Big Ridge Tree Farm

Choose and Cut Fraser Fir Tree Farm

Foscoe Rentals would like to invite you and your family for a weekend of memories and traditions. Stay 3 nights with Foscoe Rentals and receive a coupon for a free Christmas tree with our local Big Ridge Tree Farm. 

Experience the joys of walking through the beautiful North Carolina mountain tree patches, finding that one, special tree, and taking it home for the holidays!

For more information contact our office or visit 

http://www.bigridgetreefarm.com

The holiday season is quickly approaching and Foscoe Rentals will proudly be supporting the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. 

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Please drop off any new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages, at our office. Our toy drive begins this Friday, November 9 and will continue through December 21, 2012. 

Toys for Tots distributes new, unused toys to needy children in our community. Please support this cause by dropping by our office to make a difference in the life of a child this Christmas season.

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Guests reserving with Foscoe Rentals will receive a 10% discount on their stay with a new toy donation (discount not applicable on Thanksgiving stays).

* Woolly Worm Predicts Cold and Snowy Winter *

Last weekend, Banner Elk hosted the 35th Annual Woolly Worm Festival under beautiful Carolina blue skies. Large crowds came out to participate in the annual race, where the winner predicts our  weather for the upcoming winter months. 

The woolly worm, a black and brown, fuzzy moth caterpillar, has a body with 13 segments. This is the same number of weeks in our winter season. Harsh winters are associated with the black coloring on the worm, and brown represents a milder season.

This years fastest worm, Lickety-Split, predicted an above average winter for snow fall for the High Country! Below is the prediction for the 2012-2013 winter...

• Beginning December 22, winter will open with 4 weeks of cold, snowy weather
• Week 5, will offer light snow and cooler temperatures
• Weeks 6-11 will bring normal temperatures
• Week 12 will be unusual with an ice storm possible
• The final week of winter, 13, will be cold and snowy

~ Happy Haunting in the High Country ~

As October comes to a close, Halloween festivities are in full swing.

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 This upcoming weekend will be the final weekend to visit The Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad. The park opens at 7:30pm and admission is $28/person. 

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October 25, Appalachian State University will host the ASU Trick or Treating for Tots. Wear your costumes and come out for candy and treats in the East Campus Residence Halls.

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October 27, The Beary Scary Halloween at Grandfather Mountain will offer a variety of arts and crafts, trick or treating, nature programs, and a costume contest. Children in costume get half off admission to the park.

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Also, on October 27, Blowing Rock will host the Blowing Rock Halloween Fest. Beginning at 3pm and going through 9pm, the town will offer a variety of fun and games, a Monster March, bonfire and Moonlight Scavenger Hunt. 

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Homecoming in the High Country

Appalachian State University begins it's homecoming celebration Friday, October 5 and continues throughout the weekend. Alumni are invited to celebrate "The Big APPle  at 3,333 feet." Guests are welcomed to enjoy guest speakers, the Running of The Knob, a pep rally, The Homecoming Alumni Dance, a parade, tailgating and kickoff against Elon at 3:30pm! Come out and support the Mountaineers!! 

For more information visit :

www.homecoming.appstate.edu

Lees-McRae College will also celebrate homecoming Saturday, October 6 with a parade beginning at 11am on Main Street, Banner Elk. The festivities include class reunions, NCAA Soccer and Volleyball, Athletic Hall of Fame inductions, and the Performing Arts performance of Legally Blonde, the musical. 

For information regarding the Bobcats Homecoming visit :

go.lmc.edu/homecomingschedule

Fall Fun in the High Country

Fall temperatures have set in, and the changing of the leaves is right around the corner. The High Country kicks off our "leaf-looker" events with many fun and exciting activities that will entertain your friends and family. 

The New River Corn Maze, located just outside of Boone, at the Brown Family Farm, offers a maze of twists, turns and switchbacks throughout a 5 acre corn field. While you're there, you can visit the Pumpkin Patch, and hand select your own pumpkin for the Halloween season!

http://www.newrivercornmaze.com/

The Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad opens this Saturday, September 28, with the spooky Ghost train ride, Haunted House, Freaky Forest, and Halloween shows.  The gates open at 7:30pm and the park closes at 11:30pm. Be sure to dress warmly, the train ride can be quite chilly! For ticket information visit 

http://www.tweetsie.com/

The Autumn Oz Party will be held October 6-7, 2012 at the Land of Oz on Beech Mountain. Walk down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion, Witches and The Wizard! Visit Auntie Em's Farm and enjoy food, music, hayrides and more! 

