OLD FORT, N.C. — As morning mist dissipates from the Blue Ridge foothills, the streets of Old Fort come alive with groups of riders on motorized Onewheel boards, navigating the town's inclines amid a backdrop of the impressive Arrowhead Monument.
This scene marks the return of FloatLife Fest, a celebration of Onewheel boards that attracts around 400 attendees, injecting a vital sense of hope and financial support into a community still recovering from last year's devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.
“We should definitely come back again,” expresses Jess Jones, a marine biologist from Scotland. “The vib is really nice, and we felt very welcomed here.”
The festival stands as a testament to both Old Fort's stunning landscape and the resilience of its residents, who are working tirelessly to rebuild their town.
Despite the visible signs of recovery and reopening shops, remnants of Helene's destruction linger in the form of debris piles and homes that remain uninhabitable.
Local business owners like Chad Schoenauer, who operates a bike shop, rely heavily on the fall tourism season to help recover from the losses suffered during the hurricane, but many potential visitors are still unaware that the area is open for business.
In 2024, when Hurricane Helene struck, Old Fort had ambitious plans to revamp its identity as an outdoor destination. A prior layoff in 2019 had sparked elements of community collaboration focused on utilizing the town's natural resources to attract outdoor enthusiasts.
Efforts to develop biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities took substantial steps forward, with local organizations succeeding in creating dozens of new trails, only for the hurricane to wash many of them away.
As the storm submerged the town, it markedly affected homes and businesses like Schoenauer's, who faced about $150,000 in uninsured losses. The flooding left lasting impressions on the community's infrastructure and business operations.
With the Blue Ridge Parkway damaged and closed off, tourism traffic remains lower than in previous years, causing distress among residents. Foot traffic at local visitor centers has plummeted, and the area is still grappling with the aftermath of last year's events.
Although some trails have reopened, challenges remain for local businesses trying to bounce back. Many, like Schoenauer's bike shop, find themselves shifting focus to repairs as more recreation seekers look to maintain their existing bikes in the face of ongoing uncertainties.
The festival, however, marks a celebratory turning point for Old Fort. It showcases both the beauty of the area and the spirit of its inhabitants, encouraging visitors to rediscover this mountain gem in North Carolina.
