Be a Family Again This June with Family Month at Beech Mountain

Press Release

Courtesy of Craig Distl

BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. – Thirty days of enjoyment await families this June during the second annual Family Fun Month in the town of Beech Mountain.

The month is filled with organized events, outdoor activities and lodging specials.

Group activities include: guided hikes, tours of the old Land of Oz theme park, parent-child pickleball outings, mountain biking lessons, scenic chairlift rides, concerts on the lawn, a junior golf tournament, and movies under the stars in Eastern America's highest town.

"We’ve designated an entire month for families to reconnect. This is a need in today’s society because we don’t spend as much quality time together," said Kate Gavenus, director of tourism for the town of Beech Mountain. "There are opportunities every day for grandparents, parents, teens and younger children to get out and enjoy activities on the mountain."

Many activities have no fee, such as guided hikes, movies under the stars, swimming at Beech Mountain Club, pickleball tourneys and street dances. Other activities have a nominal fee.

Beech Mountain is an ideal summer getaway for families. It blends the amenities and lodging of a ski resort town with miles and miles of town-maintained hiking and biking trails.

On weekends, Friday through Sunday, Beech Mountain Resort operates its downhill mountain biking park, complete with lift access for both riders and their bikes. The resort also offers disc golf and scenic chairlift rides to the summit, where an observation deck awaits.

Two special weekends add to the festivities. The town’s Emerald Outback trail park holds its grand re-opening the weekend of June 5-7 with mountain biking rides, family hikes, a bonfire, clinics, contests and demos. The weekend of June 19-20 is the Cool 5 Race Weekend, featuring a five-mile run, a 1.5-mile fun run, a family walk-and-wag for pets, and a popsicle relay. A Taste of Beech also takes place that weekend.

Getting involved in Family Fun Month is easy. A schedule of events is available at
www.FamilyFunMonth.com. Parents and grandparents can go to the site, select the days with their favorite activities, then choose from two lodging packages.

The first lodging special provides three nights for the price of two, while the second provides 25 percent off a stay of five nights or more.

To learn more about June Family Fun Month on Beech Mountain, call (800) 468-5506, or visit 
www.FamilyFunMonth.com.

Summer Will Be Arriving on Beech Mountain Before You Know It!

Kiddo Fishing Derby

A great event for kids and families is the Kiddo Fishing Derby at Lake Coffey.

Annual Hog Roast

Great food, entertainment and fireworks will again be on hand for the 47th Annual Hog Roast.

Craft Fairs

Craft fairs on the mountain are always a favorite for visitors and residents alike.  Local and national craftsmen are featured in many different art forms.

A Cool 5 - 5 Races - June 19 & 20

Summer Concerts

For more information on events for Beech Mountain, log onto the Events page for the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce.  See you on Beech Mountain this summer ... we are waiting for you.

Time Warp to the 1980s During Beech’s Retro Ski Weekend

Press Release by Craig Distl

Can dayglo ski clothes melt snow? Did video kill the radio star? Do girls really just want to have fun?

 

All these questions – and more – will be answered during the fourth annual Totally ’80s Retro Ski Weekend at Beech Mountain.

 

This year’s time warp back the new wave era takes place Feb. 20-22 and includes live music, special guest appearances, retro festivities and 80’s-themed specials on lodging and meals.

 

Headlining the weekend is The Breakfast Club, America’s favorite 1980s tribute band. The Breakfast Club plays Saturday night in the Beech Tree lodge at Beech Mountain Resort. During intermission, the fun continues with the annual $500 Totally Retro Apparel Contest.

 

Friday night’s band is Buick MacKane, performing an all-80s set at the Mile High Tavern. Also that night at the Mile High Tavern is a $200 Madonna look-alike contest.

 

The Carolina Ghostbusters – complete with their vintage Ectomobile – will make multiple appearances in town and at the ski resort, and they will be joined by a talking replica of the KITT car from the 1980s hit television show, Knight Rider.

 

Another throwback event is an ’80s lip-sync battle Friday afternoon at Beech Mountain Brewing Co. in the alpine village at the ski resort.

 

Old school music fans will also have an opportunity to meet Brake Michaels of Charlotte. Brake is one of the nation’s top Bret Michaels look-alikes.

 

As always, skiers and snowboarders are encouraged to wear retro ski gear on the slopes, and Reaganomics will be in effect with 80s-themed specials throughout town on lodging, meals, and ski rentals.

