144 March the Destination Magazine™

“Cliff” Notes For Your Stokes County Adventure

Once you’re ready to venture out for fresh air and exploration, with family and friends you’ve been apart from, discover or return to Stokes County, North Carolina. Break out your hiking boots, saddle a horse or dip your feet into the cool natural waters of the Dan River, there’s so much more than extraordinary views around every country bend. Hanging Rock State Park offers many trails, waterfalls and outdoor options… but what is there to do when arriving and rangers turn you away due to overcrowding and limited parking?

We outline a few PRO tips to make the best of your visit. Become aware of alternate entrances or trailheads, including the Riverbluffs or Indian Creek trails accessible from the parks river access on Flinchum Road. Mountain Bike trails are also

for hiking, views may not be as stunning but much grandeur is found here, be sure to yield to mountain bikers. Lower Cascades Waterfall can be accessed from Hall Road, and Tory’s Den or Ruben Mountain Trial are located on Charlie Young Road.

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Step back in time learning more about local history on a drive to Historic Downtown Danbury, snap a selfie in front of the Historic Courthouse, then to Moratock Park to observe the iron furnace from Civil War times. Drive out to Germanton the oldest town and original location of the county courthouse, or to Pinnacle and observe historic remains of the Rock House built by Colonel Jack Martin and used as a fort against battles of Indians and Tories in 1776.

Extend your stay during less busy weekdays, by booking one of over 30 vacation rentals. Accommodations range from a couple’s suite to charming farm houses or a lodge for groups up to 15, each location with stylings and charm of our rural heritage. Looking for something more upscale? Check into one

of 9 suites at Big Creek Lodge on the Lunas Trail Farm property in Westfield. Here you can also experience nearly five miles of trails on 350 acres of property, and a full service restaurant with Chef prepared menu items. Each room boasts its own private deck overlooking the Sauratown Mountains, an oasis to behold as you find yourself in a Stokes County State of Mind.

The perfect mountain getaway, closer than you think. www.hangingrock.com

Wedding Weekend

Imagine getting married with gorgeous mountains as your backdrop. Tie the knot anywhere and any way you want at Wag Valley. Our property is yours for the day to design the wedding of your dreams.

Romance For A Weekend Or A Lifetime Book Your Experience Now

FARMHOUSE

Beautifully renovated modern farmhouse sits in the middle of Wag Valley’s 145-acre farm. Sit back and relax on either the front deck or the back porch enjoying solitude and connection to mother nature.

RETRO AIRSTREAM

Not Like Where You Came From G

ranville County is not like where you came from…we are “Uniquely Carolina TM ” – a Carolina that melds the endearing heart of hometown living with space, and easy accessibility – a rare fusion that allows you to define “experience” and “gathering” on your terms.

Granville County festivals and events are also unique and uniquely Carolina. Our events are not just for attending, but for engaging with and becoming part of our community.

Viking Experience – March 25/26 – Get ready all you Vikings for The Viking Experience Festival at the Barn at Vino in Stem, NC. This unique festival features over 30 cast members in character and will include something for the whole family. From the “Fairy Experience,” to the “Vikings in Training” program, to the “Dinner Theater” which is a parlay between Queen Hanna the Red and her enemy Ellak and much more!

Cedar Creek Gallery’s Spring Pottery & Glass Festival – First Two Weekends in April – Meet the artist. Experience demonstrations. Enjoy speciality food trucks. Relax to live music. All at this unique gallery in Creedmoor, NC.

Highland Games – April 29 –

Men wearing skirts? No not really, they’re called kilts and originate in Scotland. But on Saturday, April 29th, they will be worn by the athletes at the Central North Carolina Highland Games in Oxford. The day will also include food, music and family fun. Additionally, all proceeds will be donated to the Central Children’s Home of North Carolina.

CultureFest – May 13

– Downtown Oxford is the setting for CultureFEST, which showcases the community’s heritage and celebrates the diversity of the community. Music, food, and dance highlight the day!!

