Hit the Trail with HEARTS

May 12

A Forest Pop-Up

The “T” in HEARTS is for Trails, and the May HEARTS Happening is going off-the-grid with a fun and informative Forest Pop-Up celebrating an important historic trail in Iredell County. On May 23, 2026, at 2:00, HEARTS Collaborative presents HEARTS Trails Through Time on-site at Sherrill’s Path in Troutman, NC, once part of the Great Wagon Road. This family-friendly program explores the story of 18th-century settler Adam Sherrill, who once traveled this path, plus live music, nature walks, plant lore, refreshments, and more, all under the forest canopy nestled within Troutman’s Colonial Crossing community.

Trail Talk

Trails Through Time will feature a keynote presentation by Susan Autry, a historian with over 20 years of teaching experience at Central Piedmont Community College, York Technical College, and UNC Charlotte. As a full-time instructor at Central Piedmont, she chaired the History Department for 7 years, received several awards for her teaching, and was appointed as a Faculty Fellow at the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence.

Art and Music in the Woods

HEARTS Trails Through Time's visual art partner is ArtPop, bringing a pop of art to the Forest Pop-up.
HEARTS welcomes musical guests Tom Eure and Amelia Osborne, offering up a heartfelt fusion of Folk, Celtic, and Appalachian influences. In concert, Eure and Osborne seamlessly change from one instrument to the next, swirling together fiddles, banjos, bodhrán, mandolins, guitars, and rousing vocal harmonies.

Don’t miss this nature, music, and history-filled afternoon of discovery along this special path originally formed by bison and deer, adopted by the Native Americans, and eventually followed by Adam Sherrill to the west side of the Catawba River, now known as Sherrills Ford.

Admission is free, but tickets are limited, so register early to save your spot! Please dress for outdoors and uneven natural terrain; sturdy footwear is recommended. In the event of rain, this event will be postponed to a later date. All ticket holders will be notified in the event of cancellation. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. The event will be a true forest pop-up along this centuries-old treasure of a trail!

This event is made possible in part through a Grassroots Grant from the Iredell Arts Council and North Carolina Arts Council, our passionate staff and volunteers, HEARTS Circle Members, and our 2026 presenting sponsors, Lake Norman Realty and blueharbor bank, proudly supporting local history, art, nature, and community.