Gala North Carolina Festival Is a ‘Golden Gathering’ : Variety of entertainment for visitors 50 and over takes place Sept. 7-18.

Seniors from throughout the country are once again expected to gather in the small western North Carolina town of Maggie Valley in September to take part in a gala festival.

The fifth annual “Golden Gathering,” specially designed for visitors 50 and over, offers more than 50 events, including golf and bridge tournaments, barbecues, dinner-dances, live bands and entertainment, picnics, bingo, hayrides, storytelling breakfasts, theme lunches and dinners. There are also ‘40s and ‘50s musical revues, hayrides, a daily walk-a-thon, hot dog roasts, arts and crafts shows, railway and area tours, country and Western bands, clogging, gospel singing and dozens of other activities.

Maggie Valley is near the Great Smokey Mountains between Asheville and Cherokee, about 100 miles southeast of Knoxville, Tenn. The area has a variety of homey shops and restaurants, plus numerous lodging possibilities.

This year’s Golden Gathering takes place Sept. 7-18.

For a free copy of the 1993 Golden Gathering program and a Maggie Valley area directory, write to Golden Gathering, P.O. Box 126, Maggie Valley, N.C. 28751, or call (704) 926-2945.

*

Travelers over age 55, or members of AARP, can get good deals on rooms at any of the Delfin Hotels in the Cabo San Lucas area of Baja California. The hotels’ “Prime Senior Rate” program offers 20% discounts off room and suite rates. The Delfin Hotels and Resorts group is composed of six hotels, all of which are near the beaches of the Sea of Cortez.

Most Delfin Hotels have several types of room accommodations, from studios to two-bedroom suites with kitchens. Prices vary according to room size, views and the season, of which there are three: peak (January through April), summer (June through October) and “shoulder” (April/May and November/December). Sample rates during the current shoulder season for the six hotels (prices represent the cost of the room, use of all facilities and continental breakfast, included every day):

* Marina Cabo Plaza: For a studio with kitchenette, seniors pay $56 per room per night (regular rate is $70); peak season, $64 ($80); summer, $48 ($60).

* La Jolla de Los Cabos: For a junior suite with ocean view, seniors pay $77 (regular rate, $96); peak season, $90 ($112); summer, $68 ($85).

* Villa Alfonso’s: For a “deluxe” one-bedroom suite with Jacuzzi bath, the year-round rate for seniors is $108 (regular rate, $135).

* Tropicana: All rooms for seniors during the shoulder and summer seasons, $52 (regular rate, $65); peak season, $60 ($75).

* Aston Terrasol Cabo: For a studio with kitchenette, seniors pay $88 (regular rate, $110); peak season, $96 ($120); summer season, $78 ($98).

* Misiones del Cabo: For a one-bedroom with ocean view, seniors pay $88 (regular rate, $110); peak season, $120 ($150); summer, $80 ($100).

For more information, brochures or reservations for any of the Delfin Hotels, call (800) 524-5104.