Educational pint nights and art show to benefit national park

August 8, 2017


Celebrate summer and join Friends of the Smokies at the Wedge at Foundation for three educational pint nights this August. Each pint night hosted by the Wedge Brewing Company will feature a family friendly presentation about the Smokies with topics including trail restoration and rehabilitation, reintroduction of elk to the national park, and salamanders in the Smokies. Sales of WitBier during the month of August will benefit critical projects and programs in the national park, and local artist Lucy Reiser’s Smokies-inspired mountain landscapes will be on display.

Thursday, August 10th, 6:00 PM – Trails Forever
Trails Forever is a partnership program between the National Park Service and Friends of the Smokies. A $5 million endowment funds a full-time trailcrew to reconstruct and rehabilitate some of the national park’s most impacted trails, and provide opportunities for the public to volunteer. Members of the Trail Crew will show amazing before and after photos, talk about the restoration process, and share volunteer opportunities.

Thursday, August 17th, 6:00 PM: – Elk in WNC
In 2001, elk were reintroduced to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Since then, the herd has grown to be more than 150 strong. Learn about the ecology of these magnificent animals from Esther Blakely, owner of Cataloochee Valley Tours and interpretive presenter for the national park.

Thursday, August 24th, 6:00 PM: – Salamander Capital of the World

The Great Smoky Mountains are often called the “Salamander Capital of the World” and are home to several rare species. Because many salamanders breathe through their skin, they are viewed as indicators of the health of an ecosystem. Learn about the ecology and wildlife of the Smokies, and participate in salamander trivia.

Friends of the Smokies staff and volunteers will be available for those interested in becoming a member of the organization, which supports projects like wildlife protection, trail maintenance, rehabilitation of historic structures, maintenance of visitor amenities, and educational programming in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Wedge at Foundation is located at 5 Foundy Street, Asheville, NC and is open from 12-10 PM daily.  

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