Explore the Trails
Traditional old-time and bluegrass music have deep roots in North Carolina, none deeper than in the communities surrounding the Blue Ridge Parkway. Blue Ridge Music Trails is your guide to 160 venues, festivals and events within 25 miles of this scenic roadway that will get you up close and personal with practitioners of bluegrass and string band music, ballad singing, fiddling, shape-note singing, gospel music, clogging and other traditional forms of music and dance unique to the region. These aren't venues you'll find on a typical map. They're genuine community gathering spots that bring together local players and listeners of all ages who are dedicated to keeping these musical traditions alive. Become a part of this vital North Carolina heritage—stop by for a visit or in some cases, sing or play along! A companion book, Blue Ridge Music Trails: Finding a Place in the Circle, was written by Fred C. Fussell.
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With centuries of history and a profound sense of place, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians constitutes the largest Native American population in North Carolina. Through the voices of the Cherokee people, Cherokee Heritage Trails shows you how to experience, understand and reverence the sacred places, community ties, storytelling and folk arts that define authentic Cherokee heritage. Let Cherokee Heritage Trails be your guide to exploring this cultural authenticity, whether expressed in the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Qualla Arts and Crafts, or an updated version of the long-running outdoor drama, Unto These Hills. The companion Cherokee Heritage Trails Guidebook was written by Barbara R. Duncan and Brett H. Riggs.
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From functional Native American pottery to high-end contemporary jewelry, craft has been at the center of North Carolina life for centuries. Today, more than 6,000 craft artisans across the state innovate in clay, glass, metals, fibers, wood and other disciplines, incorporating the past while they look toward the future. Discover North Carolina Craft puts you face-to-face with our state's finest craft artisans and shows you how to experience their work in museums, galleries, workshops and open studio tours. Get a unique perspective on our state's craft heritage and the creative new techniques being used today by by our state's top craft artisans.
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Immortalized in the world-famous ballad, "Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley," brought to life in Charles Frazier's award-winning book, Cold Mountain, and recalled in tales of frontiersman Daniel Boone, Historic Happy Valley is a legendary home to the arts, storytelling and living traditions. Descendents of some of the region's early settlers continue to live here and make music, paint, spin, weave, quilt, make molasses and soap, tell stories and practice the traditional farming methods of earlier generations. Find it all as you travel this scenic 28-mile stretch of road only a short drive from Lenoir, Blowing Rock and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Whether you come for a day, a weekend or a special event, you will experience the spirit of a legendary place in Historic Happy Valley.
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Looking for the perfect excuse for an escape to the country? Get off the beaten path and encounter authentic folk artisans, farmers and creative entrepreneurs rooted in our state's rural countryside! HomegrownHandmade is a collection of 16 self-directed driving tours through 76 Piedmont and eastern North Carolina Counties. Discover unique hands-on farm experiences, u-pick organic produce, art galleries, artists' studios, live music, handcrafts, vineyards and wineries, historic sites and picturesque bed-and-breakfasts. Whatever the season, experience North Carolina's arts and agriculture in a fresh new way with HomegrownHandmade. A brand-new companion book, HomegrownHandmade: Art Roads and Farm Trails, was released in 2008.
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Explore the hometowns, hangouts, and local hot spots that inspired countless writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and plays with Literary Trails of North Carolina. Our tours highlight 170 of our state's most notable writers—including 19th century naturalists, poet laureates, authors of paranormal police thrillers or affectionate observers of southern characters and humor. Travel along the William Bartram Trail followed by Inman, the protagonist of Charles Frazier's novel Cold Mountain. Visit the Toe River Lodge in Plumtree, where Kurt Russell and Kelly McGillis starred in the film version of John Ehle's novel, The Winter People. Explore Asheville, where the literary legacy of Thomas Wolfe and F. Scott Fitzgerald lives on! Tours includes excerpts as well as information about libraries, museums, colleges, bookstores and other public venues where writers present their work or are featured in exhibits, events, performances and festivals.Companion books were written by Georgann Eubanks.
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