North Carolina - My Home State
Hi! I'm in the process of setting up a new page dedicated to all about North Carolina. There will be lots of links & whatever else I can think of to place here but since there is so much info, it's going to be an ongoing process! All that picking & choosing. Whew!
PLEASE SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN - THERE YOU CAN VIEW MY SPECIAL
AREAS OF NC LIKE RALEIGH, CLAYTON, LILLINGTON & COATS! FESTIVALS GOING
ON, ETC.
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS NORTH CAROLINA?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina (Maps & Other Details)
www.sitesatlas.com/Maps/Maps/NC1.htm (World Site Atlas-NC Cities)
www.netstate.com/states/intro/nc_intro.htm (Introduction To NC)
That the flag of North Carolina shall consist of a blue union, containing in the center thereof a white star with the letter N in gilt on the left and the letter C in gilt on the right of said star, the circle containing the same to be one-third the width of the union. The fly of the flag shall consist of two equally proportioned bars; the upper bar to be red, the lower bar to be white; that the length of the bars horizontally shall be equal to the perpendicular length of the union, and the total length of the flag shall be one-third more than its width. That above the star in the center of the union there shall be a gilt scroll in semi-circular form, containing in black letters this inscription "May 20th, 1775," and that below the star there shall be a similar scroll containing in black letters the inscription: "April 12th, 1776."
FACTS ABOUT NC
State Bird - Cardinal
Flower - Dogwood
Motto - To be, rather than to seem
NC Admitted To Statehood - November 21, 1789
Nickname - Old North State/Tar Heel State
State Capital - Raleigh
North Carolina
In 1629, King Charles I of England "erected into a province," all the land from Albemarle Sound on the north to the St. John's River on the south, which he directed should be called Carolina. The word Carolina is from the word Carolus, the Latin form of Charles.
When Carolina was divided in 1710, the southern part was called South Carolina and the northern, or older settlement, North Carolina. From this came the nickname the “Old North State.” Historians have recorded that the principle products during the early history of North Carolina were "tar, pitch, and turpentine." It was during one of the fiercest battles of the War Between the States, so the story goes, that the column supporting the North Carolina troops was driven from the field. After the battle the North Carolinians, who had successfully fought it out alone, were greeted from the passing derelict regiment with the question: "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" Quick as a flash came the answer: "No, not a bit, old Jeff's bought it all up." "Is that so; what is he going to do with it?" was asked. "He's going to put on you-un's heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Creecy relates that General Lee, upon hearing of the incident, said: "God bless the “Tar Heel” boys," and from that they took the name.
(Adapted from Grandfather Tales of North Carolina by R.B. Creecy and Histories of North Carolina Regiments, Vol. III, by Walter Clark).
source: http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/symbols/symbols.htm
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us (NC Office of Archives & History)
LINKS JUST FOR KIDS
www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/stateknow/nc1.html
www.secretary.state.nc.us/kidspg/homepage.asp
www.kidskonnect.com/NorthCarolina/NorthCarolinaHome.html
VISIT NC
www.visitnc.com (Official NC Travel Guide)
www.northcarolina.com (Fun/Interesting links)
www.ncgov.com (State of NC)
http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/ncparks.html NC Division of Parks & Rec.
www.battleshipnc.com (USSNC Battleship Memorial)
www.nczoo.org (NC Zoological Park)
www.gorp.com/gorp/location/nc/nc.htm (Outdoor Rec. & Travel Guide)
www.insidenc.com/MountainRegion.htm
Topsail Island
www.topsail-island.info (One of my favorite places)
www.outer-banks.com/lighthouses.asp
www.nc-wreckdiving.com (NC Scuba/Wreck Diving)
www.ettractions.com Something to do or somewhere to go
www.roadsideamerica.com/map/nc.html NC Offbeat Attractions
TRANSPORTATION
www.ncdot.org (Department of Transportation)
www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/nc.htm
www.bytrain.org (NC's Amtrak Passenger Trains)
OTHER GOOD LINKS
www.northcarolina.com Hotels, city guides & more
http://www.usnpl.com/ncnews.html NC Newspaper List
www.ncga.state.nc.us/ Official site of NC General Assembly
www.ncgenealogy.org NC Genealogical Society & links
www.wheretoretire.com NC Retirement Communities
IMPORTANT LINKS FOR PARENTS
www.missingkids.com/precreate/NC.html Reports by state
http://ncregistry.ncsbi.gov/ Sex Offender & Public Registry
www.doc.state.nc.us/offenders Sex Offender & Public Registry
www.greatschools.net/modperl/go/nc Elem., Middle & High
www.collegeanduniversity.net NC Colleges
www.meredith.edu www.st-aug.edu (St.Augustine's)
www.shawuniversity.edu www.peace.edu (Peace College)
UNC Chapel Hill (The Old Well) My sister, Joy's College of Choice
North Carolina State Toast
THE TAR HEEL TOAST
Here's to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!
