Laurel Winter Photo Contest has begun, so grab your camera and start snapping your way to fame.

Carol Anne Hanks

Your winning photograph could be the cover of our 2024 winter edition.

Pictured are some of our favorites from last year’s competition. One of these might be just the inspiration you need to capture your own winning shot. All you have to do is keep an eye open for the beauty of this, our quietest and most reflective season, and capture that moment on film.

You can submit shots of our Wild Places, hushed winter landscapes,or cozy interiors bathed in warm colors.

Enter your seasonal and magazineappropriate shots at thelaurelmagazine. com/contest/winter2023 by March 31. Submitted photographs should be high resolution and must be of the HighlandsCashiers area. Amateurs, professionals, young and old, are encouraged to join the fun and share the beauty of the season. Pictures will appear on The Laurel Facebook and Instagram accounts and readers can vote for their favorite. The deadline to enter and to vote is March 31 and the winner will be announced on Facebook and Instagram.. The winning photograph will appear on the cover of the 2024 January-February edition of The Laurel Magazine. We can’t wait to see what winter wonder you’ve captured!

Outhouse Races

With its reputation for rolling, rollicking silliness, Sapphire’s Outhouse Races has become a regional institution. Join the fun on Saturday, February 18. Visit sapphirevalleyresorts. com for more info.

Since snow and humans first united, almost anything flattish has been christened a sled: derrieres, hollowedout logs, tanned hides, wheelbarrows on skis, baskets, innertubes, big plastic container lids, a baby pool, a slab of cardboard, or Grandpa’s itchy britches. Raise your hand if you’ve tried at least three of these (I know my hand is up). Well, here’s one you probably haven’t slid-upon – yet! A homemade outhouse. A one-holer made of any ordinary household material in addition to the aforementioned. And don’t forget your roll of TP to show you really give a crap. (Editor’s Note: Sorry about that!) This is a chance for you (the sitter) and two pals (the pushers) to have a go. The Sapphire Valley Ski Resort has everything you’ll need for your 120-foot slide-ride on snow and/or ice, depending on the drizzle du jour. Here’s how you get a ride on the porcelain bus. Mark your calendar: Saturday, February 18. Registration is at 1:30 P.M. Static parade (the viewing and judging) is at 2:30 with the races to follow in the Sapphire Valley Ski Area, 3:00 – 4:00 P.M. It’s $125 per homebuilt entry. If you want to rent an outhouse from Sapphire, there’s an additional charge. Checks payable to SVMA. The Outhouse Races have been named a February Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society. So, don’t forget: one hole, a TP roll, and an outhouse built around ‘em. Decorate it as elaborately or as simply as you choose. Or rent one on site. You and your outhouse on skis will go head-to-head down a two-lane track against another privy, delicately put, flying forward while eating backwards, It’s for no other reason than some gosh-darn, good ol’ fun and entertainment for family and friends. Now go out there, sink a sub, park a custard, and release the hostages.

by Donna Rhodes

Cashiers Designer Showhouse, 10 AM-4 PM. Erin Gray Trunk Show, Acorns. Sentimental Journey, 2 PM & 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse.

Happy New Year! 1Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

Cashiers Designer Showhouse, 10 AM-4 PM. Erin Gray Trunk Show, Acorns. Sentimental Journey, 2 PM & 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse.

Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, 8Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

– Edith Sitwell

Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry The Bookworm, 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands 11 AM - 3 PM. United Methodist Church. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Village Lights Display,Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

3 4 Highlands Food Pantry 510 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 8 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis HallVillage Green Commons. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive. Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. 6Bookworm 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Highlands Marketplace, 8 AM - 12:30 PM. Cashiers Designer Showhouse, 10 AM-4 PM. Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. 7 Kelsey-Hutchinson Park. Highlands Marketplace, 8 AMNational Theatre Live, 1 PM, PAC. Mountain Findings, 10 AM - 1 PM. Erin Gray Trunk Show, Acorns.Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM.Mountain Findings, 10 AM - 1 PM. Hutchinson Founders Park. Food Drive, 10 AM-1 PM, Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM.Village Lights Display, Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM.Cashiers Village Green. Barnas Denim Trunk Sentimental Journey, 2:00 & Live Music at Hummingbird Show, TJ Bailey’s. 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse.Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Pop-Up Pipers, 4:30 - 5:00 PMLive Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive. Saturdays on Pine, 6 PM. Highlands Burritos side patio. Brooklyn: The Musical, 2 PM Saturdays on Pine Concert, 6 PM. and 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse. Concert, 6 PM, Town & Country. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.Bluegrass, Cashiers Smokehouse.

Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry The Bookworm, 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands 11 AM - 3 PM. United Methodist Church. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Village Lights Display,Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 8 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis HallVillage Green Commons. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

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Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bookworm 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM.

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Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. 14 MET Opera, 12:55 PM, PAC. Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 8 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis Hall. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

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Mountain Findings Open 10 AM - 1 PM. Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM.

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Mountain Findings, 10 AM - 1 PM. 21 Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. The Bascom, Winter Resident Artist. Exhibition opens. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson 22 Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Paint and Pints with Autumn, 5:30 PM. The High Dive. Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 8 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis HallVillage Green Commons. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

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Bazaar Barn, Snow Fest at 4118, 10 AM - 2 PM. Kelsey-Hutchinson The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Founders Park. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Hutchinson Founders Park. National Theatre Live, 1 PM, PAC. Village Lights Display, Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Cashiers Village Green. . Hutchinson Founders Park. Live Music at Hummingbird Village Lights Display, Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

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Snow Fest at 4118, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park. Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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View the complete Highlands Cashiers Plateau Calendar

“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”

– Aristotle

The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Cashiers Designer Showhouse, 10 AM-4 PM. Erin Gray Trunk Show, Acorns. Sentimental Journey, 2 PM & 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse.

Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, 5Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry The Bookworm, 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands 11 AM - 3 PM. United Methodist Church. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Village Lights Display,Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Highlands Food Pantry 210 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis HallVillage Green Commons. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

Highlands Food Pantry 910 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis HallVillage Green Commons. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive. Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. 3Bookworm 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bookworm 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM.

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4Highlands Marketplace, Cashiers Designer Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. 8 AM - 12:30 PM. Showhouse, 10 AM-4 PM. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Kelsey-Hutchinson Park. Highlands Marketplace, 8 AMMET Opera, 12:55 PM, PAC. Mountain Findings, 10 AM - 1 PM. Erin Gray Trunk Show, Acorns.Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM.Mountain Findings, 10 AM - 1 PM. Hutchinson Founders Park. Food Drive, 10 AM-1 PM, Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM.Village Lights Display, Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry. Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM.Cashiers Village Green. Barnas Denim Trunk Sentimental Journey, 2:00 & Live Music at Hummingbird Show, TJ Bailey’s. 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse. Lounge, 5:30 to10 PM Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Pop-Up Pipers, 4:30 - 5:00 PMLive Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.Saturdays on Pine, 6 PM. Highlands Burritos side patio. Brooklyn: The Musical, 2 PM Saturdays on Pine Concert, 6 PM. and 7:30 PM, Highlands Playhouse. Concert, 6 PM, Town & Country. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.Bluegrass, Cashiers Smokehouse. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. 11 Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. National Theatre Live, 1 PM, PAC. Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis Hall. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

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Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bookworm 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. . Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM.w

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Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. 18 Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Outhouse Races, 1:30 PM, Sapphie Valley Ski Resort. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson 19 Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Paint and Pints with Autumn, 5:30 PM. The High Dive. Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green. Winter Exhibitions Reception, 5 PM, The Bascom. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:45 PM, Lewis HallVillage Green Commons. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

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Bazaar Barn, 10 AM - 2 PM. Bazaar Barn, Bookworm 11 AM - 3 PM. 10 AM - 2 PM. Ice Skating, 3:30 to 10 PM, Kelsey Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Hutchinson Founders Park. National Theatre Live, 1 PM, PAC. Village Lights Display, Ice Skating, 1 to 10 PM, Kelsey Cashiers Village Green. Hutchinson Founders Park. Live Music at Hummingbird Village Lights Display, Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Cashiers Village Green. Live Music at Hummingbird Lounge, 5:30 to 10 PM. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

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Ice Skating, 1 to 5 PM, Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. Village Lights Display, Cashiers Village Green.

