Join HEARTS Collaborative and the community as we host our annual HEARTS Circle Gala on Saturday, September 12th, 2026!

This year's headlining musical guest performer, Charly Lowry, is a soulful powerhouse, enchanting audiences with velvety vocals, heartfelt compositions, and commanding stage presence. Her voice, imbued with a depth and resonance reminiscent of legends like Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt and Tracy Chapman, possesses a distinctiveness echoing her Indigenous ancestry rooted in the dark waters of Robeson County, NC. The evenings gourmet, farm-to-table dinner is created by the local producers and chefs at Carolina Farm Trust and is served under canopy tent in the garden at the magnificent historic Cedar Grove mansion in Huntersville, NC. This nationally registered historic homestead of Irish immigrant, Hugh Torance, is a treasure to explore on this one night only, when all three floors of the mansion are open for touring with docents on each floor to share the house's history and answer guests questions. The main hall of Cedar Grove will feature a visual arts exhibit created by Nine Eighteen Nine Studio Art Gallery, with gallery art for guests viewing pleasure and for purchase. Select visual art pieces as well as theatre and sporting event tickets, jewelry and watches, gift baskets, and more will be featured in the evenings' Silent Auction benefitting the HEARTS Collaborative, Inc. (HEARTS) mission to preserve and share local historic places, pieces, and the stories of local people from the past.

Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy Charly Lowry's private performance, gourmet meal served al fresco, and celebrate recent goals accomplished thanks to the support of our HEARTS Circle members, generous community donors, collaborative local partners, and dedicated volunteers!

HEARTS (History, Ecology, Arts, Reunion, Trails, and Store) is dedicated to connecting, elevating, and managing historic preservation efforts in the Catawba Valley region, believing that, together, we can create a more robust, resilient, and sustainable historic preservation and education community. Designed as an umbrella organization, HEARTS unites and enhances historic preservation organizations and sites by facilitating sustainable operations and community engagement. HEARTS' collaborative platform offers a network of experts, funding opportunities, and educational programs promoting best practices for historic sites. Organizations served by HEARTS are operationally elevated and efficiently connected to resources and management services to achieve a financially sustainable future. Additionally, organizations and sites achieve exponential community awareness as their significance in our region is showcased at HEARTS' signature place-based event programming where each letter that makes up HEARTS is incorporated into each event's program. HEARTS service offerings range from a featured link on our new regional website to full back-office operational support with a custom design created to meet their unique needs and goals to achieve their mission. Opportunities for greater reach through economies of scale in marketing and development are aimed at increasing preservation, public awareness, and appreciation of our shared history.

2026 HEARTS Circle Gala