As the celebration gets closer, some of the questions lingering out there is, “What is there to do here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.?”

I’ve gathered a few events that may interest you this coming 4th of July..

Maggie Valley, NC   “Red, White and Boom in Maggie Valley“Maggie Valley will play host to its fourth annual fireworks festival, “Red, White & Boom!” from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. The event, hosted by The Town of Maggie Valley and the MV Chamber, is free, and includes an afternoon festival and a dazzling fireworks display launched over the festival grounds.

In addition to the fireworks, visitors will enjoy an afternoon full of live entertainment, crafts, kids’ inflatables, games, souvenirs & food. Scheduled performers include entertainers from Hoss Howard of Cherokee, which will take the stage around 7 p.m. The Hominy Valley Boys open at 5:15 p.m.

For more information contact the Maggie Valley Chamber 828.926.1686 or CLICK HERE to visit their website

Maggie Valley, NC   @ the Maggie Valley Club

3-4pm  Pool Games

4-7pm  BBQ, Music, Bocce & more!

$13 for Maggie Valley Club members; $14 for non-members; $7 for kids

for more info, contact the Maggie Valley Club (828) 926-1616

Maggie Valley, NC   Jude’s Coffee & Cremery

7-9pm  Ice Cream & Karaoke

Call (828) 944-0220

Lake Junaluska, NC

• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Annual craft fair in Nanci Weldon Gym

• 11 a.m. — Independence Day Parade at Lambuth Inn

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Kid’s Area at Nanci Weldon Gym

• Noon — Barbecue lunch at Nanci Weldon Gym

• 7:30 p.m. — Junaluska Singers in Stuart Auditorium

• Dusk — fireworks display

Waynesville, NC “Stars and Stripes in Waynesville”The 19th Annual Stars and Stripes Celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 4, in downtown Waynesville. The event features sidewalk sales, live street entertainment, refreshments and family fun.

As part of the event, SARGE’s Animal Rescue will hold a pet adoption day on the courthouse lawn during the event. In addition, International Fare will dish out Mediterranean Food during the event.

Other entertainment is as follows:

• 11 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. — Fiddling Dills sisters and friends, near Gatekeepers

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Madison Horns, mini park at corner of Main and Depot Streets

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Karin Lyle and Friends, fiddle and dulcimer, Miller Street park area

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.— Poetry People with Michael and Scott, roving the streets of Waynesville.

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — The Hominy Valley Boys, parking lot between UBC and LN Davis

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Steve Whiddon, “Pianoman” at the Strand

• 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. — Uncle Sam, roving

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Grey Wolf Band near SunTrust Bank

• 1:30 p.m. — Haywood Community Band, courthouse lawn

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. —The Cruz’s, Miller street park

Please note: Main Street will not be closed, but the top of Miller Street will be closed due to pedestrian safety.

For more information contact 828.456.3517.

Cullowhee, NC (Western Carolina University) “Two patriotic shows at WCU”

Musical theatre students and faculty from Western Carolina University’s College of Fine and Performing Arts will perform a star-spangled variety show at two locations in Western North Carolina in advance of a Fourth of July concert at the Roanoke Island Festival Park.

The troupe, known as the WCU Catamount Starz, will perform at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, on the lawn of A.K. Hinds University Center on the WCU campus and at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Cashiers United Methodist Church. Both performances are free of charge.

The program, “What a Country: A Celebration of America,” features a selection of rock ‘n’ roll, pop, Broadway, patriotic and light classical song

and dance.

Cullowhee, NC  “Regional Art and Craft Show”

The 20th Annual “Summertime” Mountain Artisans Fine Art and Craft Shows will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5, at the Ramsey Center on the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. The show will feature over 100 original artists and crafters. For more information, call 828.524.3405 or CLICK HERE to visit their website.

Franklin, NC   “Fireworks and Fun in Franklin”

The 4th of July Fireworks & Fun Day, sponsored by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, will be held beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 4, at the Macon County Veterans Memorial Recreation Park just south of Franklin off U.S. 441. The celebration will conclude at dark with the largest fireworks display in the area.

There’s plenty of food and entertainment to be had by all. The fun gets underway at 9 a.m. with the annual 4th of July Horseshoe Tournament, located behind the Macon County Community Building. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Cost is $25 per team or $12.50 per individual.

Kids are sure to enjoy the Fun Land inflatable play area, featuring Euro-bungee, ladder golf, a 1/10 scale NASCAR remote-control race track and the infamous “Plunger Toss”. The “play all day” fun land bracelets are $15, individual tickets are $1.

