The Marianna Black Library “Summer Music Series” will kick things off with The Ghost Peppers at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at the library in Bryson City.

Featuring traditional dulcimer players Lois Hornbostel and Ehukai Teves, the husband/wife duo performs Appalachian music and original songs, including one song they wrote is about the town of Judson in Swain County. 

A regional Americana/bluegrass act, Granny’s Mason Jar will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at Mountain Layer Brewing in Bryson City. 

My office is cool and our building on Montgomery Street in Waynesville is quiet. Almost everyone who works at The Smoky Mountain News has gone home for a few minutes to tend to kids, dogs, wives and husbands as it’s one hour before the annual first Friday in June birthday bash celebrating another year of putting out this weekly print newspaper (and now a seven-day-per-week news website).  

When Hurricane Helene slammed into Western North Carolina in late 2024, public attention focused on damaged homes, washed-out roads and the rigid bureaucracy meant to help with recovery, but the widespread physical damage was closely followed by a slow-moving economic catastrophe unfolding among the region’s small businesses, farmers and local governments. Now, eight months later, help may finally be on the way. 

Republican Mike Clampitt, currently serving his fourth term as District 119 House Rep., tells The Smoky Mountain News he plans to run for reelection in 2026 despite recent health concerns. In April, Clampitt announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare, serious form of blood and bone marrow cancer known as Myelodysplastic syndrome. 

A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12, on the front patio of the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer or anything unplugged is invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. 

Prior to its appropriation by communist regimes, International Workers Day — May Day — was first commemorated in honor of Chicago workers killed while striking for an eight-hour workday.

Shortly after a wildfire broke out in the Lower Alarka region of Swain County, Southwestern Community College’s Megan Nicholson made arrangements to help firefighters and emergency management teams set up their temporary command center at SCC’s Swain Center. 

On Sunday, May 4 with the cooperation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the North Shore Cemetery Association will host decorations at Woody and Hoyle Cemeteries. 

The West Swain Fire Department — an all-volunteer department — is hosting its 31st annual bass tournament and BBQ dinner.

The event will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 3 at the Almond Boat Park at Fontana Lake.