Outdoors
Cradle of Forestry hosts Hispanic Heritage Festival
The first ever Hispanic Heritage Fest will bring the colors, flavors and rhythms of Latin America to the Cradle of Forestry in America, located in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1.
Cyclists gear up to cross N.C.
The 24th annual Mountains to Coast bike ride will tour scenic North Carolina between Banner Elk and Emerald Isle Sunday, Oct. 1, to Saturday, Oct. 7, with Sept. 30 serving as check-in day.
Ring in the Water New Year in Panthertown
Celebrate the Water New Year with a guided hike through Panthertown Valley 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30.
Time to register for youth basketball
Registration for youth basketball with the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department is open through Saturday, Sept. 30.
Go to raft guide school
Learn how to raft guide with a three-day clinic Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County.
The curriculum is suited for everyone from beginners to experienced paddlers seeking to solidify their skill and confidence on the river. Professional instructors from NOC will meet participants at their skill level and ensure they leave with newfound knowledge, technique and confidence.
Cost starts at $550. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Learn more or register at noc.com/courses/learn-to-raft-guide.
‘It all ties together’: Waynesville couple inducted into Livestock Hall of Fame
Buddy and Janice Cochran are used to seeing things through.
Notes from a plant nerd: Mountain-mint, a great pick for a pollinator garden
No matter where you are in the world, if you encounter a plant that has a square stem and opposite leaf arrangement — when two leaves grow out of the stem at the same place, but on opposing sides — it is most likely a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae).
Celebrate monarchs at the arboretum
Monarch Butterfly Day will be filled with fun, informative activities for both kids and adults 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville, coinciding with a fall plant sale that will also run during those same hours Friday, Sept. 29.
Color season expected to be earlier, less intense
Western Carolina University’s resident fall color expert is predicting that the start of leaf season will come earlier than usual but that peak will lack the intensity it had last year, primarily because leaves won’t be changing color at the same time.
