It’s officially Fall! Yesterday, 9/22/2022, was the first day of Fall and we could not be more excited! We continue to see more color popping up around town, but are still a week or more away from any vibrant color. Most of the trees are still mainly green with some color changing on specific branches.
It’s that time of year! We are beginning to see some pops of Fall color in the higher elevations, and we’ll be following the color changes in Blowing Rock throughout the leaf season. Blowing Rock is an excellent destination for fall color. There are a few reasons why our location is an ideal one with such vibrancy and it all comes down to variety.
Visitors to The Mountain Thread Company in Blowing Rock will often find the owner, Katherine Lile, enthusiastically sharing her crafting knowledge with curious and aspiring crafters. In Zigzag Rope Sewing Projects, available this September, Katherine shares even more of her unique expertise.
Blowing Rock is an excellent place to go on a picnic. Whether you’re looking for a romantic date, a fun lunch with friends, or a family memory, a picnic can be a great option. We’ve compiled a list of picnic locations in and around Blowing Rock that are beautiful and versatile!
We love our Main Street, however, there are some fantastic businesses located all around town that you might have missed simply because they are located off the beaten path. Take note of these eight hidden gems so that you can get the most out of your time in Blowing Rock!
Blowing Rock has many great shops on Main Street, but there are a few stores that are hidden or have secrets that many people do not know about! We’ve compiled a list of shopping secrets that are sure to be useful to new visitors, repeat visitors, or even residents!
Come to Blowing Rock and indulge in a mountain getaway! Take in the natural beauty of the High Country, experience local arts, shopping, and decadent dining options. This itinerary outlines 2.5 days of relaxation and recreation for couples or friends alike.
BRAHM (Blowing Rock Art & History Museum) will host their annual Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival from August 16-20, 2022, concluding in the Wet Paint Sale on August 20, 2022, from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Be on the lookout August 16-20th and you may notice scores of artists painting outdoors in the fifth annual Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival. “Plein Air” is a French term referring to the practice of painting from life and nature in the great outdoors. BRAHM will once again welcome 120 artists from over fifteen states to draw and paint the area’s many sights and splendors. In addition to watching artists at work over the course of the 5 day festival, BRAHM invites the public to view and shop the Wet Paint Sale on Saturday, August 20th, from 11 AM – 5:00 PM. Tickets are free, but timed entry spots must be reserved online. The sale will be held in BRAHM’s Alexander Community Gallery, located at 159 Ginny Stevens Lane, off Main Street in Blowing Rock. The Wet Paint Sale is a culmination of the artists’ work painting the scenes of the quaint village of Blowing Rock, as well as the stunning Blue Ridge Parkway vistas, lakes, trails, and features. Artists may work in any 2-dimensional medium, with oil painting being the most popular. (Since oil paint often takes days or even weeks to dry to the touch, the still wet paintings are framed and hung for display and sale, hence the Wet Paint Sale name.) Participating artists vary from hobbyists to collected professionals, assuring there will be art available for purchase in a wide price range. Proceeds from the Wet Paint Sale go toward the mission of BRAHM to provide cultural enrichment to the High Country communities by promoting the Arts and Southern Appalachian Heritage & History through educational programs, exhibitions, activities, and permanent collections. Proceeds also benefit BRAHM’s Education Outreach programs. What better way to celebrate the purchase of your new home, remember a vacation destination, or give a gift to be treasured for decades, than to support the arts and artists with the purchase of original creations at the Wet Paint Sale. To learn more about the 2022 Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival and to register for the Wet Paint Sale on August 20th, please visit BlowingRockPleinAir.org or call 828-295-9099. Thanks to the 2022 Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival Sponsors, Blowing Rock Properties Cheap Joes Art Stuff Hemlock Inn Monkee’s of Blowing Rock Patti Turner, Managing Broker, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty Sue Glenn, Broker Associate, Blowing Rock Properties The Blowing Rock Related Posts Sculpture & Art in Blowing Rock Blowing Rock Makers
