Fri, Nov 6 2015 - HemlockFest! Helping save our endangered Hemlock trees + Adventure, Live Music & optional Camping (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Bobby Marie, Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Bobby Marie, Greg Walling, Robin Walling, Debbie H, Sharon H

We AOCers were proud to be among the hundreds of participants at this 11th annual production of the festival and as usual our Dahlonega area friends did a bangup job producing and hosting it.  All weekend there was an amazing lineup of live music acts and activity options:  Guided nature hikes, free canoeing on the lovely lake, delicious food & beverage options, and for the first time this year a "Contra dance," with even little kids joining in the fun under the big tent with a very talented "caller" and Contra/ square-dance string band.
  Also especially memorable this year was the campy annual Saturday night "slaying of the giant adelgid," with throwers of flaming spears (including our own AOC spearchucker Bobby Marie!) hitting a huge white floating effigy of an hemlock adelgid insect on the lake and engulfing it in flames!
  As usual several of us pitched in with various volunteer tasks at the festival.  Our hats are off to the Hilyers and other hardworking friends from the Dahlonega area for making this amazing event happen each year!  Thousands of dollars in proceeds each year from the festival go toward the fight to save our endangered Eastern Hemlock trees.
   Despite the heavy rain that fell earlier in the week and during the wee hours Saturday, we were lucky to have mostly dry weather and balmy temperatures, and everyone did an admirable job dealing with the muddy terrain.  - Submitted by Charlie