Explore family friendly events, theatres, galleries, concerts, nightlife, things to do, and more in the Greenville, SC and Upstate areas.

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Sunday, May 21, 2023
Boozy Book Fair
May 21 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Carolina Bauernhaus Greenville

Summer is just around the corner, and it’s time to stockpile books for that upcoming vacation and stock up on beach reads. And what more fun way to do so than at the Boozy Book Fair?

There was nothing like the elementary school book fair – the smell of new books in the air, the rush of racing your friends to find the next installment of your favorite series, and, if you were lucky, the crinkle of money from Mom in your pocket.

Life felt so much easier back then, didn’t it? Don’t you find yourself wishing from time to time that you could just go back?

This May, you can – but we’re doing it grown-up style.

Don’t miss our Boozy Book Fair at Carolina Bauernhaus Greenville (556 Perry Ave Suite B118, Greenville, SC 29611) on Sunday, May 21st from 2-4pm!

We’ll have suggested book and drink pairings by Carolina Bauernhaus owner Casey Certain.

Book categories will include:

-Beach Reads

-Geeks & Gamers

-Read the Rainbow

-Gothic & Ghastly

-Drawing Under the Influence

-Guide to Adulting

-When Nature Calls

-Not Your Mama’s Cookbook

-Altered States

-Meet Cute Moments

-Criminally Good Reads

…and much much more!

This event is FREE and open to the public, so bring your friends! Be sure to RSVP so we have the booze + books ready – we can’t wait to see you there.

Monday, May 22, 2023
Pizza + Beer: Building Up: Looking at Construction + Development in the Upstate
May 22 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
seamon whiteside

TATT, event sponsor Parker Poe & host McMillan Pazdan Smith invite you to join us on May 22 for Pizza & Beer: Building Up: Looking at Construction & Development in the Upstate. Hear from our presenters Joe Bryant from Seamon Whiteside, Racquel Collier from Caliber Real Estate, David Feild from Colliers, and Todd Horne fromClayton Construction.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Books Over Drinks with Ruta Sepetys
May 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

We are so excited to spend an evening with #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys talking about her nonfiction debut You: the Story: a Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory! Ruta Sepetys is known for creating vivid characters and harrowing plots. After five award-winning works of historical fiction and countless hours of meticulous research, she can affirm that the secret to strong writing is embedded within your life experience. We’ll enjoy a cocktail (mocktails and other drinks also available) as we listen to Ruta share more about her book and her writing process. Join us!

Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail/mocktail, and a copy of the book.

BOOK SUMMARY

You: The Story is a powerful how-to book for aspiring writers that encourages you to look inward and excavate your own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page. Masterfully weaving in humorous and heartfelt stories from her own life that illustrate an aspect of the craft of writing (such as plot, character development, or dialogue), Sepetys then inspires readers with a series of writing prompts and exercises.Perfect for fans of Burn After Writing and Bird by Bird, You: The Story awakens the emerging writer and reveals that with some reflection, curiosity, and courage, you have a story to tell.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruta Sepetys (www.rutasepetys.com) is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Sepetys is considered a “crossover” novelist, as her books are read by both teens and adults worldwide. Her novels Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, and Salt to the Sea have won or been shortlisted for more than forty book prizes, and are included on more than sixty state award lists. Between Shades of Gray was adapted into the film Ashes in the Snow, and her other novels are currently in development for TV and film. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, Ruta is passionate about the power of history and literature to foster global awareness and connectivity. She has presented to NATO, to the European Parliament, in the United States Capitol, and at embassies worldwide. Ruta was born and raised in Michigan and now lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @RutaSepetys.

Thursday, May 25, 2023
Big Wine Night
May 25 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

We have always loved the way food and wine tell stories from the table. So we’re teaming up with our friends at Mission Grape to highlight new winemakers, pairing their bottles with inspired food from the mastermind of Chef Teryi Youngblood Musolf for a really special evening. Welcome to Big Wine Nights with Camilla Kitchen, super-exclusive chef-centered wine dinners we host in our beautiful event space, The Gallery at M. Judson.

