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North Carolina Azalea Festival
April 11 – 15, 2012
Wilmington, NC

The North Carolina Azalea Festival is Wilmington's annual community celebration and the largest festival of its kind in the state. Founded in 1948, the Azalea Festival has emerged as Wilmington's premier event.

Each April, a full week of natural beauty, big-name entertainment, festive galas, fun family events and Southern hospitality come together to showcase the charms of the Wilmington area. For community pride and springtime pageantry, the North Carolina Azalea Festival has no equal.

http://www.ncazaleafestival.org

The RiverRun International Film Festival
April 13 – 22, 2012
Winston-Salem, NC

The RiverRun International Film Festival is a regional event based in Winston-Salem, NC and is one of the premier film festivals in the southeastern United States. Founded in 1998, RiverRun was inspired by the French Broad River near Brevard, North Carolina, where the festival was originally held. The festival is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the role of cinema as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. The festival's mission is to foster a greater appreciation of cinema and a deeper understanding of the many people, cultures and perspectives of our world through regular interaction with great films and filmmakers.

Held annually each spring, RiverRun screens a wide variety of feature-length and short films from all genres, and also presents a broad range of special events, including high-profile regional premieres of significant films, celebrity tributes, family matinees and classic retrospectives as well as a mixture of panel discussions and parties. In 2011, the Festival presented 121 films from 32 countries, bringing more than 50 filmmakers and other industry professionals to Winston-Salem from around the world.

www.riverrunfilm.com

MerleFest
April 26 – 29, 2012
Wilkesboro, NC

MerleFest, began in 1988, is about the Music, Moments and Memories. The Music of MerleFest is "traditional plus" and Doc Watson himself describes it best: "When Merle and I started out we called our music 'traditional plus,' meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play. Since the beginning, the people of the college and I have agreed that the music of MerleFest is 'traditional plus'." The Moments of MerleFest are those unique experiences that only happen here. It may be two musicians you never expected to see collaborating, a shooting star over The Watson Stage during an evening's closing set, or that one set that seems to have touched everyone in the audience. The Memories of MerleFest includes the memory of Eddy Merle Watson, who we honor each day with The Tribute to Merle, and the new memories we create each year we come together to celebrate MerleFest.
MerleFest is the primary fundraiser for Wilkes Community College.

www.merlefest.org

North Carolina Wine Festival
May 26, 2012

www.ncwinefestival.com

State Fair
October 11 – 21, 2012
Raleigh, NC

At the N.C. State Fair, our mission is to showcase and promote the state's agriculture, agribusiness, arts, crafts and culture through the annual agricultural fair. The Fair offers the agricultural community a venue to showcase its crops, livestock and new technology. The Fair is also an opportunity for the state's ever-increasing urban population to learn about agriculture through educational and competitive exhibits in the areas of livestock, horticulture, cooking, folk art and much more. More than $600,000 in prize money is awarded each year. As a self-supporting operation, the Fairgrounds generates revenue by renting out its facilities for events throughout the year and by operating the annual State Fair. The Fairgrounds does not receive appropriated dollars for maintenance, salaries or operations.

www.ncstatefair.org/

31st Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival
Nov. 17 - 18, 2012
Seagrove, NC

Join the largest pottery community in the U.S. as they come together with traditional crafts people to sell their wares. Featuring potters market, auction of signed and dated pottery, demonstrations, and food vendors.

www.seagrovepotterymuseum.org/#!31st-annual-fall

ORIENTAL, NC

POPULATION: 900
COUNTY POPULATION (PAMLICO): 13,200

HISTORY
Back in the 1870s, Louis B. Midyette escaped a gale by anchoring his sailboat in the waters of Oriental. While there he went ashore, climbed a tree and fell in love with the beautiful landscape and waterfront. When he returned home to Dare County, Midyette persuaded others to join his family and move to the area. Since that time, sailors from across the globe have followed "Uncle Lou's" example and have made Oriental "The Sailing Capital of North Carolina." Today it is estimated that the town is home to 900 permanent residents and roughly 2,700 sailboats, sport fishing boats and commercial trawlers.

Located on the Intracoastal Waterway, not far from where the Neuse River meets the Pamlico Sound, Oriental has long been a popular stop for folks cruising south for the winter and heading back home for the summer. In fact, many residents first visited the town while sailing to other destinations, but decided to come back and make it their home. There's no mystery as to why sailing enthusiasts love Oriental. The town has an extensive waterfront, created by the river and creek systems, numerous large marinas and great sailing conditions. Each year it is host to countless regattas and fishing tournaments, and paddle trails are open every day of the year.

ART THRIVES
There is more to Oriental than sailing, though. The laid-back community also boasts a thriving artists' colony. Aspiring and world-renowned artists and photographers exhibit their work at galleries throughout the year. Amateur and professional theatrical and musical productions are staged at the Pamlico County Civic and Cultural Center, home of the Pelican Players.

EVENTS
For a bit of local color, there's the "Croaker Festival," a Fourth of July Festival, The Spirit of Christmas and the Dragon Walk every New Year's Eve. In Oriental, you will find excellent shopping opportunities, restaurants that offer dishes to tempt any palate and lodging for any price range.

