Greta's Stories

Teleseminar Discusses Rail Grant Opportunities in Small Towns

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:14:00 +0000

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – For people living in small towns, the train sounds of “chug,” “clang,” and “choo-choo” are pretty common. But in some, community leaders hoping to add a new ring – “cha-ching.”
In North Carolina, some towns are rebuilding depots for new passenger rail service. Others are sharing their heritage with tourists through rail museums. Town leaders are hoping to see an increase in their bottom lines.
So, who is paying for the new rail ventures? What are some of the challenges along the way? What is the expected payoff for communities to venture into the world of the railroad? Where do you start? How can your town climb aboard? What are some advantages? Disadvantages? Are there trends? What type of time commitment is required from city officials to bring rail into their mix of local services? What are some of the grants available and how do you get them?
These are some questions that will be discussed during a teleseminar on Monday, August 31, from 10 to 11 a.m. It is being sponsored by www.SmallWander.com, a Website designed to promote small towns as tourist destinations. Anyone interested in participating can call a toll free number, listen and ask questions of the panelists.
City managers, members of city councils, chambers of commerce leaders and community economic development officials are encouraged to participate in the session.
Representatives from Conover (pop. 8,000), Oakboro (pop. 2,000) and Hillsborough (6,000) will share their experience on identifying opportunities, landing grants and dealing with challenges. Guest speakers will be Lee Moritz, member of the Conover City Council, Donald Duncan, Conover Town Manager, Bob Barbee, chairman of the Oakboro Regional Historical Museum, Larry Branch, Oakboro town administrator, Elizabeth Read, Executive Director for The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, and Greta Lint, tourism consultant and writer specializing in small town promotion. John Delconte, owner of Smallwander.com, will be the moderator.
The track running through Oakboro has been upgraded to allow faster trains. The new speed limit could signal passenger traffic, according to town officials. And if that happens, the new depot – which currently is the Oakboro Train Museum - could be a stop along the route from Oakboro to Charlotte.
In 2010, construction is slated to begin on a new passenger depot in Conover. The project is being funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Plans are to add passenger rail service to western North Carolina through Salisbury, Statesville, Morganton, Valdese, Marion, Old Fort and Asheville.
Four passenger trains run through Hillsborough daily. A mid-day run with two more trains will be added in the next month or so. However, the town is not a train stop.
Smallwander.com teleseminars are designed to help retailers, promoters, leaders and small businesses in small towns increase their income.
To register, call John Delconte at 919-241-5001 or email him at john@smallwander.com.

Eddie Miles to Perform July 2 at Southeast Old Threshers Reunion

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:33:00 +0000

DENTON, N.C.—Singer and entertainer Eddie Miles, considered one of the nation’s best Elvis-tribute performers, will be one of the headliners at this year’s Southeast Old Threshers Reunion when he performs two shows on July 2 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. The Reunion will be held June 30-July 4 at the Denton FarmPark in Denton, N.C.

With Miles performing in costume, the shows will pay tribute to Elvis and his music and feature many of the late singer’s greatest hits. Shortly after the date was posted on Miles’ Website, the phone started ringing at the FarmPark with jubilant callers asking, “Is it true Eddie Miles will be there?” “Can we really see two shows for the price of one?”

“I’ve traveled far and wide, and Eddie is the closest to sound and looks of Elvis as you’ll find,” said the late Charlie Hodge, Elvis’ lifelong friend and band member.

Miles is no stranger to the stage. He has performed his show, “Eddie Miles: A Salute to Elvis & Country Legends,” since 1990, when he first took his show on the road. During the early 90s, Miles was a regular at Pigeon Forge, T.N., and later, a regular at Myrtle Beach, S.C. Today, traveling throughout the Southeast, he performs more than 100 shows yearly.

Miles began doing his tribute show part-time, but it quickly grew into a sensation when audiences began to recognize his talent.

“It was a dream of mine since I was a young boy to pursue an entertainment career because I’ve always loved music,” said Miles, a native of Bardstown, Ky. “I chased those dreams, and it seemed like the Elvis songs always got the most reaction, so the show just grew out of that,” said Miles, describing his start.

During his usual two-hour show, Miles begins with tributes to the great country legends such as Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and George Jones. His Elvis tribute is typically performed during the second hour of the show.

Because of time restraints at the Denton performances, Miles will perform only the Elvis-tribute section during his two shows. According to Miles, each show is different since he takes audience requests and gears his show around the songs the audience wants. His repertoire includes more than 200 Elvis songs.
Miles was invited to Memphis to perform his Elvis tribute during the 25th anniversary of Elvis’ death. He performed at the sold-out house with all the great acts that had appeared with Elvis during the singer’s long career.
“We’ve seen a lot of Elvis tribute shows, and Eddie’s is certainly one of the classiest ever,” said Gordon Stoker, a member of the legendary Jordanaires, one of the premier backup-vocal groups ever and a mainstay in Elvis’ recording career.

Admission to the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion is $13 for adults, $6 for children under 12 and free for preschoolers. There is no extra charge to see musical shows. Hours are 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily. Camping is available.

The Denton FarmPark is located 20 miles southeast of Lexington off NC Hwy. 49. For more information, visit http://www.threshers.com/ or call 336-859-2755.

Dailey & Vincent Headliners at Big Lick Bluegrass Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Big Lick, N.C. – Some of the hottest bluegrass entertainers in the country are going to perform at the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival in Big Lick on June 5 and 6. But, you ask, where is Big Lick?

Even though there is no town sign, you can’t miss it. Bright blue and yellow banners welcome you to what is left of the town that burned in the early 1900s – a farm that today is called Big Lick Festival Park. You’ll find it on NC Hwy. 205 between Charlotte and Albemarle.

And so will Dailey & Vincent, Goldwing Express, The Bluegrass Brothers, Al Batten & The Bluegrass Reunion, and Bill Yates & Friends Country Gentlemen Tribute Show. Goldwing Express puts on a lively, fun show and has performed in the past at the Big Lick Festival. Energetic brothers Robert and Victor Dowdy, of The Bluegrass Brothers, bring a traditional mountain flair to the show. Bluegrass fans know Al Batten, with his 5-string banjo, from his days with The Bass Mountain Boys. The “Ambassador of Bluegrass Music,” Bill Yates, along with the rest of his band, round out the program.

In April, Dailey & Vincent’s CD, “Brothers From Different Mothers” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart. So it was no wonder they recently performed to record-breaking, standing-room only crowds at the Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Bluegrass Festival at the Denton FarmPark. Dailey & Vincent is the pairing of well-known bluegrass performers Jamie Dailey, former lead singer and guitarist for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; and Darrin Vincent, who most recently was guitar and mandolin player and harmony vocalist with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. The New York Times recently called them “the most celebrated new bluegrass act of the last few years.”

