For Giggles

$2,000 Scholarship Available: Southeast Old Threshers' Reunion Pageant

DENTON, N.C. -- The Southeast Thresher’s Queen Scholarship Pageant is seeking contestants. It will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2010, just days before the start of 40th Southeast Old Thresher’s Reunion.


The winner will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

The new queen will reign over the Thresher’s Reunion during its five-day run and serve as the Threshers’ Goodwill Ambassador to many festivals, pageants and parades throughout North Carolina.

Held at the Denton FarmPark, the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion is one of the largest antique gas and steam engine shows in the country. It includes a variety of farming demonstrations, steam engine train rides, country, gospel and bluegrass entertainment and crafts. It will be held June 30-July 4.

The 2010 queen will be crowned by reigning 2009 Queen – Natalie Caviness of Asheboro, N.C. Natalie is a student at Randolph County Early College and will graduate in June.

Contestants must be a rising high school senior, either through public or home school, and can be up to 25 years old. Girls must be single, never have had a child or been married. They should either 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.

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 12, 2010. For entry forms, rules and further information call Denton FarmPark at 1-800-458-2755, visit us on Facebook at the Southeast Threshers Queen Pageant or email manager@threshers.com.

The Denton FarmPark is located 20 miles south of Lexington off N.C. Hwy. 109 and 20 miles southeast of Asheboro off N.C. Hwy. 49.

The Grascals to Perform at Big Lick Bluegrass Festival

Big Lick, N.C. – The Grascals have played with George Jones, Porter Wagoner, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels and are just coming off the Hank Williams Jr. Rowdy Friends Tour – and will be appearing at the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival in Big Lick on Saturday, June 12.

The festival will be held at the Big Lick Festival Park in Big Lick, N.C., on Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12.

Big Lick is a community on N.C. Hwy. 205 between Charlotte and Albemarle, just off N.C. Hwy. 24/27. It was named for a salt lick that is still somewhere in the woods. Any local deer can tell you its whereabouts.

The Big Lick festival has traditionally had some of the biggest names in bluegrass music – and this year the trend continues.

The Grascals. Goldwing Express. Bill Yates and The Country Gentlemen Tribute Show. Bluegrass Brothers. Deeper Shade of Blue. Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.

Fans will hear old ballads from the Bill Yates and The Country Gentlemen Tribute Show; traditional mountain music from the Bluegrass Brothers; and a more contemporary sound from The Grascals. Rising stars, The Rye Hollar Boys, are teenagers who come from a family of musicians in the N.C. mountains.

Grascals guitarist and vocalist Terry Eldredge is looking forward to the show. Organizer Jeff Branch and he have been friends since the early ‘80s. “So we’re going to put on an especially entertaining show at Big Lick,” Eldredge says. “Dolly Parton always used to say right before we took the stage, ‘Make it fun!’ That’s what we’re gonna do.”

The Grascals will be singing songs from their newest CD, “The Famous Lefty Flynn’s.” Eldredge sings the title track. “Grascals guitarist Jamie Johnson wrote a ballad with a little truth and a little fiction in it – about a fellow who lived a hard life.” he explains. “But I can’t tell you how the story ends. You’ll have to listen to find out!”

“I was very moved at the 2009 Big Lick festival,” says Bill Yates. “A man in the audience cried when he told me he thought he would never hear a voice like Charlie Waller again. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the original Country Gentlemen group. We’ll be singing some favorites.”

Yates also looks forward to the after-party jamming session behind the stage where many of the musicians, and members of the audience, pull out their guitars, banjos and whatever and play into the wee hours of the morning.

Branch likes to share some little-known tidbits about the performers.

Eldredge chews gum throughout his entire performance to keep his mouth moist. Grascals banjo player Kristin Scott Benson and her husband, Wayne Benson, who plays the mandolin for Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, will be able to perform at the same festival, something they typically don’t get to do. She was voted the 2009 Banjo Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. And Branch points out that Frank Poindexter, dobro player for Deeper Shade of Blue, is the uncle of legendary Tony Rice who is considered the top bluegrass guitar player in America.
The Big Lick Bluegrass Festival opens at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 11 with the Rye Hollar Boys, Southern Junction and Bluegrass Brothers.

On Saturday, shows start at noon with Deeper Shade of Blue, Goldwing Express, Bill Yates and Friends, Bluegrass Brothers, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out ending with The Grascals at 11 p.m.

