Daytime Experiences at Bear Shadow: Highlands NC

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: March-2022

Bear Shadow is more than just about music.  In fact, it’s been conceived as a vehicle to experience the excitement and beauty that Highlands has to offer in a whole new way. 

This is done by offering daytime experiences such as Hike & Mic; Bearfoot in the Park; Musician Clinics;  and Wine, Women, and Song.

Listed below are four not-to-be-missed occasions to immerse yourself in the Bear Shadow Experience while trying something new during your weekend of music, mountains, and revelry. 

Wine, Women & Song: Set for 2:00 to 4:30 P.M. Saturday, April 30, at Skyline Lodge.  What happens when you put three women – three critically acclaimed, award-winning singer-songwriters, three old friends, three artists with three unique voices – on a stage together with some guitars and a bottle of good cabernet? It’s an afternoon of song, conversation and fine wines with three acclaimed female performers! 

Suzy Bogguss:  She’s an American country music singer and songwriter, who won Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music and the Horizon Award from the  Country Music Association.

Gretchen Peters: Inducted to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014, Peters has been busy composing hits for Martina McBride, Etta James, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Anne Murray, Shania Twain, Neil Diamond, and co-writing songs with Bryan Adams. In addition, Peters has released nine studio albums of her own. 

Matraca Berg: She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, and won the 2018 Poet’s Award from the Academy of Country Music Awards. Besides most of her own material, Berg has written hits for T.G. Sheppard, Karen Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Deana Carter, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, and others.

Hike & Mic: Bear Shadow offers a hike to Brushy Face Preserve on Friday, April 29, and another to Sunset Rock and the Highlands Botanical Garden on Saturday, April 30. These moderate one-to-two-mile hikes, led by experts from Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and Highlands Biological Station, will take participants through Highlands’ forests and trails before finishing with intimate performances by Wild Rivers on Friday and Jamestown Revival on Saturday. Cost is $65.

Musician Clinics:  These are set for 2:30 P.M. Friday, April 29, at Highlander Mountain House; and 2:30 P.M. Saturday, April 30, at Highlander Mountain House. Sharpen your skills or learn something new at the Bear Shadow Musician Clinics. It’s not every day that you get to learn a few tunes from the best of the best singer-songwriters and world-renowned musicians. 

Bearfoot in the Park: From 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, this is a  chance to connect with your mind and body in nature before the music launches. The Works–Charleston’s Sweat Studio will lead students through an exhilarating, one-hour flow in downtown Highlands. Students must reserve their spot at the ticket link.

For details about these events and the more, visit bearshadownc.com.