In 2008, the group won seven awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year and more.

Jeff Branch, organizer of the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival, feels fans are looking for another chance to see the dynamic duo. “They’re a powerhouse of talent and crowds love them,” he said. “They no longer fit in the up-and-coming category. They’ve arrived. And everyone starts from somewhere,” he said. “I anticipate we’ll see some new bluegrass performers during Open Mic. It’s a great place for new bands to play on the same stage as some the world’s top performers.”

Open Mic Night will be held on Friday, June 5 from 6-9:30 p.m., followed by The Bluegrass Brothers from 9:30 – 11 p.m. Admission is $5 per person.

Then from 12 noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday, the show will feature back-to-back bluegrass-music. Admission is $25 for adults, $12 for children ages 12-16 and free for kids under 12. Admission after 6 p.m. is $15 for adults.

Advance tickets are $20 for adults or $25 for both days. The deadline is June 1.
Camping is available. Everyone is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Food and souvenir concessions will be available. The show will be held rain or shine.

For more information or to purchase advance tickets, call 704-485-4906 or log onto http://www.biglickbluegrass.com/.

Southeast Old Thresher's Reunion Awards $2,000 for Scholarship Pageant

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:06:00 +0000

DENTON, NC (April 17, 2009) – Are you looking for a college scholarship? If so, the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion is giving away $2,000. No, you don’t have to work in the fields, but you do need to have a desire to be on stage and be a contestant in the 2009 Southeast Thresher’s Queen Scholarship Pageant.

The Southeast Old Thresher’s Reunion, the largest antique farm equipment and steam engine show in the Southeast, will be held June 30-July 4 at the Denton FarmPark in Denton, N.C. The pageant will be held on June 27 in the outdoor amphitheater at the FarmPark.

The new queen will reign over the 5-day festival. She will be the event’s Goodwill Ambassador to many festivals, pageants and parades throughout the state of North Carolina.

“The Reunion has helped talented girls further their education. For instance, some have gone into medicine, teaching, marketing and sales. One even landed a job as a professional actress,” said pageant organizer Keith Loflin.

Contestants for the title of Southeast Thresher’s Queen must be rising high school seniors from home-schools, private or public schools. Girls up to 24 years old may participate. They must be single, never have had a child or been married.

Contestants must reside, work or attend school in any of the following counties: Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Union and Yadkin.

The major scholarship sponsor for 2009 is Back Country Water Stoves of Denton, N.C.
The winner will receive a $2,000 scholarship and a host of prizes. Second and third place finishers will receive scholarships of $450 and $350, respectively. Additional awards will be given in four competition categories: Best Interview, Best “Country Cutie” Outfit, Best Casual Outfit and Most Photogenic.

Entry fees are $50. The application deadline is June 13, 2009. For entry forms, rules and further information call Denton FarmPark at 1.800.458.2755 or email manager@threshers.com. The FarmPark is located 25 miles south of Lexington off NC Hwy 47 on 1072 Cranford Road.

April 18 - Asheboro Chili Cookoff Attracts Creative Cooks

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:56:00 +0000

ASHEBORO, NC (April 1, 2009) -- Even though the Asheboro Chili Cookoff is giving away $1,500 to the lucky winner, the money isn’t what has pulled more than 30 cooks to the event. They just want to have fun at the town’s newest street festival.

The event will be held on Saturday, April 18 from 1-10 p.m. in downtown Asheboro. The event will include musical entertainment, a Kid’s Zone, a Hot Head Contest and lots of tasting. The winner of a raffle drawing will go home with either $8,000 or up to $1,000 a month mortgage payment for a year.

It’s not too late to sign up. The deadline is April 15.

The slate of cookers ranges from novices who like to cook a pot of chili for their family – to award-winning contestants – to professional chefs. The common ingredient is they all have a passion for cooking. And when any of them throw a dinner party, they never get turned down.
Most have been testing their recipes – thus sparking more fun at home. Paul Stefanacci, of Asheboro, N.C., says the contest has become a family project. His wife, Robin, his mother, Ruth, four children and their spouses have been helping out. “Our chili is going to include the kitchen sink if I can get it in there,” he chuckled. This is his first chili cook-off, but with his neighbors, family and friends, he’s already a winner. “We’ve had rave reviews on our dry runs.” With strong Italian heritage, Stefanacci joked, “Even the Pope called wanting the recipe, but I had to turn him down!”

Neal Allen, from Asheboro, explained “I’m a scientist and an artist in the kitchen. I love creating flavors and making blends. I love experimenting.”

He’s a graduate from the Baltimore International Culinary College and works at Jugtown Café in Seagrove, N.C. Like the internationally-renowned Seagrove potters who masterfully create glazes for their pots, Allen works with starches, sugars and complex compounds in food. And old family recipes. Part of his creation is based upon a Southwestern recipe from the 1800s. His chili has won awards at other contests.

The team of Don Johnson and Ricky Jordan, from Asheboro, has won awards for their barbecue, but this is the first time they’ve entered a chili contest. Regionally, they’re known for their ‘Q at the Pinehurst Relay for Life. “But we wanted to do something different,” said Johnson. An avid gardener, his recipe will include preserved produce from his ½-acre garden. “I canned my tomatoes myself, so they have little salt and no preservatives. They’re healthy.”

“Our natural grass-fed beef will come from three local farms,” said Jordan. Their team is called “Country Cooking,” but will be serving “Caraway Fire Chili.”

Ashlee and James Edwards, owners of Off-the-Square restaurant in downtown Albemarle, are blending North Carolina and Texas tastes. “I’m from Texas,” said Ashlee. “You know, we are proud of our food and Texas beef chili. But my husband is from Asheboro, and he knows all about pork barbecue. So our chili will be a blend of both.”

With a combined 22 years of restaurant experience, the couple has learned from one another about cooking. Ashlee reflected “He graduated from the Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts and taught me some technical tricks in the kitchen. But I tend to be more spontaneous. So on the chili cookoff day, he’ll be tending the meat. But when he turns away, I’ll add a little more spice to it!”

“Mine will be a creative masterpiece,” says Joel Leonard, of Asheboro. Songwriter, professional writer and host of http://www.skilltv.net/, he just bought a new grill for the event. He’s been testing various recipes, one with beef marinated in Frangelica, a hazelnut-flavored liquor and beans soaked in Belgian beer. “Oh, the meat was absolutely delicious,” he commented. “But I’m still working on the right blend.”

Tourism writer and consultant Greta Lint says her research indicates the primary reason people attend a chili cook-off is for the chili. “It tugs at our curiosity – what will it taste like? Hot? Mild? Sweet? The anticipation is a common denominator that pulls us all together.”
For more information, log onto http://www.asheborochilicookoff.com/ or call organizer Bryan Vaughan at 336-302-4968.