Here's to the land of the cotton bloom white,
Where the scuppernong perfumes the breeze at night,
Where the soft southern moss and jessamine mate,
'Neath the murmuring pines of the Old North State.
Here's to the land where the galax grows,
Where the rhododendron's rosette glows,
Where soars Mount Mitchell's summit great,
In the "Land of the Sky," in the Old North State.
Here's to the land where maidens are fair,
Where friends are true and cold hearts rare,
The near land, the dear land, whatever fate,
The blest land, the best land, the Old North State!
RALEIGH - STATE CAPITAL
Links for Raleigh, NC
A Short History of Downtown Raleigh
The area we now know as Downtown Raleigh had commerce as early as the 1760s. Enterprising landholders Isaac Hunter and Joel Lane created taverns and ordinaries near their homes to accommodate travelers along the main north-south route cutting through central North Carolina . Called Wake Crossroads, this primitive outpost provided the spark for future commerce. On March 30, 1792, state commissioners purchased 1,000 acres from Joel Lane and a city plan was quickly developed by William Christmas. On December 31, 1792 the North Carolina General Assembly officially approved the purchase and the site plan, and christened the city “Raleigh” in honor of the 16th century English explorer and nobleman Sir Walter Raleigh.
The city grew slowly. Over time inns, taverns, dry-goods stores, coffin houses and brickyards were established to support the burgeoning capital city. Until the Civil War these businesses catered mostly to retail customers, providing both services and basic needs. Fayetteville Street quickly became Raleigh’s commercial core as storefronts began to replace residences along the blocks south of the State Capitol. In addition to downtown commerce, a handful of mills and new ventures, such as the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad of 1840, comprised the composition of antebellum Raleigh.
For the rest of this article and other great info., please visit: www.virtualraleigh.com
www.visitraleigh.com
www.relocationhelpdesk.com/utilities/raleigh.html
http://www.frankiesfunpark.com/raleigh/
North Carolina State Song
THE OLD NORTH STATE
Carolina! Carolina! heaven's blessings attend her,
While we live we will cherish, protect and defend her,
Tho' the scorner may sneer at and witlings defame her,
Still our hearts swell with gladness whenever we name her.
Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State.
Tho' she envies not others, their merited glory,
Say whose name stands the foremost, in liberty's story,
Tho' too true to herself e'er to crouch to oppression,
Who can yield to just rule a more loyal submission,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State.
Then let all those who love us, love the land that we live in,
As happy a region as this side of heaven,
Where plenty and peace, love and joy smile before us,
Raise aloud, raise together the heart thrilling chorus,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the Old North State forever,
Hurrah! Hurrah! the good Old North State.
MY TOWN, CLAYTON, JOHNSTON COUNTY
Hi! I'm sure there's lots more to see and do in the Clayton area but the following are just some of my personal favorites! Sorry if I've left anyone out.
