Location
The Young Artist's Harp Competition takes place on the beautiful campus of the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, in Rabun Gap, Georgia. Located in northern Georgia, about five miles south of the North Carolina border, Rabun Gap is in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, about 1.5 hours from Asheville, N.C., and about two hours from Atlanta. The region is known for its scenic beauty, mountain culture, and recreational opportunities. All competition performance events take place at the school's state-of-the-art Rearden Theater.
Here is a map of the area.
Here are directions to the school.
Lodging
Competitors and their families must arrange for their own lodging during the competition. We recommend the Holiday Inn Express in Dillard, Ga. The hotel is just a few minutes drive from the Rearden Theater. Please mention our group and ask for the group rate.
Another nearby hotel is the Dillard House, also in Dillard, Georgia. Dillard House also offers rental cottages a few miles farther down the road. The Mountain Valley Inn is also in Dillard.
Just down the road in Clayton we recommend the Mountain Aire Cottages and Vacation Rentals, which offer single hotel rooms along with multi-room cottages for families.
Clayton also has a Quality Inn and a Days Inn, as well as the Old Clayton Inn and the Stonebrook Inn. Franklin N.C., about 15 miles north, also has many hotels.
For an extensive list of area attractions, dining, bed and breakfasts, cottages for rent, and campgrounds, visit the Rabun County Georgia Chamber of Commerce website.
Dormitory Lodging
Students who are participating in both the Young Artist's Harp Competition and also the Young Artist's Harp Seminar will have access to dormitory housing beginning July 11 for an additional daily fee. Please note that counselor supervision of students will not begin until July 14. Please contact us regarding early arrival.
Students Traveling Alone
Competitors who are traveling alone but who are not attending the Young Artist's Harp Seminar may be able to have dormitory access July 11-14 for an additional daily fee on a case by case basis. Since we will not know our exact numbers until finalists have been announced after June 1st, please contact us at that time to discuss whether dormitory accomodations are available. We will make every effort to accomodate these special situations.
Meals
An optional meal plan will be available during the competition for competitors and their families. The meal plan is included in dormitory lodging costs, and can be purchased individually for those staying off campus. Information about the meal plan will be sent to competitors who are invited to the live final round.
Transportation in Rabun Gap
Rabun Gap is located in a rural area two hours north of Atlanta. Families traveling to Rabun Gap are advised to drive or rent a car since there is no public transportation. The Dillard House is within walking distance of the competition, however it is a long walk. We will operate a shuttle from the Holiday Inn Express to the competition site twice a day (morning and evening).
Transportation to Rabun Gap and Airport Arrival
Students traveling by air to the Young Artist's Harp Competition should fly to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. A shuttle for students will run once at the beginning of the competition, and once again at the end. There will be an additional fee for shuttle service. You must contact us before booking your ticket to make sure that it will work with our shuttle schedule. We cannot guarantee last minute shuttle service, or shuttle service that has not been arranged in advance. Shuttle service is for students traveling alone. We cannot provide shuttle service for families.
For Families
Families of students coming to the competition will find plenty to see and do in the Rabun Gap area: hiking, horseback riding, lake swimming and boating, tubing, beautiful mountain scenery, and more are all just a short drive away.
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