You’ll be seeing our 2023 poster all over the area in just a few days!
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Email: info@silvermont.org
2023 Pumpkin Fest Poster
Posted in In the News ..., Pumpkin Fest 2023
Tagged Brevard NC, festival, Friends of Silvermont, Halloween, Pumpkin Fest, Pumpkin Fest 2023, Silvermont Mansion, Silvermont Park, Transylvania County
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Setup Well Underway, Thanks to Fantastic Volunteers
We were so busy working on September 23 that we didn’t get many photos, but we want to thank 21 Marine Corps Junior ROTC students from Brevard and Rosman high schools, 13 Friends of Silvermont adult volunteers, 2 volunteers from Brevard College’s IWIL program, plus 4 Schenck Job Corps workers, for a great day of volunteering to help move in and begin set up for 2023 Pumpkin Fest at Silvermont Park. They all had great attitudes and were hard workers, and they all helped us get a lot done.
Many of us were exhausted at the end of the day, but their cheerful hard work and constantly asking what they could do to help was wonderful on a very hard day for the leadership group.
A special thanks goes out to Maury Bandurraga, who prepared an outstanding lunch for a crew of over 40 people. What with the cooking, setting out, and cleaning up, that was a major effort and much appreciated!
We will continue set up for the next two weeks, Mondays-Fridays from 9 am-3 pm at Silvermont Park, if anyone wants to drop in, or let us know at pfestbrvdvols@gmail.com. If we know you are coming, we will be able to ensure there’s enough food for all.
Thank you again to the wonderful volunteers today, especially the Junior ROTC from our Transylvania County schools. Parents and leaders of the program should be very proud of these young people and their work ethic and leadership skills.
Posted in In the News ..., Pumpkin Fest 2023
Tagged Friends of Silvermont, Pumpkin Fest, Pumpkin Fest 2023, Silvermont Park
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2023 Pumpkin Fest Rack Cards
In addition to our posters, you’ll be seeing our rack cards in various locations. Check out our awesome lineup of musicians!
Posted in Pumpkin Fest 2023
Tagged Brevard NC, festival, Friends of Silvermont, Halloween, Pumpkin Fest, Pumpkin Fest 2023, Silvermont Mansion, Silvermont Park, Transylvania County
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8th Annual Pumpkin Fest at Silvermont Returns to Brevard, North Carolina – 4 Weekends in October
Dates and Times: Fridays and Saturdays, October 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, and 27-28 from 6-9 pm.
(Note: October 28 follows Halloweenfest from 10-5 in downtown Brevard)
Pumpkin Fest is a fun, family friendly and fantastic artistic event or great date night with 18 beautiful artist-designed lighted carved pumpkin displays on a newly-paved short walking trail. The event includes talented local musicians, food trucks and coffee house, games, storytelling, face painting, white squirrel scavenger hunt, games, dress ups, and the Silvermont historic mansion and second floor museum open for tours. New exhibits from 2022 (“Syd’s Silvermont Adventure”) and 2021 (the spectacular “White Squirrel Circus”) are returning, as well as 16 other lighted pumpkin displays such as Butterfly Garden, Pirates Cove, Under the Sea, Witches Garden, Ghost Circle, Totem Garden, and more.
A new 2023 exhibit has been developed by Friends of Silvermont’s Pumpkin-teers: “Land of Waterfalls,” featuring the unique places and features that make Transylvania County so beautiful and special for locals and tourists alike. A new social media photo-op site with a Silvermont Pumpkin Fest background will also be set up between the dress up and face painting areas near the tennis courts. There will be lots of activities for young and old alike – with fun for all ages! Silvermont Park has a newly paved 1/3-mile trail that works much better for strollers, walkers and wheelchairs.
Pumpkin Fest is a fundraiser for Friends of Silvermont to help maintain and improve the Silvermont Park and the 106-year-old historic mansion, which houses the county senior center and a history museum. Friends of Silvermont was founded in 1981 to help save the mansion and has continued to make significant financial contributions to both the mansion and park each year.
Location – Silvermont Park, 364 E. Main St., Brevard, NC
Admission $7 per person (ages 13 and over), $5 ages 3-12, and under 3 is free. We accept cards, cash or check with ID. Volunteers receive free admission. Contact pfestbrvdvols@gmail.com if interested in volunteering for event nights or setup/teardown starting September 23 through November 3.