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Justin, Michael & Bonnie 
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Gourmet Coffees & Teas… Fruit Smoothies… Java Shakes… Yummy Sandwiches & Salads… Fresh Pastries… Decadent Desserts… Live Music… Art Exhibits… Smoke-Free Environment
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http://dwebsite.com/allstarcharacters
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Tara Marley | ||
| Visit our Web Site: | www.ScreaminMimisKidsPlace.com | |
| 12973 US Highway 70 West | ||
| Clayton | ||
| NC | ||
| 27520 | ||
| Phone: | (919) 359-2912 | |
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The old Oaky Grove Methodist Church sits on historic farmland that's being eyed as part of the Marks Creek project. |
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Photo by Joe Miller |
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Welcome to Clayton’s unique and authentic bed and breakfast lodging located right in the heart of town. Built in 1907, Morning Glory Inn is a magnificent 6400 square foot Victorian. visit: |
The Village Farmers Market opened October 1st in Flowers Plantation and is located at 4684 NC 42 East, Clayton near Percy Flowers Store. It is owned and operated by Roger and Patricia Goodwin and Gene and Lisa Lee. The Village Farmers Market offers Fresh Seasonal Produce, Homemade Jams, Jellies, Pies, and Cakes including Birthday Cakes which are our specialty. Sample the delicious gourmet fudge of many varieties. For your landscaping needs we have hearty shrubs and bushes. We also have fresh cut flowers, flower arrangements, and locally grown hydrophobic tomatoes.
Joshua Percy Flowers married Delma Whitley and they settled in a small farm house near the Flowers' Homeplace on the farm. Delma Flowers, wife of Joshua Percy Flowers was nicknamed "Dell". Today, her name is honored in the title of the Flowers Plantation development organization, River Dell Company. |
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www.mccallsbbq.com
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 Johnston County, North Carolina, (population 136,802 in 2002) has always been a market-driven agricultural area. Located in the Piedmont Crescent between Goldsboro and Charlotte, Johnston County offers balmy summer evenings and a pleasant climate. Four distinct seasons with very little snow and enough sun year-round to enable a three-season growing climate and golf all year.The Civil War brought agony and high tragedy to Johnston County. Almost all of the eligible men in the county's population fought in the war, and a third of them died. Most who survived had physical disabilities, and they returned to a county that had been sacked, plundered and devastated in the 1865 wake of the Union Army. Johnston's first townships: Bentonsville, Beulah, Boon Hill, Clayton, Elevation, Ingrams, Meadow, O'Neals, Pleasant Grove, Selma, Smithfield, and Wilders, were created in 1869 in an atmosphere of want and deprivation. By 1913, with the creation of Wilson's Mills, Cleveland, Banner, Pine Level, and Micro townships, Johnston County had ensured survival and was staking a claim on prosperity. http://www.billsbills.com/johnston.html
Saturday, September 16, will be the highlight of the festival, with arts and craft vendors, an antique car show, and live entertainment featured throughout the day. Food vendors that are members of the Chamber of Commerce are selected first, so there is a waiting list to be a food vendor. However, more than 140 arts and crafts vendors were on hand last year.
For more information about the festival or to obtain a registration form, call Cathy at (919) 553-6352 or send an e-mail to: cathym@dockpoint.net.
For lodging information, visit the Johnston County Visitors Bureau online at www.johnstonnc.com/visitors_files.
Friday, September 22, visitors can enjoy many events including the "Mule Competitions" held in the Chamber Park and Arena. They will see mule pulls with sleds, coon jumping, a mule race, and Best of Show. From these competitors the Grand Champion is chosen and will be in the Benson Mule Days parade on Saturday, September 23rd. If you haven't seen a mule competition this is a "must see" for the whole family. There is no charge for admission. Saturday is a big day at Benson Mule Days as thousands of spectators sit or stand to observe the biggest parade in North Carolina. Bands, floats, Shriner units, classic cars, antique tractors, unique entries, beauty queens, and hundreds of horses, mules, buggies, wagons and more make their way down Main Street of Benson beginning at 10:00 AM.
Following the parade visitors can make their way to the Singing Grove Park where a Bluegrass show is being presented, visit the arts and crafts vendors as well we good and commercial vendors. It is always fun to walk into the local businesses which offer a variety of products in our area. The carnival is alive and well and a rodeo is in full blast at the Chamber Park and Arena. There are actually four rodeos of which the first begins on Friday night followed by a Saturday afternoon and night performance. On Sunday there is a SRA Junior Rodeo.
