Special Events

By David Rogers. May 12, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- With hundreds of art lovers crammed into the American Legion parking lot and Wallingford St. parking deck for Art in the Park, first year exhibitor Full Circle Woodcraft of Lexington, Georgia walked away with the first festival of the 2012 season's top prize, the Award of Excellence, presented by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce on Saturday in Blowing Rock.

Read more: SNAPSHOT: Newcomers Win Top Award at Blowing Rock's Art in the Park

By David Rogers. May 12, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- When your clubhouse is just a block down the street from one of the High Country's most popular special events and in the center of downtown, right on Main Street, it only makes sense to leverage the foot traffic and capitalize on the opportunity.

Read more: SNAPSHOT: Community Club Hot Dog Sale

By David Rogers. May 10, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Murder, intrigue -- and fundraising for the new Blowing Rock Hospital are the themes on Thursday, June 28, 2012, 6:30 pm, at Tweetsie Railroad, when the Hospital Benefit Committee presents, "Murder at the Double D Ranch." Photos by David Rogers

Read more: "Murder at Double D" To Feature Town Characters, Great Blowing Rock Cause

By David Rogers. April 16, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- An Editor's Confession: I jumped to an understandable, but erroneous conclusion Saturday afternoon while walking down Main Street toward the "Grand Tasting" of the Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival, There are so many people shopping, I thought to myself while walking on Main Street, the grand tasting event must be a flop.  It was anything but...

Read more: SNAPSHOT: Thousands Turn Out for Blowing Rock's Wine & Food Festival

By David Rogers. April 16, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- If chocolate is THE way to a woman's heart, the Green Park Inn's executive chef, James Welch, uncovered the Mother Lode on Friday. Photos courtesy of Green Park Inn

Read more: Ultimate Aphrodisiac Wafts Through Blowing Rock's Green Park Inn

By David Rogers. April 13, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Rockin' to the beat of African drums in the entry way, "Uncork! The Festival" officially opened the 2012 Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival Thursday night at Crestwood Resort & Spa, Blowing Rock. Photos by David Rogers

Read more: SNAPSHOT: Blowing Rock Officially "Uncorks" Wine & Food Fest

By David Rogers. April 3, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- We didn't see anyone washing customers' feet, but there was plenty of friendly banter at Canyons and Woodlands BBQ Tuesday night, with those Blowing Rock restaurants among the list of participating High Country eateries participating in Celebrity Serve in benefit of the Watauga County Rescue Squad.

Read more: Celebrity Serve Reaps Fun, Dollars for Rescue Squad

By David Rogers. March 29, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- It's only late March, but the summer's Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show has already taken center stage.

Read more: Blowing Rock Rotary Launches Horse Show Campaign

By David Rogers. March 24, 2012. BOONE -- On a late Saturday afternoon, members of the High Country community browse among tables in the entry hall of Watauga High School -- each picking out a bowl for a dinner of soup and bread. These aren't just any bowls, though, nor is it just any meal. Photos by David Rogers

Read more: Empty Bowls Filled by Community Concern

By David Rogers. January 30, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Just 40 minutes into the 2012 Winterfest Chili Challenge, more than 600 people had already gained admission to the Blowing Rock School Gymnasium, where all the tasty sampling took place. By the event's end, Chamber of Commerce organizers Ray and Melissa Pickett estimated that more than 1,000 "hot stuff" aficionados (or wannabes) sampled the more than 50 chili recipes.  Beano and Tums were not provided.

Read more: SLIDESHOW: Winterfest! Chili Cookoff in Blowing Rock

By David Rogers. January 29, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Westminster Kennel Club's 136th annual dog show is not slated for another two weeks at New York City's Madison Square Garden, but Blowing Rock got a head start on all the action on Sunday, with its 4th annual "Winter Paws" convention of canine cuties.

Read more: SLIDESHOW: Winter Paws, Winter Best, Winter Fun

By David Rogers. January 28, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- With comforting words like, "Those creatures causing the bubbles are down there on the bottom of the lake and don't usually come up until April", Winterfest Polar Plunge emcee extraordinaire Tracy Brown greeted a record 96 "plungers" on Saturday morning at Chetola Lake, hosted by Chetola Mountain Resort & Spa.

Read more: Record 96 "Go Jump in the (Wintery) Lake" in Blowing Rock

By David Rogers. January 27, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- With hungry folks lined up several dozen deep in the Blowing Rock School cafeteria before the serving line even opened, the 2nd annual Blowing Rock Spaghetti Dinner & Bingo event to benefit the school PTO got off to a rousing start Friday night.

Read more: O-O-Spaghetti & BingO-O in Blowing Rock

By David Rogers. January 26, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- For most of the nearly 300 diners participating in Thursday night's 2012 Winterfeast at Chetola Mountain Resort's "Evergreen Room", any New Year's resolutions involving dieting flew out the window -- in favor of sumptious gourmet indulgences prepared by 16 of the finest restaurants and specialty caterers from the Blowing Rock area. Photos by David Rogers

Read more: Blowing Rock's 2012 Winterfest Underway with Winterfeast, Ale Tasting Events

By David Rogers. January 25, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Girls from all over Western North Carolina converged on Blowing Rock over the weekend for the first crowning of a "Little Miss Winterfest" -- just in time for the coming weekend's slate of events and activities. Emily Lauren Shuford of Hildebran, NC (click READ MORE), captured the "Grand Majestic" overall crown, while Leah Hampton of Boone won for "Grand Talent." Photos by David Rogers

Read more: Blowing Rock's Little Miss Winterfest: Children Helping Children

By David Rogers. January 24, 2012. BLOWING ROCK – If the rest of the 2012 Fire on the Rock events are anything like Tuesday evening’s “Battle of the Champions” at Crippens Country Inn in Blowing Rock, High Country culinary fans are in for a remarkable competition dining treat during February, March and April.  For Stan Chamberlain, his Tuesday night "win" places him firmly among the High Country's culinary elite.

Read more: OMG!: Blowing Rock is "Fired!"

By David Rogers. January 24, 2012. BLOWING ROCK. -- Winter weather -- including snow on Sunday -- is in the forecast for Winterfest weekend. It is sure to make a full lineup of events and activities just that much more fun for the whole family!

Read more: WINTERFEST: An Online Guide to Events & Activities

By David Rogers. November 27, 2011. BOONE -- Performing holiday favorites like Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" and Handel's "Messiah," the Watauga Community Band offers a free Christmas concert on Saturday, December 3, 7:00 pm, at Boone Methodist Church. The concert will benefit the Hunger Coalition.

Read more: FOR YOUR CALENDAR: Watauga Community Band Christmas Concert, Dec. 3

By David Rogers. November 26, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- Saturday seemed to be one of those days.  Arrive downtown an hour early, find a convenient parking space an easy walk to Main Street, grab your camera and capture a few images of folks in the park before the parade and then the parade itself.  OOPS!  (Forgot to bring the camera's memory card.). Oh well, we had fun anyway. Just not as many captured moments as there might have been...

Read more: SNAPSHOTS: Blowing Rock Christmas Parade

Novembeer 15, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- An estimated 200 Blowing Rockers converged on the Fire & Rescue station on Valley Blvd. Sunday night, for the 2011 edition of Hometown Harvest, the popular mega-potluck supper.  Photos are courtesy of special correspondent to Blowing Rock News, Lonnie Webster.

Read more: SNAPSHOT: Blowing Rock's "Hometown Harvest" 2011