For more information on the Spring festivals visit visitgranvillenc.com.

Loch Norman Highland Games Are More Than Kilts & Cabers

The Loch Norman Highland Games April 15-16 at Rural Hill is a family friendly event presented by Historic Rural Hill. Come and experience all the fun with Highland Dancing, Bagpipe Bands, Highland Athletics, a Giant Kid’s Zone, Scottish Merchants, Haggis, Celtic Rock and Traditional Performers, Historic Reenactments, Scottish Country Dancing, Sunday Church Service, Hearth Cooking, NC Beer and Wine, Whiskey Tastings, Kilted Running Events, Scottish Clan Societies, Shoot Long Bows and Blowguns, Throw a Battle Axe and so much more!

The Rural Hill Scotch Whisky Seminar Presented by McIntosh Law Firm exposes participants to the world of Scotch Whisky by allowing participants to taste and explore several different varieties. The tasting selection is different each year, but in years past we have enjoyed various years and bottlings of Famous Grouse, Ardbeg, Monkey Shoulder, Black Bottle, Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenmorangie, Highland Park, Talisker, Clynelish, Glenkinchie and more! Always

informative, never stuffy or boring, the Loch Norman Highland Games wouldn’t be the same without these great seminars!

Other Beverages

North Carolina Beer, North Carolina Wine, Coffee, and bottled water are available throughout the day. Many of our food vendors will sell soft drinks as well. Please note that “brown bagging” and outside alcohol are strictly prohibited at this event.

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Old Crow Medicine Show, Saturday, April 22. Armfield Civic Center & Recreation Center Park. It is general admission lawn seating, with people encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Food trucks and beer & wine vendors will be on-site. No coolers allowed.

Tickets for the Old Crow Medicine Show are $30-$55 and available for purchase online. Gates open at 5 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m.

Festivities will include a Friday night criterium bike race, a Saturday morning 5k, rock wall, demonstrations, classes, vendors, food, beer/wine garden as well as live music. The highlight of the weekend will be a performance by Old Crow

Show.

Dessertery Deliciousness

We are always searching for a fantastic dessert. As some of you know, someone has a sweet tooth! As we traveled most of NC, we realized the best was in our backyard or a bit up the road. If you’ve not been to the newly renovated Midtown Cafe and Dessertery in WinstonSalem, you must grab your keys and head out now. Not only have they given the place a complete overhaul, but the deserts are also incredible all thirty-plus have been homemade from scratch for the past thirty years. The wave of baked goods hits you as soon as you walk in the door, and the dessert counter welcomes you with various cakes, cookies, pies, cheesecakes, tortes, fudge brownies, and lemon bars to choose your sweet to eat there or take with you.

So do you have another breakfast or lunch meeting, and are tired of the same old coffee house? No time for making a meal for you and the kiddos? The Midtown Market is your best place to grab and go.

If you need to pick something up for the office meeting, baby shower, retirement party, or just because I love you? They’ll put together the most amazing platter of goodies for you to take with you. Don’t believe me, let’s meet up there and try it.

Most Delicious Downtown!

Dine and Dash have a whole new meaning in this story.

We were amazed at the different options for our culinary adventure. We went on an excursion within a few blocks of downtown Statesville, NC, to see how many places we could eat in a day.

Our first stop was The Vanilla Bean for a Boba Tea, such a cute place & it was so good. A short walk past the museum to the Bristol Cafe & Catering, an upscale casual dining experience with a Charleston flair and salmon pink exterior. The Cafe is famous for its Avocado toast. Just down the road on the corner of Broad and Center is Groucho’s Deli. Here you can wrap your hands around the all-time famous STP Dipper. Our next stop on the tasting tour is the Broad Street Burger Co. is just a few doors down the sidewalk. We bellied up to the bar and tried the Black widow cocktail, fried cheese curds, and the Sexy Goat. If you’d rather have a beer, Broad Street Burger offers twenty-eight craft beers on tap. If you are feeling the need for a little Tex-Mex, try Smokin’ Southern Cantina, a very day of the dead, Polynesian style Cantina for street tacos and a spicy margarita.