Feel like dancing? There are two street dances on Friday and Saturday night, right in downtown Benson.
There is a lot to do during Benson Mule Days and it is a great time to stroll the beautiful town of Benson. For a complete schedule of this 57 year old event which honors the farmers best friend, the mule, call (919) 894-3825 or email us at info@benson-chamber.com.
Need a camping lot or vendor information? You may contact the Benson Area Chamber of Commerce at the same numbers. Take time to visit our web sites which are www.benson-chamber.com or bensonmuledays.com.
FOR MORE FESTIVALS, VISIT: www.festivalnews.info
www.benson-chamber.com/attractions/ http://www.johnstonnc.com/mainpage.cfm?content_id=3186&category_level_id=934
www.johnstoncountync.org/events
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The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the last full-scale action of the Civil War in which a Confederate army was able to mount a tactical offensive. This major battle, the largest ever fought in North Carolina, was the only significant attempt to defeat the large Union army of Gen. William T. Sherman during its march through the Carolinas in the spring of 1865.
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Battle Plans |
| Saturday March 17 - Sunday March 18 |
| Bentonville Battlefield's 141st Anniversary Program |
| A living history survey of field medicine from the Civil War, WW II, through Modern Day. Event time 10am-4pm both days. |
| Location: |
| Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, Four Oaks. |
| 5466 Harper House Rd. |
| Four Oaks, NC 27524 |
| Admission: Free. |
| Phone: Derrick Brown, 910 594-0789 |
POPULATION
Johnston County: 141,640
(2004 estimate)
121,965 (2000 Census)
Smithfield: 11,702
(2004 estimate)
Selma: 6,502
(2004 estimate)
BEGINNINGS
Johnston County was formed in 1746 and named after Gabriel Johnston, a royal governor of the state. Ten months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the town of Smithfield was officially chartered in 1777. Two years after the Civil War ended in 1865, a settlement four miles northeast of Smithfield became the town of Selma.
www.welcometonc.com/countydirections/Johnston
www.ncdcr.gov/countymaps/maps/Johnston.htm (Just for kids)
http://www.johnstoncountync.org
www.city-data.com/county/Johnston_County-NC.html
www.dataplace.org/area_overview/?place=p26.2305
www.nccourts.org/county/johnston
www.publicschoolreview.com/county_schools/stateid/NC/county/37101
www.johnstoncountyspeedway.net
www.politicalgraveyard.com/geo/NC/JO.html
www.petfinder.org/shelters/NC211.html
The Little People
Of Johnston County, North Carolina, Jim Brandon writes: "There is undoubtedly a presence of some kind around here. It has manifested in the form of monsters, mini-sters, bridge trolls, and even phantom reenactments in the skies of the 1865 battle of Bentonville." [2]
Janet and Colin Bord elaborate on Brandon's "mini-ster": "It was also a young boy, eight-year-old Tonnlie Barefoot, who first saw the tiny entity of Dunn, North Carolina (USA), when he was playing in a field of dried cornstalks near his home on 12 October 1976. He saw the little man 'not much bigger than a Coke bottle,' dressed in black boots, blue trousers, and a blue shiny top, with a black 'German-type hat' with a pretty white tie. He seemed to be reaching for something in his back pocket, then froze, squeaked like a mouse, and ran off fast through the cornstalks. He left some footprints 2 1/4 inches long and 1 inch wide with boot marks in them. On 25 October, twenty-year-old Shirley Ann McCrimmon also saw a little man, as she came home from a party just before daybreak. He wore boots and a thin garment, and his skin was light brown. He shone a tiny bright yellow light across her eyes, and ran away when she screamed. The dogs also barked at him."
