Governor Josh Stein has announced that the North Carolina Awards will take place on November 13 in Asheville. The event, which is the state’s highest civilian honor, will direct all net proceeds to aid communities recovering from Hurricane Helene.
“I am proud that this year’s North Carolina Awards will be held in western North Carolina to help shine a light on the fact that the area is open for folks to enjoy,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This year, we will honor the very best of North Carolina while encouraging tourism and helping support the ongoing recovery out west.”
Pamela B. Cashwell, Secretary of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, stated: “For more than 60 years, the North Carolina Awards have celebrated the outstanding people who make North Carolina a great place to live, learn, and work. We are excited to host one of our state’s most prestigious events in Asheville this year and to dedicate proceeds from the event to western North Carolina recovery efforts.”
The awards ceremony will be held at Grove Park Inn with tickets available soon. The initiative “Rediscover the Unforgettable,” launched by Governor Stein and Visit NC in June at Chimney Rock State Park’s reopening, aims to boost tourism in western North Carolina post-Hurricane Helene.
The awards were established by the General Assembly in 1961 and recognize achievements by citizens in literature, science, fine arts, and public service. Past recipients include notable figures such as William Friday, James Taylor, Etta Baker, Maya Angelou, Lee Smith, Eric Church, Selma Burke, and Branford Marsalis.