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Highlands Food Pantry Highlands Food Pantry 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands 10 AM - 6 PM, Highlands United Methodist Church. United Methodist Church. The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM.The Bookworm, 11 AM - 3 PM. Village Nature Series, Village Lights Display, 5 PM, Village Green Commons. Cashiers Village Green. Enchanted Forest 6-7:30 PM, Art Benefit, drawing 5 PM, Highlands Botanical Garden. Betsy Paul Real Estate.

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View the complete Highlands Cashiers Plateau Calendar

RECREATION & CREATION

Pages 42-49

Our Winter Birds

Dark-eyed Junco

Some birds skip the Cold Stream Express and stick with us here on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.

We know about the birds that go through the winter with us here on the Plateau because we inventory them. Every year. In December the National Audubon Society sponsors the Christmas Bird Count that mobilizes the many Audubon chapters and volunteers into an international count-your-birds event. The Audubon Society counts representative samples of our North American birds every year. It’s serious ornithology in the form of hemispheric citizen science. These Christmas Bird Counts have occurred every winter since 1900. CBCs now take place across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and beyond. Counters include as many as 2,400 counting groups including over 60,000 individuals whose counts total upwards of 70 million birds. These yearly bird counts feed what is one of the largest citizen science databases in the world. Our local Highlands Plateau Audubon Society participates in these bird counts every year and, as a result, we know what birds winter with us. Looking across years, we see samples comprising as many as 50 species and 2000 birds a year. Some years we see over 500 Slate-colored Juncos, for instance, making this one of our most abundant winter species. These precious little birds have white bellies and skitter about at ground level in a manner reminiscent of pigeons. They eat seeds and are friendly with other birds. Another common winter bird is the Carolina Chickadee. This

Carolina Wren

namesake bird is often the first to come to a winter feeder, ahead of the mixed winter flock soon to follow. Our Chickadees, like our high-count Song Sparrows and Carolina Wren, puff themselves up in a down blanket for warmth. The normally sleek Wren can look like a brown feathered tennis ball on a frigid winter day. Happy winter bird watching from your local Audubon group. The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, focused on enjoying and preserving birds and their habitats, is a Chapter of the National Audubon Society and a 501(c)(3) organization. Find us at highlandsaudubonsociety.org.

by William McReynolds

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Summer Full of Happy

Highlands Biological Foundation, located at 265 North 6th Street, has unveiled its 2023 series of educational (and relentlessly fun) Summer Nature Camps for kids. For more information, visit highlandsbiological.org.

Anew year brings refreshed excitement for what’s ahead. Now, in the midst of winter, we at the Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) are dreaming of a summer full of happy, curious kids skipping around the Highlands Nature Center and Highlands Botanical Garden. This dream will soon come to fruition as our 2023 Nature Camps are just around the corner! Leading the charge will be HBF’s Education Specialist Holly Theobald who is “most looking forward to creating a fun, engaging, and educational camp curriculum that focuses on the natural wonders of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.” Holly is a passionate environmental educator who seeks to balance fun and learning for her campers. “The upcoming camp curriculum will correlate to the NC Standard Course of Study, and I can’t wait to see how campers react when they experience, first-hand, the scientific concepts they learned during school,” she noted. Each summer, HBF hosts educational camps at the Highlands Nature Center for children ages 4 to 12 years old. The camps run weekly between June and early August, so it’s an ideal way to give children an impactful, productive experience during their school break. “Nature Camps provide campers with the opportunity to safely engage with the natural world,” says Holly. “This enables them to learn through exploratory activities, which strengthens their natural curiosity of the environment. Campers also strengthen their social skills, by taking part in group activities designed to create collaborative investigations. Our educational staff cannot wait to immerse campers in exploration hikes, nature-themed games, crafts, and more! Camp themes, dates, and prices will be posted online on Monday, January 30. HBF members receive early access to camp registration on Monday, February 27. Registration will open for non-members the following week. Please note that camps fill quickly. Complimentary year-long memberships are available to those who donate $30 or more to HBF. To become a member or check the status of your membership, please call our office at (828) 526-2221. The Highlands Nature Center and Highlands Botanical Garden are part of the Highlands Biological Station, a multi-campus center of Western Carolina University. by Winter Gary, Highlands Biological Foundation photo by Colleen Kerrigan