A year-round calendar of celebrations across the Blue Ridge — from the bloom of rhododendrons in June to apple butter in October and a Christmas parade to close out the year.
Mitchell County is home to a remarkable number of festivals and community events. The list below is sorted by what's coming up next. Dates shown are typical — please check each organizer's website for exact dates and times.
Third weekend of June · Downtown Bakersville
Bakersville's signature summer celebration, honoring the spectacular bloom of Catawba rhododendrons on nearby Roan Mountain. The festival features a parade, live music, arts and crafts vendors, a 10K road race, food, and the crowning of the festival queen.
Early August (4 days) · Spruce Pine
A long-running celebration of the mineral wealth of the Spruce Pine Mining District, featuring vendors selling gems, minerals, jewelry, beads, and fossils alongside demonstrations and family activities.
Mid-August · Penland School of Craft
Penland School of Craft hosts its annual benefit auction featuring hundreds of works by leading contemporary craft artists. The event supports scholarships and programs at this internationally known craft school.
Hosted by MCHSAnticipated fall of 2027 · Bakersville Creekwalk
MCHS anticipates bringing this beloved fall tradition back along the Bakersville Creekwalk in fall of 2027. Festival details will be shared as plans are confirmed.
Early December · Downtown Bakersville
The holiday season opens with a small-town Christmas parade through downtown Bakersville, complete with floats, fire trucks, music, and a visit from Santa.
First weekends of June and December · Mitchell & Yancey counties
A self-guided driving tour through Mitchell and Yancey counties where visitors meet working artists in their studios. One of the most respected studio tours in the Southeast.
A short record of one-time MCHS programs and tribute concerts from years past.
March 19, 2023 · Mitchell County
A concert tribute to the late Red Wilson, longtime Mitchell County fiddler whose music and broadcasts on WTOE shaped local Old-Time tradition.
Read more →November 11, 2019 · Mitchell County Senior Center, Ledger
MCHS hosted a Veterans Day program at the Mitchell County Senior Center in Ledger, honoring local veterans with stories, music, and a meal.
March 30, 2017 · Mitchell County
Samuel McKinney and Rhonda Gouge presented an afternoon of traditional mountain-style gospel music as part of the MCHS program series.
January 21, 2017 · Spruce Pine
MCHS hosted a Scan Day inviting community members to bring historical photographs and documents for digital scanning, so they could be preserved as part of the public record while originals stayed with their families.
January 21, 2017 · Bakersville
Companion Scan Day to the Spruce Pine event — the same offer of free digital scanning of community-held historical photos and documents, held in Bakersville for residents on that side of the county.
We'd love to highlight more of Mitchell County's community gatherings. If you organize a local festival, parade, or annual event, get in touch and we'll add it to this page.
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