Chef Teryi and her team at Camilla Kitchen have put together a fabulous menu paired with some of our favorite wines from Mission Grape— each course is like a little love story— and Danny Baker will be on hand to talk about the people, land and grapes behind each bottle. Wines will be available for sale by the bottle and by the case at a 15% discount. Take a look at the menu below and get your tickets today!

Friday, May 26, 2023
Books Over Drinks with David Baldacci
May 26 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

Join us for an evening of cocktails and conversation with global #1 bestselling author and one of the world’s favorite storytellers David Baldacci! He’ll be talking about his new novel, Simply Lies, a twisting new psychological thriller in which two women—one a former detective, the other a dangerous con artist—go head-to-head in an electrifying game of cat and mouse. Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail in the spirit of the story, and a copy of the book, as well as an after-hours bookstore evening with David.

BOOK SUMMARY

Mickey Gibson, single mother and former detective, leads a hectic life similar to that of many moms: juggling the demands of her two small children with the tasks of her job working remotely for ProEye, a global investigation company that hunts down wealthy tax and credit cheats.

When Mickey gets a call from a colleague named Arlene Robinson, she thinks nothing of Arlene’s unusual request for her to go inventory the vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled. That is, until she arrives at the mansion to discover a dead body in a secret room—and that nothing is as it seems.

Not only does the arms dealer not exist but the murder victim turns out to be Harry Langhorne, a man with mob ties who used to be in Witness Protection. What’s more, no one named Arlene Robinson works at ProEye.

In the blink of an eye, Gibson has become a prime suspect in a murder investigation—and now her job is also on the line until she proves that she was set up. Before long, Gibson is locked in a battle of wits with a brilliant woman with no name, a hidden past, and unknown motives—whose end game is as mysterious as it is deadly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.

Saturday, May 27, 2023
Summer Sounds in the Gorge
May 27 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

May 27th 5pm-8pm – Mama and the Ruckus

May 28th 5pm-8pm – The Lefties

June 2nd 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Trio

June 3rd 5pm-8pm – Laura Thurston

June 9th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton

June 10th 1pm-4pm – Jacobs Well

June 10th 5pm-8pm – Natti Love Joys

June 16th 5pm-8pm – Rae and the Ragdolls

June 17th 5pm-8pm – Beer and Loathing

June 23rd 5pm-8pm – TBA

June 24th 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton Trio

June 30th 5pm-8pm – Blue

July 1st 5pm-8pm – Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs

July 7th 5pm-8pm – Bayou Diesel

July 8th 5pm-8pm – Pioneer Chicken Stand

July 14th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin

July 15th 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Duo

July 21st 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton

July 22nd 5pm-8pm – TG and the Stoned Rangers

July 28th 5pm-8pm – Blue

July 29th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child

August 4th 5pm-8pm – Trial by Fire

August 5th 5pm-8pm – Andy Johnson

August 11th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Solo

August 12th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Band

August 18th 5pm-8pm – Big Deal Band

August 19th 1pm-4pm – Mckinney

August 19th 5pm-8pm – Funk N’ Around

August 25th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin

August 26th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child

September 1st 5pm-8pm – TBA

September 2nd 5pm-8pm – Regatta 69

AVL Beer Week: Smoky Mountain Beer Run
May 27 @ 7:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

Smoky Mountain Beer Run

One of our newest Events is the Smoky Mountain Beer Run! A specialty train excursion featuring 3 samples of local craft beer on-board and a final sample when we stop off at the layover, at Innovation Station in Dillsboro, NC.

 

Every ‘Beer Run’ has a fun theme to help get into the party mood but also makes every run unique and one of a kind. With Craft Beer and a Themed menu to match, you’ll be treated and transported as we cruise through the Smoky Mountains while enjoying a night in ‘Beer Country.’

Sunday, May 28, 2023
The Great Greenville Baking Class
May 28 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

Join Pastry Chef Leslie on Sunday, May 28th at 2:00 pm for a baking class!

