Last month during the government shutdown, we asked for your help and the response was overwhelming. By signing up to help with recovery efforts along the Blue Ridge Parkway and giving to support the clean-up work, you showed us once again that when times are tough, your love is strong. We can’t thank you enough for your dedication. 

Rangers and National Park Service personnel are assessing the needs along all 469 miles of the Parkway. We expect to hear soon how we can get out and help reopen closed areas and repair damage to trails and campgrounds.

The good news is there is still time to become a volunteer and give.
You can help visitors enjoy a richer experience at  Waterrock Knob Visitor Center near Cherokee, N.C. Your gift for this project will create fresh exhibits to replace the current time-worn displays. The stations of the new exhibit will impart information about the surrounding mountains of the Southern Highlands, the role of conservation in maintaining their pristine beauty, Cherokee history and culture, biodiversity resulting from such high elevations, and the impact of invasive pests like the woolly adelgid.

Give today to provide a wonderful learning experience for all Parkway visitors.
Mark Simpson and Marilyn Westphal
"In the many years that we have been visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway and experiencing its amazing diversity of plants, animals, scenic vistas, cultural heritage, and history, we have never failed to find something new and fascinating to explore. Every trip down the Parkway is a new adventure. It is truly a national heritage more than worth our continued support."

-Marilyn Westphal & Mark Simpson, donors
 
Each gift is personal.   Click here to tell us why you support the Parkway.

If you live in North Carolina, purchasing a gold and green Blue Ridge Parkway specialty plate for your car or motorcycle is one way to proudly display your commitment to the scenic route. For each new or renewed specialty plate fee, $20 is dedicated to the Foundation to protect and enhance the scenic route and $10 supports the North Carolina Wildflower program. The entire specialty plate fee of $30 is tax deductible. 

For an additional fee, you can personalize your plate. We love seeing how creative plate holders can be with just four characters. Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Alfred Adams combined his love for Wake Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway on his personalized plate. His dog, Pards, approves!

To get your own plate, request it at your N.C. Tag office or visit GetThePlate.org .
Need a speaker for your event?
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a fascinating and special place. Every year, it welcomes more visitors than the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite National Parks combined. It is one of the most biodiverse national parks in the country. We love to tell the Parkway’s story. You can invite a speaker from the Foundation to address your group, whether it’s a garden club or chamber of commerce.  Request a speaker
Road to the Past
A ranger greets guests at Pisgah Inn in 1973
In this photo taken in August 1973, Ranger Willie McDaniel talks with tourists at the Pisgah Inn at milepost 409. We’re grateful for National Park Service employees, past and present, who have dedicated their careers to protecting our public lands and helping us all enjoy the bountiful natural wonders in our country. When you see a ranger, thank them for their hard work.  See more historical Parkway photos
Events
Put a star on your calendar for the fourth annual Denim Ball to benefit Moses H. Cone Memorial Park on Thursday, August 22 in Blowing Rock.

We can't wait to celebrate all you have accomplished at the Cone Manor house and estate, and the improvements yet to come for this special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mandolin Orange + Winston-Salem Symphony at the Blue Ridge Music Center
Sensational North Carolina-based folk and bluegrass duo Mandolin Orange will join members of the Winston-Salem Symphony for a special concert at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 1 at the Blue Ridge Music Center's beautiful outdoor amphitheater.

The evening will start with symphony musicians performing Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" in its original setting for 13 instruments - an iconic, instantly recognizable piece audience members are sure to enjoy. Afterward, Mandolin Orange takes the stage to play some of their most well-known tunes. To round out the evening, symphony musicians will join Mandolin Orange onstage for a collection of the band's favorite songs, featuring orchestral arrangements by renowned composer and guitar guru, D.J. Sparr.

Tickets are on sale now: $30 advance; $35 day of show; $15 children 12 and younger. Season passes to the Blue Ridge Music Center concert series are also available.
The Foundation proudly supports programming at the Blue Ridge Music Center to preserve the cultural and musical heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
Your Support Matters!
As the primary fundraiser and trusted steward of the  Blue Ridge Parkway , the Foundation is forever committed to preserving the past, enhancing the present, and safeguarding the future of America's Favorite Journey . Learn more about joining our Community of Stewards at  brpfoundation.org .