Rock icon Jason Bonham will bring his “Led Zeppelin Experience” once again to the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. 

Wayne Caldwell will present his latest work, “River Road,” at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. 

The inaugural “Cold Mountain Christmas Craft Fair” will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Lake Logan Retreat Center in Canton. 

Featuring professional classical dances and the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville’s celebrated pre-professional company, a magically festive, full-length stage version of “The Nutcracker” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Bardo Arts Center Performance Hall at Western Carolina University. 

Asheville rock-n-soul outfit Jesse Velvet will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville. 

The 41st annual “Lights & Luminaries” will return from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 6-7 and 13-14 in the streets of downtown Dillsboro.

Experience the magic as the entire town is transformed into a winter wonderland of lights, candles, laughter and song. Over 2,500 luminaries light your way to shops and studios. 

A beloved annual tradition, the “Christmas at Lake Junaluska” celebration will be held Dec. 13-15 at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.

Enjoy carriage and trolley rides, Christmas lights, a hot chocolate bar, marshmallow roasts, music, a special service and more. 

The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) “Small Works” exhibit will run through Dec. 31 at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts showroom in downtown Waynesville. 

The “Bachelor of Fine Art Portfolio Exhibition” will be displayed through Dec. 6 at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum in Cullowhee. 

Registration is now open for another season of Cataloochee programming through Jackson County’s recreation department. Lessons are tailored to skier based on skill level.

Dates for lessons are Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 26, Feb. 2, Feb. 9 and Feb 23. 

On Dec. 9, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will begin a rehabilitation of the 2.3-mile-long Cosby Entrance Road from Tennessee State Route 32 to the gate of Cosby Campground. 

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has again classified the whole state as at least abnormally dry with a moderate drought affecting three far-west counties and most of the eastern part of the state. 

North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Flood Resiliency Blueprint is providing funding to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Division of Soil and Water Conservation Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP) to implement stream debris and sediment removal projects.

Watershed Association of the Tuckaseegee River (WATR) is holding a celebration and fundraising event.

The event, which a release noted will celebrate WATR’s “past, present and future,” will be held from 4-8 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro. 

Western Carolina University announced the appointment of Matt Henley as the next director of Athletic Bands and director of the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band. 

The annual “Holiday Boutique & Bake Sale” will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Maggie Valley United Methodist Church. 

Featuring Celtic/world musical ensemble Eireann’s Call, the “A Kilted Christmas” concert will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center. 

A special stage production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas Musical Extravaganza” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 and 13, 2 p.m. Dec. 7 and 14 and 5 p.m. Dec. 8 and 15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. 

Haywood County Recreation is offering a wilderness navigation course that will equip hikers with the basics of modern navigation required to not become lost in the wilderness. 

Haywood Waterways is hosting a cleanup session for Waynesville’s Richland Creek.

The cleanup will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7.

Meet at the Vance Street pavilion located along Richland Creek down the hill from the Waynesville Recreation Center at 550 Vance Street in Waynesville. 

Featuring bluegrass legends Shawn Lane & Darren Nicholson, the “Balsam Christmas Concert” will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. 

Jackson County Americana/folk duo Bird in Hand will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City. 

The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) in Waynesville has announced the launch of the HCAC Helene Support Grant.

Designed to provide financial assistance to HCAC artist members who have been significantly impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, the application process is currently underway.

The annual “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive-About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 29-30 at featured studios in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville. 

In collaboration with Friends of the Smokies, the National Park Service (NPS) has a completed a three-year restoration of the Ramsey Cascades Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located in the Greenbrier area, this popular trail ascends through beautiful hardwood forests to the 105-foot Ramsey Cascades, the tallest waterfall in the park.

Following a cold snap and a couple of inches of fresh snow, the Cataloochee Ski Area in Haywood County opened up for its 64th season on Nov. 23.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has classified parts of Western North Carolina as being in a moderate drought.