If you’ve had anything bread-based from Camilla Kitchen, you know the magic that is Pastry Chef Leslie’s baking. Now she wants to share that with all of you! This will be an intimate class held in the Gallery (4th floor) of M. Judson for ten people, where you’ll prepare your bread from start to almost finish. While you’ll bake your cake at home (and get all those good smells), you’ll still get to end the baking class with a tasting. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday!

Your ticket covers the cost of ingredients and instruction, with the option to add on the featured cookbook.

ABOUT THE BOOK
In this revolutionary book, award-winning pastry chef Anna Higham encourages you to approach making a dessert as you would savory cooking: engaging your senses, tasting, seasoning, and letting your ingredients shine. Exploring ingredients season by season, Anna outlines a repertoire of ways to cook each one to magnify flavor and taste. She shows you how to work with fruit; construct a dessert; and examine seasoning, structure, and texture—helping you really understand the “how” and “why” of dessert cooking. Featuring over 150 recipes for cakes, jams, mousses, and more, as well as over 45 plated desserts, The Last Bite celebrates seasonal cooking and eating with irresistible, innovative recipes—from fig leaf ice cream in fall to elderflower vinegar meringue in spring. Let Anna blow away your preconceptions about what your desserts can be and taste like with this inspiring, groundbreaking book.

ABOUT THE BREAD

Pastry chefs have a tendency to think that brioche is the king of enriched doughs and use it any time the opportunity presents itself. I love brioche (I really do) but sometimes its super-charged butteriness can make it too dominant a component in a dish. In these cases, Japanese milk bread is your best friend. Super fluffy, soft and gently enriched, it has a slightly tighter crumb that makes it ideal for soaking up lots of flavour. French toast or pain perdu made with milk bread is my go-to. The extra fluffy, stretchy quality of milk bread is achieved by cooking a small amount of the flour with milk and water to make a paste that is then mixed into the main dough. This is called tangzhong, a method Japanese bakers borrowed from the Chinese technique for making soft and springy buns. This dough is endlessly versatile: it can be baked as loaves, buns or works really well when filled and rolled.

Wednesday, May 31, 2023
May Tea
May 31 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Sigal Music Museum

Join Sigal Music Museum for our monthly afternoon tea on May 31, 2023, at 3:00 in the afternoon. Held in the museum, the event will feature savories, sweets, and other fancies! Reserve a table and bring your friends for an afternoon at the museum. Tickets for tea include the price of admission to the museum, so you are invited to explore their exhibits before or after the event.

A seat for tea is $25.00 per person or $100.00 to reserve a four-person table. Seating is limited to 20 maximum (5 tables). Due to our limited capacity, please note that reservations will not be held until payment has been received.

To purchase tickets by check or cash, contact our team by email at [email protected].

Please contact [email protected] to make our team aware of any food allergies at least one week prior to the tea.

Thursday, June 1, 2023
Books Over Drinks with Ellery Adams
Jun 1 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
M. Judson Booksellers

Join us for an evening with New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams! We’re excited to celebrate the next installment of her charming Secret, Book, and Scone Society series hailed as “a love letter to reading” (Entertainment Weekly) and starring bookshop owner, bibliotherapist, and occasional sleuth Nora Pennington.

Miracle Springs, North Carolina—the fictional picturesque setting of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series—is famed for its healing springs, and has thousands of people that flock to the town each year. But bookstore owner and bibliotherapist Nora Pennington tends to land in a different kind of hot water. When she isn’t prescribing the perfect book to cure her customers’ maladies, she’s solving local crimes with the help of her Secret, Book, and Scone Society members—Hester, June, and Estella. Just a touch of magical realism and strong, female-driven stories are winning this series raves from readers and fans of Kate Carlisle, Lorna Barrett, and Adams’s Book Retreat Mysteries.

It couldn’t be a more bookish night between the stories and cocktails.

Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail, and a copy of the book.

