On many of the mountains in Western North Carolina, the bright spring flowers have given way to the deep greens of summer. However, in Graham County, high elevations nurture the bright orange of a native shrub.
This weekend, the 8th Annual Flame Azaleas Festival celebrates the unique flowers with music, art and events in downtown Robbinsville.
The festival also includes hikes highlighting a unique stand of flame azaleas on Hooper Bald, about 20 miles outside town.
Kim Hainge will be leading some of those hikes. She is an entomologist and a local naturalist. Hainge says that Hooper Bald, where the azaleas thrive, is one of her favorite places.
“At the same time that the flame azaleas bloom at their peak, the synchronous and blue ghost fireflies are flashing over at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest,” she said. “I just love this time of the year. It's one of my favorites.”
The reason that the flame azaleas are still in bloom at this time of year is because of the elevation.
“One thing I like about Graham County is that you can follow the seasons up and if you miss a particular plant that you love at the lower elevations, then as the weeks go by, they'll be blooming higher and higher and higher, and that has to do with temperature,” she said.
Hainge explained that Hooper Bald is one of the highest points in the county at about 5,280 ft. The bald s its own special species of flame azalea, which has a bigger flower than the average azalea, Hainge said. These Hooper Bald azaleas will be available for sale at the festival.
Flames of redemption
The natural beauty of Graham County is a driver of tourism. However, the devastation of Hurricane Helene caused visitors to cancel their stays, even in far western North Carolina, where there was much less damage.
Local businesses like the Tapoco Lodge & Resort are taking part in the festival. The lodge was built in 1930 when the nearby dams were under construction, explained General Manager Valerie Frap. She is originally from Oklahoma and moved to the region in 2018.
“I had always noticed pink and purple azaleas. I never saw this flaming orange (before),” she said.
The lodge will feature musical performances and flaming chicken wings to celebrate the festival. Frap sees this festival as an opportunity for redemption after Hurricane Helene. She says over 60% of their guests cancelled during October.
“We lost a lot of money. So this is our chance to help financially recover some of the loss that we suffered from the hurricane,” she said. “And again, it wasn't near the loss that people experienced in Asheville and nearby, and so many lives [that] were lost.”
She explains that the hotel is just a few miles from the Tennessee line and after the storm semi-trucks and other vehicles tried to drive the famous Tail of the Dragon to reach the region.
“It is 318 curves in 11 miles, [that] makes it famous, but not for semi-trucks, not for deliveries,” she said, explaining that there were extensive traffic jams.
Graham County Travel & Tourism Assistant Director Amber Benton explained that after the storm, news coverage offered crucial information, but it also put forward the perception that the state was closed to visitors.
"This had a profound and continuing effect on our local economy. We are still actively working to overcome that perception and attract visitors. We have been able to get the faucet turned back on, but it's still not full force yet," Benton said.
Frap says the festival is also a chance to highlight what makes the county special.
“I look at the Azalea Festival in Graham County. It not only is it bringing in tourism, it's the people that live here. People are showing off their crafts, showing off everything,” she said.
Hainge agrees and says the azaleas remind her that the natural world is beautiful.
“The reason that I'm so ionate about nature, and particularly the flame azalea, is that it allows you to just take a day off from the craziness out there,” she said. “Take a deep breath. The air is great. You know, it smells wonderful and just go up and take a little mini vacation from all the stress and delight in the beauty.”
This year’s festival takes place Saturday, June 14, from 10 am to 6 pm at 301 Sweetwater Rd., in Robbinsville. Here’s the full festival schedule.
