- Good evening, everyone, and welcome.

Thanks for being with us tonight.

I'm David Crabtree, the CEO and General manager of PBS North Carolina.

What a joy that you've taken the time to gather with us tonight to help celebrate the holiday season.

One of the great strengths, of course, of public media is its ability to bring people together.

Tonight is a perfect example of that because we have members joining us from all across the state.

Much of the state with snow, some of the state covered with snow.

It is quite festive.

It's cold wherever you are.

So thanks for joining us.

This year we celebrated almost 71 years of PBS North Carolina.

Now more than seven decades of telling the stories of people and places, our history, our shared cultures.

We've examined the innovations, research, scientific breakthroughs with "Sci NC."

We have traveled all across the state with "North Carolina Weekend."

We have celebrated the art of making music with "Shaped by Sound."

And we have done our best to keep everyone informed about public policy changes with "State Lines," "Black Issues Forum" and "NC Impact," and so much more.

Very proud of our team that makes this possible.

There's no question we have had our share of challenges this year.

The loss of federal funding no doubt was a blow to our system.

And yet we are here tonight.

I sit here in awe of our team at PBS North Carolina because that team has not slowed down, not one bit.

In fact, I am confident that we are now more nimble and more creative than ever before.

Why?

Because we've been bolstered by your continued commitment and your amazing generosity.

So this night is truly about gratitude, even though we are not physically together in the same room, I hope you feel how deeply we appreciate you because every day of the year you make this work possible.

You help ensure that public media in North Carolina continues to thrive.

So on behalf of all of us here at PBS North Carolina, thank you for standing with us, for believing in our mission, for being a part of this incredible statewide family.

From my home to yours, warm wishes for a wonderful and healthy and happy holiday season.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to join us tonight.

And please enjoy the program.

It is going to be amazing.

I want to welcome now to the screen Laura Kieler, our Deputy General Manager.

Laura?

- Thank you, David.

Greetings, everyone.

I'm Laura Kieler, Deputy General Manager.

One of the things that David has taught me here is to ask when you meet someone what their PBS story is.

And the first thing they often recall is a show that meant something to them.

For me, it was "Mr.

Rogers" with my grandmother, binging "Down Abbey" with my mom and more recently exploring our state through "North Carolina Weekend."

And at PBS North Carolina, we love bringing you PBS favorites from "Antiques Roadshow," to Ken Burns, to "Masterpiece."

But we especially love producing stories rooted right here at home.

It's my honor to lead the teams responsible for creating, distributing and promoting the incredible slate of local educational programming and resources you see across our platforms.

As David mentioned, we're grateful you took the time to be with us tonight.

The spirit of community is at the heart of everything we do, and it's been especially visible in our local programming.

North Carolina is our home and it is our purpose to serve the people of the state.

And we do that by producing and airing more than 3,100 hours of local programming across our channels every year.

I'm proud that our content is created about, for and with North Carolinians.

It's through this approach that we are able to reflect our communities, delight audiences and deepen people's understanding of the world and their place in it.

This year, building on the momentum of our 70th anniversary, we continued to tell the stories of our people and places with both care and intention.

"Sci NC" kept us curious, spotlighting the state's innovators, researchers, and problem solvers.

"North Carolina Weekend" took us down familiar roads and introduced us to new gems in our own backyards.

And "Best Of Our State" celebrated the traditions, destinations and personalities that make North Carolina such a remarkable place to call home.

And with "State Lines" and "Black Issues Forum," we remain steadfast in our mission to keep communities informed, engaged, and included in conversations that truly matter.

We've put together a short sizzle reel featuring our fall programming.

All of these programs are available on the PBS video app or online anytime at pbsnc.org.

The talent both in front of and behind the camera, bolstered by your support and your belief in the value of public media makes it possible for us to serve every corner of the state.

And I have to say, our team continues to inspire me.

And after this programming reel, you'll get to hear from some of these incredibly gifted producers and storytellers, including Deborah Holt Noel, host and producer of "North Carolina Weekend," and executive producer of "Black Issues Forum."

She's got a holiday treat in store for you that you won't want to miss.

Thank you again and please enjoy this look at the latest from PBS North Carolina.

[upbeat music] - I still have problems like grasping, you know, the magnitude of it and what we're still finding in here.

- [Speaker] I think everyone's still on edge.

I get tight chested.

I don't like strong winds.

I don't like seeing the signs swaying.

I don't like hearing sirens go by.

- We figure out a way, we will complete the mission.

- For 16 years, Chapel Hill was a secret space town.

62 astronauts came to Chapel Hill secretly to train on celestial navigation.

The first people to walk on the surface of the moon, they had to come here.

- Can't believe it.

Amazing.

- We're here in massive Pisgah National Forest.

Come explore on "North Carolina Weekend."

- Revolution takes guts and the ones bold enough to start one, they do things their own way.

- We're also in a time of great division and these ideas brought us together.

We made common cause then and out of it came the most important event in world history I think since the birth of Christ.

- [Speaker 2] For 40 seasons, "Black Issues Forum" has reflected the times.

