Warmer days are coming, and so is festival season! From vibrant arts and cultural celebrations to culinary showcases and beloved community traditions, these can't-miss events are just a sampling of what's taking place throughout the mountains of the South in the late winter and early spring.
Jared Worsham | Dogwood Arts
Knoxville, Tennessee’s Dogwood Arts Festival, slated for April 25-27, is a celebration of all things arts and culture.
Thru March 1 — Elk Watching Tours. Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
Thru March 2 — Celtic Calling Gathering. Charleston, West Virginia.
Thru March 2 — Chuck Wagon Cookoff Weekend & Competition. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Thru April 30 — Lamb Cuddles. Deep Gap, North Carolina.
March 1 — Downtown Carnival. Culpeper, Virginia.
March 1 — Fasnacht. Helvetia, West Virginia.
March 1 — Rose Glen Literary Festival. Sevierville, Tennessee.
March 1 — Tommy Jarrell Celebration. Mount Airy, North Carolina.
March 6-8 — Winter Carnival of Magic. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
March 7 — Twilight Hikes. Delaplane, Virginia.
March 7-8, 11-14 — Joye in Aiken. Aiken, South Carolina.
The Biltmore
Savor the sights and sounds of spring at Asheville, North Carolina’s Biltmore Blooms, March 21-May 22.
March 7-9 — Pride Weekend. Snowshoe, West Virginia.
March 8-9, 15-16 — Highland County Maple Festival. Highland County, Virginia.
March 9 — Sugar Mountain Resort Easter Egg Hunt. Sugar Mountain, North Carolina.
March 9 — Sugar Bear's Birthday Celebration. Sugar Mountain, North Carolina.
March 9, 13-20 — Irish Spring Festival. Ireland, West Virginia.
March 14 — Shenandoah Valley Plant Symposium. Waynesboro, Virginia.
March 14-16 — George Washington’s Bathtub Celebration. Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
March 14-16 — Wellness Weekend Retreat. Bledsoe, Kentucky.
March 14-April 13 — I Will Always Love You Music Festival. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
March 15 — 82nd Running of the Aiken Trials. Aiken, South Carolina.
March 15 — Mountain State Maple Days. Marlinton, West Virginia.
March 15 — St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. Martinsburg, West Virginia.
March 15 — St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival. Greenville, South Carolina.
March 15 — St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Shamrock Festival. Roanoke, Virginia.
March 15 — Vernal Pool Adventures. Delaplane, Virginia.
March 15-16 — Maple Syrup Festival. Pickens, West Virginia.
March 15-16 — Meltdown Games. Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
March 16-23 — The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival. Asheville, North Carolina.
March 18-23 — Easter Arts & Craft Show. Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Billie Wheeler Ellen Reid Sound Walk Ensemble
March 27-30, nearly 200 performances will take place in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, as part of the annual Big Ears Festival.
March 20-22 — Banff Mountain Film Festival. Boone, North Carolina.
March 20-23 — Old Time Music Get Together. Floyd, Virginia.
March 20-23 — Virginia Festival of the Book. Charlottesville, Virginia.
March 21-22 — The East Kentucky Stampede Championship Rodeo. Pikeville, Kentucky.
March 21-22 — The West Virginia Comedy Festival. Clarksburg, West Virginia.
March 21-May 22 — Biltmore Blooms. Asheville, North Carolina.
March 22 — Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival. Chattanooga, Tennessee.
March 22 — History Day. New Market, Virginia.
March 22 — Season End Celebration. Sugar Mountain, North Carolina.
March 22-23 — Come Celebrate Lavender Conference. Wytheville, Virginia.
March 22-23 — Film Festival. Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
March 27-30 — Big Ears Festival. Knoxville, Tennessee.
March 28-29 — Georgia String Band Festival. Calhoun, Georgia.
March 28-30 — Reedy Reels Film Festival. Greenville, South Carolina.
March 29 — 36th Annual Trout Tournament. Helen, Georgia.
March 29 — Magnolia Market. Cleveland, Tennessee.
April 2-4 — 18th Annual Literary Festival. Clemson, South Carolina.
April 4 — Music in the Mountains Spring Parade. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
April 4-5 — Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival. Hiawassee, Georgia.
April 4-5 — Hub City Hog Fest. Spartanburg, South Carolina.
April 4-5 — James Wimmer Bristol Bluegrass Spring Fest. Bristol, Virginia.
City of Fountain Inn
Mac Arnold Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival will be held in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, on April 12.
