On Saturday and Sunday, March 24 and 25, the best canoe and kayak racers from around the United States met on the Nantahala River in western North Carolina to decide who wins and who loses in the last big white water race of the season, the U.S. Open Canoe and Kayak Championships, sponsored by Bank of America.

Although this is one of a series of regional races, it was a very important race because it was the last race before the U.S. Olympic Team Trials held April 12-15 in Charlotte, N.C. Competitors used the U.S. Open to judge their chances at the Olympic Trials and to assess the competition.

Read more...

Over 300 Macon County students and public to attend

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee and Friends of the Greenway, in celebration of N.C. Invasive Plant Awareness Week, will host an educational event on the Franklin Greenway about the identification, control, and prevention of exotic invasive plants and animals.

Experts from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River, Western North Carolina Alliance and others will host educational displays, give brief presentations and answer questions about exotic invasive plants, insects, mammals, fish, and aquatic invertebrates.

The Smoky Mountain Beekeepers and the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service will host a day-long course in beekeeping Saturday, April 14 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., at the Swain County Extension Office just west of Bryson City.

Topics covered will include beekeeping basics, how to get started in beekeeping, and advanced beekeeping video and discussion opportunities! Afternoon sessions include a round table discussion, wood working video and hands on demonstrations by our local beekeepers. Pre-registration fee is $15 per person or $25 per couple prior to April 1 and $20/person or $30/couple thereafter or at the door.

Read more...

In a little more than a year, the world’s best freestyle kayakers will converge on the Nantahala Gorge for the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships.

To acquaint area businesses and civic organizations with the potential impact of this event, the Bryson City––Swain County Chamber of Commerce is holding an open house thursday, March 22 from 6 to 8 pm. Event Director Zuzana Vanha and members of the Nantahala Gorge Organizing Committee will be on hand to answer questions about the event, and provide information about volunteer and sponsorship opportunities.