April 10 - National Bluegrass Artists Perform in Troy

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:51:00 +0000

TROY, NC –When most 8-year olds were playing with toys, Troy native Greg Corbitt was learning his fingering on the banjo. By the age of 11, he had recorded his first album. Later in life, he performed at the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

He’s bringing his powerful tenor voice – and the rest of his band members in the Circuit Riders – to the James Garner Center in Troy, N.C. on April 10. They’ll be followed by the James King Band, known for their passionate lyrics and stories about life and being musicians.

Fans know James King as the “Bluegrass Storyteller.” When it comes to traditional bluegrass songs, he relays his own down home life tales in ways that relate to the audience.
Circuit Rider musician, Greg Luck was also drawn to music. When he was 7 years old, he was learning chords on this guitar. Since, he has performed with a slew of top bands, such as Redwing, Bass Mountain Boys, J.D. Crowe and the New South. He wrote “The Healing Kind,” a song recorded by Leanne Womack.

Luck lives in Montgomery County.

Showtime is 7 p.m. Reserved tickets are $20. General admission tickets may be purchased at the door for $15. For reservations, call Jeff Branch at 704-985-6987 or email jbranch@ctc.net.
The James Gardner Center is located at located just off NC Hwy. 109 at 210 Burnett Street in Troy, N.C.
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Festival Seeks Vendors; Gives Away $10,000+

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:46:00 +0000

ASHEBORO, NC (March 9, 2009) – Once the largest municipality in North Carolina to be dry, the town has turned wet with gusto! A brand new festival, Asheboro’s 1st Annual Chili Cookoff, will be held on Saturday, April 18 from 1-10 p.m. in downtown. The street festival will include craft and art vendors, musical entertainment, lots of chili and Asheboro’s first legal beer tent. Organizers are seeking chili cooks, art, craft and other food vendors. More than $10,000 is up for grabs.
Organizer Bryan Vaughan, owner of The Bagel Shop in downtown Asheboro, says he’s excited about the prospect of combining food, beer and music together for the first time in an Asheboro festival. “I’ve got people coming from several states to cook in this event. And they’re all anxious to take home the grand prize.”
Winners of the chili cook-off will take home a hefty $1,500 cash prize.
The owner of the winning raffle ticket will have his mortgage paid for one year – up to $1,000 a month. Raffle winners with no mortgage are eligible for an $8,000 cash out. Prizes are not transferable.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Randolph Heritage Conservancy and Muscular Sclerosis.
The festival will be held between Worth, Fayetteville and Sunset streets.
Raffle tickets may be purchased at The Bagel Shop located at 103 North Fayetteville Street in downtown Asheboro, North Carolina. For more information, visit http://AsheboroChiliCookoff.blogspot.com or call Vaughan at 336-302-4968.

First Wine/Beer Specialty Shop to Open in Asheboro Since Alcohol Vote

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:45:00 +0000

ASHEBORO, NC (Feb. 22, 2009) – Since Asheboro voters approved the sale of beer, wine and mixed drinks on July 29, the heart of downtown is taking on a new look. A specialty wine and beer shop has opened – and it’s the first one to do so.
Lumina Wine and Beer will be holding its grand opening on Friday, Feb. 27 with a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. A wine tasting and reception will follow until 6 p.m. A wine tasting will be held on Saturday from 2-4 p.m.
The shop has a cozy bar and serves wine only. Beer may be purchased and consumed off the premises.
Owners Jennifer Parrish, 37, her brother Tim Moss, 24 and girlfriend Emily Hieronymus, 24, fashioned their store after a similar one in Sylva, N.C. “It’s a great place to relax after work and features an interesting selection of wines,” said Parrish. “Our store carries wines you typically don’t find at chain stores. And we’re the only specialty shop within a 20 mile radius of Asheboro.”
Parrish explained they chose the Sunset Avenue location because of Asheboro’s charming downtown. “The building was exactly the right size, with a great corner location and plenty of parking. It has this amazing hand painted floor which gave us real inspiration for how we wanted the shop to look and feel.”
She added “Tim and I visited Sonoma a couple of years ago and had kind of joked that if ever Asheboro legalized alcohol, we'd open a wine shop. This past summer, the three of us decided that we should if we ever wanted to do…now was the time!”
The three owners are no stranger to entrepreneurship and hard work. Hieronymus grew up in a family seafood and restaurant business in Wilmington. She later managed a boutique there and a restaurant at Wrightsville Beach.
Parrish brings 15 years of retail sales management and marketing to the table. She says her brother is the “jack of all trades,” having supervised construction crews in Wilmington.
Lumina Wine and Beer is located at 152 Sunset Avenue. Doors are open Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. and Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Wine tastings will be held every other Saturday from 2-4 p.m.
For information, call 336.610.1060.

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New Agritourism Resource Available on LinkedIn

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:09:00 +0000

Cutline: William Alexander sells fresh produce from his road side stand in York, South Carolina.

ASHEBORO, NC (Feb. 3, 2009) – Operators of vineyards, farmers’ markets, roadside stands, u-pick-it farms and anyone else involved in the agritourism industry now have a new online tool to exchange ideas, ask questions and learn from others. A discussion group specific to “agritourism” has been created on the social networking site, http://www.linkedin.com/.

Tourism writer and consultant Greta Lint, of Asheboro, N.C., came up with the idea while working on another agritourism project. “I needed to know more about some of the issues surrounding the operation of farmers’ markets, roadside stands and u-pick-it farms. Not much showed up on the Internet, so I created a platform for discussion,” she explained.

The group, called simply “agritourism,” is open to anyone who has an interest in that particular industry. “This includes performers, crafters, promoters, organizers and teachers. Eligibility includes people who manage fairs, festivals and tourism-based attractions or who teach agriculture and horticulture business classes. This portal should help tourism product developers and promoters too,” Lint said.

Those who wish to sign up for the group must first join www.LinkedIn.com. There is no fee to join. “And you’re not bombarded with spam or unwanted emails,” Lint explained. “Once you’re a member, you can then do a search for groups in agritourism and join in.” For more information, contact Greta at greta@gretalint.com or call 336-626-0527.

