Blog

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Blue Ridge Music Center are launching free Milepost Music presentations on rotating Sunday afternoons at popular destinations along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  These intimate outdoor concerts will showcase regional musicians playing traditional music at Humpback Rocks, Peaks of Otter, Roanoke Mountain Picnic Area, Mabry Mill, and Doughton Park. The first session is from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, June 5, at the Peaks of Otter at milepost 86 in Bedford, Va.

This year, the Foundation celebrates 25 years of support for the country’s most visited national park. From the start, those who love the park, like you, came together to give time and financial support in pursuit of the best Blue Ridge Parkway possible. The quantity and magnitude of projects, and the enthusiasm from supporters, has only increased over the years. Thank you for recognizing the Parkway’s beauty as well as its needs and potential.

The Public Lands Alliance awarded the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service (NPS) the 2022 Public Lands Partner Award on Wednesday, April 20, for their joint project to rehabilitate the exterior of Flat Top Manor at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, N.C. 

This summer, the Blue Ridge Music Center is celebrating 20 year of hosting concerts in the hillside amphitheater at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Virginia.  Taking the stage are fan favorites, including North Carolina-based acts such as the Steep Canyon Rangers, Kruger Brothers accompanied by Kontras Quartet, and Chatham County Line, and Virginia-based acts The Steel Wheels, Dori Freeman accompanied by a Winston-Salem Symphony String Quintet, and Bill and the Belles. 

Need a great gift for a loved one? We’ve got perfect presents for people who love music, the outdoors, photography, puzzles, getaways, and more. The best part is that each gift also shows your love for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Happy holidays!   Give in honor of a loved one

On October 15, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Blue Ridge Conservancy unveiled a display sign along the Middle Fork Greenway in Blowing Rock, N.C., to commemorate Camp Catawba and the work of the camp’s director Dr. Vera Lachmann, a Jewish refugee of Nazi Germany. The sign also features information about music director Tui St. George Tucker. In addition to the typical outdoor activities, the summer camp for boys was known for its cultural programs. The campers acted in plays, played in an orchestra, and sang in a choir.

Did you know that elk can run up to 45 miles per hour? That black bear cubs stay with their mother for 18 months learning to hunt and survive? That, at 6,293 feet, Waterrock Knob is the highest peak in the Plott Balsam Mountains?

For millions of annual visitors, the Blue Ridge Parkway provides a one-of-a-kind experience with its breathtaking mountain views, miles of trails, diverse wildlife, fascinating historical sites, and enthralling cultural events. That’s why in 2020, it attracted more visitors than any other national park unit.

Each year, the Foundation works with the National Park Service to determine where donors can make the greatest impact on the Blue Ridge Parkway.