Western NC Easter tradition continues in new location
POLK COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – For 69 years crowds of people have spent Easter morning at Chimney Rock State Park, watching the sun rise over Lake Lure during an early morning service to celebrate the Easter holiday.
Unfortunately, due to damage caused by Hurricane Helene, the park was unable to play host to its usual ceremonies this year. But organizers and the faithful still found a way to keep the annual tradition alive at Tryon Equestrian Center.
Crowds piled into the equestrian center early Sunday morning for a special service and watched as the sun rose over over the center and surrounding fields.
'It was slightly emotional,' said Emily Walker, director of Chimney Park management, said. 'In the audience today were so many people from the village and from Lake Lure, and a lot of us don't see it other like we used to. We are disconnected and we try to limit our time there and stay out of the way of the construction and so on and so forth. It was amazing to see all the same faces in a different place but it had the same feeling.'
Like much of Western North Carolina, Chimney Rock – the state park and the surrounding village – saw significant damage from Hurricane Helene. Six months after the hurricane hit, the park and village remain closed to the public while efforts to rebuild are under way.
Earlier this month North Carolina Department of Transportation announced it has selected locations for temporary bridges into the area and construction crews continue to rebuild homes and businesses washed away by flood waters and mudslides.
Despite the difficult times the community is facing, ceremonies like the sunrise service continue to hold a special place for those who attend.
'For a lot of people they have been coming their entire lives we meet people and get letters from people who have come since they were one years old and now they are coming with their grand kids,' said Walker.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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