Upcoming events
Bear Shadow Festival
From website: Welcome to Bear Shadow, a 3-day music festival in Highlands, North Carolina. We’re proud to announce our 5th year of incredible live music with beautiful mountain scenery, warm spring temperatures, and unique flora and fauna. We’re also excited to introduce you to new experiences, fan-favorite daytime events, and as always, incredible Grammy-worthy live performances.
We’re focused on elevating your weekend at Ferngrove, located just 5 minutes from downtown Highlands, NC. Fans can build their weekend experience from morning through evening, with plenty of immersive opportunities designed to showcase the connection of music, mind, body and nature.
Great Smokey Mountains Music Train
All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Music Train—a historic steam-powered ride that turns into a rolling music venue, with six live performances spread across vintage coaches (plus open cars made for dancing). June 5–6, 2026 | Bryson City, NC (21+).
The Winter Ramble
Bundle up for The Winter Ramble—a destination-wide, indoor celebration of traditional Appalachian mountain music across venues throughout Henderson County (Hendersonville area), North Carolina. February 27–March 1, 2026 brings a “choose-your-own-adventure” weekend of old-time, bluegrass, gospel, folk ballads, and more, plus workshops and jam sessions (some events free, some ticketed).
Woollyy Worm Festival
The 48th Annual Woolly Worm Festival hosted by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and Banner Elk Kiwanis! Visit on October 18 & 19, 2025 in Banner Elk, North Carolina for woolly worm races, craft and food vendors, live entertainment, children’s activities, and so much more. (Images: woollyworm.com)
Valle Country Fair
Fall fun! Valle Country Fair returns Oct 18th (cancelled last fall due to Helene). One of the top art & craft festivals in WNC with 100+ vendors, paired with harvest flavors of Brunswick Stew, barbecue, and homemade apple butter, jams, cakes, pies and more. Gorgeous setting in a valley field. Mountain music too. Just 6 miles from Banner Elk - the same weekend as Woolly Worm Festival. Free admission, $10/car for parking. The Fair raises funds for human service organizations in Avery & Watauga Counties, more than $1.3 million in the past 46 years. Located across from Holy Cross Church, 122 Skiles Way, Banner Elk
Black Mountain Blues Festival
A Three-Day Celebration of Blues centered in the heart of downtown Black Mountain, NC
In addition to world-class musical performances, the festival will offer – educational workshops, VIP experiences, and family-friendly activities that highlight the unique blues culture and hospitality of Black Mountain.
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
High in the Mountains of Western North Carolina the ancient Celtic spirit beckons. Answering the call, as hundreds of tartan banners unfurl, are the sounds of bagpipes echoing through the valley, and once again, thousands of kilt-clad Scots make their way to MacRae Meadows for their annual gathering and games. Nowhere in the New World is there a place more reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands than the home of America’s grandest Highland Games—Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina.
North Carolina Black Bear Festival
The wildly successful Black Bear Festival was founded at the epicenter center of the black bear universe in Plymouth, NC. Nearby Plymouth is the home to the world’s largest black bears, the highest black bear densities on the planet, as well as the best public bear viewing in NC. These coastal giant black bears flourish here due to the abundance of high protein crops, mild winters, wonderful habitat, and perhaps even genetics.