North Carolina Symphony - Raleigh - April 2009

Jeannie got in touch to let me know about the North Carolina Symphony show coming up next month in Raleigh. This sounds like a really good one especially for Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland fans.

A Crowd-Pleasing Look Back at Mickey and Judy’s Hollywood with the North Carolina Symphony

Great songs from the Golden Age of Hollywood live again in “I Got Rhythm! Mickey and Judy’s Hollywood” in the North Carolina Symphony’s final Pops Series concert of the season. Performances are Friday and Saturday, April 17 & 18 at 8pm and Sunday, April 19 at 3pm, at Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Assistant Conductor Joan Landry conducts all three performances.
Timeless movie musical icons Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland are the inspiration for this charming and loving tribute to the great Big Band sound that became the hallmark of Hollywood musicals.

As in all the Mickey and Judy films, the orchestra takes center stage as the third star of the show. “I Got Rhythm” takes full advantage of the symphony orchestra with all new orchestrations and newly arranged pieces designed to showcase the conductor and orchestra. Whether or not you’ve seen a Mickey and Judy film, their treasure chest of American standards like “Embraceable You,” “Strike Up the Band” and “Where or When” makes for an evening of charming, heart-warming, old-fashioned “feel good” entertainment.

Broadway veterans Sauna Hicks and Jeff Harner bring out the best in the music. Show Business magazine calls them “two gifted entertainers in a warm and affectionate tribute happily buoyed by can’t-miss material.” The Chicago Sun-Times praises the whole show as “a smart and sophisticated celebration of the MGM music songbook of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.”

For tickets and more information, please visit the North Carolina Symphony website or call Audience Services at 919.733.2750, Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm.

13th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Charlotte, NC Postponed - 2009

The 13th annual St.Patrick's Day festival and parade in Charlotte, North Carolina has been changed from Saturday, March 14, 2009 to Saturday March 21.

If you live in the area, you'll know why they've postponed this yearly day of Irish fun. It's cold and rainy in North Carolina currently. After a week of summertime temperatures, a cold front rolled in with predictions of temperatures in the 30s. That's pretty typical of weather in North Carolina at this time of year. Spring can be hot or cold and change from one day to the next.

The delay does give everyone an extra week to make plans to enjoy the St. Patrick's Day festivities in downtown Charlotte which include Irish music and dancers, bagpipes, yummy food, and drinks.

The St. Patrick's Day Festival is from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. next Saturday on South Tryon Street between 1st and 3rd Streets.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. at Tryon and 9th Steet and goes south to Tryon and 3rd Street.

These are non-profit events, and admission is free.

There were 40,000 visitors last year, so expect a crowd - especially if the weather clears and we get back to sunny NC days again.

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina - Hidden Treasure on the Outer Banks

Beach at Ocracoke Island, Outer Banks North Carolina



Lighthouse at Ocracoke Island



Harbor at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

One of the prettiest places I've ever seen (and I have lived overseas) is Ocracoke, North Carolina. It is a barrier island on the Outer Banks of NC. Since it's at the end of the string of islands and can only be visited by taking a ferry, many people miss this little gem in North Carolina.

I first saw Ocracoke when staying at a beach house on Cedar Island (another secret spot - not often found by tourists). The ferry to Ocracoke Island was on the tip of Cedar Island, so my family decided to take a day trip.

Wow! We basically had a beach to ourselves. How amazing.

Don't think Ocracoke is a deserted island. It's not. There's a really wonderful village right at the dock. But, we have a 4 wheel drive and went down the beach and pretty much had an isolated island experience.

I loved the clean sand and the big waves coming in.

After we enjoyed a very private time on the beach with the boys playing football in the sand and in the water, we visited the town and had a great time. We had seafood right on the water at Jolly Rogers and enjoyed local crafts at various shops.

It does take some extra time to get out to Ocracoke. The Cedar Island ferry is a couple of hours. It's not that long coming up the north end from the Outer Banks. But, it's still kind of out of the way. That is what makes it special though. You don't have all the crowds and the typical beach tourist traps.

If you really want to relax on vacation and get away from it all but still have access to some entertainment and people, then Ocracoke just can't be beat.

For more information on Ocracoke, I would suggest that you visit Mary's site. She lives at Ocracoke, and you get great information when you check with a local rather than looking at some of the general travel sites. Those just lack the heart of a place and the details.

Ghost Town in the Sky - Struggling But Will Open for 2009

When I was a kid, our family would go to the mountains of North Carolina. We usually camped in Cherokee, NC near Mingo Falls. Along with fishing and tubing down the cold mountain stream, we would spend a day at Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley.

There were not many amusement parks around in the 1960s, so it was a big deal to get to go to Ghost Town. Today there are loads of amusements parks with each one bigger and better than the next, so Ghost Town has struggled. In fact, the park closed down for five years and now is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy after two years. The tough economy, high gas prices last summer, and the bank failures combined to make it hard to get the refurbished park back up and running.

The current plan is to open as scheduled at Ghost Town on May 15, 2009. So, even as the park struggles, they are working to keep part of the history of the mountains of North Carolina alive.

If you’re headed to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, then Ghost Town in the Sky is a great trip especially if you have younger kids. It’s a smaller park with very friendly employees and visitors.

The park is on the side of the mountain, and you ride a chair lift up. That was what I found really thrilling when I was a kid. The ride up the mountain was great and would have been a treat even if they hadn’t had an amusement park at the end of the ride. There’s an inclined train ride also for those afraid of heights and dangling feet, but that is still under construction. So, a bus ride option is available in the meantime.

