Presented by the Town of Sylva, the 28th annual Greening Up the Mountains festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, along Main Street and Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

The festival is a heritage arts gathering that celebrates the arrival of spring through both traditional and contemporary forms of Appalachian art, music, food and beverage which honor our community and local artisans.

The latest exhibit from the Haywood County Arts Council, “Weird & Wacky” will open Friday, April 17, at HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville.

This imaginative and playful exhibition will be on display through June 1, inviting visitors to explore art that celebrates the unusual, the quirky and the wonderfully unexpected. 

A special “Appalachian Music Showcase & BBQ Dinner” featuring Americana/folk duo Anya Hinkle and Libby Weitnauer will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, April 17, at the Balsam Mountain Inn, located in Balsam right off the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway.

Asheville-based roots artist Anya Hinkle (vocals, guitar) teams up with Nashville-based fiddler/vocalist Libby Weitnauer for an intimate exploration of acoustic music rooted in the sounds of Appalachia and seasoned by travels around the globe. 

A special showcase, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop,” is now on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee.  On view through May 2026, the exhibition features works by students of Tara McCoy (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) handcrafted during an intensive three-month workshop. 

The following readings will be held at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

The following readings will be held at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva:

• Joseph Bathanti will read from “Steady Daylight” at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 18. A former North Carolina poet laureate, he has authored more than 20 books and received the North Carolina Award in Literature.

• Tommy Hays will discuss his new novel, “The Marriage Bed,” with Ron Rash at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 19. The story explores a marriage tested by tragedy and revelation.

• Whitney Waters and Alyse Bensel will give a poetry reading at 6 p.m. Friday, April 24. Waters’ work appears in several journals and Bensel is the author of two poetry collections.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.586.9499 or visit citylightsnc.com.

A “Community Contra Dance” will be held from 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.

Contra dance is a form of social folk dancing from which square dancing evolved, so it shares many of the same movements. As always, no partner is necessary, generations mix. All are welcome, including beginners. No dance experience or fancy clothing are necessary. Those who would like to come out just to listen to the music are welcome, too. 

A special performance, “North Carolina Symphony: Classical Favorites Celebrating America 250,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. 

Western Carolina University is currently hosting the Master of Fine Art Thesis Exhibition at the Fine Art Museum on campus in Cullowhee.

Experience the culmination of three years of intense creative study and exploration in this exhibition highlighting artwork from graduating MFA students in the WCU School of Art and Design. 

A special stage production of “Men in Suits” will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 17-18 and at 2 p.m. April 19 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

In a world where loyalty is everything and mistakes are deadly, “Men in Suits” follows two rising mafiosos — Bobby (Tom Bastek) and Max (Matt Edwardsen). Bobby has always followed orders without question, fiercely loyal to the legendary Boss, while Max is beginning to crack under the weight of the lives they’ve taken. 

 At the foot of the Kuwohi Observation Tower at the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail unveiled a new stone marker for the trail’s western terminus.

The unveiling marks a milestone moment for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1,175-mile footpath that crosses North Carolina from the Tennessee state line at Kuwohi to the Atlantic Ocean at Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks.

The Pisgah Conservancy has been awarded a 4.5-year, nearly $8 million grant from the National Forest Foundation on behalf of the USDA Forest Service.

This grant will support the repair and maintenance of trails, trail bridges and other trail infrastructure, as well as ecosystem recovery through invasive plant management, streambank stabilization, erosion control and watershed stewardship and education. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will begin its 2026 season of adaptive programming this spring with ranger-led experiences designed for visitors with limited mobility and their families.  

This year’s lineup includes hiking, biking, fly fishing and one overnight backcountry camping trip:   

Fifth graders from Cullowhee Valley School and Scotts Creek School participated in conservation field days at East LaPorte Park Wednesday to learn more about natural resources and conservation.  

The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane.

Walks are about two-and-a-half hours. The public is welcome. All walks are weather dependent. Additional information, including directions to each location and a bird club checklist  can be found at littletennessee.org/franklin-bird-club. 

Learn about survival at a class held on Haywood Community College’s campus.

Join expert Steve Kuni for a hands-on afternoon dedicated to the art of survival.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 12, participants will learn to work with the land rather than against it, mastering the “Rule of Threes,” constructing emergency shelters from forest find-lings and coaxing fire from damp winter wood. 