Onsite parking cost is $5 cash per car. Free parking is available offsite on nearby streets and at churches and the Comporium and church parking lots 1 block away. There is free parking onsite for vehicles with a handicap sticker.
Music and Food Schedule:
| Date | Time | Music Schedule | Food Trucks plus Cup and Saucer |
| Oct. 6 Friday | 6-9 pm | Two Step Too | Feta Flav, Jenny’s Mini Donuts |
| Oct. 7 Saturday | 6-9 pm | Big Eyed Rabbit | BBQ Shed, Jenny’s Mini Donuts |
| Oct. 13 Friday | 6-9 pm | Nikki Talley and Jason Sharp | Feta Flav, Jenny’s Mini Donuts |
| Oct. 14 Saturday | 6-9 pm | Andrew Thelston and Carrie Morrison | Haus Heidelberg |
| Oct. 20 Friday | 6-9 pm | Nikki Talley and Jason Sharp | Toasted Cuban, Jenny’s Mini Donuts |
| Oct. 21 Saturday | 6-9 pm | Unpaid Bill and the Bad Czechs | Feta Flav |
| Oct. 27 Friday | 6-9 pm | McIntosh and the Lionhearts | BBQ Shed, Jenny’s Mini Donuts |
| Oct. 28 Saturday | 6-9 pm | McIntosh and the Lionhearts | Toasted Cuban, Feta Flav |
Pumpkin Fest is supported by a grant from Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority.
Posted in In the News ..., Pumpkin Fest 2023
Tagged Brevard NC, festival, Friends of Silvermont, Halloween, Pumpkin Fest, Pumpkin Fest 2023, Silvermont Mansion, Silvermont Park, Transylvania County
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Flowers, Fruits, Herbs, and Vegetables in Glorious Learning Garden
Late summer and early fall is an excellent time to visit the learning garden at Silvermont Park. The learning garden, located on the walking path at the rear of the mansion, is a labor of love from the Transylvania County Extension Master Gardeners, and it’s extraordinary at this time of year.
The learning garden is an educational demonstration garden that highlights vegetables, fruits, herbs, and pollinators grown in our area. In a relatively small space, a bounty of food is growing in raised beds among brightly-colored flowers buzzing with bees.
Plants in the learning garden are labeled, and all produce grown here is donated to local food pantries.
The Transylvania Master Gardeners are volunteers who created and maintain this garden and the nearby woodland garden, and as an interpretive sign in the garden states, they “are dedicated to learning and sharing research-based information, enhancing their communities through horticulture, and connecting people with the benefits of gardening.”
Thanks, Master Gardeners, for your inspiring example of practical and beautiful horticulture!
Posted in Grounds Projects, In the News ...
Tagged garden, learning garden, Master Gardeners, Silvermont Park, Transylvania County Master Gardeners
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Deadfall Day Scheduled for September 16
Because Pumpkin Fest so dominates the efforts (and thoughts and dreams) of the Board and members of Friends of Silvermont at this time of year, we are delaying our Deadfall and Clean-up Day, usually scheduled for the first Saturday of the month, to September 16. Moving our deadfall day to September 16 will have maximum impact on our upcoming Pumpkin Fest event and enable more volunteer involvement. Deadfall day will still run from 9-11 a.m.
Bring gloves and yard work tools if you have them. Tools will also be available at the park.
Posted in Grounds Projects, In the News ..., Volunteer Opportunities
Tagged deadfall day, Friends of Silvermont, Silvermont Park, volunteer
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Pumpkin Fest Volunteer Information Sessions Scheduled
Interested in volunteering for Pumpkin Fest at Silvermont?
Don’t know what Pumpkin Fest is?
Come to one of our volunteer information sessions to find out! We have scheduled two sessions – pick the one that works best for you: Friday, August 25th at 1:00 pm or Monday, August 28 at 7:00 pm. Both sessions will take place at the historic Silvermont Mansion, 364 E. Main Street, Brevard, NC.
Hope to see you there!
Posted in In the News ..., Pumpkin Fest 2023, Volunteer Opportunities
Tagged festival, Halloween, Pumpkin Fest, Pumpkin Fest 2023, volunteer
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Pumpkin Fest Volunteers Needed
It’s a little hard to believe that we’re already thinking about Pumpkin Fest 2023, but we are!
Once again, we are looking for all sorts of help starting September 23 when we start moving in and assembling all of our lighted displays, through 4 weekends of Event Nights in October, and into early November when we pack it all up and store it for next year.
We have volunteer positions for those who are hale and hearty, as well as for those with limited mobility. It takes a lot of volunteers to pull this event off!
If you are interested in working behind the scenes with setup, we have lots of opportunities for you to help, starting with our big move-in on Sept. 23. Please fill out the form found at this link to let us know what you’d be willing to do:
https://forms.gle/GMLzEcgP3k4e1bdM7
If you’re more interested in working during the Event Nights, please fill out the Event Night Volunteer form at the link below to let us know when you’ll be available and what things you’d be interested in doing:
https://forms.gle/1TxM4GTvAW49RCNC8
We are also planning two public volunteer information sessions at Silvermont Park. Please watch this space for the dates and times.
You can also get in touch by call or text at (828) 393-5785 or email at pfestbrvdvols@gmail.com.
We’re looking forward to another fun and exciting Pumpkin Fest season!
Posted in In the News ..., Pumpkin Fest 2023, Volunteer Opportunities
Tagged Pumpkin Fest, Pumpkin Fest 2023, Silvermont Park, volunteer
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Deadfall Day Planned for Saturday, August 5
Friends of Silvermont has scheduled its next Deadfall and Clean-up Day for Saturday, August 5, from 9AM until about 11AM at Silvermont Park. After a couple days of rain expected late in the week, the weather for Saturday is looking cool and dry. Bring gloves and yard work tools if you have them. Tools will also be available at the park. Volunteers will be doing some weeding, picking up deadfall, and start cleaning up the liriope bed between the two driveways. Long pants and gloves are strongly recommended as we have a little bit of poison ivy in some of these places. Come join us as we tidy up the park!
Posted in Grounds Projects, Volunteer Opportunities
Tagged deadfall day, Silvermont Park, volunteer
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Deadfall Day Scheduled for July 1
Friends of Silvermont has another Deadfall and Clean-up Day scheduled for this coming Saturday, July 1 from 9 AM until about 11 AM at Silvermont Park. We have had good attendance at these with a number of new faces showing up. Let’s keep up that energy. The weather for Saturday is looking warm and humid so dress appropriately and bring fluids (maybe including insect repellent). Bring gloves and yard work tools if you have them. Tools will also be available at the park.
Posted in Grounds Projects, Volunteer Opportunities
Tagged deadfall day, Silvermont Park, volunteer
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Walk of History Rededication
It’s not unusual to see small groups of people gathered at Silvermont Park. They meet for play dates, programs in the mansion, or just to enjoy the fresh air with friends. Such a group gathered on June 17, but for a special purpose: to celebrate the rededication of the Transylvania County Walk of History.
Current and former Friends of Silvermont (FOS) board members, family members, volunteers, and special guests gathered on a sunny afternoon for the rededication. FOS President Erik Rasmussen made brief remarks praising the original cadre of volunteers who stepped up at pivotal times to preserve and protect Silvermont Park and Mansion, singling out Jane Shiley as an activist volunteer who was the motivating force behind the Walk of History. The Walk is rededicated in her honor, as is noted on a plaque added to the large sign.
Erik also thanked Transylvania County and partner organizations such as the Transylvania Heritage Museum for their continued support of the park. He concluded by recognizing the volunteers who worked on the refurbishment of the Walk, which included the planning effort, cleaning and repair of the large sign, removal of the old tree ID signs, replacement and installation of new tree ID signs, and purchase and planting of a replacement flame azalea. The new tree ID signs have QR codes enabling people to link to web pages at the FOS website that provide more information about the trees and shrubs, such as their historical uses, their roles in the environment, and associated folklore.
Friends of Silvermont board members started planning in Spring 2023 to refurbish the Walk of History, beginning with inventorying the surviving trees and signs and evaluating the condition of the large sign. A project plan was put together and approved by the board, with the goal of rededicating the Walk on June 17. Major work on the project was contributed by Erik Rasmussen, who disassembled, repaired, and reconstructed the large sign, and Chet Wright, who coordinated acquisition of the tree ID signs and developed the web pages linked to them. Thanks to the efforts of several Friends volunteers, the project was completed on time and nearly on budget.
