Community Calendar

The WNC Sculpture Center’s Third Saturday Family Workshop series invites families to gather once a month for hands-on, creative experiences that blend art-making, learning, and quality time together. Held every third Saturday, each workshop features a different accessible, family-friendly project—ranging from sculpture and printmaking to mixed‑media creations—designed to encourage collaboration across generations. Led by knowledgeable staff and artists, the workshops often include opportunities to explore the sculpture park, helping participants connect creativity with place. The series emphasizes creativity, shared experiences, and making meaningful keepsakes, making it a welcoming entry point for families to engage with the arts together.

Buddy Huffaker joined the Aldo Leopold Foundation in 1996 as a seasonal intern and has served as Executive Director since 1999.  During his tenure, the foundation has grown into a national conservation organization with international reach, realizing the potential of a Land Ethic. Dr. Stanley A. Temple is the Beers-Bascom Professor Emeritus in Conservation in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For 32 years he held the academic position once occupied by Aldo Leopold, and during that time he won every teaching award for which he was eligible. He and his students have helped save many of the world’s endangered species and the habitats on which they depend. The Aug. 20 presentation is titled “Aldo Leopold’s Legacy: A conversation on land ethic and conservation.” Join a fireside chat with Huffaker, Temple (joining virtually) and Jesse Pope, president and CEO of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation on endangered species and the land ethic. Temple will share stories from his lifetime of work on conservation efforts to save endangered species across the world, including one right here at Grandfather Mountain. Huffaker and Pope will chat about Leopold’s Land Ethic today, why it continues to be important and what challenges are being faced at Grandfather. Tickets go on sale online for this event at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 19.

Join Mattie Decker, a certified forest therapy guide, for a relaxing 2 to 2.5-hour stroll through the forest at Grandfather Mountain. Through a series of invitations, you will have the opportunity to focus on being present in the moment, deepening your connection with nature and community and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer. Forest bathing walks invite guests to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for us, as well as our fraught ecosystems, and our community. Registration opens online on June 22 at 10 a.m.

BEETLES Professional Learning Sessions are active experiences crafted to encourage instructors to look at different specific aspects of research-based science pedagogy and to inspire shifts in instructors’ thinking about their own teaching and learning. This session will cover the “Making Observations and Promoting Discussion Sessions” where we will learn how we can help learners make careful observations while encouraging wonder and curiosity and how productive talk leads to deep learning. This workshop qualifies for Criteria I or II in the EE Certification Program. CEU renewal credits are available. This workshop is free to attend, although advance registration is required. Tickets for this event go online on Grandfather Mountain’s website June 29 at 10 a.m.

Girl Scouts are invited to join the park’s naturalists for a fun-filled learning adventure on Grandfather Mountain. Plus, all Girl Scouts and troop leaders are admitted free with proof of membership (all or part of a uniform or a troop roster with the leader’s name on it), and family members will receive discounted admission ($1 off child admission and $2 off adult admission). The day has a robust schedule of simultaneous offerings (which may be subject to change due to weather or other factors). Included with admission.

Grandfather Mountain is an amazing diversity hotspot for breeding birds in the southern Appalachians with more than 120 species detected during the nesting season. From warblers to hawks to hummingbirds, migration is a wondrous period of the year for birders and nature enthusiasts alike. Taught by Steve Dowlan, a retired natural resource specialist for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, this course provides the opportunity to visit several locations on the mountain to learn about the diversity of migrants, the timing and mechanics of migration, and hopefully see dozens of species using Grandfather as a staging area on their long flights to Central and South America. Our classroom program will take a deeper dive into the science of migration and some of the technology unlocking the secrets of bird movement. Registration opens online on July 20 at 10 a.m.

Practice carrying groceries and everyday items by bike using racks, bags, and straps during a guided shopping trip.

Join the Charlotte DOT for a hands-on class focused on carrying groceries and everyday items by bike.

You'll learn how to safely transport cargo using racks, bags, straps, and other equipment, with tips for balancing loads and riding comfortably. Participants will practice loading a variety of items before taking a group ride to a nearby grocery store, where each attendee will receive an allowance to purchase items to carry back by bike.

We will have bags, straps, and other materials for practice, but participants are encouraged to bring any gear they currently use for carrying items on their bike. If you have a rack or other cargo equipment, bring it along! Helmet is required.

Get ready to dive deep into today's music industry at Confluence, where you'll connect with industry insiders and top talent.

Held in Charlotte, Confluence is the must-attend annual gathering for music professionals, artists, and industry leaders across the Carolinas and the Southeast. Whether you’re shaping the business of music, innovating behind the scenes, or creating the soundtrack of tomorrow, this is where the region’s music community comes together to share ideas, make connections, and drive the industry forward.

Get ready to dive deep into today's music industry at Confluence, where you'll connect with industry insiders and top talent.

Held in Charlotte, Confluence is the must-attend annual gathering for music professionals, artists, and industry leaders across the Carolinas and the Southeast. Whether you’re shaping the business of music, innovating behind the scenes, or creating the soundtrack of tomorrow, this is where the region’s music community comes together to share ideas, make connections, and drive the industry forward.

Get ready to dive deep into today's music industry at Confluence, where you'll connect with industry insiders and top talent.

Held in Charlotte, Confluence is the must-attend annual gathering for music professionals, artists, and industry leaders across the Carolinas and the Southeast. Whether you’re shaping the business of music, innovating behind the scenes, or creating the soundtrack of tomorrow, this is where the region’s music community comes together to share ideas, make connections, and drive the industry forward.