Nantahala – The Nantahala Community Development Club is also celebrating its 50th year by holding its first arts festival.
The inaugural festival is set from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on the banks of the Nantahala River Launch Site at the corner of U.S. 19/74 and Wayah Road. The event will highlight demonstrations by local artisans – including traditional Cherokee basket weaving and chainsaw carving – and there will also be a fly-fishing competition.
Food trucks will also be available along with wares and artwork from local crafters as well as live music.
Organizer Lee Walters said the festival will showcase local businesses that offer outdoor recreational activities. So far, more than 60 vendors have registered.
In addition, almost one year after anticipating the move of the Nantahala Community Library into its new location at 36B White Oak Lane in Topton, flags were raised Saturday. Macon County commissioners joined Nantahala cub members at the event during overcast skies.
Walters – along with his wife, Cheryl – has been instrumental in working with commissioners for a new library location since her time as club president. The library was formerly in a modular building at Nantahala School on Windingstairs Road.
Concerns about black mold and accessibility to the rest of the community prompted the campaign to move the library into a more central locale. The new library also has the first hub of high-speed fiber optic internet for the community after partnering with BalsamWest.
The new location, site of a former small general store, will also be shared with the Nantahala Community Development Club as both their meeting location and offices.
Details: Call 828-321-2020 or visit facebook.com/NantahalaCommunityClub or fontanalib.org/nantahala.