The HEARTS Blog
HEARTS Irish Connections ‘26: A Sharpe Focus Recap
HEARTS Irish Connections ’26 brought the community together at the Historic Sharpe House in Statesville for an afternoon celebrating Irish heritage, local history, and ecology. Guests enjoyed live traditional music from The Celtic Sessions, performances by the Connick School of Irish Dance, and engaging talks on Irish ancestry, regional ecology, and Scots-Irish history from historian Dr. Hugh Dussek and more!
A Season of Renewal: The Historic Sharpe House Celebrates 160 Years with the Tenth Annual Easter Tea and Egg Hunt
Celebrate 160 years of the Historic Sharpe House in Statesville with the 10th Annual Easter Tea and Egg Hunt, a beloved spring tradition blending history, family fun, and more!
HEARTS Irish Connections ‘26: A Sharpe Focus
HEARTS is thrilled to announce its fifth annual Irish Connections event at the historic Sharpe House in downtown Statesville, NC. This year’s edition, Irish Connections '26: Sharpe Focus, explores the history and heritage of Statesville's Sharpe Family and how they and many other Scots-Irish immigrants came to this region in the 18th century.
Featuring Dr. Hugh Dussek, Irish dance by the award-winning Connick School, live Celtic music by Celtic Sessions, and more, this place-based HEARTS Happening has something for everyone.
HEARTSongs 26: The Power of Love Recap
HEARTSongs ‘26 celebrated the power of art, music, and history. This event featured a historic performance of George Moses Horton, keynote by Junious “Jay” Ward, live music from Natasha Witherspoon and Jennifer Gosselin, dance performance by Baran Dance Company, and a visual art exhibit exploring love and community. HEARTSongs highlighted local artists, cultural heritage, and storytelling through multiple art forms.
Get Your Tickets or Your Table & Let’s Save Brevard’s Chapel!
This is the news you’ve been waiting for! Tickets and Tables for the exclusive HEARTS United Gala to Save Brevard Chapel are on sale now!
HEARTSongs '26: The Power of Love
HEARTSongs '26 - The Power of Love
Saturday 2-14-26, 2:00-5:00 PM. Join us for our fifth annual celebration honoring poetry and the historical connection between the poet George Moses Horton, the first enslaved American to be published, and Richard Torrance of Cedar Grove. HEARTS expands the story each year through new creative performances and perspectives. Featuring live music, dance, poetry, new art exhibit and more!
Step Back in Time: 2-1-26, Living History Day at the Hugh Torance House & Store
The Hugh Torance House and Store (HTHS) invites the public to step back in time as it opens its 2026 season with a special Living History Day on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
This immersive community event commemorates the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Cowan’s Ford that happened on February 1, 1781, right down the road from HTHS. Join us as we bring the late 18th and early 19th centuries to life through dedicated reenactors, hands-on experiences, and enthusiastic volunteers.
The Year Ahead in HEARTS
Let’s Save Brevard’s Chapel
New Local History to Share
Help HEARTS Do More
2026 HEARTS Season
HEARTS Winter Wisdom ‘25 Recap
This recap highlights our HEARTS Winter Wisdom gathering, which concludes HEARTS’ 2025 season. From music and dance to history, ecology, and artist storytelling, our Winter Wisdom recap shares a closer look at the voices, traditions, and lived histories shared throughout the afternoon with our HEARTS community at Cedar Grove.
HEARTS for the Holidays
Join us for HEARTS Winter Wisdom, an annual seasonal event! Spend an afternoon enjoying stories about “winter wisdom” by guest storytellers, along with history, holiday music, nature, dance, and art. Explore all the details and additional holiday events coming up soon at Cedar Grove and the Hugh Torance House and Store.
Recap of HEARTS Harvest ‘25 - Milk & Honey: A Celebration of Land and Legacy
HEARTS Harvest ‘25 - Milk & Honey reflected the “E” is for ecology in HEARTS by bringing together local farmers, chefs, educators, musicians, and community leaders to explore the deep connections between heritage, land, sustainability, and the foodways of milk and honey through the ages. Check out the recap for this year’s stellar event!
This Saturday, 11-8-25, HEARTS Harvest ‘25: Milk & Honey
We hope you can join us this Saturday, November 8, 2025, for HEARTS Harvest ‘25, our annual harvest-themed exploration of history, nature, and the arts at historic Cedar Grove from 2:00 - 5:00 pm, 8229 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC. This year’s focus has been a deep dive into the land of milk and honey, and we have churned up a few surprises, too. Reserve your seats and get your tickets for a unique and memorable exploration of the hidden histories of honey and dairy in our region. Check out all of our upcoming seasonal events and mark your calendars, too!
Honoring Catawba Nation’s Heritage and Community: A Recap of HEARTS Catawba Nation ‘25
Read up on our recap of the second annual HEARTS Catawba Nation at historic Cedar Grove, featuring Catawba Nation history, nature, artisans, live music, dance performances, and a celebration of culture and community.
Let’s Save This Church
Funds, supplies, and volunteers needed to save Brevard’s Chapel before it’s too late. Here are the latest details on the preservation project recently approved by the United Methodist Church.
HEARTS Catawba Nation ‘25 - 10/18/25 at Cedar Grove
Frog effigy by Justin Johnson, one of the featured Catawba artisans at HEARTS Catawba Nation ‘25.
Join us for a truly immersive experience at HEARTS Catawba Nation ‘25, an event dedicated to exploring the profound and enduring legacy of the Catawba people who graced this land long before us, made possible in partnership with the Catawba Cultural Center. Featuring Catawba Nation history, live Catawba music, ancestral dance performances, community dancing, jewelry, ceramics, and more, this free community event happens on Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 2:00 - 5:00 pm, at Huntersville’s historic Cedar Grove (8229 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC).
Who cares about sharing history, nature, and art?
If you do, please join us.
The most anticipated HEARTS event of the year, the HEARTS Circle Members’ Gala, is fast approaching! Join us on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Cedar Grove for this annual celebration that brings together our community dedicated to preserving and sharing our region’s incredible local history, nature, and arts. Can’t make it? We still need you. Please join or renew, so we can do more together!
You're Invited to the 4th Annual HEARTS Circle Gala
You're Invited to the 4th Annual HEARTS Circle Gala!
Join us for a memorable evening at the historic Cedar Grove, the stunning brick 1831 Greek Revival landmark located at 8229 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC 28078. This year's gala is set for Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, celebrating the vital contributions of our HEARTS Circle Members.
Enjoy a house concert featuring local legend, singer/songwriter David Childers, a rare chance to explore the seldom-seen private second floor and attic of Cedar Grove, browse the silent auction, and savor a delicious farm-to-table al fresco dinner by the Carolina Farm Trust.
HEARTS Sacred Grounds ‘25 - Important Update to Saturday’s Event
Exciting news on HEARTS Sacred Grounds ‘25 musical guest!
August HEARTS, Art & Film Review, and Gala Preview
Learn more about HEARTS Sacred Grounds coming to Statesville in August, our annual Gala at Cedar Grove in September, and a review of this past Saturday’s first Evening of Art and Film at Cedar Grove.
HEARTS Junion ‘25 Recap and Upcoming Programs
Check out a recap of the 4th annual HEARTS Junion and HEARTS upcoming events in July and August.
For more, check out HEARTS on social media!
