Commemorate Independence Day with family and friends at fireworks celebrations across the state.
Hang out at Truist Stadium — the Dash’s home field — and see fireworks illuminate the night sky.
(336) 714-2287, wsdash.com.
Spend the day at Tweetsie Railroad’s Wild West theme park, and after the park closes, experience a fireworks show from the parking lot.
(800) 526-5740, tweetsie.com.
Enjoy live music, games, and activities, then sit back for a fireworks display at Lawson Creek Park.
(252) 639-2901, newbernnc.gov.
Discover more spots to watch fireworks across North Carolina at ourstate.com/fireworkspots.
Lorraine Cathey began wet felting — a medium that uses soap and warm water to tangle wool fibers together and create felt — after retiring in 1998. photograph by Tim Robison
Meet Lorraine Cathey at her Hendersonville studio. photograph by Tim Robison
Colorful waterfalls and mountainsides emerge in front of Hendersonville artist Lorraine Cathey as she uses barbed needles to move wool fibers into detailed scenes, then wet-felts the fibers to lock them together. Cathey’s studio, Lorraine Cathey Fiberworks, is one of 12 Hendersonville-area studios and galleries that the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is highlighting in July as part of what they call Blue Ridge Craft Trails Month. The program encompasses three “trails” that guide visitors through a number of artists’ studios located in downtown Hendersonville, Flat Rock, and the surrounding countryside. — Rylee Parsons
For more information about Blue Ridge Craft Trails Month in Henderson County, call (800) 828-4244 or visit blueridgecrafttrails.com.
Spend a long weekend at the largest gathering of Scottish families in the country at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain. More than 100 Scottish clans will be represented at this 65th annual event, which includes Highland dancing competitions, Border collie demonstrations, athletic events, Gaelic singing and music, traditional food, and many other festivities.
(828) 733-1333, gmhg.org.
It’s peach season! photograph by Charlotte & Johnny Autry
One of the highlights of long, hot July days is the arrival of peaches at farmers markets and roadside stands across the state. Michael Parker, associate professor of horticulture science and extension specialist at North Carolina State University, shared three reasons why our peaches and their growers are special.
Because there’s not a lot of genetic variability among peaches, what sets one fruit apart from another is maturity. Our growers pick peaches during the fruit’s window of peak maturity and “have peaches in customers’ hands the day after they’re picked,” Parker says.
Peaches are native to China, and “the peach family tree doesn’t branch a whole lot,” Parker says. Varieties that grow well in North Carolina, like the white-fleshed China Pearl and the large, very popular Winblo, are only about five steps removed from the Chinese Cling peach.
It’s usually frowned upon to take a bite out of a peach in the store, but a lot of local farmers will cut a slice for you to sample before you make a purchase. “They want to sell directly to the consumer so it doesn’t have to be run through a packhouse,” Parker says. “Growers in North Carolina sell peaches [with the intent] to deliver a high-quality product.” — Chloe Klingstedt
Find out how to use your fresh peaches in some of our favorite summertime recipes at ourstate.com/peaches.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
