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This September Around Hickory: A Local Arts + Culture Guide

Posted on August 24, 2026August 24, 2026 by Emily

Now that school is back in session, I’m able to focus on the backlog of blog posts that I had started but never finished. Or in cases like our monthly Arts + Culture roundup… slacked off on over the past few months. But I prefer to prioritize my time with my children, even if it means that other things are placed on the back burner for a bit.

That being said, September is full of great events happening in our community. These are only a few of my favorites — leave a comment with what you are looking forward to (either here or tag us on social media).

Day Trip to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy (Belmont, NC)

Posted on August 20, 2026August 20, 2026 by Emily

Since moving up here, there are quite a few gardens that I’ve wanted to explore, the Daniel Stowe Conservancy (formally known as the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens) has been at the top of my list. This property, as a whole, spans over 380 acres, containing trails, a garden center, coffee shop, play area for children, and so much more. About 90 acres is simply gardens.

Is The Schiele Museum Worth It?

Posted on August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 by Emily

So, with the first day of school steadily creeping up on us, we decided to take off last Friday and check out a museum that we haven’t been to before – The Schiele Museum over in Gastonia. Bonus, it’s part of the ASTC Passport Program, meaning that you could get free or discounted admission through your membership at reciprocal museums.

A Detour to the Museum of North Carolina Minerals

Posted on August 4, 2026August 4, 2026 by Emily

Did you know there is a museum not too far from us where you can touch a piece of ore that is more than one billion years old?

Hudson Con 2026: The Small-Town Comic Convention That Keeps Getting Bigger

Posted on June 14, 2026June 15, 2026 by Emily

Something most people wouldn’t guess about me is that I absolutely love comic conventions.

Back in college, I spent a week at San Diego Comic-Con conducting a field study on aggressive marketing tactics (yes, really) and even hosted my own panel. Since then, I’ve made the pilgrimage to Dragon Con in Atlanta more times than I can count, wandered through horror conventions, anime conventions, and just about every flavor of nerd gathering in between.

So when I heard that Hudson—a town of roughly 3,700 people—was hosting its own comic convention, I’ll admit I was skeptical.