WHY RETIRE TO ORIENTAL?
Perhaps the best thing that can be said about Oriental, though, is that it is "a blend of the best from past lifestyles married to only the quality, not the quantity, of the 21st century." A place "where a sunrise or sunset, mirrored in creek or river, never becomes commonplace, mundane or the same; where joggers, cyclists, longboarders and walkers are safe any hour...any time."

See Also: Top North Carolina Retirement Towns

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WILMINGTON, NC

POPULATION: 107,000
COUNTY POPULATION (NEW HANOVER): 192,000

HISTORY
Wilmington, an historic port city with roots dating back nearly three centuries, is rich in grand old mansions, riverboats, historic museums, battleships, splendid gardens and Civil War sites. Located in the southeastern corner of North Carolina between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, the city boasts seven National Register Historic Districts and 300 blocks of historic sites, homes, landmarks, churches, cemeteries, museums and markers. Whether touring by foot, riverboat, horse-drawn carriage or trolley, visitors benefit from the perspective of many time periods.

RICH PRESERVATION TRADITION
Wilmington’s layered history is honored by the city’s steadfast preservation campaign, which began in the 1960s. Historic Wilmington Foundation, one of the first local preservation organizations established in North Carolina has succeeded in saving more than 100 buildings. The city’s collage of Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, Italianate, bungalow and vernacular style architecture stands as one of Wilmington’s finest treasures. Along the city’s oak-lined, cobblestone streets, are a variety of historic buildings, including Bellamy Mansion, Wilmington’s most spectacular example of Antebellum architecture; the Burgwin-Wright Museum, which served as Lord Cornwallis’ headquarters before his defeat; and the Latimer House Museum, a Victorian family home showcasing period furnishings, artwork, family portraits and gardens.

UNIQUE ACTIVITIES
Wilmington is also home to the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, World War II’s most decorated battleship, and the Wilmington Railroad Museum, which in 1840 was the longest continuous rail line in the world at 161 miles long. In addition to its close proximity to breathtaking beaches, the city hosts a wide range of cultural events throughout the year, such as the North Carolina Azalea Festival, which attracts more than 300,000 visitors annually, Riverfest, and the Old Wilmington by Candlelight Tour. The city has also become a major center for American film and television with more than 400 projects produced there - earning it the nickname "Wilmywood."

Source: www.preservationnation.org
See Also: Top North Carolina Retirement Towns

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BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

HISTORY
The scenic and captivating Blue Ridge Parkway is one of those destinations that is actually more amazing in person than in all of its promotional materials. The parkway runs 469 miles through North Carolina and Virginia, connecting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. With almost half of the parkway running through North Carolina, there are dozens of areas to visit, explore and enjoy. The parkway satisfies the tastes of outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs, artists, cyclists, hikers, wine enthusiasts and more. You can tour the parkway several times during the year, for years, and still not take it all in.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2010, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a product of the New Deal’s efforts to provide jobs to the unemployed of the Great Depression. Construction began in September 1935 at Cumberland Knob near the North Carolina and Virginia state line. The idea was to create a link between the Shenandoah National Park, to the edge of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The parkway was completed in 1983.

"MUST DO’S”
For the active retiree, there are so many experiences to be enjoyed on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here are just a few of our favorites:

FINE CRAFTS
New Morning Gallery, a fine crafts destination for over 30 years, offers a unique selection of hand-crafted furniture, home accessories, pottery, glass, jewelry, garden sculpture and other imaginative gifts by American artisans. The gallery is located in Historic Biltmore Village, two blocks from Biltmore Estate’s entrance. To find the gallery, exit at milepost 388.85.

HIKING
Blue-misted mountains, cascading waterfalls, rolling pasture, and gorges banked with wildflowers greet hikers of all skill levels among the more than 100 varied and intriguing trails in North Carolina and Virginia. Meandering alongside and crossing the scenic motor road, the trails provide a close-up look at some of the most beautiful wilderness in the country. Many trails wind their way through unique biological and geological environments. Others lead to historic sites with stories of how people have shaped our heritage. Trails are rated, ranging from easy to strenuous.

FOLK ART CENTER
Located at milepost 382, the Folk Art Center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary craft of the Southern Appalachians. It houses the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s century-old Allanstand Craft Shop, exhibitions in three galleries, a library and an auditorium.

CAMPING
Moses H. Cone Park Campground - Camp under the stars at the Parkway’s largest campground. Located at milepost # 294, the park is comprised of 4,200 acres at the foot of Grandfather Mountain, named in honor of Julian Price. It lies directly adjacent to the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Together these parks comprise the largest developed area set aside for public recreation on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

KEY TAKEAWAY
If you are considering retiring to the North Carolina mountains, experiencing the diversity of the Blue Ridge Parkway is an ideal way of getting a good sense of what your retirement lifestyle in the North Carolina mountains can be.

For More Information: www.blueridgeparkway.org
See Also: Top North Carolina Retirement Towns