Quilt and Needle Art Show in Statesville, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:59:00 +0000

Quilting and Needle Art Extravaganza Features Quilting, Sewing and Knitting

STATESVILLE, NC – If you like quilting, felting or cross-stitching, mark your calendar for the Quilting and Needle Art Extravaganza (QNAE) in Statesville. The show will be held Jan. 9-10 in Historic Downtown Statesville at the Statesville Civic Center located at 300 South Center Street. You can even bring your old quilt to learn how to finish and care for it.
The show will run from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $3 per person.
The Quilting and Needle Art Extravaganza features 23 shops under one roof that will interest any quilter, knitter, or fiber craftsperson.
Shoppers will find lots of fabric, both cottons and wools, as well as quilting supplies at the QNAE. Several dealers with sewing machines, embroidery machines and long arm quilting machines will be there as well. Knitters will find yarns and a variety of fibers. Shaker boxes, thimbles and buttons will round out the variety of merchandise. Some shops will have shop samples, quilt tops and quilts for sale.
This is the perfect time to pull out those quilt tops in your closet, bring them with you to the show, and talk to some of the long arm machine quilters who provide finishing services. Machine quilting is now a beautiful and practical alternative to hand quilting. It is strong, durable and cost effective. Many machine quilted examples will be on display in the different booths.
The show is organized by The Quilter's Gallery which is owned by Cindy Page and Patti Cline, sisters that operated their quilt shop in Charlotte for over 25 years.
They chose Statesville for the show because of the easy access from I-77 and I-40. Knowing that many customers don't like the traffic in Charlotte, or even Mooresville, they chose to bring shops from Charlotte, Winston Salem, and Mooresville to the Statesville Civic Center. Shops from as far away as Raleigh and Suffolk, V.A. will also participate.
For more information, call 704-864-4894.
--- story edited by Greta Lint

Tale of the Citron - A True, Hilarious Story

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:17:00 +0000

My mom is making a Norwegian Christmas bread. She needs the boxed hot roll mix and citron. She doesn’t have transportation to go to the store and shop. She depends upon others to do it for her. So, I agree. This cannot be a tremendous task.

What is citron? I don’t know. I just know I have to get it for my mom. She says it’s in with the candied fruit for Christmas fruitcake.

I go to the Harris Teeter in Greensboro – world’s largest store. I ask and look. They’re sold out.
I go to my local Lowe’s. They have the green and red cherries and pineapple – and a large container of everything all mixed up. No citron.
I go to Walmart. They have the green and red cherries and pineapple – and a large container of everything all mixed up. No citron.

I bump into Hurleen. She’s from California and loves to cook things you typically don’t find to eat in Asheboro, North Carolina. She likes frogmore stew and loves to play in the kitchen.

“Oh, Greta, yes, you can get citron at Walmart.” She works there. “It’s in the large container of everything all mixed up. How’s Joel …” and I never get back to the Christmas cake section. Three days go by. Finally today I’m out looking. I start at Lowe’s because I know they have the large container with everything all mixed up.

I call my mom. I tell her no one knows anything about citron. The only place to find it is in the large container of everything all mixed up. She says to me that she actually could use the cherries and to get the large container of everything all mixed up in it. She didn’t know it didn’t come in its own container.

I should have known. Why me?

I go to Lowe’s. No way. How the hell did THAT happen? Sold out.
I go to Aldi’s. Sold out.
I go to Bottom Dollar. Sold out.
Finally I get courageous and venture to Walmart. The parking lot is a bloody nightmare. I hurriedly walk in to where the Christmas cake goodies are. Oh no! They’ve moved it! Where the hell did it go? There was a huge display with Christmas food – and it had the red and green cherries and pineapple and the large containers of everything all mixed up.

I bump into Linda who worked with me in Lexington. She gives me a hug. She tells me to go see the manager.

I can’t find anyone in customer service to talk to me. They’re all handling returns.

I’m going nuts. Gotta pee. Need to find where they put the large container with everything all mixed up. I cannot leave the store until I find it. So I go to the deli section. I ask “Where is the large container with everything mixed up in it that goes with the red and green cherries and pineapple for Christmas fruitcake?
She tells me to check the Christmas candy in the candy section.

I stop to pee.

I nearly run over to the candy section. Oh, I’ve put in my mile today just by looking for the damned large container of everything all mixed up in it.

Finally I spot them. I grab two – and cherish them. I cuddle them so tightly as I fear someone will come along and rip them out of my hands. At last I have the citron.

That bread – or the nog that will go with it - better be good!

Tourism and Civic Center Promote Statesville to Meeting Planners

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:48:00 +0000

STATESVILLE, NC – For every meeting and convention that is held, someone is behind the scenes planning it.

That person is called a meeting planner. In December, around 500 of them will gather in Raleigh to find out about meeting venues across the state. Representatives from Statesville will be there.

Libba Barrineau, executive director of the Statesville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Kenny Roberts, director of the Statesville Civic Center, will be showcasing meeting sites and services at the Association Executives of North Carolina (AENC) annual trade show.

“This is a new initiative for our tourism efforts in Statesville. Conventions can provide significant income to a city. For a town our size, I feel most convention goers spend around $160 per day during their stay. So this is a lucrative market to solicit,” explained Barrineau.

She added that planners are continuously looking for cost-cutting ways to hold meetings. They look for cities that provide an appropriate amount of meeting space and sleeping rooms. So a small conference isn’t going to look to city like Atlanta or Washington, DC. The meeting planner will seek a smaller town, like Statesville. “That’s the market segment we serve,” she commented.

She said one of the first questions meeting planners ask is about the amount of square footage. Conventions may have a meal in one room, a seminar in another and a trade show in the third. “Between the Holiday Inn Statesville, Statesville Civic Center, the new Courtyard by Marriott, which will open in Spring 2009, the Hampton Inn and Glutton’s Restaurant, we have a little more than 22,000 square feet. In May 2009, the new Holiday Inn Express will open. We will have 1,504 sleeping rooms, putting Statesville in a fantastic position to go after the convention market. Our meeting rooms provide various levels of high-tech electronic capabilities that meeting planners need.”

Barrineau says the additional sleeping rooms and meeting space will give Statesville a competitive edge against towns like Greenville and Hickory.

AENC executive director Jim Thompson said, “There is competition for the convention market. We have 43 CVB’s from across the state who utilize their membership to get in front of key professional meeting planners – the people who coordinate conventions for associations, corporations and governmental agencies.”
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Oakboro Cruise-in Announces 2009 Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:14:00 +0000

OAKBORO, NC – The 2009 schedule has just been released for the Oakboro Cruise-in & Burnout.
The event is always held on the fourth Friday of the month.

The dates are: January 23, February 27, March 27, April 24, May 22, June 26, July 24, August 28, September 25, October 23 and November 27. The December event will not be held as it falls on Christmas Day.

Oakboro has become recognized for its event where thousands of people flock to town to see shiny classic and street rod cars, socialize – and listen to crackling tires during the burnout.

Cruise-ins begin at 5 p.m. and the burnout is held at 9:30 p.m. Oakboro is located on NC Hwy. 205 just off NC Hwy. 24/27 between Charlotte and Albemarle.