Faces have changed, voices have emerged, but our roots remain the same.

- I'm Kelly McCullen with "State Lines."

And when top issues arise here in North Carolina, we believe you should know more.

- I'm more saying that the revenue is not growing with the population.

And anybody who's waiting in the line at the DMV, which hasn't really grown since 3 million people moved in, has seen that.

- What got you into politics in the first place?

- Well, that's a really... It's a midlife crisis, really.

- Join me.

- Join us.

- Join us.

- Join us.

Join us indeed.

Hi, everyone.

I'm Deborah Holt Noel, host of "North Carolina Weekend" and producer of "North Carolina Weekend."

I am so delighted to be here with all of you tonight.

And if wherever you are, is anything like it is here in Raleigh, I know that it's a little bit cold and I hope that you're inside staying warm and nice and cozy.

We're so glad that you decided to join us this evening and we have a very special members only event tonight, and that's what you are tuned into right now.

As many of you know, North Carolina Weekend has been a part of the PBS North Carolina family for quite some time.

23 wonderful seasons, in fact.

And truly, it has been a joy of my career to help share the stories, places and people that make our state such a remarkable place to live and explore.

And I wanna say thank you to each of you who are members because you're the heartbeat of PBS North Carolina and we depend on your support and appreciate everything that you do.

Thank you so much for indulging with us tonight because we have some very, very special programming for you.

You helped make "North Carolina Weekend" one of our most beloved, most watched original programs.

And we could not do this without you tonight.

I'm especially thrilled because I get to share something with you before anyone else sees it.

And that is a sneak peek at our upcoming winter holiday episode of "North Carolina Weekend."

This is one of my favorite episodes of the year because quite frankly, this is one of my favorite seasons of the year.

It's so sparkly and fun and I hope that you agree.

We're gonna be sharing with you some very festive, charming winter experiences that our state has to offer.

And I'm sure you're gonna wanna participate in them either virtually or in person yourself.

Here is a preview of what you're going to see in this episode.

First of all, I'm taking you to Blowing Rock.

It's one of my favorite small towns, one of the early places that I did a feature on when I first began to host the show.

But we're gonna be taking you there to see some of the sparkle and lights that are there.

We're also taking you to pick out the perfect Christmas tree at Jordan Lake Tree Farm.

We're also gonna take you to the gingerbread display at the Omni Grove Park.

It's always fabulous and Hatley Point Ski Resort, a great spot for winter adventure, a little something new, a little something old there, and lots of new energy and new experiences for visitors.

Each of these stories captures something special about North Carolina, our landscapes, our communities, our craftsmanship, and the spirit that brings us together during the holidays.

Once again, thank you to our members for your generosity and support and for making "North Carolina Weekend" such a meaningful part of public television in our state.

We are honored to be invited into your homes each week.

It means a lot to us and we want you to know that we certainly appreciate it.

I'm also glad that you're here tonight because we're bringing you this sneak peek and a little extra warmth.

And maybe you're out there with your favorite cozy time drink.

I certainly have mine, a little bit of cider in here.

And I hope that you're gonna enjoy this program because after this sneak peek, I will be back with something very meaningful to share with you.

In the meantime, enjoy and I'll see you in a few minutes.

[upbeat music] - I am with Shane Fox, Town Manager of Blowing Rock.

Shane, tell me, how does Blowing Rock celebrate the holidays?

- Yeah, Deborah.

So the Friday after Thanksgiving annually we have the lighting of the town, the beautiful lights you see behind us here.

And then the following day on Saturday after Thanksgiving, we have an annual Christmas parade that's attended by, you know, 10,000 or so people that come up and just want to experience the small town nature that is Blowing Rock and the beauty that is and the lights that are before you.

[upbeat music] - [Deborah] Shane, what is Winterfest?

- Yeah, Deborah, so Winterfest is in its 28th year this year.

It's the last weekend in January.

And it's a chance for us to bring folks here to town typically in the past before Winterfest.

You know, it was an off season for us with a winter.

We do have winter sports and skiing, so it's an opportunity for us to kinda show off the town.

- [Deborah] Tell me about the Polar Plunge.

- Yeah.

- What's that?

- [Shane] The Polar Plunge is something special.

So again, 28 years of the Polar Plunge, Chetola resort here locally has been a host for the Polar Plunge.

But it's an opportunity to come through and have a chance to jump in truly the lake.

So typically it's the winter months.

Obviously with the cold weather we have to break the ice most of the years to do that.

So it's a chance for those that are brave enough to jump into the freezing cold water.

It's an experience you have to do if you're here during that time.

- [Deborah] Well, maybe I won't be here then.

Just kidding, just kidding.

Tell me about some of the other activities that week.

- [Shane] Certainly, yeah, we have a number of activities here in the park for kids and families to experience.

We have snow making that's typically here.

We have Winterfest activities throughout the town.

Ice-sculpting here in the town as well, here in the park.

So a number of things just to try to let the families and folks that are here enjoy it.

So Blowing Rock is known for its beauty.

