A Secret You Can Share
This is the time of year when thousands of visitors are enjoying Moses H. Cone Memorial Park at milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In the fresh mountain air, they are exploring miles of carriage trails, touring Flat Top Manor, and riding horses on the estate.

But to many of them, it's a secret how desperately the estate needs their support .

So we are asking for your help to spread the word about this project to remake history at the park.

It’s so easy. Simply share the video above with your friends and family. Then ask them to give . Every dollar helps ensure the wonderful experiences Moses and Bertha Cone created will continue for decades to come. 
Cone exhibit opens August 3!
We are counting down the days until the exhibit  Modern Visions, Modern Art: The Cone Sisters in North Carolina  opens at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum  on August 3.

The art collection of Dr. Claribel and Etta Cone is cherished by art historians and museum-goers alike, and the exhibit presents a compelling selection of works on paper, paintings, and sculptures by artists in the collection who drew the admiration and attention of Claribel and Etta Cone: Henri Matisse, Jacques Villon, Marie Laurencin, Ben Silbert, John Graham, Everett Bryant, Gertraud Brausewetter, Ilse Breit, Teresa Denny, and Bernice Oehler.

The art collection of the Cone sisters was made possible with the financial support of their brothers’ thriving textile business in North Carolina.  The Foundation is offering a companion exhibit at the museum titled,  Modern Visions, Mountain Views: The Cones of Flat Top Manor .  It connects the story of the Cone family to the Blowing Rock estate built by Claribel and Etta’s eldest brother, North Carolina’s “Denim King,” Moses H. Cone and his wife, Bertha Lindau Cone.


Modern Visions, Modern Art  is presented to the community by Wells Fargo.
Lend a hand at Mabry Mill
Our project to fix the flume at Mabry Mill is underway, and you can play a hands-on role.

You can assist the National Park Service with carpentry projects and other repairs to the flume, or become a roving greeter to interact with park visitors and address questions regarding construction. 

If you’d like to learn more about either of these volunteer opportunities, click here or e-mail BLRI_Volunteers@nps.gov .

If you can’t volunteer, you can support these much-needed repairs by making a donation . Thanks to a Centennial Challenge grant and support from the National Park Foundation, your gift will be doubled!
Have you traveled the entire Parkway?
Whether in one big adventure or traveled in several stages, driving the entire Blue Ridge Parkway is a feat with its own rewards. Our End-to-Enders Club is for individuals who have driven all 469 miles of the scenic motorway. Members receive a certificate in honor of their journey, and are invited to share stories from their trip, including memories like these:

“We decided to celebrate the 4th of July by traveling the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We started the journey at sunrise on July 4th, watched fireworks in Roanoke, camped at Julian Price Campground and completed the drive at sunset on July 6th. We saw abundant wildlife, enjoyed two rainbows and we were pleasantly surprised at how little traffic there was. It was our best road trip in years.” - Susannah and Lee Myers

Bear cub crossing Blue Ridge Parkway
Photograph by Vicki Dameron
Be bear aware!
Summer is the season for spotting black bears and cubs along the Parkway. Make sure your wildlife encounter is safe with these tips: 
  • Watch your speed while driving; a bear family might be crossing the road just around the bend.
  • If a bear approaches you, do not run. Slowly back away.
  • Do not corner a bear or cubs, and that includes surrounding a tree where they have taken refuge. 
  • Do not feed bears.
  • Be especially cautious if you see a female with cubs; never place yourself between a mother and her cub.
Parkway events
10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 27
Milepost 63, Blue Ridge Parkway

Families are invited to explore the Kids in Parks program’s newest TRACK Trail on July 27 at the James River Visitor Center at milepost 63 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. is one of many family friendly activities during the annual James River Transportation Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Complimentary adventure brochures at the TRACK Trail sign guide children along the hike with information about how the old canal system on the river played a role in transportation. After visiting the trail, children can register their hike online at KidsinParks.com to earn a prize. 

During the festival, visitors can see the replica batteau named “Slate River,” discover why Virginians built a canal system rather than simply floating the unimproved James River, find out why a railroad would buy a canal system, and learn some of the design secrets that make the Blue Ridge Parkway America’s Favorite Drive.

7 p.m., Saturday, July 27; $15
Blue Ridge Music Center, Milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Galax, Virginia

Recognized as one of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s most awarded musicians, fiddler Michael Cleveland, along with his band Flamekeeper, will perform on Saturday, July 27 at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Cleveland is an 11-time winner of IBMA’s Fiddler of the Year award . Flamekeeper is known for exhibiting blistering instrumentals and fiddle-and-banjo duets that echo the first-generation stars of bluegrass. With Cleveland’s dry wit and the band's sense of fun, these artists will provide a thrilling night under the stars. Tickets

7 p.m., Saturday, August 3; $20
Blue Ridge Music Center, milepost 213 Blue Ridge Parkway, Galax, Virginia

Chatham County Line returns on Saturday, August 3, to the Blue Ridge Music Center. The group has never been shy about crossing musical borders. The Raleigh-based quartet refers to its sound as new traditional. Playing traditional string band instrumentation around a single microphone while clad in string bow ties and cowboy hats, the band visually projects a sepia-toned timelessness. Tickets


Since 2013, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has supported musical programming at the Blue Ridge Music Center as part of our mission to preserve the cultural heritage of the mountains. Learn more  
Your Support Matters!
As the primary fundraiser and trusted steward of the  Blue Ridge Parkway , the Foundation is forever committed to preserving the past, enhancing the present, and safeguarding the future of America's Favorite Journey . Learn more about joining our Community of Stewards at  brpfoundation.org .