Laurel Magazine

Free ESL Classes at The Literacy and Learning Center
2026-06-02 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-09 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-16 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-23 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-30 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-07-07 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | 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

Tinker Time for Tots at The Literacy & Learning Center
2026-06-03 11:00, 2026-06-17 11:00, 2026-07-01 11:00 | The Literacy & Learning Center, 675 S 4th Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Little hands, big imagination!
Join us for Tinker Time for Tots — a free, playful hour designed for toddlers and their caregivers.
Each session sparks creativity through hands-on activities that build curiosity and connection.

Introduction to Modern Batik with Lana Hall at The Lucy Clark Gallery & Studio
2026-06-03 17:00 - 19:30 | The Lucy Clark Gallery & Studio, 51 West Main Street, Brevard, NC, 28712, United States
Introduction to Modern Batik (2.5 hours)
A beginner-friendly introduction to batik, focusing on how resist works and how pigments flow on fabric. Participants create a mosaic-style textile piece using simple techniques and leave with a finished work in a 12-inch embroidery hoop frame.

Citizenship Class with Faviola Olvera at The Literacy & Learning Center
2026-06-03 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-06-10 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-06-17 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-06-24 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-07-01 17:30 - 19:00 | The Literacy & Learning Center, 675 S 4th Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Ready to take the next step toward U.S. citizenship? 🇺🇸 The Literacy & Learning Center is here to support your journey with our FREE weekly Citizenship Class!

Led by Faviola Olvera, this program is designed to help you navigate the naturalization exam with total confidence.
What We Cover:

English Test Prep: Practice the speaking, reading, and writing skills needed for the exam.
Reading & Writing Proficiency: Get structured practice for the specific sentences you’ll need to read and write during the official test.
Civics Test: We cover all 100 possible questions on U.S. history and government, including the principles of democracy and the system of government.
Wednesdays 5:30-7 PM

Craft Camp at The Literacy & Learning Center
2026-06-08 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-09 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-10 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-11 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-12 12:00 - 15:00 | The Literacy & Learning Center, 675 S 4th Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Craft Camp offers an engaging space for children to dive into imaginative art-making and hands-on activities.
Guided by Kara Long, this session encourages campers to explore different materials and techniques while building confidence in their creativity and enjoying the process of making something all their own.
3 – 5th Grade

Youth Nature Series: Bugs in Our Backyard! at The Village Green
2026-06-09 16:00 - 17:00 | The Village Green, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
In the summer, bugs are everywhere, and these awesome critters do so much for us! They clean up our forests, make our flowers grow, and so much more. Come get an up-close look and learn about what bugs you can find in your own backyards, where we can find them, and what they do for our planet!
The Village Green and Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust co-host a series of lectures each summer. Visitors and residents learn about wildlife, habitats, conservation, and local cultural heritage from expert speakers in their fields!
All of the Nature Series Programs, adult and youth, are FREE, family-friendly, held RAIN OR SHINE, and no reservations are required.
Thank you to Cedar Creek Club for sponsoring the Village Nature Series!
Presenter Bio: Sara Rivera (she/they) is a former Insect Curator for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a graduate student in the Biology department of WCU. Their thesis research focuses on the evolution of tropical, predatory fireflies. In her free time, Sara also does science outreach with her own organization, THEM in STEM, which focuses on making science accessible and entertaining through local Firefly Walks, Science Storytimes, and endlessly entertaining public talks!

Tech Time at Hudson Library
2026-06-10 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-08 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.

Zahner Conservation Lecture Series at Highlands Nature Center
2026-06-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741
Weird and Underappreciated Arthropods of North Carolina

Featured Speaker
Dr. Matt Bertone, Entomologist and Director, NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (NCSU)
Everyone knows butterflies, dragonflies, and praying mantises, among other popular arthropods. However, have you heard of thrips? Bark lice? Eriophyid mites? In this presentation Dr. Matt Bertone, strange critter enthusiast, will share with you information and photos of some of North Carolina’s weirdest and least talked about arthropods.
Sponsored by Vicki and Donny Ferguson

Village Nature Series | Illuminating the Fabulous Worlds of Fireflies at The Village Green
2026-06-16 17:30 | The Village Green, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
Fireflies are known for their magnificent flashes that fill our summer nights with magic. How do they glow, and are there any that don’t glow? How do they help with medical research? What special kinds can we find in our own backyards? The world of fireflies is full of trickery, romance, and awe, so join us as we illuminate the mysteries of these amazing insects!
Presenter Bio: Sara Rivera (she/they) is a former Insect Curator for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a graduate student in the Biology department of WCU. Their thesis research focuses on the evolution of tropical, predatory fireflies. In her free time, Sara also does science outreach with her own organization, THEM in STEM, which focuses on making science accessible and entertaining through local Firefly Walks, Science Storytimes, and endlessly entertaining public talks!

Zahner Conservation Lecture Series at Highlands Nature Center
2026-06-25 18:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741
The Blue Wall: What we know–and don’t know–about southern Appalachia’s enigmatic weather-making landform

Featured Speaker
Philip S. Prince, Ph.D., Project Geologist, Appalachian Landslide Consultants, PLLC, Virginia Tech Department of Geosciences
Highlands owes its natural beauty to its location atop the Blue Ridge Escarpment, the steep, 1,500-3,000 foot topographic step defining the southeastern edge of Appalachian Mountain topography from northeastern Georgia to Roanoke, Virginia. Along its entire length, the Escarpment separates river systems, controls weather, and presents a significant obstacle to entry into the mountains from Piedmont cities like Greenville and Charlotte. Despite its massive geographic extent and ecological and societal significance in southern Appalachia, surprisingly little is known about the origins of the Escarpment and which chapter of Appalachian Mountain development its existence represents. Notable as the only major Appalachian landform that is not a direct result of bedrock outcrop patterns, geologists have long sought to understand why the Escarpment is even here in the first place. This talk will discuss both the Escarpment’s well-known functions as a river divide and weather-maker and the questions surrounding its formation, history, and overall relationship to the rest of the modern-day southern Appalachian Mountains.
Sponsored by Suzanne & Don Duggan, Ruthie & Franko Oliver, Margaret Waters, Adele & Nick Scielzo, and Florence & Tom Holmes

Digital Light Show Creation Camp at The Literacy & Learning Center
2026-06-30 12:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-01 12:00 - 15:00 | The Literacy & Learning Center, 675 S 4th Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Do you love to draw and create? Then THIS is the camp for you!
Come and illustrate creations that will be turned into a digital light show for all to experience! You will be amazed and have a great time learning and creating!
5 – 12th Grade

Youth Nature Series at The Village Green
2026-07-06 16:00 - 17:00 | The Village Green, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
Building a Wild Bee Hotel by Jessica Blackburn
Become a backyard hero in our hands-on Wild Bee Hotel Workshop! Kids will discover the secret lives of solitary bees—nature’s gentle, super-pollinators—while building their very own wooden nesting home.
Using natural materials like wooden frames and hollow stems, participants will craft a safe haven to take home and hang in their gardens. We’ll learn why bees love “tunnel” homes and how to attract these fuzzy friends to your flowers. It’s the perfect mix of crafting, nature science, and outdoor fun for aspiring young conservationists!
Presenter Bio: Jessica is a Stewardship Technician at Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and a masters student at WCU where she studies botany. Prior to moving to Cullowhee, she worked on a trail crew in California maintaining and restoring public access properties. Currently she teaches environmental education programs for local students in the area through Kids In Nature Programming at after-school organizations. Through her deep curiosity for the natural world Jessica educates the youth on how to learn about the land they recreate on and how to create minimal impacts upon it.
