Holiday Stroll in Blowing Rock
Join us in Blowing Rock for the Holiday Stroll, a celebration of winter and the Christmas season in December. It’s like a town-wide holiday open house! Shops are open late, many with special deals just for the season!
Join us in Blowing Rock for the Holiday Stroll, a celebration of winter and the Christmas season in December. It’s like a town-wide holiday open house! Shops are open late, many with special deals just for the season!
Fall events make the season extra festive! If you have missed a fall festival, note the timing of individual events to plan ahead for the following year. Dates change, but in general, each festival is held the same weekend in each year (ex: Woolly Worm Festival is the third weekend in October).
The 2025 Blowing Rock Trout Derby is May 3. For over four decades, we’ve been celebrating the opening of Trout Season with friendly competition and prizes! The Blowing Rock Trout Derby is a much-anticipated early springtime event in the village. We have some of the best trout fishing anywhere in the Southeast!
Blowing Rock is celebrating its 27th Annual WinterFest. Blowing Rock WinterFest is a four day celebration of the winter season, and all the warm pastimes people love to do when it’s cold. From the icy waters of the Polar Bear Plunge to warm drinks sipped by a fire, Blowing Rock WinterFest has them all.
Back for 2023! Enjoy the wonder of the Tweetsie Railroad dazzlingly lit for the holidays! The train ride will feature over one million lights on its open-air route. Dress warmly to enjoy this special treat. See Santa in his Ginger Bread House, warm up to a campfire at the Hacienda, enjoy the lights on Main Street and the Christmas trees, visit the shops, and more.
Starting mid-November, area tree farms are ready to help you find your perfect tree. Walk among the rows to find just the right height, width, and type! Local farms specialize in the well-loved Frasier Fir, but you can also find White Pine and Blue Spruce trees, wreaths, and garlands at farms in the High Country.
You’ve crossed Grandfather’s Mile-High Swinging Bridge and been hiking at Bass Lake, enjoyed a show at the Shaefer Center and ridden the rails at Tweetsie, and now you’re looking for more. Or perhaps you just like to find those out-of-the-way gems first. Below, we’ve outlined a great weekend of activities and sights that are sometimes overlooked, but should definitely be experienced! You’ll get a good dose of local history, culture, and personality, as well as leg-stretching activity with this lineup.
The first Blowing Rock WinterFest was presented in 1998, created to bring celebration to a sleepy season. More than two decades later, the festival continues with a refresh of past events and a reprise of the newest ones. At the 2020 edition of Blowing Rock WinterFest on Thursday, January 23 through Sunday, January 26, everyone is again encouraged: don’t hibernate; celebrate! The newest events include the K9 Keg Pull and the Snow Making Demonstration, which both debuted in 2019. The first K9 Keg Pull was an instant hit, and this year’s event will be relocated to a venue with greater crowd capacity to accommodate anticipated attendance. Exciting and whimsical, the family-friendly event will be set up along Park Avenue on Saturday, January 25. The street will be closed to traffic for the Pull. You can register your pup to compete! The Snow Making Demonstration returns on Saturday as well, hosted by Brad Panovich, Chief Meteorologist at WCNC Charlotte, in Memorial Park on Main Street. He will explain the science of snow with the assistance of a simple snow-making rig. Plus, he’s always happy to answer questions about weather, so stop by to watch the snow and say hello! “Saturday’s list of events is full of crowd favorites- from Ice Carving to the K9 Keg Pull there is plenty to enjoy,” says Suzy Barker, festival coordinator. “Having Park Avenue closed to traffic will allow for safe and easy flow between Memorial Park and the events along the street.” The 2020 Winterfest will welcome the return of an older event, as well: the Friday Night Concert! Four local acts will take the stage: Handlebar Betty, Ben Parker, The Stewarts, and Roscoe Rose. The concert also marks the Grand Re-opening of the auditorium at Blowing Rock School, which has seen significant renovations. A few staple events are getting a refresh for the new decade. Saturday’s Chili Challenge will see the return of a judges panel, which will decide who gets the coveted trophy. Attendees are still invited to try all the chilis and pick their favorite! “The Rotary Chili Challenge will have two winners this year, People’s Choice and Celebrity Judges pick. This change is sure to heat up the challenge,” says Suzy. The WinterFest Beer Garden will move to be adjacent to the relocated K9 Keg Pull, hosting local breweries on the lawn at the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce. This brings one more event even closer to downtown shopping & dining. The Winter Paws Dog Show welcomes a new coordinating host, local Girl Scout Troop 02738, and new benefitting charity, Partners Canines. Bring your pet to compete or enjoy the fun from the audience. There’s so much more packed into the weekend that you won’t want to miss. Take a chilly dip at the Polar Bear Plunge, or watch the jumpers from beside the firepit if that’s more your speed. John Carter of WBTV Charlotte returns as emcee, and the participant costumes are sure to delight. Sample local delicacies at WinterFeast (seats already nearly sold-out), view the latest winter and spring looks at the WinterFashion Show, help raise funds for charity at the Wine Tasting & Auction, take a hayride through Blowing Rock, and enjoy glittering sculptures at the Ice Carving Demonstrations and the Ice Stroll. Lots of festival activities are free, some are ticketed. For a full and expandable schedule of events, tickets, lodging packages, and participation information, go to blowingrockwinterfest.com. Tickets and info are also available by calling 828-295-7851. Blowing Rock is accessible from anywhere in the region, less than two hours from Charlotte and Greensboro, three hours from Knoxville and Raleigh, and five hours from Atlanta and Charleston. A wide range of accommodations is available; visit blowingrock.com/accommodations for details. WinterFest, which has been named a AAA “Top Pick” and a Top 20 Event by Southeastern Tourism Society, is organized by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce and presented by Hendrick Luxury Group.