You know, in the summertime we're known for our flowers and our beauty and these lights that you see behind us are just another aspect of try to bring that beauty through in the winter months.

But outside of what you have here in town, fine dining, a lot of activities throughout the town itself, we have winter sports, we have a number of ski resorts within the area.

Appalachian Ski, Sugar Mountain, Beach Mountain, et cetera.

There are a number of places for folks to be able to have activities, you know, in the wintertime.

So the vibe is a beauty vibe.

It's a laid back relaxing vibe, winter sport vibe, yeah.

- [Deborah] And very charming.

I definitely look forward to visiting every single time.

[upbeat music] To plan your visit to Blowing Rock, visit their website at blowingrock.com.

All of the ornaments on this Christmas tree here at Memorial Park were crafted by school children here in Blowing Rock.

And you know, it is that time to get that Christmas tree.

If you haven't gotten started, you had better.

And if you live in the Piedmont area, producer Rob Holliday found a family owned farm that makes shopping for a Christmas tree part of a grand holiday experience.

- [Rob] Less than a mile from the waters that lure folks all summer long is a place that has its busiest season when the weather's cold.

- [Speaker 3] It's the best way to get into the Christmas spirit.

The environment, everybody's in the holiday spirit.

- [Diana] We have a unique place 'cause we also are an active farm.

We are a true legit farm growing Christmas trees.

- [Rob] For more than three decades now and these days with three different varieties of trees.

Leland cypress's, Carolina sapphires and Virginia pines.

- I love that we can kind of just walk around, kind of be in nature, choose our own Christmas tree.

- This one fills all the characteristics.

It's got a nice tall top.

You still got a fresh tree, you get to look around, you see how it looks in the light.

You know it's freshly cut because it gets cut when you want it to be cut down.

- [Rob] But if you have your heart set on the tree that fills a lot of living rooms these days, you're in luck.

- The other option, which is probably the more popular tree, is the Fraser Fir, which comes from the mountains.

And these are pre-cut trees that we bring in from North Carolina Mountains.

Very popular, just, you know, great Christmas trees.

- [Rob] That are particular about where they can be successfully grown.

That's why they aren't available in the ground here like other varieties.

- [Diana] It's really hard to grow a Fraser Fir here just because of the heat.

They also need freeze time before they are cut.

- [Rob] But they're still widely available at Jordan Lake Farms in all shapes and sizes.

Six, seven included and even taller.

- The Fraser, that's my favorite.

We usually do eight foot Fraser trees every year.

So we don't like the fake Christmas trees.

We like the real one.

- [Rob] The real holiday greenery doesn't stop with the trees here.

- We're using materials from the trees that we bring in and wreaths that we're making from all of those materials.

We bring in garland that's made in the mountains.

- We kind of stumbled upon it one year and we really like the trees here.

Good selection, friendly people.

They have good service.

They're really quick in getting you in and out, even if it's crowded, - [Rob] While you certainly can find a tree and be on your way quickly at Jordan Lake Farms, this is a place designed for folks to stick around for a while.

- One of our biggest focus is to really make that experience something that is a tradition for all families.

Most people, they'll come, they'll pick out a Fraser Fir, but they definitely wanna walk the farm.

- I think that's what we encourage people to do, is take your time, have some fun, take advantage of what we have.

- Part of the atmosphere of this place that makes it so special is it is a traditional farm.

So you get the atmosphere, like you come in and it feels like a farm.

You can get your hot spice cider, your hot chocolate, like your donuts.

- [Diana] The mini donuts have been very popular.

We've upgraded three times as far as the capacity of the machine because we have so many donuts that we're putting out.

- So you come, pick the tree out and then from the tree, we go and get our donuts in hot chocolate.

And then from there we go to the gift shop and we look around.

- There's something extra special about being around all these trees and that's why for many people, the Jordan Lake Farm has become an annual tradition.

- We've been coming here every year for about, you know, five years.

- We've been coming out for three years.

- This is our eighth year.

- About 10 years ago we were looking for a tree farm and we found Jordan Lake Christmas Farm and that's how we came here.

It's like an every year thing that you look forward to with your family.

- [Rob] Byron and Diana May were city folks also looking for a farm more than 30 years ago when they found their perfect spot and when it already happened to have Christmas trees growing on it, they took up the pursuit and never looked back.

They've even started large flower growing operations during warmer months.

- We really enjoy people.

They come out and we want them to enjoy themselves, enjoy the farm, have a good time, and make a tradition out of it.

So they come back year after year and have that same experience.

We have so many repeat customers that love coming out to the farm.

It makes it wonderful to us.

'cause we see kids grow up.

- I think we'll just keep coming back, you know, once we have kids, bring them back here.

I'm sure they'll love to run around.

- I feel like it's really coming out and doing things like this, like getting the tree, putting it up, just starts to get us in the holiday spirit.

[upbeat music] - [Deborah] Jordan Lake Christmas Tree Farm is at 2170 Marthas Chapel Road in Apex and they're open daily through the holiday season.

They have lots of activities and a big crowd.

