Experience the finest among North Carolina Vacation Rentals in Highlands NC at The Lakehouse on Lake Glenville in Cashiers

For 74 years the hills of western North Carolina have come alive with music from mid-June to early August thanks to the Brevard Music Center in nearby Brevard, North Carolina. For seven weeks each summer, talented students ages 14 through post-college, participate in a rigorous and enriching program of music education, and delight audiences with more than 80 public performances throughout the summer Festival season. Performances, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, Artistic Director, take place in an 1800-seat, open-air auditorium of redwood and natural stone. World-class visiting artists have appeared here, including such musicians as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinists Joshua Bell and Midori, pianists Andre Watts and Emanuel Ax, soprano Renee Fleming and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade. Enjoy an evening of world-class music en plein air just a short drive from our North Carolina mountain lake lodge.

Rave On!
Part of the Variations Concert Series
Presenting an electrifying new show paying homage to Rock ‘n’ Roll immortal legend Buddy Holly.
Orch 1: $40; Orch 2: $35; Orch 3: $30; Lawn: $20
Saturday, June 19, 2010 – 7:30 pm
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium

Opening Night: Lockhart and von Stade
Keith Lockhart, conductor
Frederica von Stade, mezzo-soprano
Frederica von State joins Artistic Director Keith Lockhart to celebrate the beginning of the 2010 Brevard Music Center season in this very special performance.
Orch 1: $45; Orch 2: $40; Orch 3: $35; Child: $15; Lawn: $15
Friday, June 25, 2010 – 7:30 pm
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium

Tintypes: A Musical Review
A nostalgic turn-of-the-century musical featuring songs of Scott Joplin, Victor Herbert, George M. Cohan and others. 
Orch 1: $30; Orch 2: $25; Orch 3: $20; Child: $15; Lawn: $15
Saturday, June 26, 2010 – 7:30 pm
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium

Lockhart conducts Gershwin and Copland
Keith Lockhart, conductor
Norman, Krieger, piano
Orch 1: $35; Orch 2: $30; Orch 3: $25; Child: $15; Lawn: $15
Sunday, June 27, 2010 – 3:00 pm
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium

Cherokee, 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.