There’s also an all-day music and entertainment lineup. Here’s the schedule:

• 1 p.m. — Frog Town 4

• 2 p.m. — Rye Holler Boys

• 3 p.m. — Dave Stewart

• 3:30 p.m. — Brian Sanders

• 4 p.m. — Touch of Class Band

• 4:45 p.m. — Eric Haggart

• 5:15 p.m. — C-Squarse

• 6 p.m. — Children’s Choir

• 7 p.m. — Sundown

• 8 p.m. — Raffle/Awards/Announcements/ Bulls Eye Bingo

• 8:15 p.m. — Presentation of Colors and Salute to Armed Forces

• 8:30 p.m. —Loose Cannons (Army Ground Forces Rock Band, Ft. McPherson, GA)

• 9:30 p.m. — Fireworks

Bryson City, NC   “Bryson City Freedom Fest”

The Bryson City July 4th Freedom Fest celebration kicks off at 9 a.m. with the Firecracker 5K race that takes runners on a scenic route up Deep Creek Road. Race begins at Riverfront Park.

An entertainment stage, food and craft vendors will set up on Main Street, Town Square and Everett Street, which will be closed to traffic from the town square to Mitchell Street. Specialty foods include BBQ, hot dogs, hamburgers, shaved ice, funnel cakes and other desserts, candy apples, and kettle corn. At 1 p.m., compete in a Watermelon Eating Contest.

Dress up your pet for the “Strut Your Mutt” Pet Contest at 10:30 am at Riverfront Park, sponsored by PAWS. Categories include “Best Tail Wag” and “Looks Most Like Owner.”

Music is a main attraction from 10:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. The festival will top off with a fireworks show, launched from the top of airport hill.

The entertainment schedule is as follows:

• 10 a.m. — VFW Post 9281

• 10:30 a.m. — Grampas Music

• 11:30 a.m. — The Rye Holler Boys

• 1 p.m. — Watermelon Eating Contest

• 2 p.m. — Karaoke Block

• 3 p.m. —The Freight Hoppers

• 4 p.m. — The Elderly Brothers

• 5:30 p.m. — Blues Brothers, Neil Diamond, and Elvis Show

• 7:00 p.m. — Big House Radio

• 9:45 p.m. — The Star Spangled Banner

• 10 p.m. — Fireworks

For more information, contact the Swain County Chamber of Commerce at 828.488.3681.

Cashiers, NC “Cashiers Mountain Music Festival”

The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the inaugural production of The Cashiers Mountain Music Festival benefiting the Cashiers Preservation Foundation, beginning at 11 a.m. and running until the start of the town’s annual fireworks display at dusk on Saturday, July 4, at the Village Green in the heart of Cashiers.

This all-day live music concert is loaded with bluegrass and mountain music and will feature such nationally recognized acts as The Isaacs, Lizzie Long & Friends, Sierra Hull and the High Windy Band; as well as regional acts including Rye Holler Boys, The Hims, Tucker’s Town, Mountain Faith and the Sweet Tater Band.

There will be plenty of concessions, so bring your chairs or blankets and enjoy the music in this beautiful mountain setting. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 ages 6 to 12 and children under 6 are free. No coolers, pets or firearms. Please call the Chamber at 828743.5191 or CLICK HERE for more information.

Many of the event information was gathered by Smoky Mountain News. CLICK HERE to visit their site.

Posted via web from realtyworldheritagerealty’s posterous

We have had some great Spring weather since a snow storm brought it about 6 inches several weeks ago. We have been in the upper 70′s to mid 80′s the last week or so. This past weekend was the first of several Harley Rally’s in the Valley and I will have to say it was the most people I have seen in the Valley in 2 years! It was great to see so many come out to enjoy the event and the great weather that we have been enjoying. I also noticed a Clogging Show at the Stomping Ground which brought more people to town.  It was nice to see some of the marquees in town thanking folks for traveling. Our economy really depends on it and it is must appreciated to all those that came to our area and bought gas, groceries, stayed at a motel for a few nights, ate out, and visited some of the many attractions. 

It also helps our business as new people come to town and see what a wonderful place Haywood County is and they want to come back either to purchase a vacation home or a permanent residence. If you were here and you liked what you saw, come on back!

Thanks for Travelling!

Josh Boatwright • JBoatwright@CITIZEN-TIMES.com • published March 17, 2009 12:15 am

A Maggie Valley Icon, Popcorn Sutton passed away at his home in TN yesterday. See the story below. He will be missed in these parts.

