Burnsville North Carolina "Heart of the Blue Ridge"
Burnsville North Carolina "Heart of the Blue Ridge", "Gateway to Mt. Mitchell" and "Basecamp for Mountain Adventure" |
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Known for its beautiful town square, Burnsville is also the county seat for Yancey County. At an elevation of 2,815 feet Burnsville enjoys beautiful vistas of Mt. Mitchell and 18 additional peaks within Yancey County that exceed 6300 feet. There are also over 100 miles of hiking trails and plenty of back roads to explore by bicycle, motorcycle or car. Nearby attractions include Asheville's Biltmore House, Grandfather Mountain, and Wolf Laurel Ski Resort all of which are less than an hour's drive. You will find that you do not have to travel at all to enjoy natural beauty, easy pace and a taste of well preserved mountain life that is Burnsville. |  | |
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PROFESSOR WILLIAM RAYMOND TAYLOR, in 1947, succeeded in founding Parkway Playhouse, originally known as Burnsville Playhouse, Inc. and School of Dramatic Arts, the first of its kind in the South. A professor of English at Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina (WCUNC) in Greensboro, he not only took on the arduous task of planning the courses of study for the new venture, but he planned the complete conversion of the old Burnsville High School gymnasium into a well equipped theatre. Because of his knowledge of the many fields connected with the theatrical profession, he became widely recognized as an authority, and he served as consultant on theatre and stage design for many architects. |  | |
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Penland School of Crafts is a national center for craft education dedicated to helping people live creative lives. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Penland offers one-, two-, and eight-week workshops in books & paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking and letterpress, textiles, and wood. The school also sponsors artists' residencies, community education programs, and a craft gallery. |  | |
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Our mission is to bring together authors, readers of all ages, novice writers, listeners and learners in small, intimate settings. We do not see ourselves as an academic festival, though we seek to advance authors of literary quality. Nor are we a book fair in which the primary objective is to sell books. One of our goals is to raise awareness of works of literary significance from smaller presses. We do focus on regional writers, though not exclusively. And yes, we do like an occasional feather in our cap. But overall, our aspiration is to create a little literary community which is in dialog with readers, aspiring writers, and established authors about craft and ideas of sustaining merit. Another goal is to make sure our authors are having good time. In the best scenario, authors leave the festival feeling renewed and rededicated to their work. So frequently when an author writes in isolation, it is hard to believe that his/her work is making an impact on people and society. But situating authors and readers together in close quarters, as our festival does, it is possible for authors to hear stories of how their work has influenced people. It’s not just signing a book, it’s making a human connection. |   | |
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People for miles around know that the place to be in August, if you have a true appreciation for traditional crafts, is the historic downtown of Burnsville. Whether you are looking for beautiful handmade quilts, pottery, woven baskets, or most any other handmade craft, a trip to the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair will be well worth your time. The 53rd Annual Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair, August 7-8, is the oldest and largest crafts fair in the Blue Ridge Mountains. For the past several years, the Southern Tourism Society has selected this event as one of the top twenty to attend in the Southeast. |  | |
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The Burnsville Town Center is a fully equipped facility capable of catering to large events and versatile enough to provide services for small groups. Located in Yancey County, the town of Burnsville has provided its residents and visitors with a community building suitable for events such as concerts, meetings, wedding receptions, family reunions, trade shows, theater, arts and craft demonstrations, workshops and farmer's market. The Burnsville Town Center is nestled in the center of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and acts as a central hub for all local activity. It is the vision of the Burnsville Town Center to strengthen the quality of life for Burnsville's citizens and visitors through cultural activities and to enhance the local economy in rural Yancey County by using the area's diverse identity. |  | |
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The Yancey County Farmers' Market is one of the oldest and largest tailgate markets in western North Carolina. The market has some 30 members and offers an exceptionally wide variety of products. Enjoy pasture raised, hormone free beef, honey, crafts, bedding plants, and much more. In addition, the market offers live music, hot coffee and cold drinks. The market is located behind the Burnsville Town Center off West Boulevard. |  | |
