Montford Music & Arts Festival
16 May 2014
One of the largest one-day festivals in North Carolina, the annual Montford Music & Arts Festival has been going strong for over ten years. During the event, visitors can enjoy hundreds of arts and crafts shops, flower stalls, food stands and play areas, across two historical, tree-lined streets. Shopping, eating and sightseeing is accompanied by musical performances from over 15 acts, dancing and storytelling showcases. Aside from the stalls, tourists can enjoy the traditional architecture of the area, which is known for its impressive number of Neoclassical and Colonial Revival style homes built between 1890 and 1920.
Montford Music & Arts Festival, Montford, Asheville, North Carolina, USA, +1 828 699 8604
Faerie & Earth Festival
17 May 2014
The day-long Faerie & Earth Festival celebrates the ethereal world of magic and childhood innocence. Visitors can purchase faerie merchandise, listen to soothing music, watch a faerie performance troupe or transform into a fairy themselves with the help of an expert face painter. The event takes place in the Highland Lake Cove, an idyllic retreat and learning centre surrounded by sheer natural beauty. Visitors to the festival can choose to sleep overnight on-site where a series of cabins, restaurants, and relaxing, outdoor activities make for an ideal weekend retreat.
Faerie & Earth Festival, 2014 Highland Lake Cove, 215 Rhett Drive, Flat Rock, North Carolina, USA, +1 828 243 8918
Carolina Blues Festival
17 May 2014
This historic celebration of Blues music has been ongoing since 1987 when it was inaugurated in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina’s most populous metropolis. Each year an act is recognised with the ‘Keepin’ the Blues Alive’ award in celebration of this cherished musical genre. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets or towels on which to relax during the event and enjoy a beverage from the large selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. The Carolina Blues Festival is organised by the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society, a non-profit organisation dedicated to keeping a thriving blues scene in motion.
Carolina Blues Festival, P.O. Box 9737, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Artsplosure – Raleigh Arts Festival
17 – 18 May 2014
This year’s event celebrates 35 years of the Artsplosure Raleigh Arts Festival. The festival is a visual art market featuring over 170 arts and craft exhibitors from all over North Carolina and beyond. Visitors can expect to see large, commissioned, visual arts displays, aerial acrobatics and musical presentations by jazz, blues and alternative music performers. There will also be a a student art exhibition showcasing the finest creations by the local youth.
Artsplosure – Raleigh Arts Festival, 313 South Blount Street, Suite 200B, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, +1 919 832 8699
Aurora Fossil Festival
23 – 25 May 2014
Founded in 1994 by the Aurora/Richland Township Chamber of Commerce, the Aurora Fossil Festival is an educational event and a collaboration with the Aurora Fossil Museum. The event presents an opportunity to engage with the public on the history of fossils, many of which were sourced from the nearby Texas Gulf mine. Visitors can also meander through the numerous outdoor stalls and shopping venues at the event, with artisans and exhibitors showcasing arts and crafts, jewellery, clothing, pottery, photography and excellent food. A lineup of musicians will play throughout the festival, adding a celebratory element to what could easily be seen as a serious affair.
Aurora Fossil Festival, Main Street, Aurora, North Carolina, USA
North Carolina Blueberry Festival
21 June 2014
Located in Burgaw, this event is an annual celebration held within the community since 2004. The event will take place on the third Saturday in June and the small town swells to accommodate visitors, with 30,000 expected to attend this year. The whole town is decorated in hues of blue and everyone gets involved in this day of communal pride. Visitors can view and take part in over twenty different events including, but not limited to, live entertainment, a car show, a street-side fair, a barbeque cook-off and a 5k run. The North Carolina Blueberry Festival is a great way to learn about the economic and cultural importance that blueberries have had in North Carolina since the 1930’s.
North Carolina Blueberry Festival, P.O. Box, 1554, Burgaw, North Carolina, USA, +1 910259 2007
North Carolina Apple Festival
30 August – 01 September 2014
This Main Street event in downtown Hendersonville is a celebration of apples and apple production. Visitors will see numerous arts/crafts exhibitions, live music entertainment, food stalls and open houses, plus special activities for children and apple growers. The festival also features a spectacle of floats with performing youth groups, bands and antique cars. On the final day the North Carolina Apple Festival culminates in the King Apple Parade which coincides with the American holiday Labor Day, which occurs annually on the first Monday of September.
North Carolina Apple Festival, 318 North Main Street, Suite 7, Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA, +1 828 697 4557
North Carolina Gourd Festival
06 – 07 September 2014
Entering into its 73rd year in 2014, this annual festival celebrates all things gourd. The North Carolina Gourd Festival was formed by the North Carolina Gourd Society, who first met as a group in Cary in 1937. In addition to learning about the history and growth of the society, festival visitors have the opportunity to sample cuisine which uses gourd as a key ingredient and to use the vegetable to create exciting crafts. The festival also shows exotic uses for gourds and the interesting ways that the vegetable has been used in households since its discovery. In addition, a quirky awards show recognises the producers of the heaviest, longest, and most well-carved gourds, with masks, animals, bowls, jewelry and more being carved from this adaptable legume.
North Carolina Gourd Society, 2713 Peachtree Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, +1 919 696 0744
Madison Heritage Festival
04 October 2014
The annual Madison Heritage Festival was begun in 2006 when the local community decided to create a yearly event to celebrate the area’s heritage and culture. The festival is based in the old downtown area and visitors can enjoy a number of craft stalls, artist exhibitions, food and drink and more, all centered around the historical clock tower. Entertainment includes musical performances from local country and classical rock musicians.
Madison Heritage Festival Inc., PO Box 696, Madison, North Carolina, USA, +1 336 548 2305, +1 336 427 2112
True Nature Country Fair
04 October 2014
Highland Lake Cove is an ideal natural environment for the True Nature Country Fair, where families and other visitors can purchase regional products sold by community vendors showcasing the best of local, organic and sustainable produce. Visitors can learn about the importance of sustainable living, with a specialised programme created just for children. Its the perfect place to enjoy a guided nature walk, enjoy local cuisine and relax to the sound of world music.
True Nature Country Fair, 2014 Highland Lake Cove, 215 Rhett Drive, Flat Rock, North Carolina, USA, +1 828 243 8918