So plan your visit by giving them a call at 919-362-6300 or go online to jordanlakefarms.com.

Let's head to the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville where gingerbread meets creativity at the National Gingerbread House Competition.

[upbeat music] - The National Gingerbread House Competition began over 30 years ago and it was really small.

It was a small group of individuals that got together to just celebrate the holidays.

And over 35 years, it's grown from this small group to over 235 entries in 25 states in an age range from five years old to adults.

It's amazing.

[upbeat music] - This is a time of year where a group of people who enjoy making gingerbread houses get to actually come together and meet each other again.

People come up with the most amazing pieces of art every year.

It's just excitement every year.

[upbeat music] - I think that the Omni Grove Park Inn is such an amazing place to hold this competition because it's such a blend of history and memories.

- We have over 80 illuminated Christmas trees throughout the property.

We have a giant great gingerbread house in the lobby and it really just feels like you're stepping into a magical wonderland when you walk through our doors into the Great Hall.

- And so you have this beautiful historic inn layered with this competition that has really grown over the years.

And you have that kind of combination of people who have been competing for over 20 years and then you have our newest competitors that are coming for the first time.

So it's that blend of old and new together and then layered in with the holiday season and the beautiful fireplaces and the beautiful trees.

It just creates such wonderful memories for our visitors.

[upbeat music] - [John] I've been judging gingerbread for about nine and a half years now.

This is my ninth year and this is probably honestly the best year I've ever seen since I've been here.

They really brought it, the competitors were the most we've ever seen.

So many new competitors.

I think that's just amazing and it's great for our community, it's great for the gingerbread and to see their best foot forward was what we wanted to see and they really put it out there.

Just amazing pieces, cleanliness and structure and new ideas.

It was very impressive.

[upbeat music] - It's fun and exciting and the best part about it, it doesn't feel like you're competing against everybody.

It feels like you are celebrating with everybody, celebrating their piece, them celebrating your piece and whether you win, lose, it doesn't make any difference.

We're just happy that everyone's here.

[upbeat music] - The community is so great.

I mean, all these ladies, you saw us all hugging each other because we're all friends and we share ideas and you know, boost each other up, and it's just fun even if you don't win.

But when you win, it's really cool.

[upbeat music] - So anybody that comes to see them, the top 10 pieces in all of the categories are all on one floor.

And you can just walk from the beginning of the hallway and around and you just marvel and then you come down to this lower level, the ballroom and below and that's where all the rest of them are.

And it's just amazing to see the artistry, the creativity, the difference because there is no theme.

Everybody gets to do whatever they want to do.

[upbeat music] - I think what's so interesting about working here at the Omni Grove Park Inn is that over time, the National Gingerbread House Competition has really become a part of the identity of the inn.

And it's really talked about all throughout the year.

It doesn't matter if we're in July or if we're in October or if we're in December, people remember coming here to see the gingerbread houses and they ask about when they're coming no matter when they visit.

And that's really special to me.

- [Deborah] The National Gingerbread House Competition will be on display at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville through January 4th, 2026.

The Omni Grove Park Inn is at 290 Macon Avenue in Asheville.

To find out more, give them a call at 800-438-5800.

Or go online to omnihotels.com.

Ski season is here and one of the newest ski destinations in the state is one of the oldest.

Hatley Pointe.

It used to be called Wolf Laurel, but it's been rebranded and refreshed and it's a lot of fun.

[mellow piano music] - With Hatley Pointe and kind of one of the great things with location wise is no matter if you're coming for one of our... You know, our sports, if you're mountain biking or skiing, or if you just want to come and relax and just experience Western North Carolina and just get back to being outside in this part of the country, this is a great place to home base from.

- The history dates back to 1970 when Wolf Laurel Resort first opened up.

So it got renamed to Wolf Ridge in 2005 when our predecessor Orville English had purchased it.

We met Orville and we immediately made friends with him and he started to give us this crazy, whimsical idea of purchasing a ski resort.

Well, the idea started to come around.

We started to really fall in love with all the property around it.

And so the ski industry and the operations seemed a lot more foreign to us.

But we decided to bite the bullet in 2023.

We were like, "Well, we've got our work cut out for us.

And we just... We started going.

[mellow piano music] - I think it's important for people to know that when they step through those doors, they're going to have an experience and that experience is going to be family and elegance and just awesomeness in general.

[mellow piano music] [funky music] - I feel like we have really shifted the paradigm for a general known ski resort landscape.

The lodge interiors have been built to make people feel comfortable and to feel at home.

They're still very, very humble, still very approaching and then ultimately just getting incredible food and incredible hospitality.

You know, this isn't just a transaction, we wanna be able to be a part of that, but in other ways of not just being, you know, a moment that they had going down the mountain, but also some really great food and beverage moments.

Really great conversation, you know, around a fire and just accentuating that whole entire opportunity and experience.

- [Brianna] It's a southern hospitality mixed with the people that are here.

It's unlike going to another ski resort because you actually feel super welcome and they make it like home or you know, being in a loved one's house and then skiing out the back door and then having great food at the end of the day.

