Blowing Rock is a fairy-tale village located in the northwestern mountains of North Carolina. Blowing Rock offers its residents and visitors a serene, but extraordinary escape from daily life. Blowing Rock has a permanent annual population of about 2,000. The population jumps significantly to 10,000 people during the summer season. Blowing Rock is known as the "Crown of the Blue Ridge," and is home to a number of antique stores, superb shopping and dining, outdoor escapades, and matchless entertainment.
Blowing Rock was once the home to the Catawba & Cherokee Indians, which were enemies to one another. Blowing Rock was named after two star-crossed lovers from each tribe. Legend says the two were traveling thru woods when a extraordinary reddening of the sky led them to the Blowing Rock. As the young lady urged her lover to stay with her, he leaped from the rock into the ravine below. Frantic and full of grief, the lady implored the spirits to bring him back into her arms. Conceding to her request, the famous winds of the John´s River Gorge lifted her lover back up into her arms.
Activities, Festivals, & Culture
Today, the village of Blowing Rock continues to offer breathtaking sights and an abundance of excitement and adventure. From white water rafting, golf, and horseback riding to skiing, rock climbing, and more, there is something for every outdoor enthusiast to enjoy in Blowing Rock! Each year brings an array of festivals and other annual events, including the Winterfest with hayrides and an icy Polar Plunge into the lake at Chetola Resort, the Blue Ridge Wine Festival, and concerts in the park. This quaint little village is also big on attraction, including the state's oldest travel attraction -- the Blowing Rock, Horn in the West, Mystery Hill, Tweetsie Railroad -- a wild west family theme park featuring a three-mile, steam-powered train ride, and Appalachian Ski Mountain. Blowing Rock is also not without cultural opportunities and features an Arts Center that offers professional quality concerts, plays, and musicals, a professional summer stock theatre, and more. Filled with wonderful shops, performing and visual arts centers, unique attractions, bed and breakfast inns, resorts, and lovely restaurants, residents and visitors alike can always find something to do.
Events
* Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad (Oct)
* Blowing Rock Halloween Festival (Oct. 30)
* Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Town (Nov. 26)
* Christmas Parade (Nov. 27)
* Chetola Resort's Festival of Lights (Nov. 27- Jan. 3)
* Valle Crucis Fireside Tour (Dec. 6)
* January Jam with local Jazz Artist (Jan. 24)
* Winterfest (Jan. 28- 31)
* Blue Ridge Wine Festival (Apr. 15- 18)
* Tweetsie Railroad Theme Park Opens for Season (Apr. 30)
* Shriner´s Parade (Jun 5)
* Symphony at Chetola (Jul. 23)
Economy, Climate, & School
There are three major sectors of the Blowing Rock economy: Retail, Lodging, & Real Estate. These sectors produce a charming mountain village that´s simply thriving. Tourism is an extremely important aspect to the town of Blowing Rock and is the vacationing spot for many skiers. With a large amount of retail stores in the area, unemployment rates remain low.
With an average summer temperature of around 65 degrees, Blowing Rock is a perfect location to live relax, and retreat. At an elevation of just over 3,600 feet the winters in Blowing Rock have an average temperature of 35 degrees. Residents of Blowing Rock enjoy about 35" of snow a year (recent average). With about 48" of rainfall a year, the yearly temperature averages 52.
Blowing Rock School is the only elementary school in the village and has been recognized as a North Carolina School of Excellence. The school offers kindergarten through eighth grade. The nearest High School is only minutes away in the town of Boone. The prestigious Appalachian State University is also located in Boone.
Blowing Rock NC Real Estate
Many people buy Blowing Rock real estate because of the area's charm and beauty. In addition, the area offers some of the most affordable residential housing to be found. Median single-family values average around $271,000. Residential offerings include lovely single-family style residences with porches that offer some of the best mountain views, picturesque mountain farm houses, historic homes, luxury estates, wonderful log cabins situated on large wooded lots, condos, and town homes. In addition, Blowing Rock offers a number of fabulous communities such as the SweetGrass Community that includes a trout-filled stream, golf courses, and park areas.