This week's Mind Your Business leads off with an important update regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Summer and fall travelers love a good festival as much as local residents enjoy the influence and entertainment the arts bring to the High Country. Mark Freed, Director of Cultural Resources for the Town of Boone, previews Boonerang 2025, and provides an update on how Howard Street construction will be handled during the four-day downtown festival.

Festivals and events don't happen without the hard work of the gig economy and arts industry. Both non-profit and for-profit arts sector accounts for $47 million annually in Watauga County, including $2.1 million in generated tax revenue. Amber Bateman, Executive Director of the Watauga Arts Council shares the importance of the 2025 summer and fall seasons for an industry that lost enormous revenue and market opportunity post Hurricane Helene. She'll also share how the Watauga Arts Council works to support the industry while working to inspire the next generation of artists and makers.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

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The 6th-annual Vision Northwest North Carolina economic development summit is just around the corner and will feature a visit and remarks from North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt. On this week's Mind Your Business, we set the context for the discussion and preview some of the presentations and panels.

Much has been discussed about tourism trends in the High County over recent days. We'll visit with Tara Brossa, General Manager of the Hampton Inn & Suites and Courtyard by Marriott of Boone and get her take on tourism traffic and what is driving visitors to the High Country. We'll also get some perspective on how visitors impact jobs and wages for local hospitality workers.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show

Celebrated for its scenic beauty and connections to Appalachia culture, the Blue Ridge Parkway stretches 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina and serves as the longest linear park in the United States. While its footprint is massive, it's impacts are felt on a hyper-local level, with communities uniquely imprinting themselves toward the 16.7 million visitors that pass through the park each year.

After years spent gathering support, the Blue Ridge Parkway was granted $127M of the $1.3 million Great American Outdoors Act, which was passed by Congress in 2022. This established the opportunity to complete decades-long deferred maintenance along the Parkway's entire corridor.

The combination of these planned projects and the necessary detours, partial, and full road and feature closures in areas now impacted by Hurricane Helene have communities, visitors, and residents concerned about the short and long-term impacts of these necessary projects.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we set the context for the economic and community impact of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and provide an update on what comes next in terms of decisions about current repairs and long-term infrastructure upgrades. We'll hear from Jesse Pope, Executive Director of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Association, one of the Parkway's most visible attractions. We'll also talk with Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, a 501c(3) organization tapped with assisting Parkway staff with funding, marketing, and other support not covered as part of the Federal budget. The BRPF is behind the Blue Ridge Rising action plan, which will help connect Parkway communities and visitors with travel experiences, enhanced cultural attractions, and more. Other organizations like the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea trail and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area also provide volunteer, programmatic, and marketing support along the Parkway.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday morning at 9AM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Support the show