[funky music] - And we are focused completely on the guest experience and we have this amazing mountain to showcase and with the projects that have been implemented, this off season, brand new snowmaking.

So that is just top of the line, state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment.

So we're gonna make sure that the ski experience, the snowboard experience on this mountain is just top notch.

A really fun thing to launch this year when we transition away from the snow and into mountain biking, you know, all these brand new curated trails top to bottom, whether you're just starting out and trying to learn, being able to take lessons, rent a bike, rent a helmet, do all the stuff that you need if you wanna come out and give mountain biking a shot.

And the terrain is set up, the trails were built specifically to cater to people of all skill levels.

- So when you come to Hatley Pointe, you can expect a true experience of a five star boutique ski resort.

We have multiple outlets to serve and accommodate people from everything from our coffee bar, Steeps, to South Knit, our clothing department, to our guest services, to our sanctuary for our VIP guests, to the grandparents' lounge, to the viewer's lounge where you can see all the views of the beautiful mountain and all the infrastructure and hard work that's been put in development of this place.

And obviously in my opinion, the crown jewel, which is Smoke and Timber, our beautiful restaurant.

[funky music] Some of the iconic dishes that we serve at Smoke and Timber are... Probably our crown jewel is the 22 ounce espresso-rubbed ribeye.

That one is probably one of our top sellers as well as my dish, which is a braised short rib ragu.

I would say that our cuisine is a modern American cuisine with a heavy influence in Italian and Hispanic culture with a little bit of an Appalachian flair.

[funky music] - [Deborah Hatley] I think the Blue Ridge mountains are... They're known all around the world and I think that we have a great opportunity to be able to bring people to Madison County and to really shine a light on such a hidden gem.

- [Deborah] Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort is at 578 Valley View Circle in Mars Hill.

To plan your visit, give them a call at 828-689-4111 or visit their website at hatleypointe.com.

Well, Hatley Pointe, I see you out there, you have leveled up on ski resorts in North Carolina.

The gorgeous views, the skiing, the food, the experience, the... I'm ready to go skiing.

You know, it reminds me of the very first time I went skiing, which is very, very different than what the experiences that you get to experience at Hatley Pointe apparently.

I was in college and a group of friends said, "Hey let's go skiing."

I didn't know what to expect.

So I was the most ill-prepared person on skis.

I wore like two pairs of pants to, you know, keep warm.

Of course, they weren't waterproof at all.

One of them was a pair of stirrups.

Hello, 1980s calling.

Anyway, and on top of those, I had a pair of jeans.

I think I wore my sneakers, I probably had a sweater, some kind of coat.

And you know, we're out there just freezing to death.

I must say, as short of just being with some really wonderful friends, pretty miserable experience on the slopes.

I didn't know how to ski.

They made me go up a blue diamond mountain.

And anyway, that wasn't the only ski experience I had.

I went skiing again and this time I had it together.

I had the waterproof pants, I had the ski jacket, I had the goggles, I had the waterproof gloves.

And it wasn't just a fashion statement, I was cozy and warm and it was the most fun I've ever had.

I was going down the slopes, of course, we started off with the bunny slope.

I did a lesson this time and I went down the green slope and I stayed in my lane.

No blue diamonds for me.

So if you love to ski, surely you're gonna wanna check out Hatley Pointe.

But we have lots of other great ski resorts in North Carolina, including the Cataloochee, Beach Mountain, Sugar Mountain.

So skiing is great in North Carolina.

A lot of fun.

And in the wintertime as you saw, North Carolinians can get a little crazy.

Jumping into cold water in the middle of the winter Blowing Rock.

Excuse me?

it looks like a lot of fun.

And that's where I'll stay.

I will watch, I will observe.

And I'm so glad that we're able to share this experience with you.

Hopefully you get to go watch the folks that like to jump in or maybe you wanna jump in yourself.

Who knows?

You know, jumping into cold water, I am not completely alien to that.

I did do that on one of the stories for "North Carolina Weekend" years ago.

Went out to the mountains to show Shoji Spa, which was in Asheville.

And I go up there, I remember it distinctly because I had just delivered.

And so I'm gonna be superwoman, right?

And I'm gonna go out to this spa and I'm leaving, you know, bottles and milk and everything home with my husband and I'm gonna take the pump and I'm gonna, you know, be superwoman.

I was so torn up, just worn out.

But it was memorable.

Partly also because I don't believe I had the nerve to put a swimsuit on on camera, but I did.

And I went into the cold plunge.

You know, maybe I just wasn't in my right mind after I delivered.

But anyway, I went into the cold water and I did it on camera.

And Shoji is was just a beautiful place to go and get treatments and also do a hot plunge and a cold plunge.

You know, you just saw also a tree farm.

And that story was produced by Rob Holliday.

Now Rob is one of my buddies.

He is a jokester from beginning to end.

And I caught you, Rob, I heard your six-seven out there.

Six-seven.

Now folks, if you don't know what six-seven means, I'm gonna tell you right here and right now.

