Blog

Catch up on the latest news about our efforts to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photo by Vicki Dameron

The Bluffs Restaurant to reopen on May 26 for 2023 season

March 16, 2023
New operator to manage historic establishment at Doughton Park on Blue Ridge Parkway The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park, milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, will reopen for the season on Friday, May 26, with a new team managing operations. Cal Ledbetter of The Bluffs Restaurant, LLC, will manage the restaurant.
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Virginia legislature approves Blue Ridge Parkway license plate

February 22, 2023
On Friday, Feb. 17, the Virginia General Assembly approved the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s specialty license plate. Proceeds from sales will support enhancements and programs along the country’s most visited national park. Thanks to Parkway supporters, the Foundation exceeded the 450 preorders required to secure approval for the license plate. It will be the only specialty plate in the commonwealth solely dedicated to funding projects and programs along the Parkway. 
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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation selects Brandt as new Virginia Development Director

January 23, 2023
We are pleased to announce that Kevin Brandt is the Foundation's new Development Director for Virginia.  Based in Lynchburg, Brandt was previously the project manager for the Foundation, serving as a liaison between the organization and National Park Service (NPS) to shepherd projects to completion, including the rehabilitation of Flat Top Manor at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park and The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park. Brandt will support community outreach and fundraising in the commonwealth. 
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Virginians can support the Blue Ridge Parkway with the new license plate

November 3, 2022
By Jack Betts and Broaddus Fitzpatrick Virginia and North Carolina are two competitive states — in sports, in economics, in academics and in their magnificent environments running from the mountain ridges down to the coastlines. Residents of both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina have exceptional pride in the beautiful local, state and federal parks — particularly the 469-mile long Blue Ridge Parkway, which the two states share. So why do North Carolinians provide so much more support for the Parkway?
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The Denim Ball raises $240,000 for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

October 2, 2022
More than 200 guests attended The Denim Ball on Thursday, Sept. 15, at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, N.C. The event surpassed its previous fundraising record, garnering $240,000 in support for continuing improvements at Moses and Bertha Cone’s former 3,500-acre estate.
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7 Ways to Celebrate the Parkway's Birthday

September 10, 2022
The Blue Ridge Parkway is celebrating 87 years this Sunday, Sept. 11. We could list hundreds of reasons to celebrate this amazing national park, but here are just a few adventurous ways to mark the occasion. Enjoy!
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Get the Parkway Plate for a chance to win a $100 Mast General Store gift card

July 12, 2022
We’re getting closer and closer to our required goal of 450 pre-orders for the new Blue Ridge Parkway license plate in Virginia. To show our thanks, we’re entering every current plate applicant’s name, and those who order by August 31, in a drawing to win a $100 gift card to Mast General Store. You can use it at any location or online to shop for outdoor gear, clothes, and more.
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Parkway champions honored at Blue Ridge Music Center

June 29, 2022
As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, the Foundation honored seven special members of its community of stewards at a ceremony on Saturday, June 18, at the Blue Ridge Music Center.  “Our 25th anniversary is really a celebration of the people who bring our mission to life through their contributions to the national park they love,” said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Foundation. “We are fortunate to count these honorees as members of our community of stewards.”
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Live music sessions to begin at five stops on Blue Ridge Parkway

June 2, 2022
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Blue Ridge Music Center are launching free Milepost Music presentations on rotating Sunday afternoons at popular destinations along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  These intimate outdoor concerts will showcase regional musicians playing traditional music at Humpback Rocks, Peaks of Otter, Roanoke Mountain Picnic Area, Mabry Mill, and Doughton Park. The first session is from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, June 5, at the Peaks of Otter at milepost 86 in Bedford, Va.
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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation welcomes new trustee and advisors

May 18, 2022
We are please to welcome new member to our Board of Trustees and additions to our Council of Advisors. The new members will help provide leadership our nonprofit organization, which is celebrating 25 years of partnering with the National Park Service to preserve and enhance the country’s most-visited national park. Former advisor Greg Andeck of Carrboro, N.C., was voted on to the Board of Trustees. Andeck is the Director of Strategy and Government Relations, N.C. office of National Audubon Society.
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20 Ways to Support the Blue Ridge Parkway Today

May 16, 2022
This year, the Foundation celebrates 25 years of support for the country’s most visited national park. From the start, those who love the park, like you, came together to give time and financial support in pursuit of the best Blue Ridge Parkway possible. The quantity and magnitude of projects, and the enthusiasm from supporters, has only increased over the years. Thank you for recognizing the Parkway’s beauty as well as its needs and potential.
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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation secures grants to advance economic development along Parkway corridor

May 4, 2022
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has secured two grants totaling $911,117 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support economic development planning in the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor in Virginia and North Carolina. The grants are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and U.S. EDA’s programs to advance economic recovery and resilience in travel, tourism, and other sectors.
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Fitzpatrick, Kegley, Peaks of Otter Lodge honored by Foundation

April 15, 2022
We were thrilled to honor special members of our community of stewards during a 25th anniversary reception on April 7 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Va..  Conservationist and retired attorney Broaddus Fitzpatrick was awarded the Pat Shore Clark Stewardship Award for exemplary individual service in the advancement of the Foundation.
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