Grandfather Presents: Eleanor Spicer Rice
2026-09-03 16:30 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | Grandfather Mountain, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC, 28646
Eleanor Spicer Rice, Ph.D., is an entomologist, award-winning author, and nationally recognized science communicator whose work explores the surprising connections between people and the natural world. She earned her doctorate in entomology from North Carolina State University and has since authored more than ten books, including the acclaimed DEADLIEST series and Ants: Workers of the World.
Website

Wildflower Bingo Night
2026-09-09 17:30 - 20:00 | Blowing Rock Conference Center, 1818 Goforth Rd., Blowing Rock, NC, 28605
Your $20 ticket includes a Bingo card for the night, one raffle ticket, and snacks to enjoy during the game. Additional Bingo cards and raffle tickets will be available to purchase. A wonderful array of items will be included in this year’s auction.
Website

Live Gem Cutting Demonstration
2026-09-11 11:00 - 14:00 | McCoy Minerals, 537 Main St., Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
Head over to McCoy Minerals and see a rough stone cut into a brilliant gem! The demonstration will be from 11am-2pm and the gemstone will be raffled off to a lucky winner!
Website

Art in the Park
2026-09-12 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-10-03 10:00 - 16:00 | Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, 132 Park Ave, Blowing Rock NC, NC, 28605, United States
Presented by 4 Forty Four.
Blowing Rock Art in the Park celebrates six decades of shows! Enjoy fine art and handcrafts from award-winning and acclaimed artisans. Artists are jury-selected and each show features a different set of artists, curated to present a wide variety of mediums. Find gifts and works for personal collections, functional beauties like furniture and cutlery, and wearable art like handcrafted jewelry and textiles. Artists’ tents line Park Avenue right in downtown Blowing Rock.
Website

Alair Concert in the Park
2026-09-13 13:00 - 15:00
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Alair Homes High Country Summer Concert Series! Hosted in Downtown Blowing Rock at Memorial Park, this year’s concert series benefits @HungerHealthCoalition’s A Simple Gesture Program.
From 1-3 PM, bring your family and friends to enjoy some great live music and to support the High Country community!
Website

Plein Air Festival
2026-09-15 09:00 - 2026-09-19 17:00 | Blowing Rock Art & History Museum, 159 Ginny Stevens Lane, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
The Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival is a four-day, open enrollment plein air painting event. It takes place in the beautiful mountainous area surrounding the town of Blowing Rock in western North Carolina, from September 15 to September 19, 2026. The festival aims to bring painters together from around the world to paint outside in the fresh air while getting to know each other and sharing their work. The event prompts applicants to explore the unique Blowing Rock architecture, spectacular Blue Ridge Mountain views, and overall Appalachian feel of one of the most scenic areas in the country.
Website

Bronwyn
2026-09-17 19:30 - 21:30 | Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, 559 West King Street, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
Bronwyn – Grammy-winning fiddle virtuoso Bronwyn is stepping into the spotlight. After several years of wowing audiences as the fiddler for Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, the 2x IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year is striking out on her own – fronting a band for the first time and bringing her voice to the forefront. Known for her fiery fiddle playing and pure, rootsy singing, Bronwyn’s debut vocal album ‘I Built A World’ earned her a Grammy nomination this past February, and American Songwriter calls her “a world-class fiddler with a golden voice.”
Website

Tweetsie's Ghost Train®
2026-09-25 19:00 - 23:00 | Tweetsie Railroad, 300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
The spooktacular season of Tweetsie’s Ghost Train® Halloween Celebration, a popular fall family tradition, begins Friday, September 25, and continues every Friday and Saturday night through October 31. It’s safe, spooky fun for the whole family.
Daytime guests can still enjoy all of Tweetsie’s Wild West adventures, rides and attractions. . . but when the sun goes down, the park gets a full makeover complete with costumed characters, decorations, music and Halloween-themed attractions.
Website

Fiber Arts Demonstration
2026-09-26 10:00 - 2026-09-27 16:00 | Moses Cone Manor, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
Julia Gaunt will be demonstrating her fiber arts. This demonstration will be held on the front porch of the the Moses Cone Manor from 10am-4pm.
Visitors are encouraged to watch and ask questions while the demonstrators work and talk about their creative process!
Website

Creatures of the Night & Bonfire Delight
2026-09-26 18:30 - 21:30 | Grandfather Mountain, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC, 28646
Embrace your nocturnal side at Grandfather Mountain through Creatures of the Night and Bonfire Delight, the park’s after-hours program where guests enjoy rare after-dark tours, fireside tales and a chance to meet the park’s nighttime residents.
The evening begins around the glow of a bonfire at the Woods Walk Picnic Area as night falls. Guests will then have the opportunity to partake in three unique experiences as the group splits up and alternates between the different parts of the mountain. These activities include a trek (via shuttle) to atop the mountain at the Mile High Swinging Bridge, as well as a visit to the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats for a behind-the-scenes tour in which guests get to experience the mountain in a similar fashion as its nocturnal critters. The tour is conducted using red-light flashlights, with an emphasis placed on the guests’ sensory experience while getting up close with the park’s bears, otters, elk and cougars. An educational focus is also placed on how the animals may use their senses of smell or eyesight to navigate or hunt at night.
Groups will then descend back to the Woods Walk Picnic Area to gather around the fire, roast s’mores and hear folktales from one of the mountain’s naturalists or educators.
Hours are 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event is open to 50 participants, and tickets are $50 for general admission or $42 for Bridge Club members.
Website