As far as the rides, they have a roller coaster. What makes it stand out is that it’s up high on the mountain and close the edge. So, while it may not be the biggest and newest, it’s a neat ride. The chair swings also benefit from being on the side of the mountain if you or the kids are thrill seekers. There are a variety of other smaller rides and a old fashioned train that circles around the park.

My favorite things at Ghost Town are the shows. The have a mock street shoot out with all the visitors lined up watching the good guys chase down the bad guys. Over at the saloon, you can see dancing girls and some comedy, and the big arena showcases Native American dancers from Cherokee.

I took my boys when they were really little guys and then again shortly before the park closed down for a while. They enjoyed Ghost Town a lot. It was not an all day affair like so many of the parks now. They rode the rides and saw the shows and had some snacks. There were not 2 hour lines to get on a 5 minute or less ride. It really was perfect with younger kids. They went and had fun without getting totally worn out.

Ghost Town in the Sky probably would not appeal as much to teens. They don’t have multiple mega roller coasters and other big thrill rides. The shows would be a little old fashioned for those 12 and up. I’d suggest driving a little further into Tennessee and Dollywood if you have older kids.

I’m really glad Ghost Town will be opening this year and hope that they are able to make a go of it. I have wonderful memories of visiting as a child and then again with my boys. I hope they don’t change it too much. There are a lot of the overwhelming amusement parks out there now, and it’s nice to have a little laid back park when you can get a photo with a cowboy and where the bumper car man lets you ride longer, because the line isn’t that long.

Here's a video of Ghost Town in the Sky, so you can see some of the fun things for yourself.

Yes. You Can Buy Beer, Wine, and Mixed Drinks in Asheboro Now.

Asheboro, North Carolina was dry for 58 years, but last summer the alcohol issue went to a vote. Sixty percent of voters cast for alcohol in the largest dry town in NC, so if you're passing through Asheboro or decide to vacation and see the Asheboro Zoo, you can now have a drink with dinner or pick up a six pack at a local convenience store. If you want harder spirits, you can buy a mixed drink, but you won't find an ABC store in town.

North Carolina is a pretty conservative state, depending on what area you're visiting. Laws do vary across the state. If you see a little bar or convenience store with lots of beer signs right next to a county line, it's likely that you're entering a dry county.

I remember the emotions running high here when they had a vote to have beer and wine in the convenience store. That did pass, but we had a Blue Law. You could not buy beer or wine on Sunday, so they put a broom handle through the handles on the beer cooler on Sunday. You could, of course, drive 12 miles up the road and get beer and wine - but only after 11 a.m. on Sunday. I suppose that was to encourage people to go to church first. We no longer have the Blue Law here, the ABC store was blocked.

Chili Cook Off and Festival in Asheboro Next Month (April 2009)

One of my friends, Greta, sent me information about a fun festival in Asheboro coming up April 18, 2009. Asheboro is the home of our North Carolina Zoo, so if you're from out of town, you may want to stay the night, so you can visit the zoo as well.


New Asheboro Festival Seeks Vendors, Chili Cooks; Giving Away $10,000+

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 $8,000 in cash. 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 on April 18 and in advance at The Bagel Shop located at 103 North Fayetteville Street in downtown Asheboro, North Carolina. For more information, see Asheboro Chili Cook Off or call Vaughan at 336-302-4968.

Dragon Boat Racing in North Carolina

Sharada tipped me off about this interesting North Carolina event taking place in May 2009.

2009 ASIAN FESTIVAL AND DRAGON BOAT RACE
The World’s Fastest Growing Water Sport Returns to Charlotte

The Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) and The Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation announce the Fourth Annual Charlotte Dragon Boat to be held on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at Ramsey Creek Park, Cornelius. As usual, this will be accompanied by the Annual Asian Festival, which will be celebrated for the tenth year running this year.

Like every year, this year’s festival will feature entertainment, including performances of traditional dances from the different Asian countries, the talent-filled Miss Asian Festival Scholarship competition, regional exhibits, ethnic foods and merchandise, creating a fun-filled multi country fair-like atmosphere.

Dragon Boat racing is the fastest growing water sports event around the globe. The event embraces and promotes competition, fair play, team building, community cohesiveness, culture and history. Organized competitions are held in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, culminating in World Cup Championship races annually. In Charlotte, this event has succeeded in bringing together the Asian community and all the various other ethnic groups as they all enthusiastically embrace this sport from the East.

A Dragon Boat typically weighs about 600 pounds, measures 40 feet long in the shape of a canoe at 3.5 feet at its widest point. A wooden dragon head is attached to the bow and a tail at the stern. The hull is typically decorated with a design of red, green and blue scales edged in gold. Boats are crewed by a team of 22, with 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steer-person. You will hear competing teams propel their boats in sync with a furious rhythm pounded out by onboard drummers. All the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of excitement.

The festival and races were enjoyed by about 6000 -8000 people over the years from all over the greater Charlotte area with racing teams from the business community, non-profit organizations, high schools, colleges, citizen groups and breast cancer survivor teams coming even from Atlanta and Charleston, SC. For more details, please visit Dragon Boat Com.

Registered teams will have 2 free practice sessions, with coaching, 2-3 weeks before the event in the Lake Norman area, and the team is guaranteed to race at least two times on race day. Because of the time constraint, the number of teams will be limited to 40. Team registration fees received before April 17 are $600 for nonprofits and $700 for others. After April 17, it is $700 and $800 respectively. For more details, please contact Lina Waty at linawaty@yahoo.com.

Admission is free. Satellite parking areas are posted for all visitors, with shuttle bus services to the park.