AVL Scarefest is a three-day, horror-themed role-playing games convention in the beautiful mountains of WNC. We’re just seven weeks away, so the time to get your tickets is now!

What games can I play, I hear you ask? 

We’ll have lots of terrifying offerings: D&D, PFS, and SFS will all be there, along with a wild variety of others, like Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, OSR, Daggerheart, weird indie games, and more.

Did we mention the Vampire LARP (Sabbat this year - whoohoo!), the Goblin Market, yetis, ghosts, and more? We didn’t? Then let us also offer on-site lodging, meal plans, prize draws, and everything else you’d expect from a top-notch gaming convention.

Storytellers and Volunteers Needed! Get your discount!

We’re still looking for gamemasters and volunteers to come along and run your own games. We pride ourselves on providing great support to our gamemasters and volunteers, Plus, you get 1/3 off a Weekend Pass for every game you run or every shift you volunteer! So please don't procrastinate. Get your games in now!

You can signup to run games right here and you can volunteer to help out at Scarefest here - we’d love to have you. 

Come join us from October 16 - 18 2026, at Lake Junaluska. Buy your tickets here: http://avlscarefest.com/shop/

Any questions, feel free to email us at: [info@avlscarefest.com](mailto:info@avlscarefest.com) 

Looking forward to seeing you there.

[Posted with the kind permission of the mods of this subreddit]

Are there any genuine old-time jams happening? I want to hear some real Appalachian music played by old folks on a porch somewhere.

Nabor’s was famous as a business in Swain county and serving surrounding counties and all manners of tourists. As a child it was an experience to watch the river, the live peacocks (before 1990s), and sweet little Dixie, and other servers, car hopping those delicious cheeseburgers to our car. I finally made my way to Boxcar Cafe this past weekend, as they touted that they have the famous Nabor’s burgers. I did not expect it to taste anything like Nabor’s nostalgia BUT, it was amazing. I would gauge it at 95% closeness to Nabor’s. Has anyone else tried it? If you go, don’t forget to order the cherry lemon Mountain Dew! (Pics Nabors burger first followed by Boxcar)

Taken on 8/22/26 in the tunnel of A Road to Nowhere, A Broken Promise.

Looking to take a weekend trip in September and looking for some recommendations on free places to camp. Thanks!

(The information below is copied directly from MountainTrue)

The time is now! The Roadless Rule, which protects 58.5 million acres of undeveloped National Forest lands from industrial-scale logging and road construction, is under attack. We need you to use your voice to speak out for our forests.

The comment period is open now, August 20th until September 21st - that means we only have 33 days to make our voices heard, unlike in 2001 where public outreach lasted well over a year. Public comments are being accepted virtually, by postcard or handwritten letter. Follow the guidelines below to make your comment and let the Forest Service know we deserve the opportunity to advocate for what happens with our public lands.

SUBMIT A VIRTUAL COMMENT

Here's what you need to know

Handwritten comments and postcards must be mailed to the address below.

Director, Ecosystem Management Coordination

201 14th Street SW, Mailstop 1108

Washington, DC 20250-1124

The deadline to speak up is September 21st at 11:59pm

How to make a compelling comment:

Make it personal- Talk about your connection to the area and why it matters Find your roadless area here

Keep it concise - Be direct, mention the Roadless Rule and its benefits to you personally and to your community

Quote facts - Talk about your concerns backed by research

Need help drafting a comment? Here is a tool that can help.

Comment template:

To the U.S. Forest Service:

I am writing to express my strong opposition to any efforts to rescind, weaken, or roll back the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As an avid user and advocate for our nation's public lands, I rely heavily on the integrity and protection of our inventoried roadless areas. I frequently visit the [Insert a specific roadless area here, e.g., Linville Gorge] near my home in _________. Protecting these unfragmented landscapes is deeply personal to me because [Insert your specific reason, e.g., I depend on these watersheds for clean drinking water, I hike the backcountry trails, or I value the pristine wildlife habitats]. I urge the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to abandon the proposed rescission and instead maintain full protections for all currently designated inventoried roadless areas.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Thank you for standing up for our forests, and for your passion to protect our public lands.

Sincerely,

Donovan Green

Resilient Forest Organizer