Twisted Oak American Bar and Grill has the feel of a speakeasy where you foresee a great steak, a bottle of wine, or a fabulous old fashion in your very near future. Ali’s Bistro is a quaint little place for a piña colada boba tea, lamb over rice. Pasta Amore means the love of pasta, so we eat pasta!

Spaghetti and meatballs are perfect. Marty’s Pub and Grill cool neighborhood bar with games to entertain yourself with friends. Wings and a local beer. Mezzaluna II Italian Restaurant has been in business for over twenty years. This place is charming, with soft lighting with a Tuscan ambiance.

Sauteed portabellas and the Veal Pizzaiola are magnificent! 220 Cafe is a contemporary American

boutique restaurant offering an array of dishes. The bone-in grilled pork chops with spiced apple, cranberry chutney, and garlic cauliflower mashed with a lovely glass of Pinot Noir were delightful. These are just a few of the restaurants in the Statesville area. Make sure you pop into one and check it out. You won’t be disappointed. Need a foodie friend to go with, hit us up!

We are Statesville, All American, yet uniquely North Carolina. www.visitstatesville.com

Discover Burke Trails Any Season

On August 10, 2021, the NC Legislature passed HB 554 designating 2023 as the “North Carolina Year of The Trail.” This historic designation underscores the tremendous energy behind showcasing, promoting and celebrating North Carolina’s trails both in terms of their incredible positive impact on quality of life for North Carolina residents as well as significant economic impact on individual communities who benefit from “trail tourism.” As part of this celebration, Burke County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) is hosting a “Discover Burke Trails” event on Saturday March 11th from 12 noon to 5pm at the City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium (CoMMA).

Activities will be held both indoors and outdoors during the event. Food trucks will be on site. This event is free to the public and will feature

talks and activities for people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you are very familiar with the outdoors and recreate regularly or you have never been on a trail before but are interested in learning more about being outdoors, this event is for you!

Keynote presentations during the event will include Jennifer Pharr Davis, the fastest woman

thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail; Earl Hunter Jr, Founder and President of Black Folks Camp Too, a marketing driven business whose mission is to increase diversity in the outdoor industry; Randy Johnson, author of “Grandfather Mountain- The History and Culture of an Appalachian Icon”; and Dr. Seth Hawkins, an anthropologist, writer, and physician based in Burke County who teaches wilderness rescue classes among his many other roles. The symposium will be emcee’d by Deborah Holt Noel of North Carolina Weekend on PBS-NC.

In addition to the speakers there will be more than 20 exhibitors and vendors

at the event including inflatable obstacle courses for kids. There will be lots of information from the outdoor partners in Burke County including Lake James State Park, South Mountain State Park, Foothills Conservancy and more. There will also be gro up hikes led on days surrounding the festival. Lastly, for those who stay the whole day, there will be a Hobie Kayak door prize (winner must be present) supplied by CBS Sports, an outdoors outfitter in Morganton.

visit www.

Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival And Expo

Downtown Pilot Mountain will play host to the Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival and Expo April 21-23, 2023. The weekend will kick off Friday at 4pm and run through 4pm on Sunday. Festivities will include a Friday night criterium bike race, a Saturday morning 5k, rock wall, demonstrations, classes, vendors, food, beer/wine garden as well as live music. The highlight of the weekend will be a performance by Old Crow Medicine Show. Information about the event as well as concert tickets can be can be found on the Town of Pilot Mountain Website.

Nestled between Pilot Mountain State Park and Hanging Rock State Park, with close proximity to Stone Mountain State Park, the Town of Pilot Mountain is the perfect place to celebrate and highlight all things outdoors. Rock climbing, kayaking, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and much more await visitors to the area.