For more information, visit http://www.oakborocruisein.com/ or call Jerry Crayton at 704-467-4992.

Nov. 21 - Vincent & Daily Perform in Troy, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:43:00 +0000

TROY, NC – A Christmas song pulled Jamie Daily and Darrin Vincent together in 2003. Daily was playing with Doyle Lawson while Vincent was working with Ricky Scaggs. The song was “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.”

In 2008, the duo was recognized with seven awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association – Album of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Best Gospel Recording of the Year – and the list goes on.

On Friday, November 21, Daily and Vincent will be performing at the James Garner Center in Troy, North Carolina. Showtime is 7 p.m. The Center is located just off NC Hwy. 109 at 210 Burnett Street.

Jeff Branch, a bluegrass performer and event organizer, said “I’m very excited to land this group. It’s not every day you get to see such high quality talent. In the past five years I’ve watched them bud and grow into a mature band that audiences really enjoy.”

In 2005, Daily was picked by U.S. Ambassador Faith Whittlesey to represent the United States in Switzerland as a Young Leader from America. The purpose was to strengthen international relations. In doing so, he was dubbed “The Bluegrass Ambassador” as he performed at embassies and galas.

Vincent started performing when he was three years old. Since, he has played aside a number of top performing artists, such as Dolly Parton, Vince Gill and Earl Scruggs. Despite all the fame, he still likes playing at local church revivals with his children.

Reserved tickets are $20. General admission tickets may be purchased at the door for $15. To reserve tickets, call Jeff Branch at 704-985-6987 or email jbranch@ctc.net.
For more information, visit http://www.bluegrassintroy.com/.

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Colorful, Funny Photo Ops on October Weekends in Statesville

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:17:00 +0000

STATESVILLE, NC – Are you a shutterbug? In Statesville, you can capture a hot air balloon ascending, a pumpkin-smashing contest or perhaps a spirit seen only by a select few. The last two October weekends will provide many photo opportunities.
On Friday, October 24-Sunday, October 26, the Carolina BalloonFest will be held at the Statesville Regional Airport.

Then on Friday, October 24, Saturday, October 25, Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1, you might hear, see or feel paranormal sensations during the Haunted Statesville walking tour in downtown.

And on Saturday, November 1, watch little kids use a great big mallet to smash pumpkins at the PumpkinFest street festival in downtown Statesville. The Bell & Howard Chevrolet Punkin Chunkin Catapult Competition presented by Mitchell Community College will be held that morning.

The Carolina BalloonFest is the second-oldest hot air balloon rally in the nation and is celebrating 35 years colorful magnificence. The event will include North Carolina wine tastings, a children’s activity area and a variety of musical performances.

Gates are open from 3-10 p.m. on Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday and 7 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. Weather permitting, mass ascensions are planned for 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 4:30 p.m. all three days. Admission is $8 per person.
Catch the celebrated Balloon Glow one night and maybe get spooked by ol’ Tom Dula the next - rather Tom Dooley – as the Kingston Trio sang in the 1950s hit “Tom Dooley.”

Haunted Statesville tours run from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, October 24, Saturday, October 25 and the following weekend, Friday October 31 and Saturday November 1. The starting point is at the old city hall.

The song’s lyrics say ol’ Tom got caught in a love triangle and was hung in downtown. Well, that’s not exactly true. Historians say he took his last breath out in the country –but folklore lives on.

Some true stories do exist, like Wampus. Local newspaper writer and retired history teacher O.C. Stonestreet recounts that it was a mysterious creature first seen in the early 1930s. “Researching old newspapers, I learned people heard howlings, lost chickens and described it as a mixture of a dog and cat with a horn in it’s head. It was elusive, yet omnivorous.”

The Haunted Statesville ghost tour includes a stop at the Vance Hotel. Stonestreet tells the story that there are two documented suicides there. One of them was a drowning in the indoor pool.

He says that during the filming of the movie Leatherheads, several members of the production crew asked who the young wet girl was.

That’s spooky.

The 6th Annual PumpkinFest is full of photo opportunities – pumpkin chunking, smashing, eating and the list goes on. It will be held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information about all of these events, log onto http://www.visitstatesville.org/ or call 877-531-1819.

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Gunfights, Ghost Train Highlight Horse and Mule Days in Denton

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:02:00 +0000

DENTON, NC – Sometime long ago, there were two guys whose job was to keep the Handy Dandy on the tracks and the steam engine purring. The passenger train ran through the woods and ‘round the bend. One day, gun-slinging hoodlums sneaked on board to steal the cashbox. The two devoted employees never knew what hit them – it was their final ride.

Their spirits return each fall during Horse and Mule Days at the Denton FarmPark in Denton – and so do the bad guys, Sagebrush, Sixguns and Rawhide. Be fearful. You never know who will be next to go.

Horse and Mule Days will be held on Friday night, October 24 and all day Saturday, October 25. The FarmPark is the location of the annual Southeast Old Threshers’ Reunion held each summer.

Gates will open at 6 p.m. on. Friday and Saturday night for the “Ghost Gunfighter Show on #9.” Guns will be loaded shows beginning at 6:45 each night. Food concessions, the grist mill and the general store will be open. Show reservations are available by calling the FarmPark at 336-859-2755.

Then on Saturday, bluegrass music and clogging, arts and crafts, equine events and heritage demonstrations will be held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. But you better watch your back at noon. There may be some gun shots fired in front of the general store. Event organizers have gotten wind that trouble’s brewing downtown.

Thrill-seekers can witness the railroad gangsters’ brutal antics at 10:30 a.m. and on the hour from 1-4 p.m.

On the other side of the farm, the North Carolina Draft Horse Association and Carolina Mule Association (CMA) will be giving demonstrations throughout the day. Persons wanting to bring their own horses and mules can participate in the Mule and Draft Horse Show beginning at 10 a.m. CMA-sanctioned classes will also be offered in halter, performance, driving, log-skidding, gaming and more. For information, call Karen Reeder at 910-639-0701.

The ever-so-popular coon jump competition will be held at 3 p.m. No, you won’t see raccoons. Crowds are amazed at how high mules can jump from standing dead still. “For people who don’t know what the coon jump is,” says Reeder, “it’s like doing the limbo, only you’re jumping up over instead of under the poles.”

James Lamm’s trick mules will be giving performances throughout the day, too.

The Kickin’ Grass Band will take the stage at 2 and 5 p.m. A clogging show will be held from 11 a.m.-noon.

Sponsors are Bill Plemmons RV, James River Equipment dealerships in Asheboro and Salisbury.

On Friday, admission to the train ride is $8 per adult and free for children under 12 years of age. There is no general admission fee.
On Saturday, tickets to the FarmPark are $7 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under and free for preschoolers. Saturday train rides are $5 per person; show rides are $6 for adults, $5 for children under 12 and preschoolers are free.

