Blue Ridge Party Hearty

Filed under: Hiking, Business, Events, North America, United States, Camping

Every year for the last twenty or so, hordes of granola-chomping backpacker types (and those wearing absurd funny glasses) descend on the town of Damascus, Virginia for a week of frolic in the wild. The town's population jumps from 10000 to over 20,000 and live bands, gear extravaganzas, cookouts and funnel cake sales-people clog the streets.

Appalachian Trail Days is the name of the event and it has become one of the largest annual backpacker fetes around. This years fest goes from May 12-20 and offers the opportunity to hang out with outdoorsy folks, to pitch your tent and start a fire or two (OK, I don't know that for sure...there may be a strict no fire rule). No matter, this sounds like a heap of fun. I am heading to Norway myself about that time, but if I can talk my wife into going for just a weekend, we might check it out.

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