Food and drink! Music and artworks! Seasonal celebrations galore! Pick your favorite festival theme and start planning.
MAY
May 1-7 – Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival comes to Winchester, Virginia.
May 1-11 – The Acoustic Sunsets at Hamilton Gardens Spring Series brings live music performances, food trucks, art vendors and more to Hiawassee, Georgia, every Thursday evening.
May 1-14 – Take a trip to Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for their Rhododendron Festival.
May 1-25 – Biltmore Blooms celebrates spring at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina.
May 1–June 11– Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival celebrates all things spring at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
May 1-Nov. 2 – Italian Renaissance Alive! continues at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina.
May 4-6 – The Tennessee Mountain Jeep Jamboree rolls into Oak Ridge for two days of off-roading fun.
May 5–7 – Staunton Jams slams into Staunton, Virginia.
May 5-6 – Community School’s Strawberry Festival sweetens downtown Roanoke, Virginia.
May 5-6 – Clinch River Spring Antique Fair comes to downtown Clinton, Tennessee.
May 5-7 – The Greenbrier Concourse d’Elegance comes to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, at The Greenbrier for a gathering of the world’s most luxurious and exotic automobiles.
May 6 – Budbreak Wine & Craft Beer Festival takes place on Main Street in Mount Airy, North Carolina, with wineries from the Yadkin Valley.
May 6 – Gran Fondo Hincapie lands in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
May 6 – Bigfoot Festival tromps into Townsend, Tennessee. Pine Mountain Naturalists’ Rally packs Pound, Virginia, with outdoor activities.
May 6 – It’s Kids Fishing Day in the town park at Narrows, Virginia.
May 6-7 – Apple Blossom Festival comes to East Ellijay, Georgia.
May 6-7 & 13-14 – Southern Blooms Festival happens at Rock City Gardens near Chattanooga at Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
May 7 – TacoRitas celebrates Latin music with a taco and chili-pepper eating contest in Roanoke, Virginia.
May 11-13 – SpringSkunk Music Fest arrives in Greer, South Carolina.
May 12 – Sippin’ in Simpsonville: Summer Beer Tasting arrives in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
May 12-14 – Mount Rogers Naturalists’ Rally brings history and heritage to Konnarock, Virginia.
May 12-14 – Mayfest is a three-day festival in downtown Pilot Mountain that includes live music, handcrafted arts and crafts, plants and flowers and tasty festival food.
May 12-14 – Check out the Artisphere of Greenville, South Carolina.
May 12-14 – New River Gorge Festival comes to ACE Adventure Resort in Oak Hill, West Virginia.
May 12-14 – Mayfest blooms in Strasburg, Virginia.
May 13 – Of Ale and History Beer Festival moves into Middletown, Virginia. Check out KidzFest in Winchester, Virginia. Of These Mountains Spring Marketplace comes to Clayton, Georgia.
May 13 – The Hiawassee Wine Festival comes to Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and features over 30 wineries, live music, delicious food and stunning views of rhododendron gardens.
May 19 –Georgia Mountains Fairgrounds’ Concert Series kicks off with the Beach Boys. Also: Happy Together Tour June 3 and Travis Tritt June 10.
May 19-21 – The Greek Festival arrives in Greenville, South Carolina.
May 19-20 – Sevierville’s Bloomin’ BBQ Music & Food Festival spices and sweetens Tennessee.
May 19-21 – Appalachian Trail Days comes back to Damascus, Virginia, with all kinds of fun.
May 19-21 – Patrick County hosts the Third Annual Flying Horseman Ranch Fly-In.
May 19-28 – The Fair at Heritage Park arrives in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
May 20 – The Virginia Fest dives into the Devils Backbone Brewing Company-Base Camp at Roseland, Virginia.
May 20 – Venture to Vinton, Virginia, for the Vinton Palooza, a music festival with crafts and food.
May 20 – Brewfest taps into local craft beers, bands and brats at the Mountain Lake Lodge at Pembroke, Virginia, in Giles County.
May 20 – Art in the Park blows into Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
May 20 – The Strawberry Festival ripens the air in Stuart, Virginia.
May 20 – Brewridge Music Festival tunes up in Pearisburg, Virginia.
May 20 – Go to the New Market Community Park to find the New Market Jammin’ Food Fest with food trucks and music in Virginia.
May 20 – Take a taste of wine at the Mountain Laurel Festival, held near the Morgan County Courthouse in downtown Wartburg, Tennessee.
May 20 – The Children’s Festival of Reading is back at the World’s Fair Park in Knoxville, Tennessee.
May 20 – Sample wineries and enjoy live music at the Yadkin Valley Wine Festival in Elkin Municipal Park at Elkin, North Carolina.
May 20 – Local Colors Festival hits Roanoke, Virginia.
May 20 –Support Dalton, Georgia, charities by attending the Dalton Civitan Club Music Festival.
May 20-21 – In Knoxville, Tennessee, come see the Southern Skies Music Festival at the World’s Fair Park.
