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Festive Fun in the Mountains
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November 1, 2026
Guest Columnists
CURRENT Guest Columnists
Sandra Marra is president and CEO of the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy, overseeing the world’s longest hiking-only footpath—the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine.
He grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, and his career with national parks spans nearly 40 years. Now he is leading America’s newest national park.
A true daughter of Southeast Kentucky, she grew up biking and “running the creeks” in rural Stearns. Today, she is the head of a growing nonprofit and leading the effort to make this 41-county region the state’s first National Heritage Area.
She grew up five minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and this 469-mile road has always been a part of her life. She now directs its official marketing partner: the Blue Ridge Parkway Association.
He’s NC Wildlife Federation’s 2022 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year and visionary ambassador for the Great Smoky Mountains Safe Passage Project.
Sandra Marra is president and CEO of the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy, overseeing the world’s longest hiking-only footpath—the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine.
He grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, and his career with national parks spans nearly 40 years. Now he is leading America’s newest national park.
A true daughter of Southeast Kentucky, she grew up biking and “running the creeks” in rural Stearns. Today, she is the head of a growing nonprofit and leading the effort to make this 41-county region the state’s first National Heritage Area.
She grew up five minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and this 469-mile road has always been a part of her life. She now directs its official marketing partner: the Blue Ridge Parkway Association.
He’s NC Wildlife Federation’s 2022 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year and visionary ambassador for the Great Smoky Mountains Safe Passage Project.
Departments
Web Extras
25 Years of Rhythm and Roots at the Birthplace of Country Music
Twenty-five years ago, a small festival dedicated to the music forged from the hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains took
September 14, 2026
Singing in the Garden
Singing in the Garden: The Practically Perfect Pear
“There are only 10 minutes in the life of [the average] pear when it is perfect to eat.” —Abraham Lincoln,
September 1, 2026
