Good morning, Hickory.

Hickory’s Oktoberfest began on October 10 and runs all weekend downtown with food vendors, live music, kidsfest, beer tents, and craft booths.

Today it runs from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will offer Sunday hours from noon to 5 p.m. while WHKY hosts prize drawings and on-air segments.

In August, Catawba County recorded its lowest labor force since 2022 with a 3.9% unemployment rate during a 21-month decline compared to a year earlier.

Local officials say the trend could lead to tougher hiring conditions for businesses and workers.

The Lenoir-Rhyne men’s and women’s swim teams opened their season on Thursday night against Converse under new head coach Vic Riggs—women won 148-131 while the men fell.

The teams will face the Wingate Bulldogs today at 1 p.m. in their first conference swim meet.

The Lenoir-Rhyne cross country teams ran in the Queens Royals Cross Country Challenge on Friday in Charlotte as a final tune-up before the conference championships.

The women finished fourth (Maria Carmona set a new 5k personal best) and the team will run again on Oct 25th in Kinser Park (in Greeneville) as they prepare for the next race.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association finalized the Women’s Tennis Dual Team playoff brackets for the 2025 postseason and confirmed all 16 Hickory Metro teams are in the playoffs; most first-round matches end by October 13 while 1A games finish by October 15 — championship matches will be held at Burlington Tennis Center on October 31 and November 1. Hickory’s team—a six seed with a first-round bye—will host the winner of the match between Northwest Cabarrus and Smoky Mountain in the second round.

High school volleyball teams posted results from October 9 in three local conferences, with Western Piedmont teams showing scores such as Draughn 3 & East Burke 0 while Western Foothills and Northwestern schools also recorded wins and losses.

The scores highlight competitive matchups among regional schools, with teams like Hickory and Alexander Central finishing strongly.

JAZZ LEGACY Concert Series

2-4 p.m. — Sails On The Square — Free entry — Experience the Byron Bean All Star Big Band in a vibrant outdoor jazz concert.

CWGMP Association Convention and Fan Awards 2025

6:30-10:30 p.m. — Brookford Community Building — Check website for ticket info — Experience vibrant vocal performances and instruction from talented artists.

November Cash Flow Cafe

Spinnaker Financial holds its monthly Cash Flow Café with breakfast snacks and Emerson’s Coffee Co. on Saturday, November 8th, from 9:00–10:30 AM at The Underground at The Hickory Hub. This month is "Coffee Talk", bring your money questions and get answers that make a difference.