2. Brandon, Jim. Weird America. (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1978), p. 173.
How to Tell if Your Mobile Home is Haunted
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You hear strange moaning—but only during Shania Twain videos. |
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You're missing four PBR's, and the missus only drinks Old Milwaukee. |
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The lights turn on and off even though you paid the power bill. |
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You hear blood-curdling screams, but both neighbors are still in jail. |
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You get a mysterious phone call that says, "I know what you did last NASCAR race." |
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Instead of saying "boo" the ghost says "boo-ya'll!" |
For the rest of the list & some interesting stories, please visit: www.trailerghost.com
Photo Credit: Kevin Seifert, Durham Herald-Sun
LILLINGTON, MY ORIGINAL HOMETOWN
Up until the age of 11, I lived in Lillington. That's where my Dad, Robert Smith, lived until he passed away Aug.06. That's where my maternal Grandmother, Elsie Satterwhite Clark, lived until she died and where most of my mother's family continues to live.
The Lillington Library is where I participated in my first public event after becoming a published author (Everyone Has A Story At The Library) this past April 06. www.harnett.org/library
The Harnett County Courthouse is located at 301 W Cornelius Harnett Boulevard(US 401 North) in Lillington
The Old Courthouse (Now torn down) Drawing by Jerry Miller www.jerrymillerart.com
November 2004
BRING ME FLOWERS
Drive east from Sanford on 421 and the Paul Green Highway will run you right into the old Harnett County courthouse that now sits stripped and abandoned in what used to be the middle of downtown Lillington. The town has shifted north a few miles to what locals call ?Lillington Crossroads,? a place that once was home to little more than Robert Johnson?s honest-to-god country store?the only place whose chittlins my folks trusted; the county?s largest cemetery; and Matthews Oil Company, now empty and in disrepair.
Reigning supreme there now among fast-food restaurants, a Food Lion, car dealerships and gas stations is the new Harnett County courthouse, a structure of majestic proportions. Once it was sited, businesses and county offices clustered around it, and the axis of the town of Lillington shifted dramatically.
But there is now hope for the old downtown that has sputtered along and seen some landmarks, such as the old Lillington Hotel, disappear. Lillington voters recently passed liquor by the drink?the bootleggers must all be dead?and a new steak house is opening where pharmacist Bill Randall once dispensed medicine. It's comforting to think that folks again may leave this location feeling no pain.
To read the rest of this interesting and amusing article by Carroll Leggitt, visit:
www.metronc.com/article/?id=865
My First School
Old Lillington High School Drawing by Jerry Miller
Raven Rock State Park
Location: Harnett County. Nine miles west of Lillington and 20 miles east of Sanford.
Description - Raven Rock State Park is home to a massive 152-foot high rock outcrop, which juts out at a 45-degree angle over the Cape Fear River area.
Raven Rock is one of our most underrated state parks. The views from the overlook (above) on the Raven Rock Loop Trail are some of the finest in the piedmont. The topography is diverse, highlighted by the 152 ft. high outcropping of crystalline rock that gives the park its name.
The park is located on the "fall line", where the river literally falls and produces the best rapids in the eastern piedmont. At this geological transition zone, the hilly landscape and resistant rocks of the piedmont give way to the flat terrain and softer rocks of the coastal plain. Walk to a section of the river known as "Fish Traps " to see the fall line for yourself.
For more info on the park & links to other great NC locations visit: www.northcarolinaoutdoors.com/places/piedmont/ravenrock.html
COATS NC, MY SECOND HOMETOWN
Around 1971, my mother married Donald R. Stewart and we moved to his hometown of Coats. I spent all of my preteen and teenage years in the town and eventually graduated from Coats Union School in 1979.
Our school was great,it was K-12. My little brother Kevin, who has a birthday (10/2)began Kindergarten my senior year. My little sister, Joy, who has a birthday (9/15) was still a toddler at the time. I would drive us to school, take Kevin to his room then make my way over to my high school building. LOL I'm pretty sure that my senior class was the final one to graduate before the high school and other grades were separated and new schools were built. I hope to find a picture of it to post here before the school was closed and the buildings sold.
My family, Donald and Mom and Kevin, plus my 12 year old nephew, Dillon, all still live in Coats though my baby sister Joy, spread her wings a bit and flew off to the much bigger city of Chapel Hill after attending college at UNC.
