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JULY 28-AUGUST 6, 2017 (Antiques market opens July 29)
VAHIGHLANDSFESTIVAL.ORG
STREAM DISCOVERYFriday, July 28•10 AM-NOON White’s Mill•FREEUpper Tennessee River Roundtable volunteers will show how to catch and identify invertebrates, the tiny creatures that live in healthy streams. This event is suitable for children, parents and teachers. The workshop will be at White’s Mill near Abingdon on Friday, July 28, with a rain date of August 4 at 10 am.
Register by Thursday, July 27, by calling 276-628-1600. White’s Mill, 12314 White’s Mill Road, Abingdon, VA 24210
CREEPER TRAIL RIDE with “The Legend”Saturday, July 29 • 8 AM-4 PM Virginia Creeper Trailhead•FREE
Ride with the Legend gives bikers a chance to experience the beauty of the Virginia Creeper Trail, guided by ‘The Legend’ Lawrence Dye, an 85-year-old Trail Ambassador who has logged more than 192,000 miles of biking on the region’s finest rails-to-trails landmark.
Sponsored by the Virginia Creeper Trail Club, the ride will begin at the Abingdon Trailhead at 8 am on July 29 and proceed through Damascus to Whitetop Station and back. The pace will be moderate with plenty of breaks, and mileage can be shortened by joining or leaving the group at different locations along the trail. Participants should bring their own bikes (or rent one in Abingdon or Damascus) as well as weather-appropriate clothing, water, food and a tire-repair kit.
Virginia Creeper Trailhead, 300 Green Spring Road, Abingdon, VA 24211
HIKE TO THE GREAT CHANNELS
TWO DATES AVAILABLE.
Saturday, July 29•9 AM-4 PM•FREE
Advanced registration required. Contact Claiborne Woodall at 276-676-5673 or email [email protected] by Tuesday, July 25. Limit 20 participants.
Thursday, August 3•9 AM-4 PM•FREE
Advanced registration required. Contact Zachary Olinger at 276-236-2322 or email [email protected] by Monday, July 31. Limit 20 participants.
The Great Channels is a unique geologic formation composed of a network of deep sandstone crevices at the top of Clinch Mountain. It is part of the Channels State Forest and Natural Area Preserve. On the hike, participants will also see high-elevation forest communities and learn about the geology and ecology of the area. Participants should be prepared for a moderately-strenuous 6-mile roundtrip hike. Hikers should wear
sturdy hiking boots and bring lunch, plenty of water, and possibly rain gear.
The group will meet at Hayters Gap Community Center, 7720 Hayters Gap Road, Saltville, VA 24370
Day in DamascusAUGUST 2
Damascus is called the Friendliest Town on the AT. The Appalachian Trail runs through it as does the Virginia Creeper Trail. There are bike shops in town geared to riders. Get to know what makes this small community unique. It is the gateway to Mt. Rogers National Recreational Area with miles of trails, horseback riding, and the tallest mountain in Virginia.
DAMASCUS HISTORY WALKWednesday, August 2•10-11:30 AM Damascus Town Park•FREE
A short walk through Damascus will be led by Bunny Medeiros, author of Friendliest Town on the Trail. How Damascus became a tourist destination will be highlighted, along with reflections on the town’s history.
Meet at the Red Caboose in Town Park as you enter town. (Corner of S. Beaver Dam and Laurel Ave.)
SNORKELING IN WHITETOP-LAUREL WITH BLUE RIDGE DISCOVERY CENTERWednesday, August 2•1-4 PM Damascus Town Park•$15/personJoin Blue Ridge Discovery Center and snorkel for native fish, aquatic insects and hellbenders on Whitetop-Laurel Creek. Wetsuits, snorkel masks, and changing tents are provided by BRDC, but you need to bring a swimsuit and towels. We will be snorkeling in 1-3 feet of water with no swimming necessary. Our creeks host an amazing diversity of colorful fish including sculpins, darters, dace, trout, suckers and more. Learn all about the underwater habitat and fish ecology. Ages 6 and up. Limited to 24 participants.
Register at vahighlandsfestival.org by Monday, July 31. Meet at Red Caboose in Damascus Town Park to carpool.
On your own ideas— Short Day Hike ideas, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Whitetop Mountain, horseback riding, and zipline.
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HOPS AT KELLY RIDGE FARMSMonday, July 31• 9-11 AM Kelly Ridge Farms•FREEKelly Ridge Farms has been growing hops since 2013 on a farm that has been worked by nine generations of Kellys since 1790. See how hops are grown and harvested to provide local breweries with locally-sourced ingredients.