http://www.autumnatoz.com/

The 35th Annual Woolly Worm Festival takes place October 20-21, 2012. The event co-hosted by the Avery Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Organization welcomes over 23,000 guests to the beautiful North Carolina mountains where we search to find the prestigious winner to predict our weather for the High Country, as well as a $1000 prize! Registration for the worm races begin at 9am with races beginning shortly after. Come out and enjoy food, crafts and local entertainment!

http://www.woollyworm.com/

October 20th, also hosts the 34th Annual Valle Country Fair. The fair is an overgrown church bazaar set in the beautiful NC mountains at the peak of  the fall colors. All monies raised go to support local High Country  organizations for families in need. The Fair offers over 150 craft booths and artist, fresh pressed apple cider, hot-out-of-the kettle apple butter, and lots of great food and entertainment.

http://vallecountryfair.org/

Appalachian State Football 2012

Date Opponent Location Time (ET) Results Media   Sat, Sep 01  East Carolina at Greenville, N.C.   Noon 13 - 35 (L)  STATS Fox Sports Net     Sat, Sep 08  MONTANA (Hall of Fame Day) BOONE, N.C.   6:30 p.m. ESPN GamePlan/ESPN3    Sat, Sep 15  THE CITADEL (Pee Wee Day) * BOONE, N.C.   3:30 p.m.   Sat, Sep 22  Chattanooga * at Chattanooga, Tenn.   6 p.m.   Sat, Sep 29  COASTAL CAROLINA (Family Weekend) BOONE, N.C.   3:30 p.m.   Sat, Oct 06  ELON (Homecoming) * BOONE, N.C.   3:30 p.m.   Sat, Oct 13  Samford * at Birmingham, Ala.   3 p.m. (2 p.m. CT)   Sat, Oct 20  WOFFORD (Education Day) * BOONE, N.C.   3:30 p.m.   Sat, Oct 27  Western Carolina * at Cullowhee, N.C.   3:30 p.m.   Sat, Nov 03  Georgia Southern * at Statesboro, Ga.   2 p.m.   Sat, Nov 10  FURMAN (Black Saturday) * BOONE, N.C.   3:30 p.m.

Fishing in the High Country

Looking for something fun and relaxing to do while visiting the High Country? Try getting closer to nature by fishing our area streams and rivers. Our area offers professional guide services which provide full day float trips, walks in the wilderness, fly fishing schools and overnight trips. Enjoy the waters of the Watauga and South Holston Rivers while searching for our large mouth bass and bluegills, along with a variety of trout which inhabit our cold water streams.

Not interested in roughing it, visit the stocked trout ponds at Grandfather Trout Farm. No license is needed and you only pay for what you catch! Rods, reels, and bait are provided in this family friendly environment.

http://www.flyfishingnc.com

http://www.ecoflyfishing.com

http://www.foscoefishing.com

http://www.grandfathertroutfarm.com

http://www.rivergirlfishing.com

57th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games will begin this upcoming Thursday, July 12, 2012, with opening ceremonies beginning at MacRae Meadows at 4:30 pm. The evening will offer traditional Celtic music, a picnic, sheep herding, and the Torchlight Ceremony to announce the participating clans. The day will also host The Bear, the five mile foot race from Linville to the summit of Grandfather Mountain.

Friday morning will begin with The Grizzly Bike Race  beginning at 7:30 am and MacRae Meadows opening at 9:00 am to begin a full day of music, dancing and athletic competitions. The evening will host the Celtic Music Jam Concert, beginning at 7:00 pm and going into the night until 11:00 pm. This concert traces the evolution of Celtic music from the ancient to the contemporary. The Scottish Country Dance Gala will also be hosted at Lees McRae College Gymnasium from 8:00 pm until midnight. Tickets will be sold at the door.

The Mountain Marathon will begin the events on Saturday at 7:00 am with gates to the meadows opening at 7:30 am. The day will continue with competitions in dancing, piping, fiddling, athletics, and Scottish harp. The children's tent will offer activities for the younger guests, traditional Scottish foods will be offered, and Clans will offer information about genealogy and history. 7:00 pm the fields will host the Celtic Rock Concert with adult tickets for $15, children's tickets for $5.

Sunday, July 15, the meadows will open at 8:00 am. The Scottish Worship Service begins at 9:00 with the Kirkin' of the Tartans. This day will conclude the competitions, with closing ceremonies at 4:00 pm. 

For more information about the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games please visit http://www.gmhg.org/