These days I don't get back home as often as I would like, Clayton is my home now but my old home of Coats is often in my thoughts.
www.city-data.com/city/Coats-North-Carolina.html
Please plan to join us for the 94th Annual Coats Farmer's Day Celebration on Saturday, October 14, 2006. Main Street opens at 9:00am and lasts until 5:00pm. Live entertainment on stage all day, enlarged Kid's Park, Vintage Car Show, Farm Equipment Show, Judged items, Vendors and a Parade at 1:00 pm. Street Dance begins at 8:00 pm with "Reno Station" performing. On Friday night, Oct. 13th there will be a free Gospel Concert on Main St. from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Performing will be "The Glorymen", "Black Creek" and "The Dennis Family". The Golf Tournament will be at Chicora Club on Thursday, Oct. 5th at noon.
94th Annual Coats Farmer's Day sponsored by Caterpillar
Please visit: www.coatschamber.com for more information about Farmer's Day and the town of Coats, NC.
Coats Farmer's Day Festival dates back to 1910, and the farmers of the area have been eulogized, featured and starred as the main attraction. Coats, North Carolina, was from its earliest days, and still is, an agricultural community which still plants the traditional crops of tobacco, soybeans, corn, cotton and sweet potatoes. Many times the festival took on the appearance of a community Fair, with exhibits depicting farm products and prizes given for the best exhibits. During the late 40s and early 50s a shift in emphasis was noted. Tractors were increasing in popularity and the events then were termed Coats Farm Tractor Festival. Today Farmer's Day, scheduled this year for October 14, has changed somewhat since the beginning, with the addition of a Golf Tournament, Tractor Show, Live Stage Entertainment all day, Kid's Park, Antique Car Show, Street Vendors, Parade, Pig Cook-Off, Evening Street Dance and much, much more. Games, such as sack races, pole climbing, marble shoots, and watermelon races will be on-hand. There will be judged exhibits on farm animals, baked goods, jellies and jams, cakes and baked goods and more! For further information, call (910) 897-6213.
Coats Farmer's Day
Oct 14, 2006
Coats, NC
Education, Agricultural and Social
COATS, NC ‹ This year will mark the 94th Annual Farmer's Day Celebration, possibly the oldest Farmer's Day in North Carolina. Many years ago, when the tobacco crops were all taken care of, the farmers had a little extra change in their pockets. The early Farmer's Day festivals provided a good spot to spend a little bit of that money and to have fun with the whole family after a year of hard work. 
A preface from a 1914 Farmer's Day Booklet stated that the fair was threefold: Education, Agricultural and Social. It also stated that they hoped that from the fair that "individuals would be more determined to make better farms, better homes and better schools." The public was invited to "come bring your dinner and spend the day with us." At that time they had competition in field crops, garden products, orchard products, live stock, mules, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, dairy, sewing, manual arts, plants and flowers, canning and educational projects.
FOR MORE FESTIVALS, VISIT: www.festivalnews.info
I WAS BORN IN DUNN,NC AT BETSY JOHNSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (WHICH WAS LATER TURNED INTO A NURSING HOME FACILITY) WHEN A NEW HOSPITAL WAS BUILT.
The Mayberry Show Car and Gomer Pyle impersonator will be on hand and there will be tours offered throughout the day at the operating cotton gin in Dunn - the Quality Ginn - so you can see the cotton ginning process firsthand. For more Cotton information, visit www.nccottonfestival.com or call (910) 892-3282.
FOR MORE FESTIVALS, VISIT: www.festivalnews.info
Touchstone Energy Cotton Festival
November 4, 2006
Dunn, NC
On Saturday, November 4, events get underway at 10am and the activities continue until 4pm. There will be two stages with live entertainment and a classic car, truck, tractor and Harley Davidson show with great prizes awarded. There will be more than 50 arts, crafts and food vendors, as well as great downtown shopping, just in time for the holidays. There will also be fantastic rides and games featuring nearly a dozen midway rides, a Nascar Thunderdome with remote racers of all the favorite drivers, clowns and more.