Meet at Meadowview Town Square, Exit 24 of I-81 to carpool. 30558 Old Saltworks Road, Meadowview, VA 24361 http://www.kellyridgefarms.com/Kelly_Ridge_Farms www.Facebook.com/KellyRidgeFarms (865) 223-4400
AMERICAN CHESTNUT WALKTuesday, August 1 4 PM•FREE Veterans Memorial ParkDid you know Abingdon has a grove of American chestnut trees? Learn the history of the blight that drove chestnut trees to near extinction and of efforts to restore them. In Veterans Memorial Park, off Cummings Street,
volunteers have planted blight resistant trees bred by the American Chestnut Foundation. The tour begins at the small pavilion near the Abingdon Visitor Center and proceeds to the trees near the Bronze Ribbon Monument. Park at the Visitors’ Center.
The Foundation’s first research farm was established in nearby Meadowview, Virginia in 1989. Today, the Meadowview Research Farms have approximately 50,000 trees at various stages of breeding planted on more than 150 acres of land.
Abingdon Visitors’ Center, 335 Cummings Street, Abingdon, VA 24210 www.acf.org/va
HIKING THE AT: TALES OF THE TRAILWednesday, August 2•7-9 PM Executive Auditorium at Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center•FREE
Thru hikers share their experiences about walking the 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Ranging in age from their 20s to 80s, Peter Morgan, Ed Morgan, Laura Blankenship, Judith Foster, and Collins Chew will share pictures, talk informally, and answer questions. Chew wrote about the geology of the trail in Underfoot and walked it in segments. Peter Morgan hiked it in 2000 after graduation from college. Others who have connections to the trail are invited to share their experiences too.
Executive Auditorium at Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, One Partnership Circle, Abingdon, VA 24210
BIRDS OF PREY Thursday, August 3•10-11:30 AM Pleasant View United Methodist Church•FREE
A raptor education program and live demonstration will be presented by Wings to Soar, an acclaimed raptor education group from Trenton, Georgia. The group utilizes music, video, humor, and live hawks and owls to provide an
exciting educational and entertaining experience for the entire family. This event will be held at Pleasant View United Methodist Church on Lee Highway.
18416 Lee Highway, Bristol, VA, 24201, west of Abingdon. http://www.soarsouth.org
HIKE ON THE AT Friday, August 4•9 AM-1PM•FREEHike with Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club on a section of the AT, usually about 4 miles. Wear trail shoes or boots. Bring water, lunch, rain gear, hiking poles, and cameras.
Meet to carpool at Lowes, Exit 19 of I-81, Abingdon. Park at garden center end. For more information, email [email protected].
RAISING MUSSELS IN A FISH HATCHERYSaturday, August 5•10 AM-NOON Buller Fish Hatchery•FREERaising mussels to release back into local rivers is the main focus of the work at Virginia’s Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center at the Buller Fish Hatchery near Marion, VA. On this tour see how biologists produce stocks of rare and imperiled species of freshwater mussels to be released back to the wild. Some of the mussels’ host fish, like catfish, small-mouth bass and a darter, are also raised at the center. Mussels filter bacteria and algae to improve water quality.
Limit 20. Register at 276-783-2125 or [email protected]. Buller Fish Hatchery, 1724 Buller Hatchery Rd, Marion, Virginia 24354 The hatchery is about 35 minutes from Abingdon at Exit 39 Meet to carpool at Lowes, Exit 19 of I-81, Abingdon.
EDIBLE PLANTS WALKSunday, August 6•1-3 PM•FREE Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia
Can’t beat the weeds? Then eat the weeds. Join naturalist Carrie Sparks for an easy one-mile walk along the birding trail at the Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia where we will find over 30 common plants that can be used for food, tea or medicine. Several “wild” food items and
drinks will be prepared for you to sample. Bring a snack and drink and perhaps a camera.
Walk is limited to 15. To register, email Carrie Sparks at [email protected] or call 276-783-2125.
Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia, 1322 Rocky Hollow Road, Atkins , VA 24311
ABINGDON VINEYARD & WINERY TOURSunday, July 30•10 AM-2 PM Abingdon Winery•FREE Enjoy a tour of the Abingdon Vineyard and Winery. First walk about 1.5 miles through the vineyard and learn about some of the different grape varietals. Then tour the winery production facilities and sample wine in their tasting room (which opens at noon). Bring a picnic lunch and buy a glass or bottle of wine to go with it.
20530 Alvarado Road, Abingdon, VA 24210 http://www.abingdonwinery.com
STARGAZING WITH THE OWLS Sunday, July 30 9-11 PM Sugar Hollow Park FREEJoin other “night owls” for this unique experience. Assemble at the Frisbee Golf area of Sugar Hollow Park at 9 pm for a brief talk on owl biology, followed by
calling and hopefully observing resident owls in the park. That activity will be followed at 10 pm by a time of stargazing — identifying planets, stars, and other interesting objects in the night sky. Bristol Virginia Parks and Recreation Department is helping to host this event.
Sugar Hollow Park, 3600 Lee Hwy, Bristol, VA 24202
