Thursday, Dec. 31
Midnight on the Mountain at Roan Mountain State Park. Hike Round Bald at midnight on Dec. 31 and hike down on Jan. 1 with Park Ranger Meg Guy. Limited to 15 hikers.
Friday, Jan. 1
Sycamore Shoals ‘First Hike’ — Carter Mansion Tour — Join us for an enjoyable midmorning tour of the Carter Mansion at 11 a.m. Visit this elegant frontier home, festively decorated for the holidays and learn about the seasonal traditions of the 18th Century. Dress appropriately for the weather as we will be taking a casual stroll from the Visitor Center of the Carter Mansion (located beside the parking lot) to the Carter Mansion. Tour will begin at 11 a.m. by reservation only. To make a reservation, call 423-543-5808. Reservations must be made by Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 3:30 p.m. Tour will be subject to cancelation due to inclement weather. For cancellation information call 543-6140. The Carter Mansion is located at 1031 Broad St., Elizabethton.
Saturday, Jan. 2
Old Christmas: Militia Muster at Fort Watauga — Christmas isn’t over yet! European migrants brought Old World holiday traditions to America, from the Dutch Sinterklaas to the Twelve Days of Christmas. Discover the English, German, Scottish and Irish roots of our modern holiday celebrations. Contact the park for detailed schedule. Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
CareFest — Come join in a day of fun, music and fellowship while also helping to raise money to help three families in the Roan Mountain community who were displaced by an apartment fire in early December. Triple J Farm in the Heaton Creek community will be the setting for CareFest, a festival-style concert featuring musicians from the Roan Mountain community and beyond coupled with a old-fashioned potluck social. Among those slated to perform are: TV Barnett and his Roan Mountain Moonshiners, Thistle Dew, The Roan Crows, The Repossessed, Art Lang & Friends, Jim & Cheri Miller, Michael Puckett, and The Croonin’ CREAKers. Admission to the event is a suggested $5 donation and a casserole or covered dish for sharing with others. The event will also feature a silent auction. For more information or to donate items for the silent auction, please contact Mike Hill at (828) 265-9974.
Sunday, Jan. 3
Old Christmas: Militia Muster at Fort Watauga — Christmas isn’t over yet! European migrants brought Old World holiday traditions to America, from the Dutch Sinterklaas to the Twelve Days of Christmas. Discover the English, German, Scottish and Irish roots of our modern holiday celebrations. Contact the park for detailed schedule. Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 16
Watercolor Painting – Fort Watuaga — Join instructor Barbara Jernigan for a workshop in watercolor painting at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Learn and practice watercolor techniques and style. The historic re-creation of Fort Watauga will be the subject matter for this class. All levels of experience are welcome! The class will be held from 9 a.m. until Noon with a cost of $12 (when participants bring their own supplies) or $20 (supplies provided by instructor).
Sunday, Jan. 17
Know Your Sewing Machine — Have a sewing machine but don’t know how to use it? This class will teach you basic machine operations. (Embroidery machines and sergers are not included). Please bring: sewing machine, sewing machine manual and accessories, small scissors. Instructor brings fabric & thread.
The instructor for this workshop is Donna Horowitz and the class will be held at Sycamore Shoals State Park from 1-4 p.m. with a cost of $25.
Saturday, Jan. 23
Watercolor Painting – Landscapes: Bare Trees and Snow — Join instructor Barbara Jernigan for a workshop in watercolor painting at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Learn and practice watercolor techniques and style. Landscapes featuring bare trees and snow will be the subject matter for this class. All levels of experience are welcome! The class will be held from 9 a.m. until Noon with a cost of $12 (when participants bring their own supplies) or $20 (supplies provided by instructor).
Saturday, Jan. 30
Beginning Chair Bottoming — Come learn the traditional art of chair bottoming and caning from Cathy Broyles. Discover a great way to repair an old favorite or brush up an antique! Find out how to weave the life back into your old cane furniture.
Materials: chair to cane, bucket or dishpan suitable for hot water, scissors, butter knife, 2 old towels. The cost of the class is $30 plus cost of materials — reed and string — and you can pay the instructor at the start of class for the materials. The class will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Sycamore Shoals State Park.