Posted in Grounds Projects, In the News ...
Tagged Transylvania County history, Transylvania County Walk of History, Walk of History, walking trail
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Silvermont Walk of History Rededication June 17
Friends of Silvermont will be rededicating the Transylvania County Walk of History on Saturday, June 17th at 1:00 PM. For those who are not familiar, the Walk of History is a portion of the walking path at Silvermont Park that runs between the parking lot and the E. Main St. boundary. Originally completed and dedicated in 2009, the Walk has many species of native trees and plants with a large sign that describes their importance and connections to Transylvania County during different historical periods.
Over the past 14 years, the Walk had fallen into a state of disrepair with many of the tree signs lost or damaged. The recent paving of the path also displaced the large sign, some of the tree signs, and even some of the plants they described. The Walk needed to be renewed or abandoned and the area cleaned up.
While the Walk of History represents the history of Transylvania County, it also represents the history of the Friends of Silvermont (FOS) organization. From our inception in 1981, FOS has been driven to first save Silvermont Mansion from demolition and then to maintain and improve the mansion and grounds for the citizens of Transylvania County. We have been fortunate to have hardworking and generous activist volunteers driving many of the major improvements at the park, both in FOS and partner organizations. One of these activist volunteers, Jane Shiley, was the motivating force behind the original development and installation of the Walk. In honor of Jane and the many others who have devoted so much time, energy and money to Silvermont Park over the years, FOS began planning the renewal of the walk shortly after the path was paved by the County.
Over the last two months, we have replaced the old wooden tree signs with new weather- and squirrel-resistant aluminum signs. These signs have QR codes enabling people to link to web pages at the FOS website (silvermont.org) that provide more information about the trees and shrubs, such as their historical uses, their roles in the environment, and associated folklore. The large sign describing the Walk has been refurbished and will be reinstalled at Silvermont Park this week.
The rededication ceremony Saturday will be in honor of Jane Shiley’s vision and passion for the park and the many others who have helped maintain and improve the unique and special place that is Silvermont Park and Mansion. The public is welcome to join us as we take a moment to remember our past and look forward to many more improvements in the future.
Posted in Grounds Projects, In the News ..., Upcoming Events
Tagged Transylvania County history, Transylvania County Walk of History, Walk of History, walking trail
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Appalachian Folk Festival June 24 at Allison-Deaver House
Our partner in historic preservation, the Transylvania Heritage Museum, is presenting the second annual Appalachian Folk Festival from 10 am – 3 pm at the Allison-Deaver House on Saturday, June 24. This free family event will feature music, storytelling, artisans, historical displays and more. For more details, visit their website.
Posted in In the News ..., Upcoming Events
Tagged Allison-Deaver House, festival, Transylvania Heritage Museum
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Deadfall Day Scheduled for June 3
The monthly deadfall and clean-up day at Silvermont is scheduled for Saturday, June 3 from 9 AM until about 11 AM. Many of the Friends of Silvermont Board members and regular Deadfall Day volunteers will not be available this Saturday so a big volunteer turnout would be greatly appreciated. Carrie Blair, who is overseeing and performing much of the cleaning up, pruning and invasive removal at Silvermont Park, will be available to help direct volunteers to the various tasks that need to be worked. Some tools will be available, but if you have your favorite gloves, loppers, and weed-uprooting implements, please bring them with you.
Posted in Grounds Projects, In the News ..., Volunteer Opportunities
Tagged deadfall day, Silvermont Park, volunteer
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Open House at Silvermont on May 13 and May 27
May is Historic Preservation Month, and to celebrate Friends of Silvermont will be hosting an Open House at Silvermont Mansion on Saturday May 13 and Saturday May 27 from 10 AM to 2 PM. The first floor of the mansion will be open with posters and video presentations on the history of Silvermont and the Silversteen family. We will also have a video presentation providing information on the Friends of Silvermont organization. Docent-led tours of the second-floor museum will be conducted during the open house. There is no cost for the open house but donations are gratefully accepted.
Posted in In the News ..., Upcoming Events
Tagged historic preservation, open house, Silvermont Mansion, Silvermont Park
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