Tinker Time for Tots at The Literacy and Learning Center
2025-08-13 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | The Literacy & Learning Center, 675 S 4th Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
The Literacy & Learning Center is excited to bring back another season of engaging workshops tailored for preschoolers and their parents. The aim is to empower parents by demonstrating inventive ways to utilize everyday household items for their children’s educational benefit.
These sessions will showcase practical activities that parents can seamlessly incorporate into their daily routines, fostering a rich learning environment at home.

Tech Time at Hudson Library
2025-08-13 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-08-27 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-10 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-08 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Hudson Library, 554 Main St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Have you ever received the gift of a new digital device, like an iPad, smartphone or laptop, but had no idea how to use it? Hudson Library has the perfect solution-
Tech Time sessions offer one-on-one help on any personal digital device. Tech Time is a chance for residents of all ages to bring their devices and ask any questions. Learn how to set up an email account, mute your cell phone, back up and store files, and more.
Tech Times are free. No library card is required and no appointment is necessary. Services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jimmy Carter: An American Giant at Center for Life Enrichment
2025-08-13 14:00 - 16:00 | Center For Life Enrichment, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Join US Presidential Historian Douglas Brinkley for a discussion on why Jimmy Carter is one of the great figures of the 20th and 21st centuries. He will evaluate the lasting importance of Carter’s Camp David Accords; personal diplomacy with China’s Deng Xiaoping; lifetime humanitarian work in Africa; and the sudden controversial Panama Canal treaty. Brinkley will also discuss in detail why Carter was the most successful land and water conservation president since Theodore Roosevelt. Having written a biography of Carter ‘s post White House years titled, The Unfinished Presidency, Brinkley will offer personal stories about his own experiences with the ex-president including Habitat for Humanity house builds and travels to Israel/Gaza.

The Boys of Pointe du Hoc: D Day and the US Army 2nd Rangers at Center for Life Enrichment
2025-08-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Center For Life Enrichment, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Join Douglas Brinkley for a discussion on the history of D Day ( June 6, 1944) from the perspective of the US Army 2nd Rangers who stormed the coast of Normandy by climbing the 100 foot promontory known as Pointe du Hoc. Facing arguably the toughest task to befall US forces during World War II , the brave special ops battalion boldly seized control of the fortified cliff and set in motion the Liberation of Europe.

Summer Writing Workshop at Albert Carlton Cashiers Community Library
2025-08-14 13:00, 2025-08-21 13:00, 2025-08-28 13:00 | Albert-Carlton Community Library, 249 Frank Allen Rd, Cashiers, NC, 28741, United States
Beginning on June 5 at 1:00 p.m. and continuing every Thursday until August 28, ACCCL staff member Michael Redman will lead a writing workshop that is free and open to everyone, regardless of previous writing experience.
The workshop will be a place to be introduced to techniques, perspectives, and exercises to help you develop your writing. It will also provide a safe,welcoming environment for you to share your own thoughts, ideas, and questions.

Kids Zone at Hudson Library
2025-08-14 15:30, 2025-08-21 15:30, 2025-08-28 15:30 | Hudson Library, 554 Main St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Kids Zone features a variety of fun and interesting programs where kids can explore art, nature, science & more! Best for ages 5 and up.

Zahner Conservation Lecture Series | Southern Appalachian Forest Resilience in a Post Hurricane World at Highlands Nature Center
2025-08-14 18:00 - 19:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741
Megan Sutton, The Nature Conservancy, Southern Blue Ridge Program Director
Join Megan Sutton from TNC’s Asheville office for an insightful program on the threats as well as the hopeful opportunities that our beloved Southern Appalachian forests face in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. She will explore the extensive damage caused by the hurricane and will highlight both the immediate and long-term impacts on forest ecosystems. Megan will discuss the critical nature of forest recovery work and how TNC is working to help the forests adapt in a changing climate.
Sponsored by Martha & Michael Dupuis, Monte & Palmer Gaillard, and Melanie & Tom Mauldin.