All of the kids are saying six-seven, well, it means nothing and everything.

So you can say it any time.

And if you really wanna rub the young people the wrong way, say six-seven.

Just use it whenever you want to.

And I know that we saw the story about the gingerbread competition.

That is another of my favorite stories because I did that one many years ago and I didn't just go look at the gingerbread houses.

I got to be a judge and I went to the Omni Grove Park.

It was the Grove Park Inn at that time.

But they still had that amazing spa with the underwater grotto.

By the way, if you've never been, I am going to do a little spoiler here.

If you go in the water, you can hear music under the water.

It is just so glorious.

Anyway, when I was a judge at the gingerbread competition, first of all they told me all of the gingerbread in those houses must be edible.

Everything that's in the house has to be edible.

And you would be just completely wowed by these creations.

Some of them have little lights and lamps on the inside, some of them are like puzzles or they have something really clever and crafty to it.

So it's definitely something worth visiting.

Especially during the holiday season.

You just kind of stroll around the gorgeous Grove Park.

You might sit in one of those rockers in front of the big fireplace and it's just a real treat.

And I remember it especially because once again, my daughter was about like one and a half years old, maybe two, And we took her and we stayed in a suite and at night she was still drinking milk.

So she wanted warm milk and would you believe the staff brought to our room warm milk and cookies?

And she remembers that to this day.

She always wanted... She thought that this was expected.

"Oh, I'll have my warm milk and cookies brought in by the staff now."

This is the silver spoon she kinda grew up with.

But it was such a wonderful experience because I got to take her, I got to take my husband, I got to take my mom.

And we just loved our experience at the Grove Park Inn.

And I think that if you go, you would love it too.

You can't help but to love that.

Beautiful, spectacular, it's a historic place as well.

Well worth a treat.

And I know that we also had a great story about those pick and choose Christmas trees.

I told you about Rob Holliday, but I'm reminded about getting that Christmas tree.

Have you all gone out and gotten your Christmas trees yet?

It is getting a little bit late so you might wanna go ahead out and get one.

And I learned a very valuable lesson a few years ago.

In our family, we traditionally would go out the day after Thanksgiving and go pick our tree out.

Well, one year... My husband's not up here so I can talk about him, but one year we're out and he's just like not getting into it.

And I'm like, "Why is he not being so wonderful about going to get a Christmas tree?"

Well, folks aren't there football games on the day after Thanksgiving?

Now he graduated from University of Alabama and I had stepped on his Alabama toes going out to get a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.

So I learned my lesson and from now on I kind of schedule our Christmas tree shopping around the games and everybody's happy.

We have a beautiful, gorgeous tree downstairs and I hope that you like to decorate.

I love to decorate.

I've got my poinsettias, anyway... Oh, and by the way, there's a wonderful poinsettia farm here in North Carolina.

We did a story on it last year and I hope that you got to see it 'cause they've got poinsettias in every color you can imagine.

Pink, peach, red, white, and it's just gorgeous.

Let's see.

I know that we also... We took you to Blowing Rock and you know, we're doing a lot of mountain talking right now, but I gotta give some love to the eastern part of the state and to the coast and the outer banks.

Within the last few months, I got the chance to go to The Sanderling Resort in Duck.

Now they have undergone a renovation and it's even more spectacular than before.

And that famous chef, Vivian Howard, has a new restaurant out there, Theodosia.

And I got to dine there and I'm gonna share a lot with you about a wonderful weekend at The Sanderling Resort.

But right now, I did promise you something very meaningful.

Tonight we are celebrating and acknowledging the retirement of someone who has been absolutely essential.

And I do mean essential.

He is the beginning and end of "North Carolina Weekend" and he's the heart and soul of it.

He is our senior executive producer and director and editor, he is doing it all, David Hardy.

David Hardy and I have been together working on "North Carolina Weekend" just about the entire life of the show.

He is such a treasure, he's very calm, he's hardworking, he is a grinder by admission.

And people may not know this, but I'm gonna spill.

So David is very athletic and very determined.

He's a former triathlete and he still runs, he's running the Boston Marathon.

So this is the energy that he is bringing to "North Carolina Weekend."

And as you can see, there's some pictures, our favorite pictures with David Hardy.

He's just a really great guy, an excellent producer.

He'll do anything for "North Carolina Weekend," he'll do anything for the viewers.

And he really appreciates, loves, treasures our small towns and communities.

It's his goal to make sure that we're bringing attention to our small towns.

He knows that we have these metropolitan areas, those are fun and we give them attention.

But I think deep down in his heart are the small towns.

And David has spent more than 23 years working on this show and serving PBS North Carolina.

He's truly a wonder, from gathering stories and visiting locations across the entire state, to shaping each episode, editing with such care and yes, making sure I always look and sound my best.

He takes such good care of me.

David has done it all.

He's an extraordinary talent.

He works with a team of talented people for "North Carolina Weekend" and I appreciate his dedication and heart.

I know that you do too because "North Carolina Weekend" is one of the top shows, if not the top original production at PBS North Carolina.