PARROTTSVILLE, Tenn. – Haywood County moonshine legend Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton was found dead Monday in his eastern Tennessee home, friends and family said.

Sutton, 62, spent much of his life making moonshine, a craft that brought him fame and a string of criminal convictions dating to the 1970s.

He was facing 18 months in federal prison on moonshining and weapons charges and had told a judge at his sentencing he was in poor health and would rather die at home than in jail.

Pam Sutton declined to discuss the circumstances of her husband’s death, saying it was under investigation by the Cocke County. Tenn., Sheriff’s Office.

The detective handling the case could not be reached Monday night.

“He was a good man, he really was,” Pam Sutton said.

Federal authorities arrested Sutton a year ago on charges of running a moonshine operation that produced hundreds of gallons of liquor.

A judge in January sentenced him to 18 months in prison, rejecting arguments that Sutton had learned his lesson and was too ill to serve time.

“I’d like to die at home instead of in a penitentiary,” Sutton said in court at the sentencing.

Nearly 1,500 people had signed petitions asking for leniency in his sentence.

Born near Maggie Valley, N.C., Sutton was revered by some for preserving a dying piece of mountain history.

His reputation grew beyond the mountains through a book and film he produced about his craft and Internet and cable TV documentaries in which he demonstrated how to make his famous liquor.

Sutton evoked curiosity from people around the world, drawing tourists to places like the Misty Mountain Ranch Bed and Breakfast in Maggie Valley, which has a suite dedicated to the moonshiner.

“He made a very big impact on the whole world because people have called me from all different countries, all over the U.S., asking for his books and tapes and anything you could tell him about Popcorn,” said Misty Mountain co-owner Karen Hession.

Hession and her husband had been friends of Sutton for more than 10 years.

Hession said he captured the spirit of the mountains, but there was also a gentle side to the man that those close to him knew well.

“He was a very kind, thoughtful person,” she said. “I wish everybody knew him like we did

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPuWX7d7yEw

Hello All! We woke up to another snow fall today. It is the 4th snowfall we have had this fall! I have had a theory that we were to have a good (or bad depending on how you look at it) winter. Our drought situation has continued so my theory has been that we would have lots of snow which will assist us with the drought situation.  I hope that I am right and with 4 snowfalls in the months of October and November I like the odds.

Today’s snowfall did cause some issues including several tractor trailers jack knifing and of course many school closings.  WIth school closed my kids were out in the yard first thing this am. We did not get a huge snowfall, but enough to get the sled going down the hill.  If the theory holds true we will be doing a lot of sledding this winter! Come on up and join in the fun!

Here is a short video of the snow!

I have been wanting to post a tribute to a fallen NC State Trooper who was needlessly shot down while on patrol last week. You can find out more accurate details at other sites, but bottom line he pulled a man over just near the Canton NC exit on I-40. There was a scuffle and 24 year old Trooper Blanton was shot 2 times and later died of his injuries.

Trooper Blanton was buried last Saturday and the funeral was held at Lake Junaluska. The funeral procession drove through Maggie Valley bringing Trooper Blanton to his resting place in Whittier. Hundreds of people lined HWY 19 from the lake through Maggie Valley and into Cherokee to pay final respects. It was one of the most incredible things we have ever seen in our lives. Police from all over. We should have counted cars, but I would say there was at least 200 police cars in the procession! I will post some pictures when we get them, but WOW!A great tribute to fallen hero!

We send our best to the family especially Trooper Blantons wife. At the time he was fighting for his life in the hospital, his 2 week old premature son was fighting for his life in the same hospital. We got word yesterday that the child was placed on  life support and was in critical condition. We hope and pray that this child has the strength to pull through. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Please click on the link for a short video tribute to Trooper David Shawn Blanton g540

Realty World Heritage Realty is proud to announce that we have taken our marketing efforts to another level. Understanding that our unique market is down due to the economy, inflation, and most importantly the fact that our main buyer pool, Floridians are suffering their worst real estate market in decades. During 2004 to 2006 when real estate was booming across the country and especially the mountains of Western North Carolina we would estimate that over 90% of our buyers were from Florida. We are still seeing Florida buyers, but obviously in reduced numbers.

So, as we continue our traditional marketing methods including local print advertising, internet blasts, open houses, direct mail, etc. We have also reached “over the pond”. During the month of May we are running an ad in a British magazine called “A Place in the Sun”. We had the opportunity to meet some folks from the magazine out in Las Vegas last November at the National Association of Realtors Convention and were very impressed with their publication. 

