The annual magnificent explosion of decay is upon us…the leaves they are “a turning.”

That nip is in the air. The morning fog hangs a little lower.

And following right behind our cooler temperatures and spectacular fall scenery are our visitors who make plans months in advance to spend a couple of days here soaking in the scenery of the High Country we enjoy year round.

And boy, do they, and us, have a wealth (actually an excess) of things to do this weekend.

There are, we believe, over 10 events scheduled for this weekend. And four of those events are significant enough that if they were held by themselves, visitors would make plans to visit here just for that singular experience.

That does beg the question; why have so much to do during just one weekend in Ashe County?

It can be easily argued that most of October in the High Country offers unforgettable scenery. And we know that just by the increase in traffic we have already experienced over the last two weeks.

It doesn’t seem unreasonable that there might be some coordination between the groups that are holding their annual festivals to space them out over, say, two weekends in October.

As it is, the die is set for this weekend.

For those of us who call this home, get out there and enjoy the weekend with your family and friends. Make every event you can…each event and festival offers a unique flavor of the mountain. Soak it up, laugh, and take some photos (if you’re inclined…post them to the MyOwn Community on www.jeffersonpost.com…click MyOwn beside the Top News button and look for “Click here to visit MyOwn Community” and follow the uploading steps).

For our visitors, thanks so much for choosing Ashe County as your weekend destination.

Now, have fun, show your support at the festivals by purchasing something, and be careful out there.