Mountain Momma
Count my daughter among the millions of kids whose first word was “doggy.” For a several-week stretch, “doggy” was also her only word. She used it liberally, be it a salutation for the grocery store clerk or pointing out a squirrel in the backyard.
We don’t have a dog anymore, but there’s something about dogs. Kids just love them. Mine are no exception.
So for us, the dog show this weekend at the Haywood County Fairgrounds will be a must. Put on by the Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association, there will be hundreds of dogs — yes, literally hundreds — of all breeds competing in obedience trials and obstacle courses.
It will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (June 15-16). It’s free other than a small parking fee. www.wcdfa.org.
The large covered arena at the Haywood Fairgrounds is a great venue for these things. Last year, the fairgrounds played host to a statewide K9 competition.
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For several days afterward, my daughter played police dog. My role was the handler. This led to many a raised eyebrow when I was coerced to play in public and had to recite verbatim “Come out with your hands up. If you try to run, we will chase you. We will bite you. We will hurt you.”
But the police dog game worked great for tricking her into doing chores. I had her retrieve all sorts of things — from renegade Legos from under the sofa to scraps of food under her baby brother’s high chair.
On another front, an exhilarating and mesmerizing competition will take the stage during the annual Cherokee Pow Wow at the Acquoni Expo Center in Cherokee June 14-16. Hundreds of world-champion dancers from tribes all across the country will compete in full regalia during the three-day festival of native song and dance. It is inside, so it’s not weather-dependent. $10. www.visitcherokeenc.com.
The dancers will compete for a combined $60,000 in cash prizes. Let your kids pick their own favorites based on criteria you come up with — like footwork, symbolism, story the dance conveys or the drumming. The elaborateness and authenticity of handmade regalia weighs heavily in the official scoring.
Plus, a carnival with fair rides is going on at the Cherokee Fairgrounds through Saturday if you are over that way.
Next week is dinosaur week at the Jackson County library in Sylva. Two highlights of the week will be “dinosaur skeleton art” during craft hour at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, and a “Dinosaur Dig” at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 19. 828.586.2016.
And, tickets are going fast for “Cinderella: A Magical Musical” at the Smoky Mountain Center for Performing Arts in Franklin June 27-30. It’s the traditional fairy tale in a full two-act musical put on by the Overlook Theatre Company. Go in a princess dress — moms, too, of course! www.greatmountainmusic.com.
