Weather, News and 2008 Calendar Events for Watauga Lake, Butler Tennessee and East Tennessee:

July 4 2008 Midnight Water Elevation 1948.1 feet
Lake water level was lowered by over 3 ½ feet in June

January 2008

Gray Tennessee:  Sue the Dinosaur at the Gray Fossil Museum ~ January 19 through April 27

The bones of Sue the Tyrannosaurus Rex Dinosaur were discovered in South Dakota in 1990. The original bones are on display at the Field Museum in Chicago. The museum has created a traveling exhibit of a cast of the display and interactive displays showing the life of a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur. Hours 8:30 - 5:00 7 days a week. Cost $10 adults, $9 for seniors 65 and up and $7 for children. Take exit 13 off of I-26 north of Johnson City.
GoTriCities.com article about the Sue the Dinosaur exhibit
Learn about the Gray Fossil Site

February 2008

Music on the Square: The Claire Lynch Band   |   Jonesborough Tennessee:   ~ February 1, 7:30 p.m.

At the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center.
"The Claire Lynch Band, A two-time Grammy nominee, has long since been a favorite of traditional bluegrass fans thanks to her distinctive vocals and keen song selection." - Historic Main Street Jonesborough 2008 Events Calendar
117 Boone Street. Seating is limited. Admission $15. Call 423-753-1010
MusicontheSquare.com website
Information about Claire Lynch

March 2008

Food City 500 / Sharpie Mini 300   |   Bristol Tennessee:   ~ March 14th - 16th
Bristol Motor Speedway

"The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 16, for the Food City 500. One Dale is in a new ride and another Dale is competing in his final season. The last two Sprint Cup races saw two first-time Bristol Cup Series winners, in Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Who'll take home that big ol' Bristol Food City 500 trophy this year?" - BristolMotorSpeedway.com
Call 423-989-6900
BristolMotorSpeedway.com
SportsTravel.com
TicketMaster.com

Overmountain Weavers Guild Fibers Show   |   Elizabethton Tennessee:   ~ March 15th 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area

"Don't miss this great opportunity to visit with some of the best weavers of our region! They will be demonstrating on a variety of looms & spinning wheels, and offering handmade items for sale." - TourElizabethton.com
Call 423-543-5808
TourElizabethton.com
SycamoreShoals.org

April 2008

Sheila Kay Adams Storyteller   |   Jonesborough Tennessee:   ~ Thursday April 17, 7 p.m.

At the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center.
"Premier Southern Appalachia storyteller, Scotch-Irish balladeer and musician." - Historic Main Street Jonesborough 2008 Events Calendar $10 admission (423) 753-1010
117 Boone Street. Seating is limited. Admission $15. Call 423-753-1010
JonesboroughTN.org website
Sheila Kay Adams' website

May 2008

Greeneville Tennessee's 14th Annual Iris Festival   |   Jonesborough Tennessee:   ~ Thursday May 18 - 19

June 2008

Blue Plum Festival 2008   |   Johnson City Tennessee ~ June 6th - 7th

"The Festival includes a variety of bluegrass, rock, and acoustic musicians and no admission is charged to the events. It is basically a community celebration, street fair, and open-air concert rolled into one. The Main Stage sits in front of the main line of the Southern Railway through Downtown Johnson City and the visual and audio experience of a train forming an active backdrop for a bluegrass jam is something to behold. The historic Fountain Square setting has been used for open-air concerts for generations in Johnson City. " - JohnsonsDepot.com
Blue Plum Festival website

ClinchFest 2008   |   Natural Tunnel State Park Duffield, Va.; Carter Family Fold Hiltons, Va. ~ June 13th - 15th

"Mountain musicians are storytellers, living and breathing the life of the mountains as they play the music. Come to the Clinch Mountain MusicFest and experience the unique heart, soul and spirit of Old-Time music with more than a dozen acclaimed international performers and over sixty national and regional artists at Natural Tunnel State Park, Gate City, Virginia and The Carter Family Fold, Hiltons, Virginia." - ClinchFest.net
ClinchFest.net website

July 2008

Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina |  Highland Games 2008 July 10th - 13th

Events include:

• Thursday, July 10 – Picnic, Torchlight Ceremony and Sheep Herding.
  The Bear Assault on Grandfather 5 mile Race
  Scottish Country Dance
• Friday, July 11 – Grizzly Bike Race
  Athletic Competitions
  Opening Ceremonies
• Saturday, July 12 – Mountain Marathon
  Athletic Events
  Fiddling Workshop
  Piping Concert - Broyhill Inn
• Sunday, July 13 – Worship Service
  Fiddling Competition
  Sheepherding Demonstration
  Closing Ceremonies
• Grandfather Mountain Highland Games website

Kingsport Tennessee |  FunFest 2008 July 11th - 19th

Events include:

• First Friday – The town street party day and with a Mardi Gras themed 5 hour event, a parade (300 entries) and an evening Zydeco concert. Attendance all day exceeds 10,000.
• First Saturday – Sporting activities – a 40-mile bike ride, kayak event and the evening’s world record holding Crazy 8’s 8-K run. Includes a healthy lifestyles expo, children’s races, 3-K walk and more. Entrants total 2000+ with great spectator attendance.
• Kids’ Central - attracts 1000+ children and parents per day Monday – Wednesday.
• Concert Series – 3 outdoor concerts with national touring acts
• Fort Henry Drive/Taste of Tri-Cities area – This area is the location for our concerts, hot air balloon launches, fireworks and our food court area. Attendance grows from 5,000 to 30,000 on the final day.

2008 Laurel Bloomery Fiddlers Convention   |   Laurel Bloomery, TN   ~ August 22nd - 23rd
Old Mill Music Park, Laurel Bloomery

" Description: Located in the prettiest part of TN is Laurel Bloomery at the Old Mill Park along side the river with all the camping and fun you can have to end the season!! Always the Sat. before Labor Day, admission at gate." - PorchPickin.com
DOUG WARDEN , Phone: 423-727-9595
PorchPickin.com
BirthPlaceOfCountryMusic.org

September 2008

Daniel Boone Days sponsored by the High Country Press   |   Boone NC   ~ September 5 & 6
at Horn in the West, Gamekeeper Restaurant and Casa Rustica Restaurant

"A two-day festival celebrating Boone's namesake with events and entertainment for all ages.The festival kicks off on Friday, September 5, with a symposium led by Daniel Boone historians and authors, including Robert Morgan who just released his new book, Boone:A Biography . The festivities continue with wine dinners at the Gamekeeper and Casa Rustica on Friday evening. Both dinners will feature the wines of Fess Parker, who originally portrayed Daniel Boone on television. On Saturday, Daniel Boone Days picks up with the inaugural Booner Run - a foot race to the top of Howard's Knob . . . And no one will want to miss the culmination of the weekend's activities at Horn in the West, where an Americana and MerleFest favorite, The Waybacks, will perform live." - High Country Magazine Dec 2007/January 2008 Issue
For more information call 828-264-2262
HighCountryPress.com

2008 National Storytelling Festival   |   Boone NC   ~ October 3rd - 5th
International Storytelling Center Jonesborough Tennessee

" Over thirty years ago, a high school journalism teacher and a carload of students heard Grand Ole Opry regular Jerry Clower spin a tale over the radio about coon hunting in Mississippi. And the teacher—Jimmy Neil Smith—had a sudden inspiration: Why not have a storytelling festival right here in Northeast Tennessee? On a warm October weekend in 1973 in historic Jonesborough, the first National Storytelling Festival was held." - StoryTellingCenter.com
For more information call 800-952-8392
StoryTellingCenter.com