CALENDAR of EVENTS
​

Crossroads: Change in Rural America
June 20 - July 17, 2020

​Grand Opening - June 20 at 11am

All Crossroads programs are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.   
Please note program times and locations may be subject to change. 

Saturday
June 20
11am
Open to the public

Grand Opening 
  *Exhibit Grand Opening(s) for: 
     - Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibition
     - Community PhotoStory exhibit; sponsored by Georgia Council for the Arts
     - Evolution of Rural Economics - a video exhibition by Fannin County
        High School Students; sponsored by BRMAA & the Museums on Main
        Street's Stories:YES grant program 
     - Appalachian Perspectives artist exhibit

   *Live Artist Demonstrations by:
     -Candy Day, painting plein air
     -Mike Lalone, pottery
     -Sherri Bolin, fiber art/ weaving

Location: The Art Center - 420 West Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA                    

Saturday June 27
10am
Free to the public

CLOSED -  SOLD OUT
History & Hike
Come hike the trails while learning about our local history.

Sponsored by Blue Ridge Adventure Wear, Benton MacKaye Trail Association, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy, History & Hike events will be led by avid hikers Larry Dumas and Ron Zadroga. Each event begins at 10am and are limited to 15 participants. Pre- REGISTRATION required: closes June 23, 2020. After you have signed up, you will receive more information about where you will be meeting, supply list, etc. 

Location: Long Branch Loop Trail 
Trail Difficulty: EASY - estimated 2.1 miles --- 2-hour hike time
Parking available

Saturday
July 11
10am- 1:30pm
Free to the public

Communal Pen Writing Workshop
What are the memories, stories, & traditions that make our community home?
   
In the Communal Pen workshop, Dr. Phillip Mitchell, UNG Assistant Professor of English, will help participants write to celebrate and explore their connections to place and community. Often, it is in our written words that memories live. The writing process can itself help us to awaken and preserve thoughts and traditions, offering insight, understanding and respect to present and future generations. This workshop draws inspiration from the Smithsonian exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America as a springboard for igniting our own stories, giving voice to our shared and individual experiences of place.
NO previous experience necessary!

Sponsored by the University of North Georgia and Blue Ridge Mountains Arts
Association. Space is limited. Pre- REGISTRATION is required.​

Location: The Art Center, 420 West Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA

Saturday
July 4
10am
Free to the public

CLOSED -  SOLD OUT
​History & Hike
Come hike the trails while learning about our local history.

Sponsored by Blue Ridge Adventure Wear, Benton MacKaye Trail Association, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy, History & Hike events will be led by avid hikers Larry Dumas and Ron Zadroga. Each event begins at 10am and is limited to 15 participants. Pre- REGISTRATION required: closes June 30, 2020. After you have signed up, you will receive more information about where you will be meeting, supply list, etc. ​

Location: Springer Mountain Loop Trail - This trail marks the beginning of the Appalachian Trail and the Benton MacKaye Trail & includes Civilian Conservation Corp Camp history
Trail Difficulty: EASY/ MODERATE - estimated 6 miles (1 mile is uphill) ---  
5-hour hike time
Parking available 

Saturday
July 11
10am
Free to the public

CLOSED -  SOLD OUT
​History & Hike
Come hike the trails while learning about our local history.

Sponsored by Blue Ridge Adventure Wear, Benton MacKaye Trail Association, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy, History & Hike events will be led by avid hikers Larry Dumas and Ron Zadroga. Each event begins at 10am and are limited to 15 participants. Pre- REGISTRATION required: closes July 7, 2020. After you have signed up, you will receive more information about where you will be meeting, supply list, etc. 
​
Location: Slaughter Mountain and Lake Winfield Scott Loop – This trail is part of the Appalachian Trail and contains area associated with the Trail of Tears
Trail Difficulty: EASY/ MODERATE -  estimated 6.1 miles --- 5 to 6-hour hike time
Possible $5 parking (TBD)

Saturday
July 11
6pm - 7:30pm
Free to the public

CLOSED -  SOLD OUT
An Evening of Appalachian Stories
Spend an evening with us as we recount true stories about life, customs and traditions of Southern Appalachian life in the North Georgia mountains. This theatrical event is based on the collected interviews, stories, and folk traditions by Foxfire. 
           
Sponsored by the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association, Foxfire Fund, Inc. and
Beth Inman. Seating is limited, pre- REGISTRATION required.  This event is free to the public but donations are appreciated and all proceeds go to the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association and Foxfire Fund, Inc. 
​
Location: The Art Center, 420 West Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA

FRIDAY
​July 17
11:30am
Free to the public

Lunch & Learn: "Tradition & Change in our Rural
                              Community"
Join us in this Lunch & Learn event as we engage in a discussion about rural traditions and how time and change have affected our rural communities. This panel-driven discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Ann McCleary, curator of the Smithsonian Institute's Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibition and current Co-Director of University of West Georgia's Center for Public History; the University of North Georgia's Appalachian Studies Center, T.J. Smith, President and Executive Director of Foxfire and local community members.
 
Sponsored by the University of North Georgia's Appalachian Studies Center,
Georgia Humanities, University of West Georgia's Center for Public History and the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association. Seating is limited, pre- REGISTRATION is required.  
​
​Location: The Art Center, 420 West Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA

FRIDAY
July 17
6pm - 7:30pm
Free to the public

CLOSED -  SOLD OUT
An Evening of Appalachian Stories
(Encore Performance)
Spend an evening with us as we recount true stories about life, customs and traditions of Southern Appalachian life in the North Georgia mountains. This theatrical event is based on the collected interviews, stories, and folk traditions by Foxfire.  TJ Smith, folklorist and Director of Foxfire, will join us and will introduce FoxFire's latest publication, Foxfire Story.
           
Sponsored by the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association, Foxfire Fund, Inc. and
Beth Inman. Seating is limited, pre- REGISTRATION required.  This event is free to the public but donations are appreciated and all proceeds go to the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association and Foxfire Fund, Inc. 
​
Location: The Art Center, 420 West Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA

July 15- 17
​and ONGOING
​By Appointment
Free to the public

StoryCollector project
We believe everyone has a story, perspective or personal definition of what 'rural'
means to them.  This project will focus on collecting those stories and perspectives from our rural community either from members who have been here generationally or those who are simply "passing through".  Our goal is to capture those moments with the simple prompt "What does rural mean to you?".  As we collect these stories and perspectives, we hope to shine a light on what unites or divides us within those views of rural life and what 'rural' means to all of us.
​  
Sponsored by the Georgia Council for the Arts, University of North Georgia and the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association. 

Location: The Art Center, Blue Ridge, GA