FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hot Springs Arts Trail Returns September 26

After two years of flood recovery, the towns of Hot Springs and Spring Creek celebrate art, music, and mountain creativity

HOT SPRINGS, N.C. — The last weekend of September 2024, Art Trail tags had been placed throughout town for the following weekend's festivities. The artists were scheduled, and Hot Springs was organized and ready. Then those tags — and the art — were lost to the overflowing French Broad River that terrible weekend. Two years of restoration followed, and repairs to Town Hall were finished just this past summer. If there are two things the towns of Hot Springs and Spring Creek do not lack, they are resilience and creativity.

On Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Hot Springs Arts Trail returns.

The Driving Force

Terry Thirion — Gallery 339 owner, renowned artist, and Hot Springs' tireless advocate for local artists — calls Hot Springs home, with additional gallery space in Asheville and Charlotte. Terry is the driving force behind the Arts Trail. In October 2022, she organized the original Arts Crawl as a way to showcase local artists, and the event has since grown to include local musicians, tasty restaurants, and talents of every kind.

Along the Trail

Gallery 339 — The day begins here, where Terry will be demonstrating and teaching her artistic skills to kids and adults alike. Budding artists can create one-of-a-kind pieces. The gallery displays Terry's own paintings alongside work from other Western North Carolina artists.

Artisun Emporium— Next door, owned by the legendary Phillip and Pascha Solomon (Phillip was once a Cirque du Soleil entertainer). Stop by for coffee or tea, antiques, and original art.

Sara Jo’s Station Stop for a coffee, local pottery and cool trinkets.

Spring Creek Community Center will feature music, food and art. Grab a bite at Dave’s 209 and chill to some country tunes.

The Trust General Store & Cafe (Spring Creek)— Kris and Kim Murphy, owners since 2007, will host some of their favorite local artists for a meet and greet, with bluegrass musicians outside the store as always — and exceptionally good food inside. Bonus for drivers: Trust sits on the world-renowned "Rattler," a road with 234 twists, turns, and curves.

Tobacco Road — Showcasing Crescent Moon Printing, where local screen printer Bryan Kahn will have shirts for sale and live demonstrations of the fine art of screen printing. You'll be greeted by "Wayco," the store ambassador — a small bantam rooster who walks the aisles. You don't see that everywhere.

Vaste Riviere - Art, wine, and a great menu.

Vinyl Pies -Best Pizza you’ve ever had!

Spring Creek Hotel The porch and surroundings are open. Food trucks are located in the parking lot. Mitch’s Food truck serves up wonderful BBQ. He’s located in the lot.

Big Pillow Brewing — The night ends at this renowned Hot Springs brewery, where folks travel from Knoxville and Asheville just for an Appalachian Fog Hazy IPA. Owners Chris Donochod and Amy Rubin will display art, and Cindy Cash — who sketched at the Westminster Dog Show — will be doing pastel pet portraits. And as always on a fall Saturday night, there's a band on stage at the "Pillow": Asheville-based The Tall Boys, playing from 6 to 9 p.m.

Bonus for drivers: Trust and Spring Creek Community Center sits on the world-renowned "Rattler," a road with 234 twists, turns, and curves.

Spring Creek Tavern, Bluff Mountain Outfitters, TR Trading Co & Hot Springs Fly Fishing Co, Hot Springs Resort & Spa, Hillbillies Market, and Smokey Mountain Diner are all part of the art trail adventure. Make sure to stop in and visit.

Throughout Town

Art will be on display in stores, restaurants, and pop-up tents all along the trail — make sure to visit every restaurant, because there will be art in every nook and cranny in town.

Trail Graffiti — A giant canvas will be set up downtown for visitors to paint, draw, or spray-paint their trail name. Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, which runs right through downtown Hot Springs, traditionally take on a trail name — something fun and silly inspired by an event, a color, a place, a favorite food, an expression. Think "Grey Guy," "Cheez-it," or "Sunshine Girl." Come up with yours.

Business Installations — Local businesses are invited to create installations outside their establishments. We'll see what happens! Vinyl Pies might hang hundreds of old scratched albums outside the store, or a giant spa could appear on a lawn somewhere. Hot Springs isn't just a name — the town has an actual spa with water pumped from the hot springs in the French Broad River.

Come Discover Us

Terry Thirion and the towns of Hot Springs and Spring Creek invite everyone who loves art, a little bluegrass, some pork ribs in moonshine BBQ (Iron Horse), and a cool fall day to visit on September 26, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

We are a bunch of creative, crazy characters waiting to be discovered.

Event Information:hotspringsartstrail.comArtist Inquiries:hotspringsarttrail@gmail.com