A beloved winter spectacle in Western North Carolina, the 19th annual “Outhouse Race” will return to the slopes at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Sapphire Valley Ski Area.

Crazy? Maybe. Dangerous? Perhaps. Fun? Without a doubt. Dozens of outhouses race to compete for the throne. Spectators come from throughout the southeast to line the course and cheer on those brave enough to see if the outhouse crashes and burns or sails across the finish line. 

A beloved winter spectacle in Western North Carolina, the 19th annual “Outhouse Race” will return to the slopes at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Sapphire Valley Ski Area.

Crazy? Maybe. Dangerous? Perhaps. Fun? Without a doubt. Dozens of outhouses race to compete for the throne. Spectators come from throughout the southeast to line the course and cheer on those brave enough to see if the outhouse crashes and burns or sails across the finish line. 

The 2026 Assault on BlackRock trail race has been set for Saturday, March 21 in Sylva.  

All proceeds from this race will go to the Sylva Art & Design Committee with a focus on bringing more art (outdoor murals) to downtown Sylva. 

From Sylva to Tokyo, Ella Gamble is making a name for herself on the volleyball court. 

As she heads into her fourth and final year of college eligibility, Gamble, a Smoky Mountain High School graduate, is getting ready to pack her bags to head to the 2025 Deaflympics, to be held in Japan’s sprawling capital city. 

The long and storied tradition that is the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games returns to MacRae Meadows on Thursday, July 10, continuing through Sunday, July 13. 

The call has gone out for snowboarders to submit their best clips for the Cat Classic, which offers cash prizes for the best videos across different divisions.

Videos should be filmed between Jan. 1 and March 1. 

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 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is welcoming anglers to the Qualla Country Fishing Tournament.

With a $15 entry fee and a two-day fishing permit ($17), covering both tournament days, anglers will be competing for a share of $20,000 in the pristine freestone streams of Cherokee (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters). 

Most folks who get into fly fishing do it despite the fish, which seldom cooperate and sometimes get in the way of an otherwise perfectly enjoyable morning standing out in the creek. 

The annual QuickDraw art fundraiser will once again be held in-person from 4:30-9 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville.