Caldwell County Celebrates the things to do Bucket List explorecaldwell.com o o Attend, volunteer, or bring a friend to a local festival… Visit the History Room at the Lenoir branch of the library. o o NC Gravity Games, ASU/GOOGLE event Spring - Lenoir Visit a shut-in neighbor or local nursing facility – bring your smile! o o NC Butterfly Festival, First Sat in May – Hudson Attend a Foothills Performing Arts or CAST theater production. o o Art in the Park, Spring – Granite Falls Donate to “Locks for Love” at the Caldwell County Wig Bank. o o NC Blackberry Festival, Second Sat. in July – Lenoir Sleep in the dorms at Patterson School Foundation. Take a workshop, o Lenoir Rotary Christmas Festival - November visit the Western NC Sculpture Center on campus. o o Don’t Worry Be Hoppy Blues Festival - August Attend the 3rd Annual Farmers’ Table Pot Luck Supper – Nov. o o Festival in the Park – Multicultural – May Investigate the Tom Dooley/ Laura Foster Yadkin River saga. o o Hudson Art Festival - September Reminisce at the Caldwell Heritage Museum. Volunteer! o o Granite Falls Festival on Main - September Have “Coffee with the Curator” & meet the history museum director. o o Harambee Festival, August - Lenoir Train for and enter a 5-K to support a local cause, i.e. CIS Hibriten Hill o Sawmills Fall Festival – October Run, Women’s Shelter Glow Run, Soldier’s Run and more. o o Molasses Festival – Dudley Shoals Explore our area for National Register of Historic Places sites. i.e. Fort o Tattoo Festival, Labor Day Weekend- Lenoir Defiance, Chapel of Rest, Mariah’s Chapel, etc. o o Historic Happy Valley Fiddler’s Convention – Labor Day Weekend Attend the 25th Annual Bolick & Traditions Thanksgiving Kiln Opening. o o Smoking in the Foothills BBQ Festival, October - Lenoir See the new documentary on potter and storyteller “Glenn Bolick – o Dr. Seuss Birthday Parade on Mulberry St. “Oh the places you’ll go!” Sawmill Man” by ASU grad & NC native Rebecca Jones. o o Soar at the Annual Kite Flying Festival – Fort Defiance Buy a special piece of pottery, a unique painting or hand-crafted items o Embrace the Wilson Creek Festival of Colors – Oct. from the many local artisans in Caldwell County. o Cycle to Serve Lenoir Rotary Cycling Event – May o Shop Local First! Boost local economy at unique shops & big box stores. o o Visit the “Light up Lenoir” Christmas light motion show on the Square Embrace our musical heritage. Research & enjoy greats from Caldwell Co. o Experience sights and sounds of the Christmas Parades in i.e. Jim Avett, Eric Church, George Younce, Etta Baker, Mike Cross, Carl Story…. o Granite Falls, Hudson, Lenoir and Sawmills. Support local musicians like Strictly Clean & Decent, The Harris Brothers, o Tim Hall and Buffalo Country, Carolina Ray, Chad Triplett & many more… Buy season tickets to the J E Broyhill Civic Center – Attend all events! o o Take in a show or event at Hudson Uptown Building. Cheer on the Hickory Crawdad’s our Minor League Baseball Team o o Step outside and explore the walking/hiking trails. Support local school/community sports programs – attend a game. o caldwellpathways.com, hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah-national- Catch a fly ball! From Little League to American Legion to “future Major League hometown heroes” forest/grandfather-ranger-district/, explorecaldwell.com o o Challenge yourself to hike our section of the “Mountains to the Sea Trail” Support Lenoir Oilers Baseball 2016 Champions Walker Stadium o and experience our part of the Pisgah National Forest. Throw a “MAD BUM” Party - 3-time World Series Baseball Pitcher o o Venture off road to the Brown Mtn. Off-Hwy Trail System permit area. Don’t miss the “Friday’s After Five” Concerts on the Square in Lenoir o o Enjoy a unique Star and Cross lit atop Hibriten Mountain at the Christmas Watch Fabulous Family Films – Sat. nights June- Dec. in Lenoir o and Easter seasons from dusk to dawn. Peruse Downtown Cruise – Ins and special events in our 8 Municipalities o o Drive from Hwy 321N. cross country to Hwy 90 through Nelson Chapel, Explore a detailed street map of the county. FYI – There are some areas in the county without cell phone reception. Be prepared! Mulberry and Globe Mtn. communities. Hint - gas up before you leave o town. There are many beautiful drives in Caldwell County. Explore! Feed your inner artist at the 35th Annual Sculpture Celebration – Sept. o o Have you tasted locally distilled Apple Brandy, Strawberry Infusion, Search out local studios with Art Around Caldwell Gallery & Studio Tours. o Apple Pie Shine or locally crafted beers? Attend Memorial Day events and pay respects at the Soldiers Monument o on the Square in Lenoir, Granite Falls, Hudson and Sawmills. Taste local wines at Shadow Line, Six Waterpots, Twisted Vine wineries. o o Seek out the landscapes, flora and fauna that abound in our county. Start Enjoy local talent at the Caldwell Traditional Musicians Showcase. o with the arboretum style landscape at the Visitor Center. See a bird’s eye view of Caldwell County at Foothills Regional Airport. o o VOTE! It’s a privilege. It’s a responsibility. Soar like an eagle w/Thermal Valley’s Tandem Hang Gliding Flights! o o Get involved with a civic and/or service organization. Savor the tastes & enjoy “An Evening of Everything Blackberry” - July o o Plant in the community garden boxes available near your home. Attend the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony Nation Guard Armory. o o Sign up for a dance class, learn to zumba, clog, study yoga or even Wet a hook or take out the boat on Lake Hickory, Lake Rhodhiss, Gunpowder Cove, Castle Bridge and many other aquatic adventures. consider belly dancing lessons right here in Caldwell County. o o Visit www.blueridgeheritage.com/heritage/music/blue-ridge-music- Learn about local history at Hudson’s Railroad Depot Museum. o trails and enjoy local hot spots featured – Sim’s Country Cloggers, Front Hear the “talking trees,” hike or picnic at Tuttle State Educational Forest. o Porch Pickin’, Bluegrass and Biscuits Gang & more. Join the Chamber sponsored Leadership Caldwell Class, visit the 747 o Business Connection networking events - 3rd Friday of each month Support local musicians at the Tucker’s Barn Singer Songwriters series. o o Make an appointment go visit The Thankful Goat Farm and purchase goat Get involved with FUEL - Young Professionals Focus, Unite, Engage, Lead o soaps and lotions to sooth away the rough places. Enjoy a Caldwell Men’s Chorus or CCC&TI Student Chorus Concert. o o Attend a Chapel of Rest Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Service. Attend a dance recital at JE Broyhill Civic Center. o o Picnic and ride along the Caldwell Co. section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take a step back in time at the Wilson Creek Civil War Encampment. o Our northern boundary begins atop Calloway Peak on Grandfather Mtn. Swing to the styling sounds of The Starlighters Jazz Orchestra. o o Watch a sunrise or sunset at your favorite spot in the county. Trace Stoneman’s Raid and the Over Mountain Victory Trails. o o Explore the Yadkin Valley Heritage Corridor and see where it leads. This Get your very own Caldwell Co. Library Card and visit all three branches – Granite Falls, Hudson and Lenoir. Join a book club or see Movies w/Mike. major NC River Basin has it’s headwaters in Caldwell County. Caldwell County Celebrates the things to do Bucket List explorecaldwell.com o o Spend the afternoon at a local playground – Buffalo Cove, Baton, Visit all 7 Town Hall’s & show appreciation to the folks that work there. o Mulberry, Oak Hill, Redwood, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Cajah’s Mtn. & more Slip down the two-story slide or swim laps in an Olympic size swimming o Did you know the actual rock of the famous “Blowing Rock” is actually in pool at the Lenoir Aquatic Center. Swim Year Round! o Caldwell County? So is part of Grandfather Mountain and Brown Mtn. Enjoy the fall & spring fairs – at the Caldwell County Fairgrounds. o o Search for and investigate the “unexplained” Brown Mountain Lights. Did you know, the Lenoir Greenway is designated as a NC Birding Site? o o Bike the back roads or cruise the city streets of our townships, Tally various birds in the Great American Backyard Bird Count. o communities and 8 municipalities. Record the September Raptor Migration Hawk Count at the Wilkesboro o Tee-Off at one of 4 golf courses in Caldwell County. Blvd. branch of Skyline Bank – there is a special viewing shelter. o o Fish the wild trout waters of Harper’s Creek & Yadkin River. Walk/bike the miles of Caldwell County Pathways including a Hwy 321 o Catfish the deep waters of the Catawba and John’s Rivers. underpass to safely connect east to west foot/bike travel. o o Decompress in the hatchery supported waters of Wilson Creek. Hike to Granite Falls, Harper Creek, Phillip’s Branch, Yellow Buck, Grag o Paddle area waterways or try river snorkeling in pristine mtn. streams. Prong, Chestnut Mtn., Adam’s Knob, and the list goes on and on and on… o o Make a splash at the local pools – Granite, Hudson and Lenoir. Introduce yourself and discuss issues with local political leaders. Listen! o o Tube down the Yadkin, John’s and Wilson Creek. Get your picture taken with “Cooter the Prize Cow” at GoFoothills.com o o Invite someone to cruise the NC Scenic By-Way of Hwy 268 through Participate in Relay for Life at Hibriten High School.