The popular “Under the Stars, On the Rocks” culinary series is currently underway at the Oak Steakhouse at the Skyline Lodge in Highlands.

The events feature renowned chefs from around the southeast on select dates through the fall: May 12, June 9, July 7, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13.

The Friends of the Lake 5K Road Race and Walk will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Lake Junaluska. Those who register by Aug. 20 will enjoy discounted registration and are guaranteed to receive a “Love the Lake” T-shirt, which runners are encouraged to wear during the event.

Now in its 19th year, the event supports the Lake Junaluska Walking Trail, one of the most popular privately-owned recreation areas in Western North Carolina.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has transitioned its backcountry permit reservation system to Recreation.gov. This transition will improve reliability, security and customer support for backcountry users.  

Visitors with existing reservations do not need to do anything — the park will honor all permits issued before the switch. 

 N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has announced the approved season dates, bag limits and applicable regulations for the 2026-27 waterfowl, webless migratory game bird (including doves) and extended falconry seasons. The dates and associated regulations are available on the agency’s website and will be published in the 2026-2027 Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest this August. 

Extension master gardener volunteers of Haywood County have divided their perennials, rooted cuttings and started plants. Hundreds of plants will be available, including house plants, herbs, natives, perennials, shrubs and more.

Second Hand Treasures will include a wide assortment of gently used garden items, tools, artwork and books. 

Recent rainfall was not enough to offer relief from worsening drought conditions. According to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, extreme drought conditions have expanded across most of the Piedmont and in Western North Carolina, and one county is now considered to be in exceptional drought. 

According to the DMAC’s classification’s issued Thursday, Union County is in an exceptional drought, 61 counties are in extreme drought and most of the rest of the state is in severe drought. 

The Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center has announced the appointment of a new director of facilities to oversee the upkeep of all buildings, properties and infrastructure of the conference center. 

Seth Bauman, who formerly served as maintenance manager at Lake Junaluska, has been promoted to the role of director of facilities, said Michael Huber, general manager for the conference and retreat center.

REACH, the Haywood County nonprofit whose mission is to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, recently moved into the house formerly occupied by KARE, the organization dedicated to helping child victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

The following articles highlight the work being done locally to help prevent domestic violence and sexual assault in Haywood County and the surrounding area:

As Sexual Assault Awareness Month comes to a close, Haywood County is witnessing a powerful moment of continuity, collaboration and commitment to ending violence. 

On April 27, REACH of Haywood County officially purchased the longtime home of KARE at 1159 North Main Street — a transition that reflects far more than a change in ownership. It is a passing of purpose, a shared mission and a promise that survivors of sexual violence will never be left behind. 

Safe Dates is a three-to-four-day Hazelton Betty Ford Foundation course about healthy relationships, and for nearly 20 years, Buffy Queen has been bringing it to Haywood middle schools. 

She started at KARE House, a Haywood County advocacy center responding to child abuse and neglect through outreach and intervention, after a grant enabled the nonprofit to train a staff member through the nationally recognized curriculum. 

The popular “Concerts on the Creek” summer music series at Bridge Park in Sylva has once again been nominated for the prestigious USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in the category of “Best Outdoor Concert Series.”

This national recognition highlights the series’ continued impact as a beloved community event and regional attraction. Voting is now open to the public and runs through 11:59 a.m. Monday, May 11. 

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, under the leadership of longtime Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, will host a Farmland Preservation Advocacy Day on Wednesday, May 13, at the General Assembly in Raleigh.

The event aims to rally support for increased funding to protect North Carolina’s working farms and forests. 

Come out to Wildcat Ridge Farm during May to enjoy a blooming peony paradise. The farm will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free for all visitors.

As a Certified Appalachian Grown farm, Wildcat Ridge specializes in the finest herbaceous and intersectional peony plants and cut blooms. Herbaceous peonies are durable perennials that can live for over 100 years, while Intersectional (Itoh) peonies are known for their sturdy stems and vibrant, pastel color combinations. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation recently appointed new board officers and members to the organization’s Board of Trustees and Council of Advisors.

The group will provide leadership for the nonprofit organization, which partners with the National Park Service to preserve and enhance the country’s most-visited national park unit. 

Lake Junaluska’s Spring Plant Sale will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Nanci Weldon Memorial Gym.  

For sale will be a few thousand plants, including an assortment of annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables, hanging baskets and several varieties of native plants from the Corneille Bryan Native Garden, said Melissa Marshall, Lake Junaluska grounds director. 