The first concert of the series is held on July 6, 2026 and runs through August 3, 2026. The concerts are located at 173 Lakeside Dr. Blowing Rock, NC 28605 and are set up in the gazebo at Broyhill Park. They begin at 6:30 pm, run approximately one to two hours, and are free and open to the public. Performances will cover a little bit of everything from jazz, to country, to show tunes. Attendees will want to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating comfort. 2026 Concert Line Up! July 6 – Scarlet Lemonade BandJuly 13 – Steve SensenigJuly 20 – 3 Toe Possum July 27 – Carmen TateAug. 3 – Surefire Please note that the lineup is subject to change. How it began The Monday Night Concert Series is steeped in local history. It begins with the Farm House Inn and Restaurant, a Blowing Rock staple from the 1950’s until 1997. Blowing Rock has many amazing restaurants, but The Farm House Inn stands out in people’s memory. They were known for their food, view, and talented, singing, waitstaff. Guests would have a meal and be serenaded by some of the best singers in the area. The owners, EJ and Shirley “Shirl” Blackwell are remembered fondly by their former staff, and Shirl is credited with supporting and inspiring the young performers. Performers at the Farm House Inn and Restaurant would sing solos and put on larger scale productions such as Godspell. The restaurant often served up to 700 people a night! Many longtime Blowing Rock residents and visitors remember The Farm House Inn and their experiences there warmly. Monday Night Concert Series Amy Marie Young Escalante is a previous performer at The Farm House and a creator of The Monday Night Concert Series. She began the series with the help of EJ and Shirl Blackwell continuing the Farm House’s mission to support and showcase rising, local talent while sharing a variety of music with residents and visitors of Blowing Rock. First called “The Farm House Live,” the now Monday Night Concert Series is embarking on its 24th season this summer. Last year Blowing Rock Parks & Recreation took over the management of Monday Night Concert Series and tries to book familiar artists. Photographs courtesy of Amy Marie Productions
Lots of people ask about when the rhododendrons bloom, and that depends on species, elevation, and local climate. The Rosebay, also known as the white rhododendron, is a prominent rhododendron along the Blowing Rock areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The blooms vary from white to very pale pink/purple and typically begin to bloom in mid- to late-June in this area. Best viewing usually continues into mid July. This is later than the Catawba Rhododendron, the bright pink species found in masses at nearby Roan Mountain. Peak bloom for Roan Mountain is usually around mid-June. The darker, sometimes near-fuschia, blooms of the hybrid rhoddies in downtown Blowing Rock and in nearby parks and gardens peak in May. The Rosebay Rhododendron puts on a pretty show in Blowing Rock. The pale clouds of rhododendron along the local section of the Blue Ridge Parkway will be beckoning you to pull over. “Stop and smell the roses,” right? Where to see blooms: The blooms will be opening up into early July. There are many of these plants all over the Blowing Rock area. Price Park is an excellent location to see large collections of the shrub, and the sheer number of blooms during peak is stunning. Take a hike around the lake on the Lake Trail to get a real immersion into the rhoddie growth, or rent a canoe from the docks and enjoy the blooms from the water. The amphitheater is a nice spot to sit and enjoy, as rhododendron growth surrounds the seating. Also in Price Park, the Green Knob Trail offers a walk through a blooming tunnel when you access the trail by the Sims Creek Bridge. More Rosebay Rhododendron shrubs heavily line the Mountains To Sea Trail near Goshen Creek on the Blue Ridge Parkway (about 5 miles north from Blowing Rock). Many trails on the Parkway wind through thickets of this plant as well, so you can hike almost anywhere to enjoy some blooms. Cone Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway is also a great spot, along the Cone carriage trails or by Flat Top Manor. Drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 285 to milepost 300 for gorgeous displays of the flower during peak bloom. The roadway winds between walls of the shrub in some spots and it’s simply breathtaking to drive alongside the flowers! In late June, mountain laurel is still showing clumps of white and pink blooms, though most spots of laurel are past peak. Though rhoddies are of interest to many visitors, there is always something to see, from flame azaleas in May to asters in September. For a full list of wildflower blooms along the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit the Bloom Schedule page on BlueRidgeParkway.org.