Harris Regional Hospital will partner with Jackson County Public Schools to host its annual free sports physical event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in the Smoky Mountain High School gym in Sylva. 

A special performance, “North Carolina Symphony: Classical Favorites Celebrating America 250,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. 

The Haywood County Arts Council invites the community to experience “Art Off the Wall,” a unique and intimate fundraising event taking place from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at the HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery in Waynesville.

With only 30 tickets available, this exclusive evening promises a memorable blend of art, atmosphere and excitement. Guests will enjoy heavy appetizers, beverages and live music by Betina Morgan, whose harp performance creates a soothing, dreamlike backdrop for the night. 

A first-of-its-kind exhibition centering Native voices, perspectives and creativity in response to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the exhibition “Unrelenting: Cherokee People and the American Revolution” is currently being showcased at the Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP) in Cherokee. 

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service violated the Endangered Species Act by relying on a faulty analysis during the creation of the controversial Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan. The court’s decision effectively prohibits the Forest Service from relying on the plan. 

“Barn Owlet Watch 2026” is underway for a nest box with six barn owl eggs, and the public has 24-hour access to the  N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s live cam with audio to watch all the action in real time. The expected “hatch” date is between April 9 and 15. 

Haywood Waterways Association will lead a hike to Mouse Falls in the Big Creek Watershed of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Sunday, April 12.

The event is free for members and a $5 donation for nonmembers. Haywood Waterways memberships start at $25. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park invites the public to the annual “Signs of Spring” event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18 in Cades Cove. The event celebrates National American Sign Language Day. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the Smokies from park rangers and members of the deaf community.   

North Carolina citizens and stakeholders who use their scientific, academic, habitat and partnership expertise to provide advice to the NCWRC on nongame wildlife conservation issues and opportunities for the state’s most vulnerable wildlife populations. This input includes guidance on changes to the North Carolina protected species list, development of conservation plans for endangered, threatened and special concern species, as well as sharing of conservation actions among partners to achieve common goals. 

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 “Blue Ghost Firefly Tour” at the Cradle of Forestry in America.

This annual event offers a rare opportunity to witness the mesmerizing display of the elusive Blue Ghost Fireflies (Phausis reticulata) in their natural habitat. 

The open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials not only harms the environment and poses a public health risk, and it’s against state law.

While many chose to burn debris outdoors for disposal in spring, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is reminding North Carolinians: that if it doesn’t grow, don’t burn it. 

Haywood Christian Ministries has announced its fourth annual Farm Fresh 5K on to be run at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 18.

The Farm Fresh 5K is a chance to come together as a community and make a difference. Runners will support local farmers, putting food on the tables of families in need while strengthening the local economy. 

Knots can mean the difference between success and struggle in the great outdoors.

A hands-on class will dive into the essential knots every adventurer should know — whether securing gear, building a shelter or handling unexpected challenges in the wild. 

Mike Clampitt, the Swain County native and retired fire captain who represented portions of Western North Carolina in the General Assembly until his passing after a long illness on March 18, was laid to rest at the Lauada Cemetery in Bryson City on April 4, after a service at Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center. 

As spring approaches, Great Smoky Mountains National Park reminds visitors of group size limits during the popular wildflower season at Whiteoak Sink. Individuals and small groups of eight or fewer people may access the Whiteoak Sink area throughout the wildflower season from April 1 through May 3. 

Smoky Mountain High School baseball team held a special “Youth Night” Thursday night to give the kids a wonderful experience with the varsity players.

Little League and youth players enjoyed an on-field experience at the Smoky Mountain baseball field just prior to the game between the Smoky Mountain Mustangs and the Tuscola Mountaineers. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources is now accepting proposals statewide for projects that address stream restoration, water-based restoration and water management until June 30.

DWR is seeking proposals for projects through the current spring 2026 application cycle of the Water Resources Development Grant Program.  

Full-time residents of Haywood, Jackson and Buncombe counties can save money playing golf at Lake Junaluska Golf Course with a seasonal rate discount card.

With the purchase of a $50 discount card, residents can save $9 on 18-holes of golf with a cart, $4.50 on nine-holes of golf with a cart and $5 off each nine-hole round walking the course. The discount is good May 1 through Oct. 31. 