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Recently renovated, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals introduces the treasures found in the Spruce Pine Mining District through interactive displays on the wide variety of minerals and gems found in the region. Located at milepost 331 on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Gillespie Gap, the Museum provides an introduction to the importance of mining in the region and the mineral and gem wealth found here. Work is continuing on new interactive displays that will take you deep inside a mountain to see how gems and minerals are formed. The Museum also hosts a visitor center for the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, where you can pick up information on local businesses, attractions, lodging, food and more. A gift shop featuring souvenirs and books on Western North Carolina is also located in the museum. The Museum is located at Gillespie Gap, an important stop for Revolutionary War fighters on their way to the Battle of Kings Mountain, and each September it hosts an encampment each September of re enactors of the Over the Mountain Men, who distinguished themselves during the Battle of Kings Mountain. The Museum also has information on that famous battle, which many historians mark as the turn of the tide in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War. |  | |
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The Toe River Arts Council (TRAC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1976 to promote the arts in Mitchell and Yancey Counties. Our numerous community programs involve many of the over 33,000 citizens of Mitchell and Yancey Counties, as well as promote the area for our tourist trade. Support for local groups, artists, and students is provided by grants and stipends generated by our staff at Toe River Arts Council. Toe River Arts Council is governed by a bi-county board with offices above the Burnsville Gallery, a gift shop and exhibition space. The Spruce Pine Gallery offers a gift shop and large exhibition/reception space. Our exhibitions are educational, entertaining, are of the highest quality and represent local and outside artists and craftspersons including traditional and contemporary work.Toe River Arts Council sponsors the Toe River Studio Tour twice a year on the second weekend in June, the first weekend in December. Over 100 studios and galleries are represented in this free, self-guided tour. Paint Out, held one day in the spring, brings together 2-dimensional artist who participate in a day of painting in and around Burnsville. Toe River Arts Council sponsors the Toe River Chamber Ensemble, a group of 20-25 volunteer musicians, who meet weekly to rehearse, then perform concerts throughout the year in schools and local churches. The second Friday of the month is reserved for Java Jam, an evening of music and dancing at the Burnsville Town Center. Musicians are invited, home-baked desserts provided and coffee donated by the local coffee shop. Music in the Mountains Folk Festival, dedicated to the "preservation of mountain music and culture" happens in the fall with old time string bands, ballad singers, clogging, storytelling and blue grass. Foremost in Toe River Arts Council's focus is education and communication in the arts. |
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The Fire on the Mountain Blacksmith Festival will be held in Downtown Spruce Pine Saturday April 25th from 10am-4pm and will feature vendors, live demonstrations, hands-on tent with rotating teachers and visiting blacksmiths from around the region and country. Iron and metal artists from the local area and guests from across the southeast will exhibit. Celebrate forging techniques and ferrous materials .Blacksmithing has deep roots in this area and this festival will both honor and celebrate its history and broaden awareness of quality contemporary iron work. The Toe River Arts Council will sponsor an exhibition featuring work by festival participants at the TRAC Gallery on Oak Street, downtown Spruce Pine. Festival will feature live demonstrations, hands-on activities for the public, and booths where blacksmiths can display and sell their work. A pig roast dinner, hosted by Penland School, and closing celebration for festival participants will be held at the Carolina Theatre following the festival. |  | |
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The Toe River Storytelling Festival takes place by the Toe River in Spruce Pine’s Riverside Park. The storytellers and listeners gather each year on the third Saturday of July for the “spinning of tales.” Travelers from far and wide travel by the Blue Ridge Parkway or under the Parkway to listen the stories of history, folklore, and the ever-entertaining “Jack Tales” of long ago. Each year at least five tellers, the likes of David Holt, share their stories and the laughter can be heard across the river into downtown Spruce Pine. Young and old alike gather together with their ears attuned to great yarns and the music provided by only the best storytellers. The festival is located just five miles from Milepost 331 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |  | |
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The Quilt Trails project got its start in Ohio when Donna Sue Groves put a block on her barn to honor her mother. From that simple act, the project has spread to 24 states. Come to Yancey County to get started on your great quilt adventure! Mitchell and Yancey Counties have between them, over 100 quilt blocks, with more in the hopper. Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina, the non-profit corporation that runs the project, welcomes volunteers to help with painting, story writing, installation, and a myriad of other tasks that it takes to keep the project running. |
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Once a stagecoach stop for travelers to Asheville, the Nu Wray is the oldest continuously operating inn in western North Carolina. This great landmark is centrally located on the south side of Burnsville's Town Square, the heart of the historic downtown area. From its two-tiered porch, guests can enjoy the rocking chairs and clean mountain air. You will join past guests such as Elvis Presley, Thomas Wolfe Mark Twain and O. Henry in the delight of wandering the inn's creaky and twisty stairways. Each of the three floors has sitting rooms decorated with period antiques that can be used for informal meetings or casual gathering with other Inn guests. |  | |
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