Saturday, Feb 6
Winter Militia Muster at Fort Watauga — Visit Sycamore Shoals State Park and Fort Watauga to step back in time into a colorful Revolutionary world. Reenactors portray a variety of characters, from hunters and farmers to land speculators and backcountry gentry. Walk among colonists and native people who share their past through talks, mini-dramas, and demonstrations of 18th century life. Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Raised Bed Gardening —It’s not too early to be planning & building your spring garden. Gardener extraordinaire, Ben Hunter, will be joining us to share his experiences & techniques for growing the garden of your dreams! Sponsored by the Northeast Tennessee Master Gardeners, of which Hunter is a member. The class will be held at Sycamore Shoals State Park from 9 a.m. until Noon. The workshop is free and advance registration is not necessary.
Beginning Sewing — Learn to sew an easy starter project! Class is designed for true beginners. Topics covered : pattern layout, importance of grain line / seam allowances, pattern terminology and many much more. Instructor Donna Horowitz will teach students to sew a bathrobe as their project. Please bring: sewing machine and manual, basic sewing supplies, fabric & pattern. Instructor will provide a supply list at the first class. Bring your machine to the first class. This is a 4-part class series with classes being held on Feb. 6, 20, 27 and March 5 from 1-4 p.m. each class day at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Cost for all four classes is $80 plus supplies.
Sunday, February 7
Winter Militia Muster at Fort Watauga — Visit Fort Watauga and step into a colorful Revolutionary world. Reenactors portray a variety of characters, from hunters and farmers to land speculators and backcountry gentry. Walk among colonists and native people who share their past through talks, mini-dramas, and demonstrations of 18th century life. Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Introduction to Bee Keeping — Curious about bees? Learn about the benefits of back yard beekeeping, the critical necessity of their function of pollination, and local resources that would aid a beginning beekeeper. The instructor for this workshop is Joe Schultz. The class will be held from 2-3 p.m. at Sycamore Shoals State Park and is free and open to the public.
Saturday, Feb. 13
Watercolor Painting – Floral Still Life — Join instructor Barbara Jernigan for a workshop in watercolor painting at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Learn and practice watercolor techniques and style. Floral Still Life will be the subject matter for this class. All levels of experience are welcome! The class will be held from 9 a.m. until Noon with a cost of $12 (when participants bring their own supplies) or $20 (supplies provided by instructor).
Inkle Weaving — Learn how to weave wide sashes, narrow bands, and shoelaces on a loom that is light-weight and easy to carry around! Instructor Ronnie Lail teaches participants to create wonderful patterns through varied placement of colorful thread. Bring scissors. The class will be held from 1-4 p.m. at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Cost for the program is $60 for class and all supplies (this includes a loom for you to keep; or $20 for class and thread only; or $10 for class only.
Saturday, Feb. 20
Beginning Sewing — Learn to sew an easy starter project! Class is designed for true beginners. Topics covered : pattern layout, importance of grain line / seam allowances, pattern terminology and many much more. Instructor Donna Horowitz will teach students to sew a bathrobe as their project. Please bring: sewing machine and manual, basic sewing supplies, fabric & pattern. Instructor will provide a supply list at the first class. Bring your machine to the first class. This is a 4-part class series with classes being held on Feb. 6, 20, 27 and March 5 from 1-4 p.m. each class day at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Cost for all four classes is $80 plus supplies.
Watercolor Painting – Florals: Close Up — Join instructor Barbara Jernigan for a workshop in watercolor painting at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Learn and practice watercolor techniques and style. Florals: Close Up will be the subject matter for this class. All levels of experience are welcome! The class will be held from 9 a.m. until Noon with a cost of $12 (when participants bring their own supplies) or $20 (supplies provided by instructor).
Saturday, Feb. 27
Beginning Sewing — Learn to sew an easy starter project! Class is designed for true beginners. Topics covered : pattern layout, importance of grain line / seam allowances, pattern terminology and many much more. Instructor Donna Horowitz will teach students to sew a bathrobe as their project. Please bring: sewing machine and manual, basic sewing supplies, fabric & pattern. Instructor will provide a supply list at the first class. Bring your machine to the first class. This is a 4-part class series with classes being held on Feb. 6, 20, 27 and March 5 from 1-4 p.m. each class day at Sycamore Shoals State Park. Cost for all four classes is $80 plus supplies.