Recognizing that the US dollar is continuing to plummet against overseas currency it is a great time to buy for overseas investors. This is happening in bigger markets in the US especially in Florida. It is our goal to tap into the UK and European market of investors and inform them about Maggie Valley, Waynesville, and all of Western North Carolina.  With our temperate climate, four seasons, and abundance of activities it is just a matter of getting the word out to overseas investors. We believe once they get here they will be “sold” like so many other visitors. 

“A Place in the Sun” calls themselves “The UK’s Best-Selling Overseas Property Magazine” and they have a very good distribution base.  The magazine features properties and destinations to buy real estate all over the world. At this time we are trying to convince the editor that a feature on our area would be very helpful to its readers. If you want to email him and let him know how beautiful an area it is please email Richard Way: richard.way@brooklandsgroup.com . We would love for him to feature our area and your comments may assist in convincing him that a feature is warranted.

Results? Well it may be to early to tell and like any print ad there is no way of telling how many people actually viewed the ad. Or is there? With the power of the internet, our website, and google analytics we can track how many people are coming to our site, how many pages they visit, and how long they stay on the site. Incredibly, we can also track what countries and cities within the countries the users are coming from. Since the add has come out our hits from the UK have increased 45-50% in the first two weeks of the release. This does not tell us how many viewed the ad, but with the increase it does tell us that some readers saw the ad, clicked on our site, and searched for a while. With a shelf life of 6 weeks we are eager to see how many more “hits” we get from the UK and beyond.

As Realty World Heritage explores other marketing avenues and continues to think “outside the box”,we are excited to see if we can attract buyers outside of our traditional areas. The word “globalization” has been a buzz word for the last few years and I believe that we will see more overseas investments outside of the traditional markets and within lesser known areas. The power of information exchange and the internet strikes again. We would love to hear your comments!

The Haywood County Sales and Use tax passed by a margin of 57% to 43% with 100% of precincts reporting. The funds from the 1/4 cent sales tax increase will be directed to Haywood Community College for much needed capital improvements. The passage of the measure demonstrates the citizens of Haywood County North Carolina commitment to higher education and our very own community college.

Prices continue to decline in Haywood County which again is good news for buyers wanting to buy in the mountains. Below are some comparative statistics for January 1, 2007 through April 30, 2007 and the same period this year. These statistics are for residential sales including condos and townhomes.

1/1/07-4/30/07

Quick update on our Spring weather. The trees and flowers are starting to bloom and it has been SNOWING all day. From light to moderate flurries the white stuff has been around since yesterday! As I type there is a light dusting on cars and rooftops, but no accumulation (at least at 3500 feet that is). We should be warming on Tuesday and more season temperatures the rest of the week. As the old saying goes; “If you do not like the weather in Haywood County, wait 5 minutes and it will change” Happy Spring!

Thomas & Christine Mallette, Owners/Brokers of Realty World Heritage Realty had the distinct pleasure of serving as judges for the 2008 Melange of the Mountains event held at the Balsam Mountain Inn on Thursday March 26.

Thomas was a judge for the salad, seafood, and dessert portion and Christine used her vast tasting skills for the soup, meat, and dessert dishes. It may have been the best jobs Thomas or Christine have ever had!

The event is four years old and was started to give more exposure to Haywood and Jackson County eateries. The following eateries participated in the event this year: Coffee Zone, The Sweet Onion, Maggie Valley Club, Nico’s Cafe, Balsam Mountian Inn, The Gateway Club, Sycamores on the Creek, Waynesville County Club, and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

And the winners are…..

Best Salad: 1st Place: Nico’s Cafe 2nd Place: Maggie Valley Club 3rd Place: The Sweet Onion

Best Soup: 1 st Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 2nd Place: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino 3rd Place: The Gateway Club

Best Seafood: 1st Place: Maggie Valley Club 2nd Place: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino 3rd Place: Balsam Mountain Inn

Best Meat: 1st Place: Nico’s Cafe 2nd Place: The Gateway Club 3rd Place: The Sweet Onion

Best Fowl: 1st Place: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino 2nd Place: Maggie Valley Club 3rd Place: The Sweet Onion

Best Vegetarian: 1st Place: The Sweet Onion 2nd Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 3rd Place: The Gateway Club

Best Dessert: 1st Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 2nd Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 3rd Place: Nico’s Cafe

If you did not attend be sure to make it to the event next year. The event is open to the public and it is incredible!