How do I get my attraction/site listed on the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area website under Blue Ridge Attractions & Destinations?
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area website aims to provide quality information on the numerous natural and cultural heritage destinations that make the region a special place to live and to visit.
The website offers profiles (dedicated web-pages) of natural and cultural heritage destinations in Western North Carolina including:
- museums listed in the Western North Carolina Museum Guide
- historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- nonprofit craft galleries
- federal and state recreational lands and trails
- sites designated as cultural or natural heritage treasures by the Governor’s Year of the Mountains Commission
All profiled sites must be visitor-ready and open to the public.
BRNHA’s website links to other nonprofit organizations that provide information on attractions, lodgings, dining, and shopping within Western North Carolina.
How do I qualify for an interpretive sign for my site through the BRNHA Signage Project?
There are a limited number of opportunities for natural and cultural heritage sites to participate in the BRNHA’s Signage Project. To learn more about the project and the criteria for being a sign recipient, contact Melinda Young, Signage Coordinator, 828-407-0702, email: BRNHA.Melinda@gmail.com, or visit our Signage Project web page.
How do I get my attraction/site featured in the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center ?
The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, located at milepost 384 (Asheville), is a National Park Service facility. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area staffs a regional information desk at this facility to provide visitor orientation to Western North Carolina and highlight the region’s exemplary natural and cultural resources. Space at the regional information desk is available for printed materials but is very limited.
Priority is given to:
- Materials that are regional or multi-county in scope and that showcase natural and cultural heritage destinations
- Natural and cultural heritage destinations featured in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area brochure
- Natural and cultural heritage destinations designated as cultural or natural heritage treasures by the Governor’s Year of the Mountains Commission
- Natural and cultural heritage events in reasonable proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center and/or the Blue Ridge Parkway
Contact Amy Hollifield, Volunteer Coordinator, for more information:
amy@blueridgeheritage.com
(828) 298-5330, ext. 301
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area also manages the digital content on the visitor center’s I-Wall, a 22-foot long interactive electronic map of the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. A limited number of promotional spots is available on the I-Wall for points of interest in North Carolina and Virginia. Promotions are evaluated for geographic fit and for consistency with the character and interpretive themes of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
Contact Angie Chandler, Executive Director, for more information:
angie@blueridgeheritage.com
(828) 298-5330, ext. 307
How can I list my events on the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area website under Blue Ridge Events and Festivals?
The BRNHA website is the ideal place for events of interest to visitors and residents, and listing are offered free to our heritage partners, including heritage, cultural, conservation, craft, music, agricultural, and Cherokee organizations, and towns, cities, counties and their related tourism organizations. First preference will be given to major annual events and special cultural events. Sorry, but space and time limit the number of smaller, more local events that can be accommodated. If you would like to submit events, send them to jill@blueridgeheritage.com. For greatest effectiveness, please send as far in advance as possible.
How do I partner with the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area?
There are many ways to partner with the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. You can:
- Link to our website as part of our “Proud to be a Part of” initiative.
- Carry our visitor map brochure in your place of business. To order a supply, contact amy@blueridgeheritage.com.
- Participate in your local Heritage Council or community meetings and work with others toward preserving, interpreting and celebrating the unique cultural and natural heritage of your town or county.
- Volunteer at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center.
- Collaborate on regional marketing and/or visitor research efforts.
- Donate to the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Even though the BRNHA is supported by federal dollars, each dollar must be matched 1 – 1 with private or state money. Also, much of our federal money is returned to the community in the form of grants. Recent economic cutbacks in government investment in heritage preservation have compelled all National Heritage Areas to seek to become more self-sustaining. We are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. You can help us continue to support our partners throughout our 25-county region in Western North Carolina by making a tax-deductible charitable contribution to the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
How do I sign up for a workshop or event happening in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC?
Go the Events and Workshops page for event details and sign up instructions.
