From basket weaving to puppet shows, local children discovered the artistry of mountain traditions during Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Week craft demonstrations. Around 150 elementary and middle school students from Jackson County tried their hands at traditional mountain crafts and skills during the field day on Sept. 23 through demonstrations from local craftsman’s aided […]
WCU invites you to campus for annual fall tradition
September 19, 2025 by
Western Carolina University will host a series of events celebrating students’ families for its annual Family Weekend starting on Sept. 19. The highlight of the weekend is the home game against Samford on Saturday. The kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. The doors to the field will open 90 minutes before the game. Fans can get […]
Seed journeyed through space before landing as sapling at WCU
September 10, 2025 by
Version of the story was published in The Sylva Herald, Sept. 10 edition. Western Carolina students might walk past the small sweetgum sapling near the front of campus without any idea how unique it is. This small tree’s seed has left the planet and orbited around the moon. The Moon Tree, donated to the school […]
Mountain Heritage Day expands into days of celebration
September 7, 2025 by
Last September, Mountain Heritage Day was gearing up for the big 50th anniversary celebration, aiming to be one of the biggest festivals yet. However, just days before the planned events, WCU canceled the event due to Hurricane Helene’s arrival. This year, Mountain Heritage Day is back and bigger than ever with a week full of […]
Apple Festival boosts tourism in Hendersonville
September 6, 2025 by
The smell of cider filled the air as crowds brought life to Main Street in Hendersonville during the 79th North Carolina Apple Festival this Labor Day weekend. The four-day festival shut down Main Street as vendors filled the street with tents and booths to sell their goods. Apple farms throughout Western North Carolina sold fresh […]
Local election season kicks off with candidate forum
August 29, 2025 by
A version of this story originally published in The Sylva Herald, Aug. 27 edition.Story produced with Halle Stanley Indivisible Common Ground-WNC hosted a forum for candidates in the upcoming local elections to introduce themselves and answer common questions. Brooklyn Brownie, Joseph Waldrum, Dwight McMahan, Taylor Armstrong, Samuel McGuire and Calvin Autrey are running for town […]
