Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
Smoky Mountain News · Highlands, NC
Nearby: Highlands, NCA special “Oyster Roast & Bluegrass” culinary gathering will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Highlander Mountain House in Highlands. Fresh seafood from Pelican Oysters, craft ales from Burial Beer Co. and live music from Daniel Ullom & Emma Rast. Tickets are $50 per person. For tickets, visit highlandermountainhouse.com or call 828.526.2590.
Smoky Mountain News · Bryson City, NC
Nearby: Bryson City, NCJackson County Americana/folk duo Bird in Hand will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City. The road less traveled has always been the way for husband-and-wife duo Bird in Hand. Bryan & Megan Thurman call the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina home, and the region is directly reflected in their music. Bird in Hand is upbeat and new while still rooted in the traditions of American folk. The two have played all over the Appalachian region, as well as across the country, and share an onstage chemistry that demands attention. They need to be seen live to understand the meaning of “Appalachian Thunder Folk.” The show is free and open to the public. For more information, visit mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
Smoky Mountain News · Maggie Valley, NC
Nearby: Maggie Valley, NCAmericana/indie-folk singer-songwriter Alan Edwards will perform at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley. Edwards has been a singer-songwriter for over 30 years. His music holds an honesty and an authenticity not built on outward style but inner substance. He is joined by a backing band of some of the top players in the region, all with vocal harmonies reminiscent of The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and Buck Owens & Don Rich. Admission is $30 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.
Smoky Mountain News · Waynesville, NC
Nearby: Waynesville, NCI’ve always dreamed of living a weird life. Not a self-destructive one. Not one of chaos and confusion. But, one of constant movement and interaction with strangers who became fast friends over a cold pint of beer or simply talking in a parking lot because I liked their T-shirt or they liked mine. That’s all. There’s a reason I bring this up. A very big reason in my existence. One recent evening, alone in my humble abode one-bedroom apartment in downtown Waynesville, I re-watched the seminal 2007 film “Into the Wild.” It had been many years since I viewed that serene movie, and yet it still hit all of the deepest buttons within my absolute being: love, truth, and sense of self. And I vividly remember the first time I saw “Into the Wild.” It was February 2008 in the very, very tiny town of Victor, Idaho. The population at that time was around 800.
Smoky Mountain News · Waynesville, NC
Nearby: Waynesville, NCThe Haywood County Arts Council’s “Small Works” exhibit will run through Thursday, Dec. 31, in the Haywood Handmade Gallery at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville. The annual exhibit expands the types of work for sale in the downtown Waynesville gallery, as well as who can display their work. With dozens of artists participating, the exhibit promises to be eclectic. “Small Works is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our local artists and find meaningful, one-of-a-kind gifts,” said HCAC Executive Director Tonya Harwood. “Every purchase supports the talented artists who make Haywood County such a special place.” Although the only requirement is that the pieces be 12 inches in any dimension or smaller in any dimension, HCAC challenges participants who are making holiday themed works to consider artistic expressions that are multicultural in nature and celebrate the many different holidays — including the ways of celebrating and ways of experiencing holidays.
Qué Pasa · Gatlinburg, TN
Nearby: Gatlinburg, TNLuis Neyra Qué Pasa Cherokee.- El Parque Nacional de las Grandes Montañas Humeantes anunció que cerrará la carretera US 441, conocida como Newfound Gap Road, a partir de las 6:00 de la tarde . del jueves, ante el pronóstico de condiciones climáticas invernales. El cierre afectará el tramo entre Cherokee, en el oeste de Carolina del Norte, y Gatlinburg, Tennessee, una de las rutas más populares del parque. Según el anuncio, Newfound Gap Road es la única carretera del parque que las autoridades prevén cerrar por las condiciones meteorológicas. El comunicado no establece una hora de reapertura. Quienes planeen viajar entre ambas localidades deberán tomar en cuenta la interrupción al organizar sus recorridos. ®Copyright 2022 Qué Pasa Media Network.
Smoky Mountain News · Canton, NC
Nearby: Canton, NCSince I started as the arts and entertainment editor here at The Smoky Mountain News some 14 years ago, I’ve been able to dive deep into the legend and lore of bluegrass sensation Balsam Range, our “local boys done good,” as they say. The quintet was my first assignment for this newspaper — I covered the “Papertown” album release party at the Colonial Theatre in Canton on Aug. 10, 2012 — they were also the first actual friends I made in Haywood County and greater Western North Carolina. Not only has the group become musical heroes in their own right, but also they remain a pillar of the genuine compassion and inclusive nature at the heart of folks here in Southern Appalachia.
Red Orb News · Clemson, SC
Nearby: Clemson, SCSyracuse's athletic director wants to beat Clemson "in the worst way," according to a USA TODAY Network report carried by Yahoo Sports on November 4, 2026. That headline is the loudest thing in this week's coverage of the matchup, and it comes from the program's own leadership rather than a pundit. The quote-level framing matters: the desire is on the record, the pathway is not. Two other pieces rounded out the week's record. Matt Levine of Roundtable Sports - Clemson published "3 Biggest X-Factors for Clemson to Defeat Syracuse" on November 4, and SB Nation's Kevin Wall filed a "what to watch" preview on November 5. Together they show how a single matchup gets covered from both sidelines — and how little hard data any of it contains before kickoff. This piece assembles what the sourced record supports, nothing more. For readers tracking how coverage claims get built, our guide on judging any critic's review applies to sports previews too.