Web: www.nccottonfestival.com
MORE FESTIVALS! HONORABLE MENTIONS
MORE FESTIVALS! THE KIDS & I JUST LOVE SMALL TOWN FESTIVALS
ALL FESTIVAL LINKS COME STRAIGHT FROM AND ARE BORROWED FROM:
Sunday, Sept 10, 2006--Beach Music Concert ‹ The Embers, 5-8 p.m. $25.
For decades, The Embers have been making music by playing a mix of rhythm and blues and heart and soul. Here in North Carolina we call it "Beach Music." Ember's leader and drummer Bobby Tomlinson, calls it "Music With A Memory."
Over the years, the Embers have played for presidents and princes, for the Olympics, and opened on tour for the Rolling Stones.
Join us for an evening under the summer stars. Dance, sing, enjoy Brushy Mountain Smokehouse barbecue, and remember where you were when you first heard the Embers playing...Under the Board Walk? Youth Group camping, concert and activities packages are available for Friday, Oct. 6 through Sunday Oct. 8, providing all at a reduced rate.
October 2006--Forestry Educational Day Camp NC Forestry Resource Association. Free. Please register on the Friends Website.
Those interested in attending can call (336) 921-3390 for more information or to purchase tickets. Ticket purchases can be completed on the Friends' website www.FriendsOfLake.org.
All proceeds from these events go to the Friends of the W. Kerr Scott Lake, Inc., a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization. In turn, Friends utilizes all proceeds to fund priority projects on W. Kerr Scott Lake: environmental cleanup, environmental restoration; conservation; wildlife and habitat improvement; and environmental and science education programs for youth. All tickets are nonrefundable. In case of bad weather, ticket holders will receive tickets for upcoming concerts.
2006 Summer on the Lake
Sept. 10 & Oct. 8, 2006
Wilkesboro, NC
Web: www.FriendsOfLake.org
| Burlington Carousel Festival September 16-17, 2006 Burlington, NC Burlington Carousel Festival BURLINGTON, NC Each September, the City of Burlington comes alive with the sights and sounds of the Burlington Carousel Festival. This event boasted a crowd of over 30,000 visitors last year that all came together for a weekend of quality family fun and entertainment. Artists specializing in Carousel artwork will be present at the Carousel Tent. Over 90 other fine artists and craftsmen will be exhibiting throughout the weekend competing for juried prizes. A children's stage will feature a variety of entertainment for the young visitors of the festival. |
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 On September 16-17, 2006 visit one of the State's finest historic treasures, the Dentzel Menagerie Carousel. Dating back to the early 1900s this fine piece of work brings smiles of laughter to each rider who steps onto her platform. The 46 wooden animals and chariots take folks on a whirling ride back in history. From the 26 horses, 4 each of cats, ostriches, rabbits and pigs as well as one reindeer, giraffe, lion and tiger, the Carousel continues to attract visitors from across the United States.
The festival serves as a continuous fund-raiser for the Carousel. Proceeds generated from the festival are given back to the Carousel Restoration Fund toward the upkeep and care of the antique Carousel. The event, sponsored by the Burlington Recreation & Parks Department and the Mid-Carolina Bank, has quickly become one of the most popular festivals in the state. It has been recognized by the Governor as one of the top festivals across North Carolina for its ability to inspire citizen pride and involvement in community activities that help to improve the quality of life in North Carolina. Travelocity recognized the Carousel Festival as one of the Top 10 Local Finds in its 2005 recommendations for North Carolina. For more Carousel information please email lwolff@ci.burlington.nc.us or call (336) 222-5030. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Email: lwolff@ci.burlington.nc.us
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Other historical venues will include the H. L. Hunley submarine. Friday night opens to the public with North Carolina High School Rodeo and carnival as the highlights.
For more info... www.wendellchamber.com 
Spread out in this beautiful 450 acre park will be over 140 crafters from throughout the southeast with their quality handmade wares. Enjoy visiting the "Heritage Village Crafts" with its hands on demonstrations of our heritage days. The T.M. Stanback Outdoor Theater will be the scene of continuous stage shows from 12-6pm on Saturday and 11am-6pm on Sunday. Music will range from bluegrass to beach, gospel, rock and roll, contemporary Christian and much more. The Clogging and Dance Barn is also a "must-see" on a visit to Autumn Jubilee.
