BURNSVILLE'S ABUZZ

Burnsville’s abuzz

By Amber Deen

Some call our quaint little town Norman Rockwellian.   Some call it Mayberryesque.   To the natives and transplants who call it home, those comparisons are spot-on.  What we do not call it, though, is sleepy as in “a sleepy little town.”  It may be laid-back, which is part of its charm and one reason so many move here from the hustle and bustle of a metropolis, but it is definitely not sleepy.

My freezer door is covered with reminders of

upcoming events including the Carolina Mountains

Literary Festival Sep. 6-8, the Humane Society’s

annual flea market fundraiser Sep. 21-23, Glass in

the Mountains Sep. 20-23, and Old Timey Days

Fall Festival Sep. 29. 

An occasional visitor to The Cove and Burnsville, who is not aware of the many activities and events on any summer weekend, might think they would be limited in their choices of things to do.  Notices of the many events coming up, many on the same day, cover the freezer door of my refrigerator.  

Between public art exhibit opening receptions, summer stock shows at Parkway Playhouse, concerts at the Town Center, festivals and fairs on and around the Town Square, running and bicycle races, car rallies and shows, church fundraising suppers, events at the library, and the restored antique movie theatre that plays first run films, gives you free drink refills, and charges $5 a ticket, there’s plenty to do.  It’s often so hard to choose, we end up attending or participating in three or more events in a single evening and another couple the next day.

On your mark, get set, go!  The start of one of

many bicycle races.  The area’s up & down curvy

mountain roads, especially the nearby Blue Ridge

Parkway, are favorites for bicyclists, motorcyclists,

and car rally enthusiasts. 

Many who moved to the area – and most of those will tell you the only way they’re ever leaving is feet first – want to “give back” to the community.  They join the army of volunteers that make all the events happen.  You’ll find them at the art council’s gift shop and gallery, the library, the animal shelter, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice, the Chamber of Commerce, the community theater, the fundraising events, and at home making things to sell for their favorite charity. 

Then there are regular gatherings of knitters, quilters, book clubbers, civic groups, writers, painters, theater groups, political events, and special interests of every kind.

This powerful telescope is being set up for the

night’s public star-gazing.  The Burnsville

area has the darkest night skies in the southeast. 

People come from all over to share telescopes

such as this and view the night sky.      

And that’s just in our town.  Other events and activities are nearby in Spruce Pine, Boone and Blowing Rock to the east and Mars Hill, Weaverville and Asheville to the west.  It turns out that our little Mayberry hustles and bustles in a fun way that satisfies the soul rather than drains it.

Just ask Miss Dorothy, a relatively new resident of The Cove at Celo.  “With all the things there are to do here, there’s no excuse to sit at home unless you choose to.  And I often choose to.”

Originally from a small town in Texas, Dorothy moved here from California with the intention of taking life easy, of limiting her activities.  And most of the time she does.  “My cabin in the woods at the Cove is perfect for that.  It’s so beautiful and peaceful.  I read a lot, I love to cook, and I just take life easy.” 

However, for several weeks now, Dorothy has been spending two or three days a week helping collect and sort donated items in preparation for the Humane Society’s annual flea market, the biggest and most popular recycling of goods in one place imaginable.  And during the 3-day “flea” in September (the 21^st-23^rd) you’ll find Dorothy packaging purchases in the holiday goods section.

Besides helping with the flea market, this retired widow said she loves to go to town for supper and to listen to music at Mary Jane’s Café or In the Garden restaurant on a Friday or Saturday night.  Or listen to a band at the Town Center.  “There are so many to choose from,” she said, “but I pick carefully and I haven’t seen anything that I haven’t enjoyed. “The talent in this area - the music, the art, the plays – is just amazing.”

For anyone wanting the best of both worlds - exquisite natural beauty and solitude to nourish your soul, as well as an abundance of opportunities to make and connect with friends, immerse yourself in activities that you love, and be involved in this utterly charming mountain community – The Cove at Celo is the perfect place to be. The ideal location between Boone and Asheville means you can take advantage of all the activities in between.  For a listing of those events, go to  yanceychamber.com

THE FOXWOOD

And by the way, a newly completed cabin like Dorothy’s, the last of only three, is now available for purchase.  Take a look at it on our  website www.thecoveatcelomountain.com, click on Real Estate, then on Available Homes, and finally on The Foxwood.   Of course you can always phone 866-378-4769 for more information.

To quote Dorothy, “Happiness is where you make it, and in my cabin in The Cove, I am a happy camper!”