 

“Each year we’re excited to see so many people embrace the ‘totally eighties’ concept,” says Talia Freeman, marketing director for Beech Mountain Resort. “More than just skiing, it’s a pop culture experience and has definitely become one of our most popular weekends.”

 

So dig out those DayGlo ski clothes from that most righteous decade, dust off your cassette tapes, and make plans now for a ski slope time machine weekend on Beech Mountain.

 

For complete details and lodging specials, call 800-468-5506 or go online to:www.BeechMtn.com.

Renovations, Upgrades and Complimentary Lessons this Winter at BMR

Press Release
by Craig Distl

A summer of improvements has set the stage for a winter of top-notch skiing and snowboarding at Beech Mountain Resort.

 

The resort continued its recent trend with summertime upgrades both on and off the slopes. On the slopes, a half dozen SMI Super PoleCat snow guns have been added, bringing to 46 the resort’s total of these high-tech guns. The PoleCats – along with dozens of smaller guns – provide the resort with the best snowmaking capability in its 47-year history.

 

Also on the slopes, the lighting system for night skiing has been upgraded, while an aging J-bar beginner lift has been replaced by a new Magic Carpet conveyor lift.

 

“The new lift is a big-ticket item for beginners, who will really notice the improvement,” said resort general manager Ryan Costin.

 

Off the slopes, the resort continued to focus on amenities by completely renovating the View Haus cafeteria, adding a Burton Learn-to-Ride Center for snowboarders, partnering with Rossignol on a new fleet of ski rental equipment, and expanding teaching programs across the board for skiing and snowboarding.  

The View Haus, a focal point with its Bavarian turret, received an interior redesign with a mountain lodge decor. The project replaced all carpet, tables, chairs and railings; added state-of-the-art lighting; plus renovated bathrooms with automated fixtures.

 

The Burton Learn-to-Ride Center in the ski village offers expert half-day and full-day snowboard lessons for juniors and adults, a first for the resort. The center also allows boarders to upgrade their rentals to the latest technology available. 

 

For skiers, the Rossignol Experience Center is stocked with a brand new fleet of skis, poles, boots and bindings.

 

“Anytime you have new equipment, it’s not only a good feeling for customers, but also for our staff because they are proud of it,” Costin said. “It’s definitely a huge improvement.”

 

As a bonus this winter, complimentary lessons will be given to everyone age eight and older who rents ski or snowboard equipment Monday through Thursday, excluding holiday periods.

 

“People are seeing that we’re truly invested in making this one of the top ski resorts in the Southeast,” Costin said. “ All these upgrades are steps in that direction.”

 

For more info, visit: www.beechmountainresort.com, or call (800) 438-2093.

Collegiate Mountain Biking Nationals Come to Beech Oct. 24-26

Press Release

by Craig Distl

The nation’s top college mountain bikers will converge on Beech Mountain Oct. 24-26 for USA Cycling’s Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships.

 

This is the second straight year Beech Mountain has hosted the championships, which feature more than 70 schools and 300 riders battling for national titles in six disciplines.

 

Fort Lewis College of Colorado returns as defending team champion in Division I and Brevard College returns as defending champion in Division II. Local teams expected to contend in Division I are Lees-McRae College and Appalachian State.

 

“It’s a great opportunity for fans who enjoy competition, who enjoy cycling, to watch some of the best riders compete in mountain biking,” said Lees-McRae head coach Tim Hall, whose team finished third a year ago. “It’s not like any other race during the year. You’ve got the best riders and the best teams going for the most coveted prize.”

 

Holding the championships two straight years is quite an honor for Beech Mountain. The town and the ski resort have invested significantly in their mountain biking trail systems in recent years, giving the area two quality mountain bike parks.

 

“It’s our intention to be among the best mountain biking destination on the East Coast, and getting selected to host the collegiate national championships is a good indication of how far we’ve come,” said Talia Freeman, event coordinator for Beech Mountain Resort. “It allows us to showcase the beauty and incredible terrain Beech Mountain has to offer.”

 

Reams will begin arriving in Beech Mountain during the week, with open practices and a riders meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23.

 

The first races will be held between 8:00-11:00 a.m. Friday morning. Saturday’s races take place between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., while Sunday’s races begin at 11:00 a.m. and last until early afternoon. All races are free and open to the public.

 

“This is a very exciting event to watch, and one of the most fun events I’ve ever produced,” Freeman said. “ It is family-friendly and spectator-friendly.”

 

For details and race schedules, visit: www.usacycling.org/2014/collegiate-mtb-nationals.

 

Lodging and other visitor info is available by calling (800) 468-5506.