May 20-21 –Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival and Games happens at the Townsend, Tennessee, visitor center.
May 20-21 – Go see the Dahlonega Arts and Wine Festival in Georgia.
May 21 – You may smell like a skunk but there’s a prize if you eat the most ramps at the Ramp Festival of Whitetop, Virginia.
May 24-27 – The Ralph Stanley Hills of Home Festival comes to Southwest Virginia at McClure.
May 25-June 18 & July 6-30 – Upstate Shakespeare Festival arrives in Greenville, South Carolina.
May 26 – Memorial Festival and Parade marches through Shenandoah, Virginia, in Page County.
May 26-27 – Scottish Games arrives in Greenville, South Carolina.
May 26-27 – Newtown Heritage Festival comes to Stephens City, Virginia.
May 26-28 – Festival in the Park returns to Roanoke, Virginia, with performing arts and much more.
May 26-28 – Gospel Music at Dominion Valley Park arrives in Stuart, Virginia.
May 26-28 – West Virginia Dandelion Festival blooms at White Sulphur Springs.
May 26-28 – Enjoy a weekend of Gospel music at Dominion Valley Park in Stuart, Virginia.
May 26-28 – Hiawassee Pro Rodeo comes to Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds.
May 27 – Gathering in the Gap comes to Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
May 27 – Stroll Plumb Alley Day’s craft and flea market in Abingdon, Virginia.
May 27 – Jeep Jam rolls into Gate City, Virginia.
May 27 – Alderson Strawberry Festival sprouts at Alderson, West Virginia.
May 27 – See ValleyFest at Massanutten Resort in Virginia.
May 27-28 – Spring Arts in the Park livens up Blue Ridge, Georgia, at the downtown Blue Ridge City Park.
May 27-28 – Hendersonville’s Main Street becomes a giant nursery garden with eight blocks of plants at Garden Jubilee in North Carolina.
May 27-28 – Art on the Greene begins in Banner Elk, North Carolina.
May 28 – Find the Memorial Day Cookout and Barbeque at the Dillard House in Dillard, Georgia.
May 31 – Tour of the Town offers food sampling and more at Waynesboro, Virginia.
JUNE
June 1-3 – Lift up to the air with the Helen to the Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race in Helen, Georgia.
June 1-3 – Mountain Music Festival comes to ACE Adventure Resort in Oak Hill, West Virginia.
June 1-4 – North Carolina Trail Days Festival hikes into Elkin, North Carolina.
June 1 – July 31, each Friday night; also August 4 and September 15. Take a drive to Dalton, Georgia’s Burr Performing Arts Park for their Off the Rails Concert Series. Enjoy live music in a variety of genres including bluegrass, Latino, blues, country, rock, indie and more.
June 2-3 – Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival stars at the Historic Grove Theatre in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
June 2-3 – In Virginia, Troutville Trail Days stomps into town.
June 2-3 – North Georgia Sings Gospel Music Festival gets in key at Clayton, Georgia.
June 2-3 – The Clinch River Days flows into St. Paul, Virginia.
June 2-4 – Come for the carnival and circus at the Poke Sallet Festival in the heart of Harlan, Kentucky.
June 2-4 – See the Dolly Fest to celebrate Dolly Parton at Knoxville, Tennessee. Riverbend Festival charges into Chattanooga, Tennessee.
June 3 – Bike Boat Brew Bark comes to Knoxville, Tennessee.
June 3 – GardenFest blooms at the Belle Grove Plantation, Middletown, Virginia.
June 3 – Slip into Spartanburg, South Carolina at Barnet Park for the Sparkle City Rhythm & Ribs.
June 3 – North Carolina Trails and Trains Festival rolls into Old Fort.
June 3 – In Haysi, Virginia, come see Trail Day. Gospel Fest offers gospel music at Lebanon, Virginia.
June 3 – Bakersville and Spruce Pine, North Carolina, host their kids fishing Troutaculars.
June 3 – Oak Ridge, Tennessee’s annual Dogwood Masters Regatta is back to mark the unoffical start of the summer racing season.
June 3 – Take a jaunt to Ranson, West Virginia, for the Ranson Festival & Car Show.
June 3-4 – Taubman Museum of Art presents Sidewalk Art Show in downtown Roanoke, Virginia.
June 4-10 – Best Friend Festival unites folks in Norton, Virginia.
June 6 – The National Day of Caves & Karst carves into the calendar at Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
June 6 – The Mountain Quiltfest warms up Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
June 8-10 – Ring in the summer a little early at the Beach Music Festival at Wayside Park in Stuart, Virginia.
June 8-11 – Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show trots into Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
June 9-10 – Laurel Cove Music Festival comes to the Cove Amphitheater inside Kentucky’s Pine Mountain State Resort Park.
June 9-10 – Cedar Fest takes over Main Street in Lebanon, Virginia, with live bluegrass and country performances.