Unveiling the Smokies: How Discover Life in America is Mapping the Hidden Biodiversity of the Great Smoky Mountains at Center for Life Enrichment
2025-08-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Center For Life Enrichment, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
This presentation will describe and explain the work of Discover Life in America (DLiA), a nonprofit organization committed to studying and conserving biodiversity, with a focus on its flagship project, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The ATBI, launched in 1998, is a comprehensive effort to document the estimated 60,000 to 80,000 species within the park. But an ATBI is more than just a checklist of species names. It is a complex and living database of species locations, habitats, genetic diversity, population density, symbiotic relationships, and predator-prey interactions. Working cooperatively, expert scientists specializing in all different forms of life discover new species needing protection, identify new threats in time to act, and understand how to protect a complex and valuable ecosystem like the Smoky Mountains. DLiA has successfully doubled the number of known species in the park and identified 1,092 species that are new to science. Despite these accomplishments, a vast amount of biodiversity remains to be discovered in the park. To further this research and exploration, DLiA leverages new technologies, engages in community science projects, and collaborates with scientists from around the world.

Night Visions: Unlocking the Secrets of Photography After Dark at Center for Life Enrichment
2025-08-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Center For Life Enrichment, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
People used to ask Kevin Adams what is there to photograph at night? Today, night photography is extremely popular, with photographers capturing all sorts of nighttime subjects. Nothing new to do, right? Not so fast! In this presentation, Kevin covers the typical stuff—Milky Way, star trails, lighthouses, cityscapes, etc.—but he’ll also talk about photographing subjects you’ve never thought of, and he’ll share techniques for photographing ordinary subjects in ways you’ve never imagined. Fair warning, though. Kevin says that after you attend this presentation, you won’t be getting much sleep going forward—unless you do it in the daytime!
Note: this program is a lecture, not a workshop.

The Necessity of Imperfection: Grappling with Evil and Suffering in the World’s Religions at Center for Life Enrichment
2025-08-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Center For Life Enrichment, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
One of the most difficult problems that every religion grapples with is how to explain the existence of evil and suffering in the world. Our lives are plagued by unhappiness, stress, difficulties, and always end in death. For religions with an all-powerful and loving God, this reality presents a serious challenge. Why won’t this loving and powerful God just fix us and our world? The Eastern traditions, with their views of karma and reincarnation, present a very different view of this classic struggle. Whether Eastern or Western, all religions recognize that our lives are not perfect, but then each presents different paths and prescriptions about what to do with these imperfections.
This class explores how these different faiths struggle with our imperfections while also presenting unique ways of understanding why the difficulties in our lives are a necessary part of being itself.

Village Nature Series at The Village Green
2025-08-19 17:30 | The Village Green, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
Experience the Mountains: The Four Seasons
Experience a live musical piano journey through the four seasons of the North Carolina mountains, featuring all original video and music created, composed, and performed by Bryan Heller.

Author Reception | Darwin and the Art of Botany at Center for Life Enrichment
2025-08-21 16:00 - 18:00 | NC
Join us at one of Highlands’ many beautiful homes for this presentation and author reception for Highlands’ own Dr. Jim Costa! From finches and tortoises to barnacles and pigeons, Charles Darwin is most often associated with the iconic animals that he studied, but in fact a larger part of his contribution to the natural sciences is based on plants.
Darwin’s botanical observations and experiments are crucial to our modern understanding of so much about plant biology, from pollination to plant carnivory to the way that vines climb. To help modern audiences better appreciate Darwin’s botany as well as the rich tradition of botanical art, Dr. Costa teamed up with his friend, the botanical artist Bobbi Angell (www.bobbiangell.com/), to produce Darwin and the Art of Botany: Observations on the Curious World of Plants. A celebration of Darwin’s often overlooked botanical enthusiasms, the book spotlights 45 fascinating plants studied by Darwin, each illustrated with beautiful and historically significant botanical artwork that Bobbi curated from the Library at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation in Upperville, Virginia.
This “arts and sciences” course will inspire a new appreciation for Darwin’s creative botanical investigations and the ways in which plants helped shape our understanding of the world around us, as well as the history of botanical art and illustration.