The Denton FarmPark has more than 500 camping sites that will be available from Monday, October 20-Monday, October 27. Those with hook-ups are $25 per night.

The FarmPark is located 17 miles south of Asheboro off NC Hwy. 49 and 20 miles south of Lexington off NC Hwy. 109. Follow signs.
For more information or to reserve a seat on the Friday night train, call 336-859-2755.

Haunted Statesville Reveals City's Paranormal Past

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:34:00 +0000

STATESVILLE, NC – Betcha didn’t know downtown Statesville has ghosts, did ya? Neither did the production crew that was shooting the movie Leatherheads. Coming out of the Vance Hotel, they asked about the wet young girl. Her appearance was unscheduled and she certainly didn’t have her Screen Actor’s Guild card!

That was pretty good, eh? Want to hear another one?

You can during Haunted Statesville, a walking tour that will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 24-25 and October 31-November 1. All tours are $8 per person and run from 6-8 p.m. Reservations are highly encouraged.

Tours will start at the old city hall at the corner of Front and Center streets. Guides will be Statesville residents who are interested in ghostly activity downtown.

“We’ve wanted to do something like this for a very long time,” said Nancy Davis, public information officer for the City of Statesville. She has been working with local historian and writer O.C. Stonestreet in researching and writing the tours.

Stonestreet stumbled across the town’s paranormal activity while he was researching material for students in his North Carolina history classroom. “Books didn’t cover a lot, so I spent my time researching. Along the way I learned about Wampus. He was an omnivorous character that was first seen in the 1930s. Newspaper stories recount the part cat and dog creature may have eaten chickens. It apparently howled. Wampus is still a mystery,” he said.

Then of course there’s the story of ol’ Tom Dooley. Well, actually his name was Dula, but to make it rhyme, it came out Dooley in the famous song recorded by the Kingston Trio.

He played the field and got caught in a love triangle. One of the girls wound up dead and he got hanged. But that didn’t occur in downtown Statesville like the song says. It was out in the country near her house. Nonetheless, today people either find the story humiliating that such a thing could have occurred in Statesville – or they find it fascinating.
While a man was helping construct the old courthouse, he fell and died. Today, people working there tell that they sometimes hear a noise or feel a sensation.

Spooky.

You’ll just have to take the tour to learn more about Statesville’s spirits.
For more information and reservations, call the Statesville Convention and Visitors Office at 704-878-3480.

ConvergeSouth Bloggers Conference Includes Tourism Session

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:49:00 +0000

GREENSBORO, NC – Blogging isn’t just for the media or politicians. Attractions, events, arts councils, museums and tourism promotion organizations can also use them. They increase visibility on the Internet and ultimately build traffic and attendance.
Members of the tourism industry are invited to attend a free blogging user’s conference on Friday, October 17. ConvergeSouth will be held on the campus of NC A&T State University in Greensboro. Tourism writer and promoter Greta Lint will be giving a session at 3 p.m. specifically for the tourism industry. Attendees bringing wireless laptops will be able to set up their own blog during the class.
“This session is designed for the beginner who knows how to use a computer, but is clueless about what a blog is,” says Lint. “I find many people are afraid of blogs, that they’ll only be used by people to post negative comments or that they’re a fad. So untrue. Blogs can be used as Websites for organizations with limited funds. This class will show how to do that.” She says that www.oakborocruisein.com is a good example of how a small organization can use a blog as a Website.
To register for the free conference, log onto www.convergesouth.com and log onto http://2008.convergesouth.com/conference/travel.php for parking instructions.

Calendar Release: Statesville Holds 35th Annual Carolina BalloonFest

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:35:00 +0000

TO CALENDAR EDITORS

Statesville Holds 35th Annual Carolina BalloonFest

STATESVILLE, NC (9/10/08) – The 35th Annual Carolina BalloonFest will be held Friday, Oct. 24 – Sunday, Oct 26, 2008 at the Statesville Regional Airport. Expecting 50 brightly-colored hot air balloons to participate, depending upon the weather. Rides available. Musical entertainment. Balloon competitions. NC wine tastings. Food. Beverage. Children’s activities. Geocashing treasure hunts. Arts and crafts. Gates open: Friday 3-10 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Mass ascensions scheduled for Friday 4:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Hot Air Balloon Glow at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Wine tastings Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday noon-6 p.m. Free parking. Transportation assistance available for persons with special needs. Cameras permitted. Admission $8 per person; children under 5 years old are free. Physical location 260 Hanger Drive, Statesville. GPS address longitude W80.9552; latitude 35.754 N. Follow signs from I-40. For information, call toll free 877-531-1819 or visit www.visitstatesville.org or www.carolinaballoonfest.com.

35th Annual Carolina BalloonFest Seeks Volunteers

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:21:00 +0000

STATESVILLE, NC – For the last 225 years, people have marveled at hot air balloons— their size, colors and beauty. For every pilot that wants to launch one of these beautiful balloons, a good handful of people is needed to get it into the air. And for every balloon rally, many volunteers are needed.

Carolina BalloonFest is asking for your help and time. Proceeds from the event benefit Dove House Children’s Advocacy Center and Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County.

The festival will be held at the Statesville Regional Airport on Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26. Gates will be open on Friday from 3 - 10 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Balloon ascensions are scheduled twice a day at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 4:30 p.m.on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. Fifty hot air balloons are expected to participate.

Carolina BalloonFest is the largest hot air balloon rally in North Carolina and the second oldest in the nation. Formally known as the National Balloon Rally, the name was changed two years ago when the event was reorganized and expanded.

Sandra and Paul Bortree, from Olin, North Carolina, have volunteered for the past several years. “We thoroughly enjoy working the event,” Sandra said. “This year, we’re going to help in the wine tasting or merchandise tents. It’s a great way to meet new people.”

Ted DeLisis, from Statesville, worked two full days last year in the Kid’s Zone. “It was a great way to spend a nice afternoon. People can have so much fun when they volunteer,” he commented. “You need two people to work the big games, and at least one person for the smaller games. Parents really appreciate that we provide a safe place for kids during the festival. They really have a blast!”

Volunteers must be at least 14 years old and able to work a four-hour shift. They will receive an official Carolina BalloonFest volunteer T-Shirt, free admission, a wine-tasting pass or coupon for 10 percent off festival merchandise.

Volunteer jobs are available in the festival office, at the entrance gate, in the information and souvenirs booths, in the wine tastings tent and in the Kid’s Zone. Volunteers are also needed to set up the event, deliver ice, be floaters for other volunteers, assist with transportation for handicapped guests and, after the rally, take down everything Sunday evening and clean up on Monday morning.

