Grandfather Presents: Conor Knighton

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—returns to our Grandfather Presents series for a special Friday evening that goes beyond the borders of our national parks. Drawing on his experiences everywhere from World Heritage Sites to State Forests, he shares 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 #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.

Knighton 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, West Virginia and now resides in West Seattle, Washington.

Tickets
Buy tickets below beginning August 29, 2023.

“VIP” tickets include a VIP reception with the guest speaker that includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, in addition to the program and the “meet-and-greet” session after the event. Admission to the park for the day is also included.

• $60 “VIP” Adult
• $51 “VIP” Bridge Club Member

“Regular” tickets are a more cost-effective option and include only the speaker’s program and the “meet-and-greet” session after the event.

• $25 “Regular” Adult
• $20 “Regular” Bridge Club Member
• Children 12 and under admitted for free (max of four free children per purchase)

Schedule

• 9 a.m. | Park 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 head to the Wilson Center for the event
• 5 – 5:30 p.m. | “VIP” Reception in 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

Refunds/Cancellations
Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out to us at least five days before the event. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration, please call 828-733-2013, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

More About Grandfather Presents
Our 2023 speaker series at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery includes six big night events with internationally and nationally known presenters. Presented by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the series also includes two Saturday afternoon presentations focused on nature, adventure or conservation-related topics on a local or regional scale. Read more.