Held Nov. 10 at the Cradle of Forestry, the event brought together local musicians, nature enthusiasts and generous supporters, raising over $15,000 in donations to support FIND Outdoors’ initiatives in Pisgah National Forest.

The evening’s lineup featured Pisgah Pickers, a collective of musicians including Woody Platt, Michael Ashworth, Mike Guggino and Bennett Sullivan. Opening for these award-winning musicians were talented young artists from the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program. Highlights from the evening included North Carolina Forest Supervisor James Melonas joining the band on vocals and guitar to perform the John Prine classic “Paradise.” Another special moment was when Owen Grooms, director of the JAM program, played “Ruby,” a banjo that was made from the 2022 Capitol Christmas tree originally harvested from the Pisgah.

All proceeds from the event will support FIND Outdoors’ efforts to repair and restore recreation sites in the Pisgah damaged by Hurricane Helene. On Nov. 23, FIND will host a volunteer cleanup event at Coon Tree Recreation Area from 1-5 p.m. Volunteers can sign up for this event at gofindoutdoors.org/events/pickin-up-pisgah.

For more information on upcoming events and ways to get involved with FIND Outdoors, please visit gofindoutdoors.org or follow us on social media.