RALEIGH — North Carolina’s 2013 Christmas tree crop promises to be one of the best in recent years, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “There was plenty of rain this year, which helped Christmas tree growers across the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler in a release. “Consumers can find locally grown Christmas trees at choose-and-cut farms, tree lots and farmers markets across the state.”

Growers traditionally start selling Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving, but because the holiday falls later this year, many growers are already open for the season.

“No matter where you live in the state, it won’t be hard to find a fresh North Carolina tree,” said Bill Glenn, a marketing specialist with the department. “Even most of the trees you find at retail and grocery stores were grown in the state.”

To make the search for the perfect tree easier, the department offers an online directory at www.ncfarmfresh.com. Visitors can search by location to find Christmas trees near their home or close to where they might travel over the holidays.

Choose-and-cut directories are also available at the four state-operated farmers markets in Asheville, Charlotte, Colfax and Raleigh, as well as all of the state

Article source: http://www.ncnn.com/edit-news/8829-growers-expect-joyus-christmas-tree-season If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

Feel like taking a holiday drive? How about checking out a place that’s been dubbed one of the happiest and prettiest places in the United States?

No, not Disneyland; Asheville, N.C. This small city (not all that much bigger than Lancaster) is called a great place for artists, hipsters, musicians, those looking to reinvent themselves, retirees, those who love the outdoors, those who love good music, and beer connoisseurs.

The outskirts have starred in movies like “The Hunger Games” and “Dirty Dancing.”

And it’s actually been attracting folks of all stripes since the frontier days of Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.

So what is it about this place?

That’s what I wanted to know, as I headed out for a couple of days from Charlotte, N.C., where I was visiting relatives.

In Charlotte, the highest elevations are a handful of skyscrapers.

Two hours later, the interstate starts climbing, and the man-made heights give way to natural highs — the Blue Ridge and Smoky mountains. It’s clearly a different stratosphere, and another world.

So, as they say, it’s location, location, location.

Asheville is tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, almost at the Tennessee border. It’s on a plateau, surrounded by both mountains and rivers.

It’s what happens

Article source: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/924509_Asheville--N-C---is-a-city-for-all-occasion.html If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

User Score

Article source: http://www.mountainx.com/article/54554/NC-novelists-fund-rocking-chairs-for-Thomas-Wolfe-Home If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

The museum will be filled with decorations and activities where learning comes into play in December. The center also is offering winter and holiday-themed programming focusing on science, literacy, math, health, music, art and cultural/religious festivals.

Admission to the gallery is $5 per person, and the museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Hands On! is closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The mission of Hands On! is to provide children and families with “hands on” educational experiences that stimulate the imagination and motivate learning in a fun, safe environment.

Special classes are offered in the facility all year long, and teachers can call Hands On! to learn about traveling programs available in schools. Call 828-697-8333 or visit www.handsonwnc.org.

The following special events are planned for December:

Dec. 3

10:30-11 a.m.: Mad Scientists Lab — Snow! For ages 3 and up. Join Dr. Bunson and Dr. Beaker in the Mad Scientist Lab as they make crazy concoctions.

Mad Scientists Lab will take place at 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday morning through Dec. 17.

Cost is $7 non-members or free for members. Space is limited. Please call to register.

On Dec. 10, create snow paint. On Dec. 17, winter animal tracks and exothermic

Article source: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20131128/articles/131119881 If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

NIGHTLIFE

620 STATE: Bristol, 620 State St. Nov. 29, 9:30 p.m., The Nomadz band. 423-652-0314.

ACOUSTIC COFFEEHOUSE: Johnson City, 415 W. Walnut St. Nov. 29, 8 p.m., Brandon Green and Goat Whiskey; Nov. 30, 8 p.m., The Rickshaw Roadshow and A Great Disaster. 423-434-9872.

BIGGIES: Kingsport, 417 Stone Dr. Nov. 29, 9 p.m., The Catfish Frye Band. 423-765-9633.

CAPONE’S: Johnson City, 227 E. Main St. Nov. 29, 9 p.m., Lovely Goodbye and Teeth Like Keys. www.caponesjohnsoncity.com or 423-928-2295.

COUNTRY CLUB BAR AND GRILL: Bristol, 3080 W. State St. Dec. 28, 8 p.m., Acoustifried. 423-844-0400.

DAMASCUS OLD MILL: Damascus, 215 W. Imboden St. Nov. 30, 8 p.m., James Meadows. 276-475-3745.

DOWN HOME: Johnson City, 300 W. Main St. Nov. 29, 8 p.m., Robinella, $16; Nov. 30, 8 p.m., Trey Hensley, $12; Dec. 2-3, 7 p.m., ETSU Bluegrass night, $10. www.downhome.com or 423-929-9822.

THE HANGAR GRILL: Wise, 6104 Airport Rd. Nov. 29, 9 p.m., The New Conspirators Band; Nov. 30, 9 p.m., Southern Breeze. 276-328-9699.

HIDEAWAY: Johnson City, 235 E. Main St. Nov. 30, 9 p.m., Deanimator, Manic Scum, Bacalou, Shadowed Grave and Graverat. 423-926-3896.

LOUIE’S: Glade Spring, 12295

Article source: http://www.tricities.com/things_to_do/article_f55e42dc-5782-11e3-a033-001a4bcf6878.html If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

during the holiday season. Here is a listing of many of the sights and sounds to be enjoyed:

Ongoing

Through Dec. 8

Asheville Community Theatre at 35 Walnut St. presents “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Shows are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $22 adults; $19 seniors and $12 children 17 and under. Info: 828-254-1320.

Through Dec. 24

Carolina Horse and Carriage will offer horse-drawn carriage rides in downtown Hendersonville, with pickup at Allen and Main streets from 6-10 p.m. Fridays, 1-4:30 p.m. and 5:30-10 p.m. Saturdays. Info: 803-209-1099.

Through Dec. 31

“Golden Age – The Coming of the Railroad” exhibit, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Henderson County Heritage Museum, 1 Historic Courthouse Square, Hendersonville. Free. Apple Valley Model Railroad Club’s replica of the Saluda Mountain Grade, the steepest mainline standard gauge railroad in the U.S. Info: 828-694-1619; www.hendersoncountymuseum.org.

Through Jan. 1

National Gingerbread House Competition entries will be on display from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave., Asheville. View more than 200 gingerbread masterpieces from all over the country. Info: 800-438-0050 ext. 8045.

Through Jan. 12

Biltmore Daytime Christmas Celebration from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at

Article source: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20131128/articles/131119883 If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

By JOSH AULT
6 News Reporter

GATLINBURG (WATE) – Even though most of the snow in the valley did not last long, that was not the case up in the Smokies.

National Park officials had to close several roads due to snow and ice.

The main areas that are still closed to the public are Newfound Gap Road, which connects Gatlinburg to Cherokee, North Carolina, and the road to Clingman’s Dome.

Many visitors were disappointed they were not going to be able to see all of the park.

“We were planning on going to Asheville to the Biltmore, and we wanted to take the scenic route up through Cherokee,” said park visitor Danielle Girod, “Now the roads closed, so we can not go anywhere.”

Even though those areas are closed, park officials allowed our camera past the barricades to see how dangerous the conditions had become.     

At first the roads did not look that bad, but in just a few miles the roads became snow covered and icy.

By the time we reached the Newfound Gap parking area, at the Tennessee/North Carolina line, snow was coming down hard and the wind was very gusty.

“With this event in

Article source: http://www.wate.com/story/24087186/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-crews-working-hard-to-reopen-roads If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com