In honor of two different types of iconic events held regularly by the Club over the last one hundred years, we will have a Fish Fry and Square Dance on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Appalachian Clubhouse in Elkmont. The Club’s annual fish fry was hosted for over thirty years by members Tom and Meta DeWine at their farm. “The fish fry is rough enough for the rougher element and smooth enough for the knife-and-fork-members.” (SMHC 25th Anniversary Handbook).

Square dances were frequently held around holidays, such as April Fools’ Day or Halloween, and often announced with short poems. “Circle left! Circle right! There’ll be a hoe-down here tonight!” (SMHC Handbook, 1962). The Club’s beloved caller, Vaughn Browder, never hiked with the Club, but is one of only three people officially recognized as an honorary member of the Club.

The late afternoon fish fry will be followed by square dancing with a band and caller. And even if you don’t know how to square dance, we will have fun learning together! We will have a group camping site at Elkmont reserved for this special event, for camping Friday and/or Saturday nights. We will invite the Carolina Mountain Club to the fish fry & square dance as our joint event for 2024. Watch for registration details in April 2024.

Questions? Contact Tim Bigelow at bigelowt2@mindspring.com.