BOOK SUMMARY

Nora escaped her past a decade ago. So it feels like a visit from another world when Kelly Walsh—the woman her ex-husband left her for—walks through the door of Miracle Books along with her son, a sweet, serious boy with a talent for origami. Kelly hasn’t come to gloat, though. As it turns out, she’s been dumped too. She’s also terribly ill, and all she wants from Nora is
forgiveness. Shockingly, however, this woman who’s been the victim of so much misfortune is about to become a murder victim. Who would do such a thing? Certainly not Nora, but that doesn’t stop the gossip and suspicion—especially after Kelly’s brother claims that he saw the two women arguing. In seeking justice for Kelly, The Secret, Book, and Scone Society joins forces with the sheriff’s department, but they’ve barely begun their probe when life throws another wrench. After serving a twenty-year sentence, Estella’s father returns to Miracle Springs. And when his past comes back to haunt him, it might be more than the four friends can handle.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellery Adams is the New York Times bestselling author of two cookbooks and over thirty mysteries, including the Book Retreat Mysteries, The Secret, Book, & Scone Society series, the Books by the Bay Mysteries, and the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries. A native New Yorker, she has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she reads, bakes, gardens, spoils her three cats, and rearranges her bookshelves. She lives with her husband and two children in Chapel Hill, NC.

Friday, June 2, 2023
Summer Sounds in the Gorge
Jun 2 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

May 27th 5pm-8pm – Mama and the Ruckus

May 28th 5pm-8pm – The Lefties

June 2nd 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Trio

June 3rd 5pm-8pm – Laura Thurston

June 9th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton

June 10th 1pm-4pm – Jacobs Well

June 10th 5pm-8pm – Natti Love Joys

June 16th 5pm-8pm – Rae and the Ragdolls

June 17th 5pm-8pm – Beer and Loathing

June 23rd 5pm-8pm – TBA

June 24th 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton Trio

June 30th 5pm-8pm – Blue

July 1st 5pm-8pm – Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs

July 7th 5pm-8pm – Bayou Diesel

July 8th 5pm-8pm – Pioneer Chicken Stand

July 14th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin

July 15th 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Duo

July 21st 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton

July 22nd 5pm-8pm – TG and the Stoned Rangers

July 28th 5pm-8pm – Blue

July 29th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child

August 4th 5pm-8pm – Trial by Fire

August 5th 5pm-8pm – Andy Johnson

August 11th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Solo

August 12th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Band

August 18th 5pm-8pm – Big Deal Band

August 19th 1pm-4pm – Mckinney

August 19th 5pm-8pm – Funk N’ Around

August 25th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin

August 26th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child

September 1st 5pm-8pm – TBA

September 2nd 5pm-8pm – Regatta 69

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge 10th Anniversary Celebration — Not Your Typical Garden Party!
Jun 2 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Riverside Event Center

We can’t believe it’s been ten years since the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge came onto the Lake Lure scene! The Bridge is a premier garden destination that draws visitors from around the world. From the beginning, our volunteers have lovingly created and maintained the gardens and delighted in sharing information and their passion with all who visit.

Whether we’re chatting with visitors as they walk the gardens or making presentations in more formal sessions, we love talking shop. To mark this special occasion, we are hosting a special FUNraising and FUNDraising event.

As part of commemorating the anniversary, we are growing and enhancing our education program. Currently, all classes are conducted “open air,” which means we sometimes have to cancel or move a class due to rain or excessive wind or do our best to provide shelter from the hot sun. To grow our vision and attract even more visitors to our beautiful area, we need a structure where we can safely conduct classes and events and where our schedule is not weather-dependent.  All proceeds from the anniversary party will go toward building and operating our new Education Center. Make plans now to join in the fun and support the cause.

Tickets – $80 per person
Includes:

  • Live music by Johnnie Blackwell
  • Three-course dinner buffet & dessert
  • Cash bar
  • Silent Auction – get ready to purchase items for your garden and more!
Saturday, June 3, 2023
The Greenville BBQ Trail Tour
Jun 3 @ 10:30 am
City Hall

Greenville’s BBQ scene has been gaining more and more national attention, and it was most notably ranked a Top 10 BBQ City in America by Yahoo.com.

