Hay Now Podcast
Beyond the lush valleys and towering peaks, there is a lot that makes the North Carolina Smoky Mountains one of the best areas to visit in the Southeast. Take a look inside Haywood County to learn about the people and places that make it such a fascinating destination. From the bustling art scene to an abundance of outdoor adventure, there's no shortage of interesting stories, and we're here to bring them right to your ears. Plan Your Trip at VisitNCSmokies.com
Episodes
In this episode, we sat down with Jim Owens (Town of Maggie Valley), Michelle Harris (Haywood Community College), and Sarah Worrell (Cataloochee Ski Area) to talk all things NC Smokies Ice Fest Weekend. Taking place January 26-28th, the NC Smokies Ice Festival is a weekend-long event across Haywood County that aims to pack all the joys of winter into 3 full days of fun. From ice skating to ice carving, this weekend-long event is gu...
Join us as we chat with Lee White, the mastermind behind Geek Mountain, and discover the origins of his business and the exciting Smoky Mountain Geek Expo. Get ready to unleash your inner nerd!
Learn more about the Smoky Mountain Geek Expo happening on October 21st, 2023.
In this episode of Hay Now, we dive into the fascinating world of wildlife conservation as we sit down with Joe Yarkovich, a wildlife biologist for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, who shares his experiences and insights into protecting the park's diverse ecosystem. Tune in as we explore the challenges and triumphs of preserving nature's wonders.
To learn more about our park visit: nps.gov/grsm
Join us on this episode of the Hay Now Podcast as we dive into the world of water sports and outdoor adventures! We had the pleasure of sitting down with Charles and Rebecca, of Pigeon River Outfitters in Canton, NC to learn about all the incredible experiences they offer from Memorial Day - Labor Day.
In this episode, we discuss the different water activities at Pigeon River Outfitters and how they can help you beat the...
In this episode, we sit down with the new Executive Director of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority (HCTDA), Corrina Ruffieux, to talk about National Travel and Tourism Week (May 7-13, 2023) and our role in this industry.
The tourism industry plays a vital role in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and generating revenue for local businesses in Haywood County.
To learn more about what we do a...
Located in the heart of Haywood County, Haywood Community College (HCC) is taking a bold step towards fostering outdoor recreation and attracting both locals and visitors to the area.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shelley White, President of HCC, to dive into the vision behind these new trails, the planning process, unique features of these trails and the anticipated benefits for the college community and the coun...
In this episode we explore the fascinating history of Haywood County through the lens of local historian, Alex McKay. From its humble beginnings as a rural agricultural community, Haywood County has undergone significant transformations over the years.
One of the most significant forces in Haywood County's history has been tourism, which has had a profound impact on the area's economy, culture, and overall ident...
In this episode we sit down with Kendra Straub from the National Park Service to discuss everything you need to know about the new Park It Forward Program!
The new parking tag program will allow visitors to continue enjoying the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while ensuring the park can continue to operate and stay well maintained. Just last year the park greeted over 14 million visitors, making it the most visited pa...
In this episode of the Hay Now Podcast, we sit down with Patrick O'Brien from the Ice Mill to talk about his involvement with the upcoming Maggie Valley Ice Festival. Happening on January 28th from 3-8 p.m., this FREE and family-friendly event will feature LIVE ice carving demos, an ice slide, food trucks, art vendors and so much more!
For more information, visit our Facebook event page.
In this episode of the Hay Now Podcast, we sit down with owner of Pigeon River Mercantile, Lisa Conard, to talk about her humble business beginnings, holiday gift ideas and the ever growing shopping scene in Downtown Canton.
Learn more about her shop at: pigeonrivermerc.com
In this episode we sat down with HART Theatre's Artistic Director, Candice Dickinson, to talk about about the History of HART, how you can get involved and all the upcoming shows for their 2023 season!
For more information on HART and to purchase tickets visit: harttheatre.org
Tune in to hear from Cataloochee Ski Area staff, Jasper Williams and Clay Gillespe talk about all things ski for this upcoming 2022-23 season, Cataloochee’s elite snow making process, what to know before you go and the Kids Ski Free program.
Stay up-to-date with ski updates and purchase your passes at cataloochee.com.
Want to learn more about Cataloochee's snowmaking process? Check out this video!
In this episode, we sit down with co-chair of our local chapter of The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Joyce Cooper to talk about all things Elk Fest! Elk Fest is a family-friendly event full of live music, local entertainment, craft vendors, educational demonstrations, plenty of activities for the kids, an RMEF Elk Calling Contest and so much more. Proceeds from the event go to help sustain the growing population of elk that were r...
In this episode, we sit down with Morgan Beryl, Executive Director of the Haywood County Arts Council to talk about their fall events including the Haywood County Studio Tours, The Smoky Mountain Bluegrass Festival and more! We also learn about how we can get involved with the arts council’s mission of bringing the community together to promote diverse artists, art education and innovation in art.
In this episode, we sit down with outdoor industry and travel tourism photographer, Steve Yocom. Tune in to hear more about Steve’s background, his connection to the county, some recommended easy hikes in the area for beginners, what you should know before you go out in the field and sustainable travel practices.
In this episode, we sit down with Zeb Ross of the J Creek Cloggers to talk about his roots here in Haywood County, the styles of clogging you can see in many of his videos and what’s happened since he became “The Legend Zeb Ross” on TikTok and other social media channels.
Tune in to hear Becky Ramey and Terry Frady, promoters of Hillbilly Jam, talk about this year's event. Hillbilly Jam is a 2-day celebration of music, moonshine and mountain living happening July 22 & 23 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.
For more information about Hillbilly Jam visit thehillbillyjam.com.
Many folks know Folkmoot as an international folk festival that happens every July in Haywood County, but what many don’t know is that they’re more than just a festival. They also have a year-round cultural center, with a focus on programs and events that celebrate diversity, encourage cultural inclusion and honor worldwide cultural heritages. In this episode we sit down with Executive Director, Evan Hatch, to discuss the past and ...
Tune in to hear from the founder of the Appalachian Adventure Company, Steven "Made in Maggie Valley" Reinhold to learn more about their upcoming content creators camp and his experiences guiding trips that stoke adventure in and around Haywood County.
Tune in to hear from local food truck owners, Amy and Dan of Harvest Moon Crepes, Ben Hooper of Ben's Backdraft Barbecue and Hunter Wyman of Woof Street Bistro and their experiences serving up Haywood County. From chicken fajita crepes to smoked brisket and alligator tacos, this episode will make you hungry for more!
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