Protects | Preserves | Informs | Engages | Unites
December 18, 2025
Greetings from BRCA 28605! Well. 2025 is almost a wrap. From all of us at BRCA we wish you a very happy holiday, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The next two Thursdays are holidays so we are taking time to enjoy our friends and family. Shopped today for groceries in a foggy & rainy 41-degree December day. At least the rain is eliminating the last of our recent snow. If any happens you need to know about, we will certainly communicate with you.
Watauga County Takes Over Ambulance Service December 15th
At the top of our priority list has been improved ambulance service response times for Blowing Rock. As the County transitions our ambulance service to local county management we really feel this is a step in the right direction. We have been assured by County Commissioners that this is a priority for the county. We commend the decision to take ambulance service over at the county level. Look for the new ambulance M-1, its sharp! This will lead to local investments in updated and new equipment. Some $4 Million is scheduled for new ambulances, cots, and monitors. Ten new ambulances will be ordered on a staggered schedule. There will be 28 part time and full-time employees. Full details are in the Watauga Democrat and can be accessed here: https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/local/its-an-investment-county-set-to-assume-ems-operations-dec-15/article_c7538c84-a77f-4710-8fef-8920b0289983.html
Winterfest Tickets Now On Sale
The 2026 Blowing Rock Winterfest will be January 22-25, 2026. We hear tickets are going fast so if you plan to attend its a good time to secure your tickets. You can do so here: https://blowingrockwinterfest.com/
For the second year in a row Blowing Rock has won top spot in Best Holiday Glow. Well done to all the town staff. Great job! Details about Christmas in Blowing Rock is here: https://aperfectpresent.com/
People often ask about full time and seasonal residents numbers in Blowing Rock. Out of curiosity we did an AI search to see that we could find. Here are the results:
Per AI: Approximately 80% of the Homeowners in Blowing Rock are considered seasonal residents. There are around 6,500 total homeowners in the area which means roughly 5,200 homes are owned by seasonal residents. This high percentage of seasonal residents dramatically increases the population during the peak summer months, from a permanent population of around 1,200-1,500 to over 6,000 people plus additional tourists. The makeup of homeowners can be hard to define precisely, as some full-time residents also own second homes elsewhere, but the 80% figure is widely cited by local officials and civic organizations to illustrate the town’s unique demographic structure.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year!
If you are among the estimated 122.4 million Americans traveling at least 50 miles from home, we wish you warm and safe travel. That is 2.2% higher than 2024. Be safe! Thank you all for a great 2025, is went by so fast.
Thank You!
On behalf of all of us at BRCA we sincerely appreciate your financial support and your ongoing engagement. Thank you for following us. We also want to welcome our new members and viewers; we welcome you to BRCA. Have a great weekend. If you are not a member of BRCA please consider joining for a little as $100 annually.
Tom Barrett
Executive Committee Member & VP