While downtown Greenville’s familiar culinary scene has some great BBQ options, this tour will take you outside of the city center to the places locals know and love. These are the types of joints with smoke stacks sticking out of the rooftops and white smoke billowing out of the chimneys — smoking the meats right on the premises.

The Greenville BBQ Trail Tour, presented by Greenville History Tours, is your opportunity to try back-to-back tastings of what are considered by many to be among the top BBQ spots in the city.

The tours include insights into each restaurant’s cooking processes and techniques, information about each restaurant’s history, interesting information about the city’s BBQ history, a drive through old textile mill villages, and of course generous portions of smoked meats and delicious sides.

The tours usually take place on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 12:45 am and meet at City Hall. Tickets are $55 per person.

Visit greenvillehistorytours.com/greenville-culinary-tours/bbq-trail/ or call (864) 567-3940 for additional information.

Dray’s Shuckin’ on the Patio
Jun 3 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Dray Bar and Grill

Join us for Dray’s Shuckin’ on the Patio event! Enjoy an oyster roast and fixin’s, live music by local artists, and more!

Ticket price includes oysters, low country boil, sides, and family-style seating on the Dray Bar & Grill Patio.

A cash bar will be available…including oyster shooters!

Summer Sounds in the Gorge
Jun 3 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Nantahala Outdoor Center

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

May 27th 5pm-8pm – Mama and the Ruckus

May 28th 5pm-8pm – The Lefties

June 2nd 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Trio

June 3rd 5pm-8pm – Laura Thurston

June 9th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton

June 10th 1pm-4pm – Jacobs Well

June 10th 5pm-8pm – Natti Love Joys

June 16th 5pm-8pm – Rae and the Ragdolls

June 17th 5pm-8pm – Beer and Loathing

June 23rd 5pm-8pm – TBA

June 24th 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton Trio

June 30th 5pm-8pm – Blue

July 1st 5pm-8pm – Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs

July 7th 5pm-8pm – Bayou Diesel

July 8th 5pm-8pm – Pioneer Chicken Stand

July 14th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin

July 15th 5pm-8pm – Christina Chandler Duo

July 21st 5pm-8pm – Terry Haughton

July 22nd 5pm-8pm – TG and the Stoned Rangers

July 28th 5pm-8pm – Blue

July 29th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child

August 4th 5pm-8pm – Trial by Fire

August 5th 5pm-8pm – Andy Johnson

August 11th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Solo

August 12th 5pm-8pm – Eddie Clayton Band

August 18th 5pm-8pm – Big Deal Band

August 19th 1pm-4pm – Mckinney

August 19th 5pm-8pm – Funk N’ Around

August 25th 5pm-8pm – Wyatt Espalin

August 26th 5pm-8pm – Somebody’s Child

September 1st 5pm-8pm – TBA

September 2nd 5pm-8pm – Regatta 69

Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Empower Hour
Jun 6 @ 11:30 am
YWCA of Asheville

Join us for Empower Hour, a one-hour program and facility tour where you will experience firsthand the YWCA’s work to bridge gaps in earning power, education, health & wellness and access to childcare.

Empower Hours take place twice a month on the first and third Tuesday at 11:30 am.
Lunch is served as part of our Empower Hour, so reservations are required.

To make a reservation: contact Elizabeth Alvandi, Advancement Assistant, at (828) 254-7206 ext. 103 or [email protected].

Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Middle Tyger Area Council Luncheon with PAL
Jun 7 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Duncan Events Center

Join the Middle Tyger Area Council in Duncan for June’s monthly meeting and to hear from a representative from PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well. PAL celebrates 20 years of advancing active living, promoting healthy eating, and fostering health equity in Spartanburg!

On June 7,  hear about how PAL helps to maintain the beauty and use of our blueways and trailways, and how you can support their mission.

