LAKE LURE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Nobody puts Lake Lure in a corner! Nearly 20 months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the lakeside town, Lake Lure is poised to celebrate its grand reopening over Memorial Day.

When is the Lake Lure grand reopening?

The reopening celebration, orchestrated by the town of Lake Lure in partnership with Lake Lure Inn & Spa, will be held from 6-10 p.m., Saturday, May 23 on the beach in front of the hotel. There will be music from a DJ from 6-9 p.m. and a fireworks show shortly after sunset.

Tickets to the celebration are around $14 for the general public, but guests at the hotel will receive free admission. Find tickets here.

At an 11 a.m. ceremony today, Friday, May 15, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, Colonel Brad Morgan with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett gathered at Lake Lure Gazebo to announce additional reopening dates for fixtures of the community.

The Washburn Marina ramp, for instance, will reopen to permitted motorized vehicles on Saturday, May 16. Permits and boat licenses are required.

The rest of Washburn Marina, meanwhile, remains under construction.

“Town officials had hoped to complete the work to install the fuel pump and stationary dock areas prior to Memorial Day; however, delays in delivery of decking materials have impacted the construction schedule,” the town wrote on their website in an article titled “One Step Closer – Lake Lure’s Phase Two of the Lake Reopening Process.”

“Completion is now anticipated in early to mid-June.”

What is the anticipated draw of Memorial Day in Lake Lure?

A welcome sign in Lake Lure, North Carolina.

According to Laura Hullen, a guest services employee at Lake Lure Inn, the hotel predicts a large turnout for the Memorial Day festivities.

“We’re expecting about 800 people and more. The beach is going to be open for guests,” Hullen said.

For visitors who might still be worried about water quality after Helene, Hullen said there was no need to be concerned.

“The water is absolutely beautiful. It’s clear. You can see right down to the bottom,” Hullen said. “It’s so clean, we didn’t even have to treat it with chemicals for going swimming this year.”

Things to do in Lake Lure

In addition to attending the celebration, Hullen suggested that visitors to Lake Lure should take advantage of the businesses in the area.

“Everybody came together so strong rebuilding, and it’s coming back bigger and better than ever it was before,” Hullen said. “All the businesses are open and waiting for your support dollars. Everything is open, and Memorial Day weekend, all the restaurants in the area are going to be open.”

For more information about Lake Lure, visit www.townoflakelure.com.

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