NOC’s Guest Appreciation Festival will kick off with a used gear, Outfitter’s Store and Artisan Village sale at 8 a.m. Sept. 23, with live music from Wyatt Espalin Music 5-8 p.m. Shopping opportunities will return at 8 a.m. both subsequent days, with Saturday featuring kids’ activities such as face painting, magicians and henna noon to 3 p.m. Christina Chandler Trio will play 3-6 p.m. and The Get Right Band will play 7-10 p.m.

Special whitewater releases Saturday and Sunday will be a highlight of the weekend. An Upper Nantahala/Cascades release at 300 cubic feet per second is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 23, and on Sept. 24 there will be a 425 cfs release 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 250 cfs release 3-5 p.m.  The Nantahala Racing Club will host a slalom race noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 23, consisting of 18-20 slalom gates. Racers are encouraged to use slalom-specific or plastic half-slice boats and possess at least Class 2 river running skills. Same-day registration available.

Free, with a full schedule of events online at noc.com/events/gaf. NOC is located along U.S. 19 in the Nantahala Gorge, about 12 miles from Bryson City.