Thursday, June 8, 2023
Carolina Shine Moonshine Experience
Jun 8 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

“Shine and Dine” on the railway! We cordially invite you to hop on board The Carolina Shine, GSMR’s All-Adult First Class Moonshine Car! We will be proudly serving hand crafted, triple-distilled, craft moonshine. Some of the smoothest tasting moonshine in the Carolinas! Offered on the Nantahala Gorge excursion, this shine and dine experience begins in a renovated First Class train fleet car, The Carolina Shine. The interior features copper lined walls filled with the history of moonshining in North Carolina. Learn about the proud tradition that the Appalachians established when bootlegging was an acceptable way of life and local home brews were the best in town. Read about Swain County’s very own Major Redmond, the most famous mountain moonshine outlaw of the 19th century. Once your appetite for knowledge is satisfied, enjoy sample tastings of flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Peach, and Strawberry moonshine. If the samples are not enough, there will be plenty of Moonshine infused cocktails like Copper Cola or Moonshiner’s Mimosa available for purchase. GSMR is excited to feature multiple craft NC based distilleries to serve our guests only the best! Each jar is handcrafted and authentically infused with real fruit, the way moonshine was meant to be made. Passengers will also enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride with an attendant and our popular Cajun seasoned Pulled Pork BBQ with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce cooked in our special spices and slow roasted to perfection! During the month of October, 9am departures will feature the option of a delicious Cheesy Shrimp & Grits or Cheesy Ham Hash Brown Casserole while 2pm departures will be served the popular BBQ meal.

Nantahala Gorge Excursion
Jun 8 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

TAKE A TRAIN RIDE ALONG SIDE THE BEAUTIFUL NANTAHALA RIVER ON OUR NANTAHALA GORGE EXCURSION! DEPARTING FROM BRYSON CITY, THIS 4½ HOUR ROUNDTRIP EXCURSION CARRIES YOU 44 MILES TO THE NANTAHALA GORGE AND BACK AGAIN ARRIVING AT OUR BRYSON CITY DEPOT.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River. The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available in First Class Seating and selecting from our  First Class Dinning menu options OR you can pre-purchase a box lunch option to make this an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!

Itinerary

30m before departure Boarding begins at Bryson City Depot
See schedule for departure time Depart Bryson City, NC
1h 45m Reach top of the line
2h 00m Begin return
2h 30m—3h 30m Layover
3h 30m Depart Layover
4h 30m Arrive at Bryson City Depot
Time from Departure Activity
Lunch + Lit with Kristin Harmel
Jun 8 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Soby's New South Cuisine

We are so excited to welcome Kristin Harmel back to M. Judson for a Lunch & Lit event for her new book The Paris Daughter.

Bestselling author of the “heart-stopping tale of survival and heroism” (People) The Book of Lost Names, Kristin’s latest book is a gripping historical novel about two mothers who must make unthinkable choices in the face of the Nazi occupation.

Kristin will be on hand to talk, answer questions, and sign books, as we enjoy an incredible lunch at Soby’s! Get your ticket today!

BOOK SUMMARY

Paris, 1939: Young mothers Elise and Juliette become fast friends the day they meet in the beautiful Bois de Boulogne. Though there is a shadow of war creeping across Europe, neither woman suspects that their lives are about to irrevocably change.

When Elise becomes a target of the German occupation, she entrusts Juliette with the most precious thing in her life—her young daughter, playmate to Juliette’s own little girl. But nowhere is safe in war, not even a quiet little bookshop like Juliette’s Librairie des Rêves, and, when a bomb falls on their neighborhood, Juliette’s world is destroyed along with it.

More than a year later, with the war finally ending, Elise returns to reunite with her daughter, only to find her friend’s bookstore reduced to rubble—and Juliette nowhere to be found. What happened to her daughter in those last, terrible moments? Juliette has seemingly vanished without a trace, taking all the answers with her. Elise’s desperate search leads her to New York—and to Juliette—one final, fateful time.

An “exquisite and gut-wrenching novel” (Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author) you won’t soon forget, The Paris Daughter is also a sweeping celebration of resilience, motherhood, and love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels including The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Book of Lost Names, The Room on Rue Amélie, and The Sweetness of Forgetting. She is published in more than thirty languages and is the cofounder and cohost of the popular web series, Friends & Fiction. She lives in Orlando, Florida.