Spring arrives this coming weekend.
Not officially of course, the first day of spring on the calendar isn’t until March 19, but for most of the populous spring begins when the clocks move one hour forward for Daylight Savings Time. Spring forward will take place on Saturday night, so don’t forget to adjust all of your timepieces that need manual resets.
With the beginning of Spring comes the start of “the season” on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau. While January and February are not as slow as they used to be, the winter months still offer a quiet period in our mountain hamlets. Many businesses close so the owners can go on vacation, there are very few public events, even local government seems to slow down in January and February.
But as the calendar turns to March, the hustle and bustle of tourism season is a growing roar on the horizon. St. Patrick’s Day will offer a weekend full of activities at area business during the weekend of March 16-17. Two weeks later comes a very early Easter weekend, with Good Friday falling on March 29 and Easter Sunday on March 31. Once April Fool’s Day arrives April 1, “the season” will be back in full swing.
It goes without saying that tourism is a massive economic driver in Highlands and Cashiers. The sights and sounds of weekend visitors, wedding attendees, second homeowners, and all of the area’s other guests who come to enjoy the mountains are welcome.
But with the increase in humanity coming to Highlands and Cashiers there is always an adjustment period. Getting a parking space in Highlands will take a more concerted effort, traffic around the crossroads in Cashiers will begin its annual backup period, and finding a spot at your favorite local restaurant will likely require a reservation.
The crowds will take some getting used to, but this isn’t our first rodeo. With a little patience, and a welcoming mindset, the 2024 tourism season can be our best one yet on the plateau.
And it all starts with the “unofficial” start of Spring on Saturday night.