On Saturday downtown will be filled with over 375 arts and crafts vendors, 100 food vendors, and four different music stages - Bluegrass, Country Folk/Americana, Gospel and Appalachian Heritage. Cloggers, folk dancers, rope skippers, and square dancers will provide more entertainment. Appalachian Heritage crafts, such as woodcarving, blacksmithing, chair making, soap making, pottery throwing and quilting, are highlighted throughout the festival. See the horse-drawn molasses mill, watch the "hit and miss" engines and savor the smells of apple butter cooking on the open fire. Children and families can enjoy the petting zoo, ride a horse-drawn wagon, and much more. Don't forget the apples! Local apple growers will be set up selling their apples, apple cider and dried apples.
The festival began in 1988 as a means to preserve the heritage of blue-collar workers in the South and provide festivalgoers an experience of life as it was lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s around Gaston County. The focal point of this annual 3 day fall festival is a restored working cotton gin on permanent exhibit in the Gaston County Park in Dallas, along with the "Heritage Arts Area". Visitors will have an opportunity to learn about the history and the restoration process of the structures.
If you are interested in being a crafter/exhibitor or a food vendor be sure to visit the website to learn more.Spaces are limited, so reserve yours today! Also, look on the website if you are an artist and would like to take part in the design contest for the official Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival poster.
As music fills the air, delight in a variety of specialty foods- everything from homemade apple- pies to homemade ice creams, barbecue chicken, pork chop sandwiches, funnel cakes, cotton candy to all the old favorites. There's absolutely no lack of food selection. There's musical entertainment variety that'll leave you wanting more. If you like bluegrass, folk, gospel, country rock and pop, there will be sounds for all of you all day.
Celebrating its twenty-first anniversary in 2006, the John Blue Cotton Festival promises to be the biggest and best ever this year. Run by volunteers, this festival is located on the grounds of the historic home of a local cotton farmer, John Blue. The list of events is so vast well only be able to tell you about a few here.
5th Annual MUMfest Boat Show on the waterfront at Union Point Park features boats of all sizes from kayaks and canoes to 60' power boats, marine exhibits and displays, a saltwater fly-casting clinic and demonstrations, parasailing, water taxi, and chartered boat rides on a forty passenger Catamaran!
LEAF happens twice yearly at an idyllic 600-acre setting in the midst of North Carolina's majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. The Autumn version will take place on the weekend of October 20-22, 2006.
Saturday starts with a major parade and the evening entertainment is the street dance. Entertainers are featured at the band stand both Saturday and Sunday. The weather is usually delightful and sometimes the water is still warm enough that after walking around the festival area folks head for the beach and take a dip. Holden Beach is located half way between Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. For further information contact Bonnie Cox, Brunswickland Realty, (910) 842-3828. Visit Festival by the Sea online at www.ncislandguide.com. 
"By design, we want visitors to have the best choices for their money," said Brian Bowman, festival co-chair for 2005. "They can buy inexpensive trinkets anywhere. Vendors offered everything from purses to copper frogs to whirligig hats. They provided a great variety that we believe will grow in 2006."
Enjoy both days with the best of bluegrass music, clogging, square dancing, and storytelling. Local artist and craftsmen will be there beside the Cape Fear River to sell and demonstrate their work. A BBQ cook-off with be held on Saturday with local celebrities judging the best BBQ. Available both days will be seafood, Greek food, hamburgers, hotdogs and your favorite beverage.
Main Street is working closely with Penland School and The Toe River Arts Council in promoting the Festival. Blacksmithing is a proud tradition in our community dating back to the Daniel Boone era. Descendants of Daniel Boone owned a forge in Spruce Pine and it is our hope that Daniel Boone VII (who is still a blacksmith) will be able to attend the event. Also, residing in Spruce pine is blacksmith Bea Hensley, who is one of North Carolina's Living Legends. He worked at the Boone Forge as a young man. His forge at the entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a tourist attraction to Mitchell County/Spruce Pine.
Also, visit the entertainment schedule on the chamber¹s website: www.kernersvillenc.com.