Grandfather Presents: Margaret Lowman, Ph.D., aka CanopyMeg
2026-10-01 16:30 - 20:00 | Grandfather Mountain, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC, 28646
One of the world’s first arbornauts, CanopyMeg devoted over four decades to exploring forest canopies. Her research and exploration have taken her to more than 45 countries, on all seven continents, where she not only tirelessly saves forests but also mentors girls.
Website

Sunset at the Swinging Bridge
2026-10-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Grandfather Mountain, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC, 28646
Back by popular demand, Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is offering a sunset experiences in 2026. These special events, titled “Sunset at the Swinging Bridge,” will provide guests with the rare opportunity to be in the park outside of regular operating hours and to hopefully experience a lovely sunrise from the bridge’s lofty vantage point.
Website

Broom Making Demonstration
2026-10-08 10:00 - 2026-10-10 16:00 | Moses Cone Manor, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
Peter Werner will be demonstrating traditional Appalachian broom-tying, which is how he creates his whisks, cake testers, and large sweepers. This demonstration will be held on the front porch of the the Moses Cone Manor from 10am-4pm.
Visitors are encouraged to watch and ask questions while the demonstrators work and talk about their creative process!
Website

Cottonwood Bark Carving Demonstration
2026-10-15 10:00 - 2026-10-17 16:00 | Moses Cone Manor, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
Tom Gow will be demonstrating how he carves whimsical cottages out of the thick bark of fallen cottonwood trees. This demonstration will be held on the front porch of the the Moses Cone Manor from 10am-4pm.
Visitors are encouraged to watch and ask questions while the demonstrators work and talk about their creative process!
Website

Valle Country Fair
2026-10-17 09:00 - 16:00
The annual Valle Country Fair is a sure favorite among locals and visitors. Local food and crafts fill the space, while musicians and demonstrators entertain all day. Admission is free, but bring cash for parking and easy shopping.
Tip: If you plan to attend both Valle Country Fair and Woolly Worm Festival on Saturday, arrive as close to 9am as possible to the event you choose to attend first! Traffic is typically very heavy for late morning and mid-day arrivals. To attend both festivals and best avoid waiting in traffic lines, attend Valley Country Fair on Saturday and Woolly Worm Festival on Sunday and arrive early at both.
Website

Woolly Worm Festival
2026-10-17 10:00 - 2026-10-18 16:00
Banner Elk looks forward to welcoming you to the 48th Annual Woolly Worm Festival hosted by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and Banner Elk Kiwanis! Head over on October 17& 18, 2026 in Banner Elk, North Carolina for woolly worm races, craft and food vendors, live entertainment, children’s activities, and so much more.
Website

Blowing Rock Halloween Festival & Monster March
2026-10-31 17:30 - 20:00 | Main Street, 1094 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
Join Blowing Rock Parks & Recreation for tons of FREE fun with an evening of spooky activities! Enjoy downtown trick-or-treating, the famous Monster March, and a costume contest! This is among the best Halloween events for kids of ALL ages. Memorial Park, located right in the middle of downtown, is the center for all the fun!
2025 SCHEDULE: Subject to Change in 2026
5:45pm – Monster March – Main Street is closed for a costume parade, and everyone is invited to showcase their costume! Line up at 5:30pm at American Legion. The Monster March starts at Park Avenue and continues to Ginny Stevens Lane (near Town Tavern and the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum)
6pm – Trick or Treat on Main Street – Directly following the Monster March, kids are invited to go door to door at participating businesses for candy and treats! Main Street remains closed for the first 15 minutes or so, to give plenty of time for Monster March participants to make their way to the sidewalks.
7pm – Costume Contest with DJ Taco- Meet at the Memorial Park gazebo to enjoy music and the contest!
Website

Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Town
2026-11-27 12:00 - 18:30 | Blowing Rock Memorial Park, 1036 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
Blowing Rock’s Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Town celebration is an annual holiday event that you are sure to love. Join us for hot chocolate, caroling, and visits with Santa. The festival is always the Friday after Thanksgiving, and is the perfect time to kick off your holiday and Christmas celebrating! Bring the whole family, or enjoy the romance of the lights and fun, jovial atmosphere with your significant other.
The Blowing Rock Christmas Parade follows at 10am on the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year!
Website

Blowing Rock Christmas Parade
2026-11-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Main Street, 1094 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, United States
The best small-town parade you’ll find anywhere! Celebrate the Christmas season with us as Main Street hosts a parade of decorated vehicles, dancing, costumes, and more. A 10am start time gets you in the holiday spirit for the rest of the day!
No parking along Main Street before the parade ensures good visibility and safety. The parade runs from the intersection at 221/Yonahlossee Road (by Mellow Mushroom) to Ginny Stevens Lane (by Rumple Church).
Website