People working in the wine tasting tent are required to take a training class. Two sessions will be held, but volunteers only need to attend one class. The first class is scheduled on Saturday, October 11 from 9-11 a.m. at East Coast Wings in the Bi-Lo Shopping Center, 1875 East Broad Street. The second class will be held from noon-1 p.m. on Thursday, October 16 at the Statesville Chamber of Commerce, 115 East Front Street in downtown Statesville. Each class will be taught by a representative from the North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement.

To volunteer, contact Janet Goble at 704-902-4551 or register online at www.carolinaballoonfest.com <http://www.carolinaballoonfest.com/>.

Admission is $8 for adults; children five and under are free. Parking is free. Tickets are available online at www.carolinaballoonfest.com <http://www.carolinaballoonfest.com/> or at JR’s Discount Outlet, United Federal Credit Union and the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce in Statesville.

Sponsors for the 2008 Carolina BalloonFest include: AT&T, L. Gordon Iron and Metal Company, Doosan Infracore Portable Power, Stiles and Company, The City of Statesville, J. R. Discount Outlets, Cool Spring, Center, United Federal Credit Union, BB&T, Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, Design Detail, Sir Speedy, Piedmont Bank, a division of Yadkin Valley Bank. Marketing support for the festival is provided by Midan Marketing and the Statesville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

25th Annual Lexington Barbecue Features Song, Food and Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:16:00 +0000

LEXINGTON, NC – Country music singers Lee Ann Womack, Adam Gregory, Randy Houser and Jamie Johnson will be the featured WTQR Guitar Pull entertainers during the 25th Annual Barbecue Festival on Saturday, October 25. Womack, the recipient of 19 nominations and 17 awards, and the others will take center stage on the Square at 1:30 p.m.
The WTQR Guitar Pull will be followed by the fun-loving five-member country group, The Lost Trailers.
Held in historic Uptown Lexington from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., the Barbecue Festival will feature juried arts and crafts vendors, roving entertainers, a lumberjack sports competition, pig races, bicycle stunt shows, whimsical pig sculptures, festival food, beer tent, children’s activities, a 50-ton sand sculpture, 32-foot climbing wall, and 6 stages of music – Latin, beach, swing/jazz, gospel, children’s and rock ‘n roll and more. Eddie Miles, Chairmen of the Board and The Bahama Mamas are some of the scheduled acts.
Streets will close at 6 p.m. Then at 7:30 p.m., the area between Second and Third avenues will re-open with lots of music – concluding with the 25th Anniversary Grand Finale - a spectacular fireworks extravaganza at 9 p.m.
All street festival events are free.
Country music fans can anticipate a special treat.
Living in Alberta, Canada, Adam Gregory was just 13 years old when he signed a record deal with Sony Canada. Ten years later, his song “Crazy Days” is reaching country fans across the United States. His first appearance in this country will be at the Barbecue Festival.
Jamie Johnson is known for “The Dollar” and “In Color” and co-writer of “Give It Away,” recorded by George Strait. Country fans will recognize Randy Houser for his ballad, “Anything Goes.” Trace Adkins recorded Houser’s song, “Honky Tonk Bandonkadonk.”
The Barbecue Festival continually receives accolades and prestige. It has repeatedly been recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the Top Ten Festivals in the Southeast. It has been included in the book, 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. and Canada Before You Die. USA TODAY recognized the Barbecue Festival as "One of Ten Great Places to Celebrate Food." And the prestigious Travel & Leisure Magazine claimed the event as "One of the Top Ten Food Festivals in the U.S.A.”
Barbecue tents will open at 10 a.m. serving chopped pork shoulders, red barbecue slaw and hush puppies all day long to thousands of people. “The barbecue is the reason the festival exists,” explains Stephanie K. Saintsing, festival director. “After Joe Sink, who was the publisher of our local newspaper, The Dispatch, and BB&T bank officials formed the festival as a means of recognizing our world-famous barbecue, they hired my late mother, Kay Saintsing, to coordinate and promote it. More than a million people have attended since – by car, plane and train.”
Amtrak will be providing a one-day stop in Lexington to riders from Charlotte and Raleigh. Tickets are available by calling 800-872-7245.
Organizers have established remote parking areas and a shuttle transportation service to accommodate festival goers from the Wal-Mart Super Center parking lot off of I-85 Exit 91, Childress Vineyards on US Hwy. 64 and the Davidson County governmental complex on North Main Street in Lexington. Round trip tickets will be $2 per person and free for children 12 and under.
Lexington potter Clyde Gobble will be autographing the official Barbecue Festival mug from 9-11 a.m. at the souvenir tent. Bob Timberlake, who created the bottle label artwork for Richard Childress Fine Swine Wine, will be signing bottles at the Childress Winery tent from 9-10 a.m. Both tents will be located on the Square.
Nickelodeon character SpongeBob SquarePants will make special appearances at 10 a.m., noon, 2 and 4 p.m. at the Barbecue Carnival, a family-oriented area with children’s games, music and activities. It will be located on South Main Street between Second and Fourth avenues.
The Barbecue Carnival will include the Barbecue Festival Chop Shop, a competition featuring some of the best lumberjacks in the world. The final round will be held at 4 p.m. The craftsmen’s finely-tuned skills of sawing, chopping and cutting wood are spectacular.
And at that same location crowds will find the Barbecue Festival Hogway Speedway- with specially bred and trained pigs to town to race around an oval track. The racing pigs have been a festival hit throughout the years. The determined little pigs take their racing seriously!
Members of the Furnitureland Antique Automobile Club are planning to bring a mix of antique, classic and street rod cars to fill the parking lot at Davidson Funeral Home.
Visitor amenities will be available throughout the day. A baby-changing station will be set up in the Barbecue Carnival. A parking lot reserved for vehicles with handicapped permits will be located off of State Street, which runs parallel with Main Street. Restrooms for visitors with disabilities will be located in the parking lot and other designated restroom areas throughout the festival.
Lexington is located 20 miles south of Winston-Salem off US Hwy. 52, 45 miles north of Charlotte and 30 miles south of Greensboro off I-85. For more information, log onto http://www.barbecuefestival.com/ or call 336-956-1880.