North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) announced that nominations are now open for the 60th Annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards. This prestigious event, set to take place on May 3, 2025, honors the outstanding individuals, organizations and agencies whose work is making a lasting impact on the conservation of North Carolina’s wildlife and natural resources.

The North Carolina State Extension Master Gardeners are hosting a wreath-making workshop Dec. 7. The extension will provide a selection of fresh greenery, natural embellishments and knowledgeable volunteers to show people the ropes.

The U.S. Forest Service invites the public to gather firewood for personal use without a permit on reopened sections of the Pisgah National Forest from now until December 2025.

The George Masa Foundation proudly announces the winners of the inaugural George Masa Youth Conservation Photography Prize, a competition designed to empower young photographers to celebrate and advocate for conservation.

The Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center quickly became a storm recovery hub in Waynesville just days after Hurricane Helene devastated areas of Haywood County. 

In some areas, Thanksgiving Eve is one of the biggest drinking days of the year, and it is known the kick-off to the festive holiday season. 

A 2017 study by UPSERVE restaurant management, states that beer sales increased 270%, liquor sales by 114%, and “growler” sales by a staggering 658% on the night before Thanksgiving.

Homeowners and renters in North Carolina may be eligible for FEMA Rental Assistance if they cannot live in their homes because of damage due to Tropical Storm Helene. 

•  “The Merry Buccaneers Holiday Heist” stage production will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 22-23 at the Swain Arts Center in Bryson City. All ages. Admission is $5. greatsmokies.com/events. 

Americana/bluegrass act the Darren Nicholson Band will hit the stage for a special intimate performance at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley. 

Rising singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alma Russ will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Frog Level Brewing Company in Waynesville. 

The following readings will occur at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

• Poets Cecilia Woloch and Louise Morgan Runyon will give readings of their poetry highlighting labor and social justice issues at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22. This reading celebrates the release of Woloch’s new chapbook, “Labor: The Testimony of Ted Gall.” 

Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) is gearing up for another significant trail restoration event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, in Hot Springs. 

The 11th annual Winter Lights returned to The North Carolina Arboretum on Friday Nov. 15, with the show running nightly through Dec. 31. 

Beginning Nov. 11, the N.C. Forest Service is offering a 20% discount on tree seedling orders placed by active, honorably discharged or retired military personnel throughout November. The discount applies to the first $500 of all new orders, up to a $100 discount. 

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has classified the whole state as at least abnormally dry and a moderate drought has spread in the eastern part of the state, according to the latest advisory released Thursday.  

FIND Outdoors announced the success of the “Pickin’ for Pisgah” benefit concert, an inspiring evening of music, community, and love for our local public lands.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Flood Resiliency Blueprint is working with the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF) to implement flood reduction and floodplain protection projects. DEQ is allocating over $9 million to 15 NCLWF projects that will provide an estimated 465 acre-feet of flood water retention, or 152 million gallons, during flood events.  

Helene tore through many people’s lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Some lost homes, as well as the very soil on which their homes were built. Even for those whose homes were spared, the effect of being near such devastation reverberates. 

Holiday shoppers across the region, the state, the country and even the world can give the gift of Haywood by visiting gifthaywood.com — an innovative new program helping local small businesses recover from Hurricane Helene. 

The day after Helene moved through the region, Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) was on the phone calling partners or visiting sites as they could to assess how they fared and if HWA could do anything to assist. 

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services soil testing lab is about to hit its busy season and growers and homeowners are encouraged to submit soil samples by Nov. 26 to avoid peak-season fees and to get results and recommendations sooner.

Friends of Panthertown invites Panthertown volunteers, board members, partners, hike leaders, conservationists and friends to join us for an afternoon of appreciation and celebration. This event is happening from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in downtown Sylva at 116 Central Street.

The recent “Rock for Relief: A WNC Flood Benefit Festival” was able to garner more than $32,000 in its one-day musical extravaganza.