You’re invited to an exploration of the native medicinal plants of our region, along with live music, visual art, and more. It all happens at Healing History ‘23 on Saturday, July 22, from 2:00-5:00 at Huntersville’s historic Cedar Grove and Hugh Torance House and Store.
Healing History ‘23 is the second annual HEARTS Happening (History, Ecology, Arts, Reunion, Trails, and Store) exploring the history of the healing arts in our region. Designed to inspire and enhance our community’s shared sense of place, these grass-roots events are known for juxtaposing regional history and ecology with curated local music, visual art, and dance in multi-faceted, place-based programs.
Healing History ‘23’s featured speaker is Aaron Kampe, a biologist on the faculty of UNCC who teaches field botany, ecology, and horticulture. Kampe will share information about not only the healing properties of plants found onsite and how to identify them but also the people and cultures who have traditionally used them. The program even includes a hands-on activity for those who want to engage all their senses. Kampe is a member of the International Dendrological Society and his garden has been featured on BBC’s Gardener’s World. Together with his young daughter, he hosts the Botany for Kids channel on YouTube. His company, Elk Haven Herbals, specializes in the medicinal use of plants.
HEARTS is excited to present A.P. Rodgers as the featured musical guest for Healing History ‘23. An old-time folk singer and songwriter, A.P.’s mountain ballads will take you on a heartfelt journey filled with storytelling and banjo showmanship. A.P. will be accompanied on guitar by Isaac McDaniels for this very special performance, so get ready for a foot-stompin' good time.
Healing History ‘23 features the art of Micaila Ayorinde (Ayo), a visual and performance artist for positive transformation. The exhibit entitled, “Cultivating the Sacred Nature of Belonging," features Ayo’s masks created from mixed-media assemblages of found objects and natural items. She describes her work as going beyond the mask, encompassing nature, sacred spaces, and community. She will also facilitate a collaborative mask creation with event guests for an interactive experience utilizing botanical elements found on-site. The exhibit and the collaborative work will remain on display through the August HEARTS Happening. A Transformational Life Coach, Ayo is CEO and Founder of INNERtainment Studios.
HEARTS happenings are monthly, place-based, community gatherings featuring music, visual arts, and lectures exploring local history, nature, and our shared sense of place. HEARTS Healing History ‘23 is free to the community with tickets on the Events page at www.HughT.org. Tickets are advised for this very special program due to limited seating.
The Hugh Torance House and Store will be open from 2:00-5:30 offering snacks, beer, wine, sundries, and more. Plan to come early and/or stay late to enjoy the historic grounds and take a tour of the oldest standing store in NC. The Hugh Torance House and Store is one of Mecklenburg County’s few surviving 18th-century structures and is adjacent to Cedar Grove, the 1831 Greek Revival home of James Torrance, son of Hugh and Isabella Torance.
The Store and HEARTS events are operated by the Hugh Torance House and Store (HTHS), a private 501c3 nonprofit. This event is made possible by dedicated volunteers, HEARTS Circle members, community sponsor Lake Norman Realty, and donations. All proceeds benefit HTHS’s efforts to further the HEARTS mission of historic preservation, ecological conservation, and forging community connections in our region. Group tours and volunteer opportunities for stewardship, preservation, and conservation are available. For more information, visit www.hught.org, email info@hughtorancehouseandstore.org, or call (704) 920-9931. The historic Hugh Torance House and Store is located at 8231 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC 28078.
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