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left917 is the High Country's independent read: local news, music, culture, and what's on, all in one place. No app, no login, no ads. And we're writing our own stuff now, not just rounding up everyone else's. Putting on an event? Share your calendar and we'll keep it on the air. Saw a flyer for something that isn't here? Send us the photo.
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Running all October
The High Country Haint List. Haunted trails, ghost tours and a live Rocky Horror shadowcast. Everything spooky between here and Oct. 31, updated as the flyers go up. Read it →
Voting Nov. 3? Registration closes Fri, Oct. 9, at 5pm. Dates, early-voting sites, ID rules and a sample-ballot lookup, all on one page.
Fri, Oct. 2.
It's First Friday, and the Art Crawl runs from 5pm through the downtown galleries. At 6pm, Yonder Mountain String Band bring their Grammy-nominated bluegrass to AMB, and Dolly Film Fest: 9 to 5 plays the App Theatre for $6, with Birdie's Dolly portrait to read first. At 7pm, THREE RIVERS, a free program of experimental river films, screens in the App Theatre's Mast Community Room on the second anniversary of Helene. Out in Todd at 8pm, Berghain barn/Stay Feral is a rave at Betsy's Barn that raises money for the Watauga humane society. Ashe Democrats hold a candidate forum at the Ashe Arts Council in West Jefferson at 6:30pm.
Weekend
Rain is coming. Saturday has an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms, a quarter to half inch, and Sunday is at 90%. The High Country Honey Festival in Ashe runs 9am to 5pm rain or shine, the Ola Belle Reed Festival in Lansing is noon to 5pm, and the WKSK old-time and bluegrass show goes live at the Ashe Civic Center a little after 11am.
Worth knowing
Boone, Blowing Rock, Beech Mountain and Seven Devils have no council or mayor races this year. Town elections are in odd years, so the next ones are in 2027, but there's plenty else on the Nov. 3 ballot. Two years after Helene, local organizations fear the aid is in jeopardy. The Blue Ridge Parkway also finished its 75-mile road rehabilitation.
Last night
The Watauga County Meet the Candidates Forum took place Thursday night at the Appalachian Theatre. The full recording is on YouTube.
◆ Book of the Week · with Huzzah Books
Cat Man
Edward Hoagland
Hoagland's first novel follows the life and observations of a man whose world centers on cats and the peculiar wisdom they offer. This debut work explores the quiet intensity of devotion to animals and the solitary life they can inspire.
Read the pick →
🌖 Waning Gibbous · 73% lit
A bright moon tonight, so the Milky Way and the faintest stars wash out.
Sky's truly dark after 8:34 PM.
◆ NASA's photo today: The Complete Sharpless Catalog: 313 Nebulas →
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