The National Park Service plans to burn approximately 180 acres in Wear Cove Gap (north of Metcalf Bottoms) and 243 acres in Lynn Hollow (near the Top of the World community) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Weather permitting, burn operations may begin as early as March 25 and may continue through March 31. These prescribed fires will help to safely reduce fuels, maintain resilient natural systems and protect communities along the park boundary. 

Haywood Community College will host the annual Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28. Each year, the event is held at a different location, and in 2026, HCC will welcome seven collegiate teams to campus for two days of competitive lumberjack events. This event is free and open to the public. 

Lake Junaluska is now offering a new summer swim voucher instead of its traditional Summer Activity Pass to improve swimmers’ experience and value. The new vouchers — similar to a punch pass — can be purchased in increments of 10 to 50 visits, with unused visits rolling over to the next year.

Single day passes can still be purchased for $10 each per person. 

Lake Junaluska and Wilderness Trail, a long-time adventure and backpacking ministry, have joined forces to launch a new satellite program at Lake Junaluska June 6–11.

Based in Troutdale, Virginia, with an office at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, Wilderness Trail has a 39-year history of leading backpacking trips for middle school and high school students in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in Virginia.

Applications are now being accepted through April 13 for the N.C. Agriculture Manufacturing and Processing Initiative, which was created to fund and promote the establishment of value-added agricultural manufacturing and food processing facilities in North Carolina. The program includes $4.3 million in available funding to support eligible projects. 

Haywood Community College’s Department of Arts, Sciences and Natural Resources and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will offer four opportunities for boater safety courses in spring and summer 2026. Classes will be offered April 1-2, May 13-14, June 3-4 and July 29-30 from 6-9 p.m. on the HCC campus in the Walnut building, room 3312. Participants must attend two consecutive evenings to receive their certification. 

Brian Byrd, Western Carolina University’s professor of environmental health sciences and resident “skeeter man,” was awarded the 2026 University of North Carolina System Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

Byrd has been with WCU since 2008 and has taught thousands of Catamounts over his tenure. His most recent courses include “Epidemiological Methods,” “Vector-borne Disease Control,” “First Year Seminar” and “Global Health.” 

The North Carolina Arboretum invites everyone to join in the reawakening of a new season with Spring Into the Arb. Now in its second year, this series of plant shows and sales, science and nature activities and music and art is a wonderful way to reemerge and reconnect with nature. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking individuals to join the elk rover volunteer team for the upcoming season. Elk rovers share information with visitors about safe viewing and help keep elk and visitors safe. Elk rovers will be stationed at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located near Cherokee. 

With North Carolina’s spring wildfire season arriving at a time when most of the state is experiencing moderate to severe drought, the N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to apply best practices and common sense with all outdoor fire, especially yard debris burns.

Escaped yard debris burns, largely due to carelessness, continue to be the leading cause of wildfires across the state, accounting for nearly half of all wildfires in North Carolina.

Haywood Community College will welcome multiple speakers, guests and partners to campus on Friday, March 20, for the WNC Environmental Summit.

The WNC Environmental Summit will provide educational opportunities for regional groups to come together, share ideas, encourage each other and take action to make a difference.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Energy Saver North Carolina program is now available in all 100 North Carolina counties, empowering eligible households to lower their energy bills. Residents can now check eligibility and apply for rebates to lower their electricity costs by making their homes more energy efficient. More than $200 million is available for home efficiency upgrades. 

The Environmental Action Community of WNC invites supporters and the public to its New Solar Financing for Organizations and Residents from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, at the First United Methodist Church gymnasium located at 566 S. Haywood St. in Waynesville.

Haywood Health Foundation announced its Annual Request For Proposals for Grants Pertaining to Unmet Healthcare Needs in Haywood County.

HHF’s grant program will provide grants to Haywood County non-profit organizations, government agencies and schools for healthcare initiatives, as well as educational and leadership programs related to improving healthcare in Haywood County. 

Regional Americana act Somebody’s Child will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City.

For more than a decade, Ashley Claxton and Cola Williamson have been filling the venues of Western North Carolina with their intrepid sounds. While minimalistic, these Smoky Mountain troubadours seamlessly blend both acoustic and electric melodies with renowned vocal harmonies.