HBF | 2025 Carpenter Lecture at Highlands PAC
2025-09-10 11:00 | Highlands PAC, 507 Chestnut Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Memory, Manipulation, Mimicry, and Kinship
A Tour Through the Cutting Edge of Plant Intelligence Research

Join the Highlands Biological Foundation for a thought-provoking journey into the hidden lives of plants at this year’s Carpenter Lecture, a biennial community event established in honor of former HBF director Sonya Carpenter.
Presented in partnership with Highlands Performing Arts Center, HBF is proud to welcome acclaimed science writer Zoë Schlanger for an illuminating presentation that will change the way you see the natural world.

A Celebration of Place at Highlands Biological Station
2025-09-13 14:00 - 20:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741
Celebrate the beauty and biodiversity of the Highlands Plateau at A Celebration of Place, a free one-day event on Saturday, September 13 at the Highlands Biological Station. With garden tours, a native plant sale, and stories that connect us to place, it’s a day to explore, learn, and celebrate nature.
2:00 – 4:30 PM
Garden Explorations & Native Plant Sale
* Enjoy guided thematic tours at 2PM, 3PM and 4PM
* Native plant sale open at the Amphitheatre — browse and buy rare and unique items throughout the afternoon.
5:00 – 6:30 PM
Main Event: A Celebration of Place
* Janet McCue & Paul Bonesteel speaking on their book George Masa: A Life Reimagined
* Featuring a Q&A session
Talk held at the Nature Center.
6:30 – 8:00 PM
Reception & Book Signing
* Meet the speakers at a reception hosted at the Nature Center.
* Book signing with authors

TL&LC | Celebration of Education Author's Presentation at Highlands PAC
2025-09-30 14:00 | Highlands PAC, 507 Chestnut Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Don’t miss your chance to see #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci live at the Highlands Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, September 30th at 2:00 PM.
Join us for an inspiring afternoon as Baldacci shares his insights and stories, followed by an exclusive book signing. On September 14th, General Admission ticket prices will increase to $100, so secure your tickets early and be part of this unforgettable Celebration of Education!

Village Nature Series at The Village Green
2025-09-30 17:30 | The Village Green, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
Mindful Management of Common Invasive Plants
invasive plants destroy crucial habitat for wildlife, trees, and native plants, while simultaneously threatening and dramatically reducing biodiversity. Demonstrating a holistic approach, Raven shares successes in mechanical removal and management of common invasive plants. In addition to dramatically reducing the amount and severity of invasive plant infestations that treat the health and viability of our land, forests, and waterways, the long-term costs and consequences of the work are undeniably less severe. They serve, rather than harm, the overarching system that sustains life. Holistic practices improve soil and water quality, protect and restore rapidly diminishing habitat for a host of wildlife, increased biodiversity of plant and animal life, and create opportunities for native plant species to rebound and thrive. Raven demonstrates that mindful management is highly effective and improves the health and viability of the land and the life that depends on it.

TL&LC | Celebration of Education VIP Patron Dinner at Old Edwards Club
2025-09-30 18:00 | Old Edwards Club, 688 Highlands Cove Drive, Cashiers, 28717
The Celebration of Education – a fundraiser for The Literacy and Learning Center – is a special evening featuring a cocktail hour, plated dinner, and an exclusive presentation, meet-and-greet, and book signing with bestselling author David Baldacci.

Free ESL Classes at The Literacy and Learning Center
2025-10-07 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-10-14 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-10-21 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-10-28 18:00 - 19:00 | The Literacy & Learning Center, 675 S 4th Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Join us for free ESL classes at The Literacy & Learning Center!
Tuesdays
6 – 7 pm
At The Literacy & Learning Center