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Lexington Potter Creates Souvenir Mugs for Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:53:00 +0000

LEXINGTON, NC – Sitting on a dusty seat from an old dentist’s chair, Lexington master potter Clyde Gobble turns his pots. He’s surrounded by his tools – cockle shells, a handy dandy wooden mallet, cheese cutter, a variety of paring tools, fish scaler and a dead blow hammer. A bucket of water, complete with a tadpole from nearby Abbott’s Creek, sits adjacent to the wheel. Jokes, political posters, cartoons and names with phone numbers are taped on the walls and hang from the ceiling.
Gobble has been commissioned by the Barbecue Festival to create 150 one-of-a-kind mugs to celebrate the event’s 25th anniversary on Saturday, October 25. Each large mug will be signed, numbered and dated and cost $18 each. Gobble be greeting festival goers and giving his autograph at the souvenir booth, located on the square across from the Historic Davidson County Courthouse, from 9-11 a.m.
Pottery has been a part of the festival since 1990. Seagrove potter Richard Gillson provided collectible clay pigs, mugs, plates, bowls wine glasses, wine coolers, chargers, flower pots and piggy banks throughout the years. After Gillson’s death last spring, festival organizers approached Gobble to see if he would be interested in participating.
Gobble has a huge fan base. His pieces are part of permanent collections for Wachovia Bank, R.J. Reynolds Industries and are included in private collections worldwide. He is an exhibiting member of the Piedmont Craftsmen and Carolina Designer Craftsmen guilds. His work is sold through The Bob Timberlake Gallery and catalog. Gobble’s shop is only open once a year - by invitation only.
Throughout his 40 years of throwing pots, he has developed signature styles for his stoneware and porcelain pieces - Abbott Creek Brown and High Rock Red glazes, mushroom handles and sgraffitto carvings. His wife Bonnie – yes, they are really a Bonnie and Clyde team - routinely cooks with his creations and offers recommendations to make them more user-friendly.
Mugs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps and other souvenirs will be available at the Barbecue Festival. Ginger Briggs, a volunteer who has staffed the souvenir tent for the past 24 years, feels the Clyde Gobble mugs will sell out early.
The free festival will be held in Uptown Lexington from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Lots of barbecue, musical and roving entertainment, arts and crafts, a children’s area, lumberjack shows, and the massive 50-ton sand sculpture provide a full day’s worth of fun and excitement.
For more information, visit http://www.barbecuefestival.com/ or call 336-956-1880.

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Bring GPS, Find Treasure at Carolina BalloonFest

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:50:00 +0000

STATESVILLE, NC – Like mysteries? Then you’ll be intrigued by what is hidden under twigs, straw and leaves at this year’s Carolina BalloonFest. But you’ll need to bring your hand-held GPS unit to discover the treasures.
The event will be held Friday, October 24 – Sunday, October 26 at the Statesville Regional Airport. Admission is $8 per person and free for children under 5 years of age. The Carolina BalloonFest is the largest hot air balloon rally held in North Carolina and is celebrating 35 years of bright color, excitement and family fun. It is also the second-oldest rally in the nation.
The event will feature North Carolina wine tastings, children’s activities, balloon rides, musical entertainment, and the suspense of watching balloons inflate and ascend.
And treasures.
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are a key component in the newest form of outdoor fun – geocaching. Armed with longitude and latitude data, your GSP and a thirst for adventure, you can find all kinds of goodies tucked away in the most unusual places.
The idea is that once you find a treasure, you take it and replace it with something else. Pencils, notebooks, money, dice, magnets, bookmarks and small toys are just some of the items found in a geocache box.
Geocache sites can be located in parks, parking lots, residential neighborhoods, along a country road or even in a town. Many are listed on http://www.geocaching.com/. And this year, they’ll be located on the site of the Carolina BalloonFest.
“We’re very excited about this new component,” says Libba Barrineau, executive director of the Statesville Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We already have four treasures set up around town and see couples, families, singles of all ages come to play. So we know people will be anxious to see what we have in store for them at the balloon rally.”
Longitude and latitude information can be found on http://www.geocaching.com/ or http://www.visitstatesville.org/.
Gates will be open for treasure seekers on Friday 3-9 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Weather permitting, balloon ascensions will occur at 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The hot air balloon glow will be held on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
The Statesville Regional Airport is located off I-40 exits 146 and 148. Follow the signs. The GPS address is longitude 80.9552W and latitude 35.754N.
For more information, call 877-531-1819 or log onto http://www.carolinaballoonfest.com/.

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December - Collard Sandwiches and Maxton

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:56:00 +0000

When I was in grade school, once a week we got greens, corn bread, pinto beans and cole slaw for lunch. I traded out my plate for everyone else's slaw. Greens - yuk.

Fast forward more than a few decades and I love collards and most other greens. I'm learning how to cook them - and what better place to do so than in Maxton, North Carolina. Oh, and by the way, that's where the largest Campbell's Soup plant is located. Employees used to have their company picnic at the NC Zoo when I worked there.

Maxton is located just east of Laurinburg off US Hwy. 74 in North Carolina. It's a charming little community that is undergoing economic change. But one thing stays constant: collards.

The Collards Festival is held each fall and is one of the most authentic festivals I've ever attended. You don't find typical street vendors. Instead, you meet the people who daily go into their own gardens and pick the large leafy green, cook it and eat it. They're the ones who serve up scrumptuous, mouth-watering collards - and they even put them in sandwiches.

In your cast iron skillet, drop into hot oil two large dollops of corn bread batter to make some fry bread. Drain it. Load one with a big scoop of cooked collards, topped with some chow chow and even a hot pepper. Cover with the second piece of bread. Oh, now that's some mighty fine eating!!

I learned that to clean collards, you must first wash them very well. You don't want specs of sand in your greens. Pull out the stems, using only the leaves. Cook them in water until they're tender. Soul food cooks add a little side meat, or fat back. You can add some ham or even olive oil. You may want to put in a little garlic, salt and pepper - and a tiny bit of sugar. When the leaves are nice and tender, dig in.

The Collards Festival and Maxton. This is a story that has gotten no press until now. For more information, contact the Lumberton CVB at 910-739-9999 or log onto www.lumberton-nc.com.

November 2007 - New Places, New People to See

noreply@blogger.com (Greta Anita Lint) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:26:00 +0000

Okay, the cardinal rule for having a blog is to keep it updated. I got really busy the second quarter of this year and wasn't able to keep this particular blog up and running. Sorry.

But now, I'm back at the computer and have a wealth of places to tell you about.

One of the places I found was Danbury, North Carolina. With a population of around 450, this tiny town is located just south of the Virginia border, yet north of Winston-Salem. Danbury holds the state's oldest art festival, the Stomp on the Dan - Dan River- that is.

Local artists have formed a co-op and I purchased an interesting amythest necklace and matching earrings set. You'd be amazed at the level of craftsmenship and imagination in this store - glass, wood, beads, pottery, cloth, paper - and the list goes on.

Floridians have found Danbury because of its proximity to Hanging Rock State Park. That's a gorgeous place to take the family year 'round. Pack a lunch and take a hike.

For more information, contact Mayor Jane Priddy Charleville @ 336-593-8786. There is not a regular tourism office in Danbury, so you may have to leave a message. Jane also runs the Priddy General Store.