The 12th annual Plunge Benefit-t-t-ting Kids in the Creek and Environmental Education will take place 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Lake Junaluska Pool in Waynesville. 

Prepare for gardening season with “Learn to Grow: Vegetable Gardening,” a workshop offered 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, in Waynesville. 

Learn how to give your fruit trees some love with a workshop starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at Winding Stair Nursery in Franklin. 

Families can visit Cataloochee Ski Area for a reduced cost on Wednesdays through the end of the season. 

Registration for Spring Break Camp at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville opens at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, with Discovery Camp registration following suit at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14. 

Help MountainTrue plant more than 2,500 new native plants at Bryson City Island Park during volunteer workdays 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, and Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Ride the trails with an experienced mountain bike instructor at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at Chestnut Mountain Nature Park in Canton. 

The civilian voter registration deadline for the March 5 Primary Election is rapidly approaching, so now’s a good time to double-check your registration or register to vote if you already haven’t. 

William R. Robinson, a columnist for Newsmax, will moderate a Primary Election debate be-tween 11th Congressional District Republican candidates Christian Reagan, a businessman from Hayesville, and first-term incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards — if Edwards shows up.

Haywood County rock/country act Outlaw Whiskey will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Unplugged Pub in Bryson City. 

Groundhogs Tater and Yammy will make their meteorological debut during the 19th annual Groundhog Day Celebration Friday, Feb. 2, at Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County. 

Experience the story of the American chestnut, a mighty wonder that once sustained all forms of life in the Appalachian Mountains, with a film screening at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. 

Mike Kesselring will show off his enormous fly collection and other gear gathered over 40 years of world-wide travel 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the United Methodist Church in Sylva, as part of Trout Unlimited Sylva’s regular monthly meeting. 

Nancy Carroll has been named Southern Highlands Reserve’s Volunteer of the Year for 2023 in recognition of the “life, laughter and bright optimism” she brings to Volunteer Day at the Reserve. 

Ski Cataloochee for less this winter, with discounted night skiing available through Jackson County Parks and Recreation Friday nights, Jan. 26 through Feb. 23. 

Those who have spent their careers protecting others can enjoy Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley at a reduced rate over the next couple weeks. 

Tickets for 2024 Visitors Days at the Southern Highlands Reserve in Lake Toxaway go on sale Thursday, Feb. 1.

It’s not yet time to plant for spring, but Haywood County Master Gardeners are still available to answer questions about all manner of plant-related issues. 

Help care for conserved lands by participating in a string of upcoming stewardship volunteer workdays with Mainspring Conservation Trust, held 9 a.m. to noon every other Thursday at various locations in Macon County. 

Keep the hemlocks of the Pisgah National Forest safe from the invasive hemlock wooly adelgid during a volunteer workday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, at the Old Fort Picnic Area near Old Fort. 

Fire crews responded to three structure fires in Macon County over a 24-hour period. 

Get ready to chill out at the NC Smokies Ice Festival on January 26-28 at locations throughout the county. 

Applications are open to receive free bicycle helmets from the N.C. Department of Transportation. 

Editor’s Note: A renowned Western North Carolina writer, Charles Frazier burst onto the worldwide literary scene with his seminal 1997 novel “Cold Mountain,” which won the National Book Award for Fiction. In 2023, he released “The Trackers” to widespread acclaim. 

A special stage production of “Fantasia on Mysterium: The Epic Immersive Theatrical Recital” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25-27 at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. 

The Haywood Arts Regional Theater in Waynesville is currently offering a wide variety of classes in the theater arts for all ages, young and old. Whether you are just starting out or want to hone your skills, HART has opportunities for you. 

Winter hikes, winter lights, frosty runs and outdoor ice skating will offer ample opportunity for chilly fun in celebration of the N.C. Smokies Ice Fest Weekend Jan. 26-28. 

A new visitor center and retail space is now open just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend, Tennessee, offering information, education materials, souvenirs, parking tags and other park-related goods to Smokies visitors. 

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association will remove blown-down trees along the Tennessee/North Carolina line during a maintenance trip starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, from the Coker Creek Welcome Center in Tennessee. 

Draft priority measures to reduce greenhouse gases in North Carolina are open for public comment through Sunday, Jan. 28. 

A retreat for faith leaders and people interested in inspiring their congregations and communities to care for the planet will be held Feb. 2-3 at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat. 

The 21st annual Business of Farming Conference is coming up Saturday, Feb. 24, at the A-B Tech Conference Center in Asheville. 

Allens Creek Park in Waynesville is closed until further notice while county crews clean it up following last week’s heavy rains and wind. 

Two organizations dedicated to stewarding beloved outdoor spaces are looking for new board members to help them fulfill their respective missions. 

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) announced that its Human Trafficking Unit (HTU) has been awarded a $9.6 million grant over the next five years from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the standard of life and quality of life for people around the world. 

U.S. 64 between Buck Creek Road and Brush Creek Road will remain closed for more than two weeks while a contractor repairs 80 feet of embankment damaged during heavy storms on Tuesday.

An eight-week training course for anyone interested in operating an agriculture-based business will kick off Monday, Jan. 15, at Southwestern Community College in Sylva.

The U.S. Forest Service has released its final analysis and draft decision for the Nantahala Mountains Project, which will touch more than 800 acres over a 24,943-acre project area. 

A new database cataloguing the work of renowned Smokies photographer, Japan-born George Masa, is now available online. 

Over the next two months, snowboarders are invited to film their best moves at Cataloochee Ski Area and submit them for The Cat Classic, a premiere and contest slated for Saturday, March 9, at Salty Dog’s Seafood and Grill in Maggie Valley. 

Friends of Panthertown will host a trail workday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, meeting at Salt Rock Gap Trailhead.

The 12th annual Plunge Benefit-t-t-ting Kids in the Creek and Environmental Education will take place 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Lake Junaluska Pool in Waynesville. 

Find out how birds talk to each other during a program offered at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29, at the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center near Franklin. This talk was rescheduled from its original Jan. 15 date due to inclement weather. 

Hear the case for building more housing from an environmental perspective with a webinar offered 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, from MountainTrue. 

Explore winter in the mountains with a trio of upcoming hikes led by Haywood County Recreation and Parks. 

The Carolina Mountain Club has started a new hiking initiative, called Leisure Hikes, with the next event scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Asheville. 

Western Carolina University’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration will begin Monday, Jan. 15, with its annual Unity March. 

Sarah Banks, Emily Jenkins, Kelly Martin-Hicks, Abigail Clark, Heather Koonce and Sarah Keener at Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency have successfully completed the N.C. Credentialed Public Health Nurse Course.

More than 130 leaders from North Carolina and Virginia gathered to discuss a strategic action plan for the entire Blue Ridge Parkway corridor during the Blue Ridge Rising Two-State Summit Dec. 5-6 in Blowing Rock. 

The National Park Service has announced its intention to collaborate with Native American tribes across the country on a theme study focusing on the Indian Reorganization Period.