According to a recent article, Abingdon is starting to be considered as the next Asheville.  Now, considering that I don’t travel much, the previous sentence really didn’t mean that much to me.  When I make travel arrangements, they are usually to go to a concert or visit friends in an area; any touristy things to do that happen to be in the area are simply something to do to pass the time until I’ve recovered from the night before.

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This coming Saturday, May 23rd from 9am-3pm, Abingdon’s little Plumb Alley will be once again transformed into the Portobello Road of Southwest Virginia for their 26th Annual Plumb Alley Day.  The festival, hosted by the Abingdon Kiwanis is rated one of the largest one-day events in the Southeast and is expecting roughly 10,000 visitors.

Not familiar with Abingdon? Don’t know where Plumb Alley is?  No problem.  Plumb Alley is located directly between what is known as the second longestMain Street in the world and Valley Street.  Plumb Alley, just big enough for a car to fit on, is a wonderfully shaded alley running behind the World Famous Barter Theatre.  All day, you will be able to visit yard sales (including one massive Kiwani’s sponsored yard sale), have great festival food, listen to music and see dance performances. 

Just like a regular yard sale, you never know what you’re going to find, but you are guaranteed to come home with some sort of treasure.  On my first trip down Plumb Alley as a child, I walked away with the first Beatles LP for $1.00.  See what I mean? Treasures and great deals abound!  (more…)

Let me tell you, I hardly ever miss a Trail Days, and this year was no exception.   This year was the 23^rd Annual Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia.  If you’ve never been to Damascus, you need to go!   

Trail Days is a wonderful mixture of an outdoor festival and a community yard sale, mixed into a wonderful weekend extravaganza.  There are outdoor stores like Adventure Damascus and Sun Dog Outfitters represented there, jewelry makers, potters and a number of other traditional crafters and other vendors.  There was a lady who painted T-Shirts with drumsticks and a lady who did hair wraps.  There was truly something for everyone at Trail Days.

 Damascus, a town of about 900 had what the Bristol Herald Courier said was “tens of thousands” at this past weekend’s celebration.  The celebration itself celebrates the Appalachian Trail and its hikers.  Damascus is largely considered the “Capital of the Appalachian Trail,” because of its friendly attitude toward the hikers.  It has long been known as the friendliest spot on the trail; there is a lot to be said for this title.  Many hikers experience the cold shoulder and discrimination while on the trail, so to be able to go to a place like Damascus and feel welcome is a great thing.   Many of these hikers make a special trip back to Damascus especially for the Trail Days celebration.  Churches have proudly posted on their message boards “Our Church Loves Hikers” and “Hikers Welcome Here.”  (more…)

Bristol, Virginia has recently been named one of the top 7 Intelligent Communities in the world.  Bristol ranks up there with Eindhoven, Netherlands; Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; Issy-les-Mounlineaux, France; Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada; Stockholm, Sweden; and Tallinn, Estonia.

The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) is a think tank that studies different communities around the world to see if they are economically and socially up-to-date in the 21^st century.  ICF’s definition of intelligent community is one that understands the importance of a broadband economy and have taken steps to create an environment to prosper in it.  ICF sponsors this competition every year and chooses its recipients based on the following categories: broadband connectivity, knowledge workforce, digital inclusion, innovation, and marketing/advocacy.

Broadband internet has been a project for Bristol Virginia Utilities and the Cumberland Plateau Company for some time now.  BVU won the right to deploy their fiber optic network OptiNet in 1998.  OptiNet was originally intended to be the backbone infrastructure for the government and schools; but with its success BVU turned to help local businesses and residents.  Since the implementation of OptiNet, customers have saved over $10 million.  OptiNet has also brought in over $50 million in private investments through high technology business. 

Bristol received its honor from the ICF based on their excellence in broadband connectivity.  OptiNet reaches 100% of homes and businesses throughout Bristol.  65.9% of connected residential internet users use OptiNet (65.9% of the entire market) and 62.8% of connected business internet users use OptiNet (62.8% of the entire market).  Another perk of OptiNet is its affordability.  Broadband can be purchased for as low as $26.36 a month.

Other areas of excellence are Bristol’s innovations and marketing/advocacy.  AccessBristol is a marketing campaign instituted by the Bristol Virginia Office of Economic Development to attract “creative industries” to the area.  AccessBristol explains the fiber-to-the-user technology and how it boosts information and communication abilities to the area’s excellent quality of life.

