The inaugural Tuckasegee River Festival — “Fiddler on the River” — is sponsored by the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River and will be held from 2-6 p.m. on Sept. 16 at the Dillsboro Inn.

Surrounded by three river front parks, the Dillsboro Inn will serve as the base camp for viewing, learning and celebrating the redevelopment of the Tuckasegee Dam removal. The family oriented event will begin with a hot dog picnic lunch ($5 a plate) and bake sale benefit/WATR membership drive. There will also be optional hikes on the Discovery Trails at Monteith Farmstead Park and then a concert by the New Broad River Band from Asheville.

The Tuckasegee River watershed supplies the drinking water and ecosystem foundation for Swain and Jackson counties. WATR is a grassroots organization working to improve the water quality and habitat of the Tuckasegee River Basin.  

“What happens upstream, downstream and all around the watershed impacts all of us directly,” says WATR Executive Director Roger Clapp.

WATR’s three focus areas are education, stewardship and recreation. The new riverfront parks and the Monteith Homestead total 30 acres, and good stewardship of these areas is one of WATR’s areas of emphasis.

“We are looking for volunteers and donations to help with this beneficial service to the community,” said T.J. Walker, a member of WATR.

828.507.9144 or www.watrnc.org.