Adult admission is $10 on Friday and $25 on Saturday. Reduced tickets are available after 6 p.m. on Saturday for $15. Two day passes are available through June 1 for $25.

Tickets for children ages 12-16 are $5 on Friday and $12 on Saturday. Children under 12 years of age will be admitted free.

Everyone is encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Large tents will be available to provide shade. Concessions will be available.

Camping is available at the Big Lick Festival Park. For reservations, call 704-485-4906.

The Big Lick Festival Park is located at 640 South Oak Ridge Road.

For tickets and information, call Jeff Branch at 704-985-6987, visit Big Lick Bluegrass Festival on Facebook or www.biglickbluegrass.com.

Hello Dali! Salvador Dali Exhibit in Fayetteville - Feb. 12-28, 2010

Works from Salvador Dali, one of the world’s greatest artists in the past 100 years, will be on display in Fayetteville, N.C. It’s the only city in the Southeast chosen to host the national touring exhibition this year.

The show, “Dali Illustrates Dante’s The Divine Comedy,” will be held through Feb. 28 at the Festival Park Plaza Building in downtown Fayetteville.

The exhibit combines two art forms – poetry and painting.

It pulls together two time periods – the 1300s and the 1950s.

And it will be shown in a city known for being home to military people who have traveled worldwide, some of whom have already seen Dali’s works.

It all started with Dante Alighieri who penned “The Divine Comedy.” He was an Italian poet who wrote his concept of life after death, and the imaginary trek the human soul travels through hell, purgatory and heaven.

Deep stuff.

He wrote during the time of the Great European Famine, the Hundred Years War, and the bubonic plague. It wasn’t a pretty time in world history. Death was often a topic of discussion.

So Dante’s poem was timely.

Fast forward to the 1950s.

To commemorate the 700th anniversary of the poem, the Italian government commissioned Dali to illustrate it. After a few years, he had completed 100 illustrations representing each of the verses.

It is those 100 illustrations that the public will see at the Fayetteville show. Exhibition labels will be in English and Spanish.

But who was Dali?

Born in 1904 in Spain, Dali was a renegade of sorts who bucked conventional art styles. He was kicked out of French and Spanish art schools for a number of reasons, and was highly influenced by Impressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, and Futurism.

By the age of 40, he had gained recognition for his work in Europe and the United States. He had designed the Dream of Venus pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York and costumes and sets for ballets performed at The Metropolitan Opera House and the International Theatre in New York.

His resume included working with Alfred Hitchcock on the film, Spellbound; Walt Disney on the film, Destino; and, Doubleday Publishing Company to illustrate Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Dali’s work was influenced by the dropping of the atomic bomb. The religious and nuclear fusion elements can be seen in his illustrations of Dante’s poem.

In 1964, Dali was awarded the Gran Cruz de Isabel la Católica, the highest Spanish distinction. The following year, The Gallery of Modern Art in New York launched the Salvador Dali 1910-1965 exhibition.

Dali died in Spain in 1989. His legacy of writings, jewelry and painting masterpieces is displayed in museums and galleries worldwide.

The Fayetteville Museum of Art is exhibiting the show at the Festival Park Plaza Building at 225 Ray Avenue.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students 6 and older and free for those 5 and younger. Groups with 20 members should call the museum at 910-485-5121 in advance of their visit to register for reduced rates. Hours are Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday: 1-4 p.m.

For more information, log onto http://www.visitfayettevillenc.com/exhibits or call 888-98-HEROES (43763).

Fayetteville, NC to Host National Art Exhibit

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Fayetteville has been chosen as the only city in the Southeast to display the art show, Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000. The national touring exhibit was first displayed at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. After leaving Fayetteville, the show will move to Chicago.
The exhibition will be shown at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County from Jan. 22-March 6. Admission is free. Personalized tours are available with advance registration.
The collection includes stunning artwork from John Biggers, Robert Colescott, Adger W. Cowans and many others with national and international acclaim. Hours are Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday: 8:30-noon; Saturday: noon-1 p.m. The Arts Council is located at 301 Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville. For more information, call 910-323-1776 or visit www.theartscouncil.com.
For more information about other area events, log onto www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com.

Teleseminar Discusses Rail Grant Opportunities in Small Towns

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

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

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

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

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

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+

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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