Waynesville is inviting residents to attend a second open house for its parks  and recreation Master Plan on from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

Following an initial round of public input earlier this year, this second open house will give community members an opportunity to review draft recommendations shaped by that feedback and help refine priorities that will guide improvements and investment in Waynesville’s parks and recreation system over the next 10 years. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will offer Cades Cove cehicle-free days every Wednesday from May 6 to Sept. 30. These designated days give pedestrians and cyclists an opportunity to experience the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road without motor vehicles. 

The National Park Service urge visitors to plan ahead, prepare for changing conditions and know their personal limits while recreating in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Park rangers have been responding to an increased number of emergencies and are reminding visitors that rescue is not a certainty.  

Beginning May 4, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close Bullhead Trail from Monday through Thursday each week, excluding federal holidays, through Nov. 19. During this time, the park will continue the rehabilitation of the Bullhead Trail in partnership with Friends of the Smokies.  

Hikers are welcome to hike Bullhead Trail Friday through Sunday and on federal holidays. 

Drought conditions continue to increase in severity across North Carolina. Thirty counties are now experiencing extreme drought, and most counties are experiencing severe or moderate drought, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council.

For counties in extreme drought, water systems are advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plan and adhere to water use reduction measures.

As the spring mowing season commences, Franklin is reminding citizens that there is an ordinance prohibiting yard debris and grass clippings on streets and sidewalks.

When yard debris and grass clippings are left on sidewalks or blown into streets, there is potential for materials to get into the stormwater drains blocking them and causing water sheet flows to be rerouted and result in run off and flooding issues.

Erin Hubbard, interim director of retail at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center since October 2025, is now in the role on a permanent basis. 

Hubbard is responsible for managing and overseeing sales revenue, daily operations, staffing, scheduling, merchandising, purchasing and budgets for all of Lake Junaluska’s retail outlets. 

Each year, children in foster care in Haywood County move between homes carrying little more than what they can fit in a bag, often leaving behind the everyday items that provide comfort, stability, a sense of belonging and a sense of identity. The Haywood County Republican Party wants to ease that transition by collecting essential supplies and small personal items to ensure those children have what they need as they navigate an already uncertain chapter in their lives. 

 At the foot of the Kuwohi Observation Tower at the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail unveiled a new stone marker for the trail’s western terminus.

The unveiling marks a milestone moment for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1,175-mile footpath that crosses North Carolina from the Tennessee state line at Kuwohi to the Atlantic Ocean at Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks.

The Pisgah Conservancy has been awarded a 4.5-year, nearly $8 million grant from the National Forest Foundation on behalf of the USDA Forest Service.

This grant will support the repair and maintenance of trails, trail bridges and other trail infrastructure, as well as ecosystem recovery through invasive plant management, streambank stabilization, erosion control and watershed stewardship and education. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will begin its 2026 season of adaptive programming this spring with ranger-led experiences designed for visitors with limited mobility and their families.  

This year’s lineup includes hiking, biking, fly fishing and one overnight backcountry camping trip:   

Fifth graders from Cullowhee Valley School and Scotts Creek School participated in conservation field days at East LaPorte Park Wednesday to learn more about natural resources and conservation.  

Learn about survival at a class held on Haywood Community College’s campus.

Join expert Steve Kuni for a hands-on afternoon dedicated to the art of survival.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 12, participants will learn to work with the land rather than against it, mastering the “Rule of Threes,” constructing emergency shelters from forest find-lings and coaxing fire from damp winter wood. 

Harris Regional Hospital will partner with Jackson County Public Schools to host its annual free sports physical event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in the Smoky Mountain High School gym in Sylva. 

The Waynesville Public Art Commission announced that the Historic Main Street Mural project is underway. The new mural will grace the side of High Country Style at 121 North Main St. 

The WPAC worked alongside the muralist-Max Dowdle, local historian, Alex McKay, local artist, Teresa Pennington, the property owner, Doug Worrell, and held a public input session to inspire a mural that feels like a walk through Waynesville’s history. 

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service violated the Endangered Species Act by relying on a faulty analysis during the creation of the controversial Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan. The court’s decision effectively prohibits the Forest Service from relying on the plan. 

“Barn Owlet Watch 2026” is underway for a nest box with six barn owl eggs, and the public has 24-hour access to the  N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s live cam with audio to watch all the action in real time. The expected “hatch” date is between April 9 and 15. 

