What’s happening this week

Oct. 2

• Mountains Piled Upon Mountains, William Bartram program at Hudson Library: Hudson Library will host writer and naturalist Brent Martin on Tuesday October 2 at 2 p.m. Mr. Martin, of the North Carolina Bartram Trail Society, will present “Mountains Piled Upon Mountains”: A Journey into 18th Century Western North Carolina through the eyes of William Bartram.  This program will explore the cultural and natural history of the Little Tennessee and Upper Chattooga valleys as described in 1775 in Bartram’s famous publication, Travels. Following the one-hour presentation there will be an optional two-mile hike on the Bartram Trail near Highlands, beginning at Osage Overlook on NC-106. For more information or to request an accommodation, please call the library at 828-526-3031. Hudson Library, 554 Main Street in Highlands, is open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.

Oct. 5

• Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Community Town Halls: Join Jackie Medland, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital President/CNO, from noon to 1 p.m. at Cashiers Recreation Park, 355 Franklin Road, Cashiers, N.C. Updates will be shared on Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, and time will be available for your questions.
• Friday Night Live: Curtis Blackwell and the Dixie Bluegrass Boys will perform at Friday Night Live from 6-8 p.m. at Town Square in Highlands.
• Cashiers Leaf Festival: It has been held each year in October since its inception in 2009.  This year’s festival expects to welcome more than 100 artisans and merchants scattered throughout the Village Green and Commons park, located directly in the center of Cashiers adjacent to the crossroads of Highways 64 and 107. Visitors will find unique handcrafted wood, pottery, jewelry and much more on display and available for purchase throughout the weekend. There will be plenty of food and drinks available in both parking lots behind the two stages of the park, which will be filled with live music throughout the weekend. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, on October 5, 6, and 7.

Oct. 6

Highlands Performing Arts Center’s Live via Satellite Series begins the 2018-19 season on October 6 with the MET Opera production of Aida by Verdi.

• The Highlands Performing Arts Center’s Live via Satellite Series begins the 2018-19 season on October 6 with the MET Opera production of Aida by Verdi. Soprano Anna Netrebko sings her first Met Aida, going toe-to-toe with mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris. Tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko is Radamès, and Nicola Luisotti takes the podium for the Met’s monumental production. The Egyptians are at war with the Ethiopians. Aida is an Ethiopian who has been captured and made slave to Amneris, the daughter of the King of Egypt. Aida is the daughter of Amonasro, the King of Ethiopia. A love triangle and war ensue. Tickets are available online: highlandspac.org, at the door or by calling: 828.526.9047  Highlands Performing Arts Center, 507 Chestnut Street, Highlands.N.C.
• Highlands Community Health Fair: sponsored by First Baptist Church of Highlands at 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Highlands Recreation Center. To register call Anna Claire 828-526-1489.
• Blessing of the Animals: With Archibishop John Erbelding at 11 a.m. at the old Scaly Mountain Schoolhouse, 41 Buck Knob Road, Scaly Mountain, N.C. Dogs must be leashed and all other animals suitably contained.
• Chicks with Hits: Terri Clark – Pam Tillis – Suzy Bogguss at 7:30 p.m. at the Smokey Mountain Performing Arts Center.

Terri Clark
Hailing from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, Terri Clark got her start by playing for tips at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a legendary honky-tonk bar across the alley from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. With over 5 million albums sold, critically acclaimed international tours, and hit singles such as “Better Things To Do,” “Poor Poor Pitiful Me,” “Girls Lie Too,” “Northern Girl,” and “I Just Wanna Be Mad,” Terri has solidified her place in the history books of country music. The 3-time JUNO Award winner holds the honor of being the only Canadian female member of the legendary Grand Ole Opry. She has been named CCMA Female Vocalist of the Year five times and has taken home eight CCMA Fan’s Choice Awards. In total, Terri has had the honor of receiving 19 CCMA Awards.

Pam Tillis
As the child of Country Music Royalty, Pam Tillis was determined from a young age to find her own way in music as a singer and songwriter. Pam Tillis has always insisted on writing and cutting songs that speak from the soul. With 6 number ones and 14 top ten singles, Pam knows all about breaking the platinum barrier. With more than 30 singles charting on US Billboard charts and selling more than 7 Million copies of her studio albums, Pam’s critical acclaim has not diminished. She is currently a reoccurring guest on the TV show “Nashville”, performed an extended run on Broadway in New York in Smokey Joe’s Cafe and is a proud member of The Grand Ole Opry. Pam Tillis’ star continues to shine brightly in the 3rd decade of her career.

Suzy Boggiss
During the creative explosion that was country music in the 1990s Suzy Bogguss sold 4 million records with sparkling radio hits like “Outbound Plane”, “Someday Soon”, “Letting Go”, and “Drive South”. In the midst of her country popularity she took time off to make a duets album with the legendary Chet Atkins. In 2003 she made an album of modern swing music with Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel. An album of original music in 2007 landed her at number 4 on the jazz charts. Her folk music roots show through in her frequent appearances on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, in the Grammy she earned for her work on Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, and in her critically acclaimed album and book project from 2011, American Folk Songbook. So yes, you can call her a country singer if you want, but really that’s just the beginning. Tickets cost $28, $33, and $38.