Blowing Rock and the surrounding area is a winter wonderland, with snowy views, warm places offering cozy respite, and great winter sports. Spend a day with this suggested itinerary for a truly memorable winter experience!
The High Country has several iconic attractions, and it takes more than one day to see all the best known sites. If you are looking for a sight-seeing adventure or just want to revisit all your favorites, check out this itinerary! Day one: Afternoon at Tweetsie Railroad (Mid April through October) Tweetsie Railroad is NC’s first theme park, and an enduring icon in the High Country. Take the kids or release your inner child with rides, shows, and characters. Historic steam locomotives pull passenger cars around along a two-mile track through beautiful mountain scenes for a fun Wild West show. In October, weekend evenings become spooktacular during the Ghost Train Halloween Festival. Less than 10 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock on Hwy 321, allow 4+ hours. www.tweetsie.com Dinner in Blowing Rock Try Foggy Rock, a local favorite spot for American Food with a friendly atmosphere. Or take in the views at Wheelie’s Refresher, with a deck that overlooks areas in the Pisgah National Forest. See more dining options at http://www.blowingrock.com/services/restaurants/ Day 2: Morning : Blue Ridge Parkway and Grandfather Mountain (year round, weather permitting) Before heading out to Grandfather Mountain, visit the Parkway Craft Center (open March-November) to get a great start to the day. The Craft Center is located inside the historic home of Moses H. Cone, who built the mansion at the turn of the 20th century. The house holds crafts and fine arts created by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, offering a look at traditional arts and processes. The manor house overlooks the Blowing Rock area and offers lots of photographic opportunities on the front porch. Less than 10 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock at milepost 296 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Access Blue Ridge Parkway from Hwy 221 south, head North on Parkway for one mile. Allow 1 hour. http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/retail-shops/parkway-craft-center/ From the Parkway Craft Center, head south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Grandfather Mountain. On the way you’ll enjoy breathtaking vistas and wooded settings, as well as the iconic view of Price Lake. On the south slopes of Grandfather Mountain rests the Linn Cove Viaduct, a marvel of engineering that allowed the preservation of the pristine slopes below. Designed and constructed with the landscape in mind, only the trees directly under the roadway were cut. The s-curve bridge is exciting to drive across, offering an experience like no other as the roadway seems to rush into the sky. About 20 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock, milepost 304.6 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Best photos are on approach on the north side. No pedestrians are allowed on the Viaduct. A trail from the Linn Cove Visitor Center on south side of the Viaduct provides access to the underside of the structure. http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=873 Just after the Linn Cove Viaduct is the exit to Grandfather Mountain (open year round, weather permitting). At admission, a great cd guide is available to play in your car as you travel up the access road. Grandfather Mountain is home to a natural history museum, animal habitats and observation areas, and the Mile High Swinging Bridge. You can drive all the way to the top where incredible views can be enjoyed from the bridge and cliffs. There are also plenty of leg-stretching trails to enjoy, where you can experience the various ecosystems on the mountain up-close. About 25 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock on Hwy 221 in Linville. From the Parkway, look for the exit for Hwy 221 to Grandfather Mountain. Turn right to head south on Hwy 221 and travel one mile to the entrance gate to Grandfather. Allow 3+ hours. www.grandfather.com Lunch: Grandfather Mountain. There are lots of great picnic spots on the Mountain. You can bring a picnic to enjoy, or grab one from Mildred’s Grill by the natural history museum on Grandfather. If you opt to dine inside at the Grill, the large windows offer great views of feeding areas for wild birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. Afternoon: The Original Mast General Store The Mast General Store in Valle Crucis was built in 1883 and is still a working store and post office. Find all kinds of supplies, toys, housewares, and old-fashioned candies while enjoying original floors and a funky layout that only comes from decades of existence. The store is a major historic attraction and a step back in time. The entire community of Valle Crucis is worth seeing for the same reasons. The name means “Vale of the Cross” for the waterways that crisscross the valley. It’s as beautiful as the name implies. About 20 minutes from Grandfather Mountain (25 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock), allow 1+ hours. http://www.mastgeneralstore.com/ Dinner in Boone or Blowing Rock The Dan’l Boone Inn is a favorite restaurant of many and has become almost synonymous with dining in Boone. Meals are served family style, and the menu features southern staples. In Blowing Rock, you can enjoy a more upscale experience at one of two quintessential High Country restaurants: the AAA 4-Diamond Gamekeeper or the long-established Best Cellar. More dining options at http://www.blowingrock.com/services/restaurants/ Day 3: Morning: The Blowing Rock and downtown Blowing Rock The Blowing Rock (open year round, weather permitting) is NC’s first travel attraction and the town’s namesake. The view is incomparable, and the near-constant winds inspired a Native legend about the site. An impressive observation deck offers nearly 365-degree views, while a pretty loop trail is a relaxing way to enjoy the scenery. The rock itself is a perfect place to take a bucket-list photo! About 5 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock off Valley Boulevard/Hwy 321. Allow at least 30 minutes. www.theblowingrock.com We feel that no attractions tour of the High Country is complete without a visit to downtown Blowing Rock! The quaint village-like atmosphere is uncommon nowadays and there is plenty to enjoy. Stroll along the welcoming streets to see unique shops and galleries, and take a break in the large Memorial Park right on Main Street. Have lunch at one of many eateries downtown before you head back home! Looking for more iconic
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