randfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that it is adding an additional Grandfather Presents speaker event to the 2023 series. Conor Knighton – CBS “Sunday Morning” correspondent and author of The New York Times bestseller “Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park” – will return to Grandfather Mountain on Friday, Oct. 20 for an evening that goes beyond the borders of our national parks.
Knighton was part of last year’s lineup and will visit this year with a fresh presentation. Tickets are on sale now.
The new Wilson Center for Nature Discovery will play host to the evening event. Guests will get to experience a “night at the museum” atmosphere, the speaker presentation and book-signing/“meet-and-greet” opportunities. There will be a limited number of copies of Knighton’s book for sale, and attendees are also welcome to bring their own books to get signed.
This season’s Grandfather Presents roster has had an emphasis on those who make it their life’s mission to highlight the challenges, opportunities and good work happening around exploration, nature and conservation.
The series also featured Saturday afternoon presentations focused on nature, adventure or conservation-related topics on a local or regional scale, as well.
Drawing on his experiences everywhere from World Heritage Sites to State Forests, Knighton will share the fascinating stories of some of the dedicated people he’s met who are working “behind the scenery” on the front lines of conservation and preservation.
Knighton’s reports for CBS “Sunday Morning” – the country’s No. 1 Sunday morning news show – have covered everything from the Scandinavian obsession with salty licorice to what it’s like to wake up on Wake Island, one of America’s most remote military bases. He’s the creator and producer of the show’s “On the Trail” and “Island Hopping” series and has hosted and produced shows for AMC, Biography, EW Scripps and Current TV.
Described by BookPage as “entertaining, informative, and inspirational,” “Leave Only Footprints” is an account of the year Knighton spent wandering through America’s “best idea,” exploring the threads that tie our national parks together and that tie us to nature.
He has won four Daytime Emmys as part of the “Sunday Morning” team and has won a Los Angeles Area Emmy for his work on KCET’s “SoCal Connected.” He’s been nominated for two additional Los Angeles Emmys, and his feature reporting has earned a National Headliner Award and an LA Press Club Award. A graduate of Yale University, Knighton is a native of Charleston, W.Va., and now resides in West Seattle, Wash.
“We so enjoyed having Conor here as part of this series last year and feel truly lucky to be bringing him back to the mountain for what is sure to be an equally inspiring presentation,” said Jesse Pope, president and executive director of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Through his work, he shines a light on the faces and places behind the thoughtful stories he tells, always evoking a sense of wonder about this world with his unique perspective. We really look forward to hearing from him on the conservation-minded folks he’s encountered during his extensive travels.”
Schedule: Friday, Oct. 20, 2023
9 a.m.: Grandfather Mountain opens for the day and “VIP” ticket holders allowed access to the park
4:45 p.m.: “Regular” ticket holders allowed to enter the park and welcome to explore the Conservation Campus (Wilson Center, Mildred the Bear Environmental Habitats and more) prior to the speaker presentation
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.: Check-in for all event attendees at the front entrance of the Wilson Center
5 – 5:30 p.m.: “VIP” Reception in the one of the classrooms in the Wilson Center (VIP ticket holders only)
5:45 – 6:45 p.m.: Speaker Presentation in the Classroom in the Clouds
6:45 – 7:30 p.m.: “Meet-and-Greet” or Book Signing with Speaker
7:45 p.m.: Park should be clear of all Grandfather Presents guests
Event Tickets
New in 2023, two levels of tickets are available for the evening Grandfather Presents programs. A “VIP” ticket includes park admission for the day and a special reception with the speaker, while a more cost-effective “regular” ticket includes only the presentation and “meet-and-greet” after the event.
Limited “VIP” and “VIP Bridge Club” tickets remain for this event. Regular tickets are available for purchase.
Adult tickets are $25 and $20 for Bridge Club members. Children, ages 12 and under, are admitted free to the event, with a maximum of four free children permitted per purchase.
Tickets are on sale online now.
To learn more about “Grandfather Presents: Conor Knighton” and to purchase tickets, visit www.grandfather.com/event/knighton.
To learn more about the Grandfather Presents speaker series, visit www.grandfather.com/grandfather-presents.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.
