It seems like forever ago.
Back when people gathered to listen to music, show off their prized automobiles, or admire art at a public gallery.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have taken away more than a year’s worth of events, but those dark times have come to an end. This weekend a pair of Highlands biggest entertainment entities will get a chance to showcase themselves to waiting crowds.
The Highlands Motoring Festival begins today and the four-day event promises to be one for the history books. Drivers will ascend on Highlands from across the Southeast to take advantage of something many locals may take for granted – our winding, fun to drive, mountain roads.
In its 14 years, the motoring festival has built a reputation as a premier event and an engine for charitable contributions. Working with The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts, festival organizers created the “Freewheeling” exhibit in the Bunzl Gallery.
The exhibit is a first-class collaboration and worthy of a stop to see the classic cars parked inside The Bascom’s renowned facility.
As if the sights of the motoring festival weren’t enough to bring out the public, the Highlands Performing Arts Center is ready for its first live performance in more than 16 months. Nationally known bluegrass act The Seldom Scene will take the stage on Friday night and bring back live music at the indoor venue.
The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly hard on entertainment venues, many of which have had to close their doors indefinitely. Seeing the PAC back in action, and hearing the sounds of live music, will be refreshing.
Combined with the “Friday Night Live” and “Saturdays on Pine” concerts hosted by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce each week, live shows at the PAC signal a return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
Highlands offers a great number of reasons to get out of the house. This weekend’s live events add a new dimension to the post-COVID offerings and signal yet another step towards the life so many enjoyed “forever ago.”