Haywood Waterways Association will lead a hike to Mouse Falls in the Big Creek Watershed of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Sunday, April 12.

The event is free for members and a $5 donation for nonmembers. Haywood Waterways memberships start at $25. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park invites the public to the annual “Signs of Spring” event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18 in Cades Cove. The event celebrates National American Sign Language Day. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the Smokies from park rangers and members of the deaf community.   

North Carolina citizens and stakeholders who use their scientific, academic, habitat and partnership expertise to provide advice to the NCWRC on nongame wildlife conservation issues and opportunities for the state’s most vulnerable wildlife populations. This input includes guidance on changes to the North Carolina protected species list, development of conservation plans for endangered, threatened and special concern species, as well as sharing of conservation actions among partners to achieve common goals. 

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 “Blue Ghost Firefly Tour” at the Cradle of Forestry in America.

This annual event offers a rare opportunity to witness the mesmerizing display of the elusive Blue Ghost Fireflies (Phausis reticulata) in their natural habitat. 

The open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials not only harms the environment and poses a public health risk, and it’s against state law.

While many chose to burn debris outdoors for disposal in spring, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is reminding North Carolinians: that if it doesn’t grow, don’t burn it. 

Haywood Christian Ministries has announced its fourth annual Farm Fresh 5K on to be run at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 18.

The Farm Fresh 5K is a chance to come together as a community and make a difference. Runners will support local farmers, putting food on the tables of families in need while strengthening the local economy. 

Knots can mean the difference between success and struggle in the great outdoors.

A hands-on class will dive into the essential knots every adventurer should know — whether securing gear, building a shelter or handling unexpected challenges in the wild. 

Mike Clampitt, the Swain County native and retired fire captain who represented portions of Western North Carolina in the General Assembly until his passing after a long illness on March 18, was laid to rest at the Lauada Cemetery in Bryson City on April 4, after a service at Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center. 

As spring approaches, Great Smoky Mountains National Park reminds visitors of group size limits during the popular wildflower season at Whiteoak Sink. Individuals and small groups of eight or fewer people may access the Whiteoak Sink area throughout the wildflower season from April 1 through May 3. 

Smoky Mountain High School baseball team held a special “Youth Night” Thursday night to give the kids a wonderful experience with the varsity players.

Little League and youth players enjoyed an on-field experience at the Smoky Mountain baseball field just prior to the game between the Smoky Mountain Mustangs and the Tuscola Mountaineers. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources is now accepting proposals statewide for projects that address stream restoration, water-based restoration and water management until June 30.

DWR is seeking proposals for projects through the current spring 2026 application cycle of the Water Resources Development Grant Program.  

Full-time residents of Haywood, Jackson and Buncombe counties can save money playing golf at Lake Junaluska Golf Course with a seasonal rate discount card.

With the purchase of a $50 discount card, residents can save $9 on 18-holes of golf with a cart, $4.50 on nine-holes of golf with a cart and $5 off each nine-hole round walking the course. The discount is good May 1 through Oct. 31. 

The National Park Service plans to burn approximately 180 acres in Wear Cove Gap (north of Metcalf Bottoms) and 243 acres in Lynn Hollow (near the Top of the World community) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Weather permitting, burn operations may begin as early as March 25 and may continue through March 31. These prescribed fires will help to safely reduce fuels, maintain resilient natural systems and protect communities along the park boundary. 

Haywood Community College will host the annual Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28. Each year, the event is held at a different location, and in 2026, HCC will welcome seven collegiate teams to campus for two days of competitive lumberjack events. This event is free and open to the public. 

Lake Junaluska is now offering a new summer swim voucher instead of its traditional Summer Activity Pass to improve swimmers’ experience and value. The new vouchers — similar to a punch pass — can be purchased in increments of 10 to 50 visits, with unused visits rolling over to the next year.

Single day passes can still be purchased for $10 each per person. 

Lake Junaluska and Wilderness Trail, a long-time adventure and backpacking ministry, have joined forces to launch a new satellite program at Lake Junaluska June 6–11.

Based in Troutdale, Virginia, with an office at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, Wilderness Trail has a 39-year history of leading backpacking trips for middle school and high school students in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in Virginia.

Applications are now being accepted through April 13 for the N.C. Agriculture Manufacturing and Processing Initiative, which was created to fund and promote the establishment of value-added agricultural manufacturing and food processing facilities in North Carolina. The program includes $4.3 million in available funding to support eligible projects.