Several programs have been launched due to AccessBristol.  UVA-Wise and Northrop Grumman have created a partnership to strengthen the University’s technology curriculum and to help improve the company’s future workforce.

Three local community colleges started the “Fast Track” program to institute high technology classes to meet entry level workforce needs of CGI and Northrop Grumman.

The Return to Roots campaign instituted by the Virginia Economic Bridge is another marketing effort helping Bristol and other areas of Southwest Virginia.  Return to Roots reaches out to former residents of Southwest Virginia in order to bring them back to the area for job opportunities.  RTR informs prospective employees of job opportunities through direct mail, the Return to Roots website, and media outlets.  RTR has been a successful campaign having 2,173 registrants from 45 states.

Broadband internet is the core infrastructure of the future of business.  The trend in today’s world of business and social interest is sustainability.  Sustainability is the concept of maintaining a certain process in order to grow.  In the sense of broadband, it can help a community sustain itself economically and socially.  People can stay connected all the time through the high-speed internet, and also can conduct business from their home.  I believe broadband is critical for rural communities to keep up in such an ever-changing economy.  With broadband, citizens of rural communities will not be dependent on manufacturing and production jobs that are now-a-days unreliable in the sense of job security.  Broadband can help citizens start their own business, or work for someone else in an entirely different geographic location.  One can work at home for a company thousands of miles away.  This means relocation is not necessary in order for people to find work.  More people with work means a better economy and better sustainability.

Bristol, Virginia is setting the curve for all other areas of the country to follow.  The implementation of OptiNet and help from marketing efforts have brought 1,582 information and communication technology jobs to the area in the past 36 months.  Broadband is going to pave the way for sustainable economic and social growth in rural communities. 

Are you in Southwest Virginia?  Do you look for things to do, or are you one of those who want to come to the area and are afraid of the lack of things to do?  Well, fret not. It really depends on where you are in the area and where your interests lie, but regardless of that, there are many things to do!   

For example, if you’re in Floyd County, a good Friday night can mean going to the Blue Ridge Diner (I highly recommend their black bottom pie) and then going to the Floyd Country Store for live music and dancing.  Often there is not only music going on inside the store, but outside on the porch and around the corner as well.  If you’re looking for other music venues, try The Rex Theatre in Galax, the Bristol Country Music Alliance’s Pickin’ Porch in Bristol or the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion in Bristol in the Fall which is a phenomenally huge traditional music festival! 

Music abounds in the mountains and can be found anywhere from a square dance in Grayson County to a fire department Friday night jam in Smyth County to anywhere along The Crooked Road.

In the area, we are blessed to have a plethora of natural wonders just waiting to be explored.  From Tazewell County’s Burkes Garden, which is known as “God’s Thumbprint,” to the Creeper Trail, Appalachian Trail or Mount Rogers, Virginia’s highest point, there are many things to do and see.  The Blue Ridge Parkway and many hiking and biking opportunities offer you the best views for miles around.  It has been rumored that on a clear day, one can see Detroit, Michigan from the summit at Mount Rogers, but you’ll have to look and see for yourself!

In the New River Valley (Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Radford), you can enjoy a busier scene with shopping and dining options.  Also, you can benefit from having the colleges close by for quality entertainment whether it be concerts, plays, lecture series, etc… 

Going down I-81 gives you the option of dinner and a show at the Wolfhart Haus in Wytheville, several wineries in the region such as Chateau Morissette and the Davis Valley Winery, performances at The Lincoln Theatre in Marion, The Paramount and Theatre Bristol in Bristol and The Barter Theatre in Abingdon– the state theatre of Virginia.  There are many other cultural opportunities such as The Carter Fold in Hiltons and plenty of fine dining experiences to be had between The Martha Washington Inn, The Tavern and The Hardware Company, just to name a few. 

The area is also rich in consignment, second-hand and antique shops.  The areas of Floyd, Abingdon Bristol are particularly rich in these stores.  In the summer months you can attend the Virginia Highlands Arts and Crafts Festival in Abingdon which features a huge antiques market.

I could literally go on all day and suggest things that are not only great food and a good time such as The Dip Dog Stand in Marion, In the Country in Damascus, or Cuz’s Barbeque in Tazewell County, but I would be depriving you of your chance to explore on your own!

–Shai Cullop