It Is Spring and the Mountains Are Alive with Festivals, Food and Fun
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010Cherokee, North Carolina, Ramp It Up! Festival – March 27
Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds, 745 Trail Blvd.; Saturday, 10 am.
This homegrown celebration marks the arrival of spring and trout season. Join the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for a meal of smoked trout, fried potatoes and the pungent, onion-like ramps that grow abundantly in the Great Smoky Mountains. The day also includes Cherokee music, crafts and games, as well as the Chief’s Horseshoe Tournament with a $1,000 cash prize.
Sylva, Greening Up the Mountains Festival – April 24
Main Street & Bridge Park; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
A 5K run opens this annual spring fete, named for the way foliage creeps up the mountainsides as warm weather arrives. Local artisans and community organizations welcome visitors to their booths. In keeping with the festival’s origins as an Earth Day celebration, an area is devoted to environmental education. There’s also a youth talent contest and live music throughout the day.
Asheville, Spring Herb Festival – April 30 – May 2
Western North Carolina Farmer’s Market, 570 Brevard Road; Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ointments, soaps, teas, medicines, salves, herbs and plants are among the varied items for sale at the 21st edition of this annual festival which features more than 55 vendors serving 25,000 herb enthusiasts. Talk with growers, certified herbalists and natural gardening and landscaping specialists or get expert advice from one of the Master Gardeners who will be on hand.
Flat Rock Playhouse, Steel Magnolias – April 29 – May 23
Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greer Hwy; Wednesday – Sunday, 2 p.m., Wednesday – Saturday, 8 p.m. Tickets $34
Originally staged as an off-Broadway play by Robert H, then made famous by the film version, this story explores the bonds of friendship between a group of women in northern Louisiana. The story unfolds at Truvy’s beauty salon, and follows the trials and tribulations of its characters over a three-year period.