April 4-6 — Toccoa Ritz Bluegrass Festival. Toccoa, Georgia.
April 5 — 45th Annual Blowing Rock Trout Derby. Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
April 5 — Chalk Walk Live Art Competition. Knoxville, Tennessee.
April 5 — Hot Slaw & Art Y'all Festival. Cleveland, Tennessee.
April 5 — iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival. Greenville, South Carolina.
April 5 — Rockbridge Bull & Oyster Fest. Lexington, Virginia.
April 5 — Tweetsie Railroad Opening Day. Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
April 10-13 — Down by Downtown. Roanoke, Virginia.
April 11-13 — Wildflower Weekend. Bledsoe, Kentucky.
April 12 — Chocolate Festival. Lewisburg, West Virginia.
April 12 — Feast of the Ramson. Richwood, West Virginia.
April 12 — Georgia Mountain Trail Fest. Ellijay, Georgia.
April 12 — Mac Arnold Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival. Fountain Inn, South Carolina.
April 12 — Rocktown Author Festival. Harrisonburg, Virginia.
April 12 — The Ultimate Spring Fest. Ringgold, Georgia.
April 12-13 — Rossini Festival. Knoxville, Tennessee.
April 12-May 11 — Hamilton Gardens Rhododendron Festival. Hiawassee, Georgia.
April 18-19 — Culpeperpalooza. Culpeper, Virginia.
April 18-June 8 — Flower & Food Festival. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
April 19 — Easter Hat Parade. Dillsboro, North Carolina.
Hub City Hog Fest
Hub City Hog Fest returns to Spartanburg, South Carolina, April 4-5, with mouth-watering barbecue and lively entertainment.
April 19 — Easter Market. Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
April 19 — Old Clarkesville Market Spring Show. Clarkesville, Georgia.
April 19 — Ramp It Up Festival. Oak Hill, West Virginia.
April 19 — Ramp Supper. Pickens, West Virginia.
April 19 — Wine & Music Festival. Lynchburg, Virginia.
April 23-26 — Bronco Super Celebration. Townsend, Tennessee.
April 24-26 — Hillbilly Days. Pikeville, Kentucky.
April 24-27 — MerleFest. Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
April 25-26 — Azalea Festival. Pickens, South Carolina.
April 25-26 — Dogwood Festival. Vinton, Virginia.
April 25-26 — Soirée 2025. Anderson, South Carolina.
April 25-27 — Asheville Herb Fest. Fletcher, North Carolina.
April 25-27 — Civil War Weekend. Buchanan, Virginia.
April 25-27 — Dogwood Arts Festival. Knoxville, Tennessee.
April 25-27 — Georgia Mountain Needle Arts Festival. Ellijay, Georgia.
April 25-May 4 — Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. Winchester, Virginia.
April 26 — Blue Ridge Arts & Crafts Festival: Spring Fest. Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
April 26 — Blues & Jazz Festival. Mauldin, South Carolina.
April 26 — Gnarly Culpeper Block Party & Brew Fest. Culpeper, Virginia.
April 26 — Greening Up the Mountains Festival. Sylva, North Carolina.
April 26 — Greer Goes Global International Festival. Greer, South Carolina.
Blue Ridge Arts and Crafts Festival
The ninth annual Blue Ridge Arts & Crafts Festival: Spring Fest kicks off in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, on April 26.
April 26 — Italian American Festival. Fountain Inn, South Carolina.
April 26 — Music and Arts Festival. Purcellville, Virginia.
April 26 — Ramp Supper. Helvetia, West Virginia.
April 26 — Ramps & Rails Festival. Elkins, West Virginia.
April 26 — Redbud Arts & Crafts Festival. Dayton, Virginia.
April 26 — Trout & Outdoor Adventures Festival. Blue Ridge, Georgia.
April 26 — WV Cupcake & Craft Beer Fest. Morgantown, West Virginia.
April 26-27 — Bear on the Square. Dahlonega, Georgia.
April 26-27 — Sassafras Artisan Market. Clayton, Georgia.
April 26-27 — Spring Garden Fair. Kingsport, Tennessee.
April 26-27 — Sweet Tea & Sunshine Family Festival. Cleveland, Tennessee.
April 28-May 3 — New River Birding & Nature Festival. Fayette, West Virginia.
April 30-May 3 — Mullens Dogwood Festival. Mullins, West Virginia.
The story above first appeared in our March / April 2025 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!