And we are so grateful for that distinction.

We couldn't make it happen without David and certainly not without all of you.

So we're gonna miss him more than words can say.

Thank you for indulging us tonight and for allowing us to share David Hardy's remarkable milestone, his extraordinary career and his well earned retirement with you.

But don't worry, "North Carolina Weekend" will still be right here for you, hopefully for another 23 years and beyond as we continue exploring fun and exciting places across our great state.

David, thank you.

Thank you so much for giving your all, every single time to "North Carolina Weekend" and to each of you, thank you, again, for your loyalty, for your support, and for being part of our PBS North Carolina family.

Right now, I am excited to toss things over to James Mieczkowski and he's the host... You knew I was gonna mess it up.

- You're so close, Deb.

- James Mieczkowski and- - Hey.

- Did I do it?

He's the host of our new series called "Shaped by Sound."

James, you are tearing it up.

He is bringing in national talent from every genre you can think of.

And every single set for every single artist is unique.

It's different.

- That's true.

- Very instrumental in designing these sets.

And I'm not gonna steal your thunder, James, I'm gonna pass it on to you.

He does have some sneak peeks and insider information to share with you.

James, take it away.

- Thanks, Deb.

Hey, everyone.

And I just wanted to say really quickly as well, David, you know, we're really gonna miss you.

You're such an incredible producer and mentor and human being and we just wish you lots of rest now that you're not constantly on the road.

And it was so cool to see those sneak peaks of "NC Weekend" and you know, while I didn't really get to go to Jordan Lake Tree Farm, I was able to get up to Ash County with my family this weekend and grab a Christmas tree, which is right behind me, I guess.

And yeah, shout out to mom and dad who went with me and we had a bunch of fun.

So if you can get up to there, highly recommend doing it.

As Deb said, I'm James Meiczkowski.

I'm your resident music nerd, conversation enthusiast and proud host of "Shaped by Sound."

I'm really glad to be with you here tonight for this members only PBS North Carolina holiday event.

And before we dive in, I want you to know you're about to hear something first.

There's no press releases, no social posts here, it's just you, this group right now.

So thank you for being here in our little virtual inner circle.

If you caught season one of "Shape by Sound," you know the show is all about celebrating the artists who make North Carolina one of the most vibrant and diverse music communities in the country.

We've got everything from indie to hip hop, to folk to bluegrass and jazz and R&B and rock and everything else in between.

And somehow it feels uniquely North Carolinian.

And Season one was truly an incredible experience and it was a lot of work.

But season two, which premieres on Thursday, February 5th, takes things to a whole new level.

The performances are bigger, the conversations go deeper, the sound stage looks amazing.

And the artists came in with just an incredible energy and just elevated every single episode.

There were days where we were on set and the whole crew was buzzing, but also like everyone at PBS North Carolina would come in and just be really, really excited because we could just feel that something special happening.

And I just also wanna quickly acknowledge that this series would not be possible without our partners that come here at Come Hear NC.

And the NC Music Office and the team at the Natural... The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, excuse me, and their support and passion for North Carolina music truly makes this show possible.

All right, with that said, I know why you're really here and I've kept you all sort of waiting long enough.

So here is your first exclusive look at the season two lineup of "Shaped by Sound."

We've got Hiss Golden Messenger.

We'll have an exclusive live performance of their new album before it even comes out in May, which is going to be very cool.

We have Wednesday, not to be confused with the show or the day of the week.

They're actually Rolling Stones' Rock Group of the Year.

That's right, you heard me correct.

They are the Rock Group of the Year and they're on our show and they're North Carolinians.

We've got Ben Folds, the former artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center.

We've got Anthony Hamilton, who's a Grammy winner and many others like River Whyless, Faith & Harmony, Al Strong, The Connells, the Tan and Sober Gentleman, Jim Lauderdale, also a Grammy winner, Skylar Gudasz, Charlie Lowry and Cyanca.

This is like such an incredible group of artists.

We're so excited about all of them and I can't wait for you all to see what we've been able to do with each and every one of them.

So members, supporters, friends, thank you for being here.

Thank you for your support of PBS North Carolina and for championing the arts and artists of our state.

Your support makes shows like this possible, truly.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And don't forget to tune in to season two, which premieres Thursday, February 5th.

And if you need to catch up, all of season one is available now online and on the free PBS video app and on YouTube.

So thanks again and I want to turn it back over to our fabulous Deputy GM, Laura Kieler, who has even- - Awesome.

Thank you, James.

What an incredible lineup for the upcoming season and our members here tonight, you heard it first.

And you know, if you tune in to season two, you'll have a chance to learn more about artists you already know and love and discover new favorites you'll be playing on repeat.

I can certainly attest to that.

Getting a chance to sneak review some of the filming this season and listening to James in his podcast.

It's exceptional.

Now speaking of favorites, one show I never miss is "Finding Your Roots" and I'm thrilled it returns January 6th.

Host and executive producer Henry Louis Gates Jr.

and his team use remarkable genealogical detective work and cutting edge DNA analysis to uncover the family histories of 20 fascinating guests this season, including North Carolina's own Rhiannon Giddens.