Reconnect with nature and the small town charm reminiscent of older days by exploring our beautiful town. We’re happy to have you! www.pilotmountainnc.org

Historical Encampment

Where can you find Scots and Celts from all centuries? Where can you find Revolutionary War folks, military and civilian, and Vikings? The Historical Encampment at Rural Hill! The camp time line extends from 200 A.D. to 1781 A.D including Jacobites, Colonial Militia, and the cream of the British Light Infantry, the Hesse Kassel Jaeger Korps.

Our Militia camp will re-enact 18th century life in the Colonies; the Jaegers will present military life in the 18th Century British Army. Blacksmiths and a Wood Wright will be demonstrating their craft all weekend. The Austlend Vikings will be present to

demonstrate life in 11th Century Viking England. While you are at the Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games take a few steps back in time and visit the Historical Encampment!

Celebrating more than 250 years in history…The 265-acre site is maintained and promoted by Historic Rural Hill Inc. and features annual events such as the Loch Norman Highland Games, the Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze, the Rural Hill Sheepdog Trials, and the NC Brewers and Music Festival. Historic Rural Hill Inc. is a non-profit organization supported through membership and donations, and with proceeds from its events utilized for the preservation of Historic Rural Hill and its education efforts. Please visit www.ruralhill.net.

Wild West Comes To Rockingham County

The Western Rockingham Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce its 2023 Membership Annual Dinner will be held at Southern C’s Farm located in Summerfield NC on March 30, 2023. WRCC prides itself by having a fun and relaxing membership dinner each year. The theme for their 2023 dinner is Wild West! Rockingham County historical has referred Mayodan, Stoneville, and Madison as the “West Side” and therefore the WRCC Board has planned to take this cliche to the next level.

“Wild West” dinner will provide a traditional BBQ ribs and BBQ chicken with sides as the menu and Bake Me Happy will offer a variety of sweets for dessert. WRCC wants all members to plan to attend and if possible dress in their favorite Western Attire. And don’t be surprised if your name and picture appear on a “Most Wanted Poster”.

If you wish to purchase tickets for the WRCC 2023 Annual Membership Dinner email info@wrcchamber.com to reserve your spot. The Western Rockingham Chamber of Commerce strives to build stronger relationships with our members and members of our communities.

First Ever Youth Native American Powow In Eden,

NC

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 1!!! The Youth Native American Powwow will be the first youth-centered Intertribal powwow in the State of North Carolina that will include all youth-focused head staff and participants.

This event is hosted and sponsored by the City of Eden, Arts Council, Rockingham County Arts Council, Rockingham County Education Foundation, Blue Cross

BlueShield, WellCare, Black Indians NC and 7 Directions of Service. The powwow will increase awareness about Native American culture, drum music, various styles of dance and community engagement with a focus on Native American youth spearheading the event.

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We will feature Head Male Dancer Christian Sai Martinez and Head Female Dancer

Aiyana Malea Suarez with live performances by Host Drum Rez Ratz of the Catawba Nation and invited Drum of North Carolina Native American Youth Organization. The Powwow Council welcomes the community of Eden, North Carolina and beyond to come and experience the first of its kind powwows in North Carolina.

Attendees can also expect the “Girls Smoke Dance” sponsored by the Head Female Dancer, “Crow Hop Dance” sponsored by the Head Male Dancer, Missing &

Indigenous Women/Girls Jingle Dance and Every Child Matters live dance performances.

In addition to all these rich cultural performances there will be over 15 Native American artisans on site as well as food vendors. All festivities will be held in Grogan Park located on the campus of Eden City Hall at 308 E. Stadium Drive. Gates open at 10 am with the Grand Entry at 12:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. So, make plans to join us for an extraordinary experience here in beautiful Eden, North Carolina!

For More information contact: Cindy Adams at 336-612-8049 or cadams@edennc.us or go to ExploreEdenNC.com