Let's take a look at the special message from Henry Louis Gates Jr.

And get a sneak preview of the new season.

And stay tuned afterward to hear from Felicia Carey, our director of membership, about more upcoming premieres and exclusive early viewing opportunities that you as members of PBS North Carolina get to see through Passport.

- Hi, I am Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Join me Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m.

for a thrilling new season of "Finding Your Roots."

From surprising connections to long lost relatives, we uncovered the hidden stories behind 20 extraordinary celebrity guests right here on PBS North Carolina.

[upbeat music] - I'm in shock.

- Oh my God.

- You ready to meet your DNA cousin?

- That's why I'm here.

- What's up, cuz?

- It's like learning there's a new room in your house.

- Is that not freaky?

- That is freaky.

- This is the fun part.

- It's incredible.

- Look at all this history.

It's amazing - And it's all connected.

- Did you ever think about your great-grandfather?

- Now there is a name to this person.

[upbeat music] - Hi, all.

I'm Felicia Carey.

I'm the Director of Membership for PBS North Carolina.

You've probably seen my signature at the bottom of many emails and letters that you receive in the mail.

I'm thrilled to be able to share with you this evening some Passport exclusives that we have coming up.

As a member when you give at least $60 per year, you receive access to unlock a massive library, 1000s of episodes from PBS.

You get streaming access longer.

And one of our favorite member benefits of all, you get early access to many of the most popular series and you can binge entire series before the episodes even air on broadcast TV.

So here's a sneak peek of what's coming up this month with PBS NC Passport.

[upbeat music] - Everyone's so happy you are home, darling.

- Come in, come inside.

- Well, it's just so exciting.

- It's a real treat.

[upbeat music] - What an amazing family.

- Let's get this show on the road.

- That sounds like a party.

- Marvelous.

- We wanna get presents.

- Oh, I love this.

[upbeat music] - So if you're like me, you are very excited about the upcoming season of "Miss Scarlet."

Our favorite Victorian private detective is back on the case.

And her relationship with Scotlands Yard's newest investigator is developing quite nicely.

The new season of "Miss Scarlet" airs on broadcast TV on January 11th.

But for our members, the entire season became available yesterday on Passport.

So you can log into Passport right now and watch the whole new season of "Miss Scarlet" whenever it's convenient for you.

I've already started, I might've already finished and trust me, it's very, very good.

You're gonna love it.

And the next stop, we've got the "Call The Midwife Holiday Special."

I wanted to call your attention to another one of our favorite holiday traditions.

"Call The Midwife" is coming back with an all new holiday special on Christmas Day.

It is a two hour TV event and you'll be able to watch it on Passport too.

If you can't wait to watch this one, there are also "Call The Midwife" holiday specials from past years that are currently available to watch with Passport.

The last thing I wanted to highlight for you tonight is none other than "All Creatures Great & Small" will return to the Yorkshire Dales with an all new season.

The broadcast TV premier is also going to be on January 11th.

It's a big night.

"Miss Scarlet" and "All Creatures," I can't wait.

But again, our members will have the ability to watch the entire season early on Passport.

So when the first episode airs on January 11th, you can watch the entire season that evening.

So get ready 'cause it's gonna be a fun January 11th.

Less than a week ago, on December 2nd, we celebrated Giving Tuesday.

It's a day where people all over the world come together to give to the nonprofits that they want to support.

For us, this has always been an important day for our community to come together, but this year we were absolutely blown away by your support.

This has been a challenging year for PBS stations across the country and certainly for us as well.

But here at PBS North Carolina last week, we broke records raising more than double of what we did last year, from doubled the number of donors.

You are the reason we continue to serve every county in North Carolina.

So thank you.

It's my honor to serve in this role and to support our mission to educate, inspire, and entertain all North Carolinians.

You also may have noticed that we recently switched to a new credit card payment processing system.

You've probably seen our emails, on air messages and text messages about this.

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to enter your credit card information into our new system, particularly our sustainers.

If you haven't done this yet and you're a sustainer, please take a few minutes to do so.

Please plan to do this before December 31st when we will turn off our old payment processing system.

This ensures that your sustainer access to Passport does not expire when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.

So please update today.

You'll hear more from us about it if you haven't already.

But please be proactive and try to do that because we'd hate for you to miss out on any of these wonderful new Passport binges that we have, like "Miss Scarlet," "All Creatures Great & Small" past seasons of all of the "Midwife."

And you can do this at pbsnc/update today.

And if you have any questions about whether or not you've updated, you can fill out the form.

We'll make sure that we don't double charge you, but you can also give us a call and we'll, you know, get that information to you.

And with that, I wanna wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Thank you all for joining us tonight.

We would love to hear your thoughts about this event.

If you like this event and you want more events like this, please take a minute to fill out our member survey by scanning this QR code with your phone or clicking to the link in the chat.

We will also be emailing out a link to the survey tomorrow.

Thank you all again.

Happy holidays from us at PBS North Carolina and a happy New Year.