June 9-10 – Abingdon Old-Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention makes its way to the Washington County Fairgrounds in Abingdon, Virginia.
June 9-10 – Pearisburg Festival in the Park pops into Pearisburg, Virginia.
June 9-10 – The Summer British in the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Rally rolls into Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Georgia.
June 9-11 – High Country Jazz Festival comes to Boone, North Carolina.
June 9-11 – Vie en Rosé Arts & Wine Festival lands in Flat Rock, North Carolina.
June 9-18 – Chautauqua History Comes Alive Festival arrives in Greenville, South Carolina.
June 9-22 – Mess Fest Weeks include a chocolate slip ’n’ slide at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Luray, Virginia.
June 10-17 – Juneteenth GVL Mega Fest arrives in Greenville, South Carolina.
June 10 – North Carolina Ground Steak Festival sizzles into Dobson, North Carolina.
June 10 – Hop Blossom Craft Beer Festival offers tasty suds in Old Town Winchester, Virginia.
June 10 – BoCo Wild lands on the James River at Buchanan, Virginia, with outdoor activities.
June 10 – Art in the Park returns to Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
June 10 – Celebrate animals with the Woofstock Pet Festival at Chilhowie, Virginia.
June 10 – Venture to downtown Spruce Pine, North Carolina, for the Alien Festival, featuring an Area 52 costume contest and a visit from Mark Bara from Ancient Aliens.
June 14-16 – The kids will love attending Bug Camp 2023, back at the UT Arboretum in Oak RIdge for the first time since 2019.
June 15-17 – The Boonerang Music & Arts Festival can be found at Boone, North Carolina.
June 15-17 – Mountain Grrl Experience revs up at Pikeville, Kentucky, with a showcase of women and art.
June 15-17 – The Juneteenth Celebration hops into Spartanburg, South Carolina.
June 15-18 – Canaan Mountain Bike Festival takes off in Tucker County, West Virginia.
June 16-17 – Bushels and Barrels shows up at Reynolds Homestead in Critz, Virginia.
June 16-17 – Maury River Fiddlers’ Convention, Glen Maury Park, moves into Buena Vista, Virginia.
June 16-18 – Drawing hundreds of visitors each year, the NC Rhododendron Festival returns this year with two nights of street dancing, a pageant, live music and more.
June 17 – The Wayne Henderson Music Festival & Guitar Competition tunes up at Virginia’s Grayson Highlands State Park.
June 17 – Go see the High Knob Music Festival at Norton, Virginia.
June 17 – Best.Weekend.Ever. brings music and kids’ stuff to downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia.
June 17 – Hiker Fest marches into Waynesboro, Virginia, near the Appalachian Trail.
June 17 – Take a trip to Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for their Lavender Festival, the Southeast’s longest-running lavender fest.
June 17 – Ranson, West Virginia, hosts the WV Heritage Fest featuring live music, vendors, a pepperoni roll bake off and more.
June 17-18 – Rhododendron Festival comes to Roan Mountain at the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
June 17–24 – Chautauqua Festival rolls into Wytheville, Virginia.
June 17–Aug. 6 – Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration offers music and food in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
June 23-24 – Star City Motor Madness fires up Roanoke, Virginia.
June 23-24 – All Things Bright and Beautiful Flower Festival at St. James Episcopal Church comes to Clayton, Georgia.
June 23-24 – Elkin Roots Music Fest is back at Reeves Theater in Elkin, North Carolina.
June 23-25 – Redwing Roots Music Festival can be found at the Natural Chimneys of Mount Solon, Virginia.
June 24 – Hops in the Hills comes to Maryville, Tennessee.
June 24 – Shenandoah Valley ArtFest comes to the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds in Woodstock, Virginia.
June 24 – Go With the Flow Brewfest flows into Fries, Virginia.
June 24 – You can also tap into the Brewfest of Knoxville, Tennessee.
June 24-25 – Made in Georgia Festival comes to Towns County Conference and Recreation Center at Young Harris, Georgia.
June 24-25 – The new Maggie Valley Fly Fishing Festival comes to the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds in Haywood County, North Carolina.
June 28-July 1– The Stanley Homecoming in Page County, Virginia, offers homespun fun with carnival rides at Stanley.
June 28 – July 9 – Salem Fair features fireworks and carnival rides at Salem, Virginia.
June 28-29 – Bank of Botetourt Beach Music Festival, Glen Maury Park, comes to Buena Vista, Virginia.
June 29-July 27 – The Acoustic Sunsets at Hamilton Gardens Summer Series kicks off at Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds on Thursday evenings.
June 30 – Celebrate Independence Day at North Carolina’s Elkin Municipal Park’s FreedomFest with fireworks, live music, kids activities, food vendors and more.
Discover More Great 2023 Mountain Festivals & Events:
- July-August 2023 Festival & Event Guide
- September-October 2023 Festival & Event Guide
- November-December 2023 Festival & Event Guide
The story above first appeared in our May / June 2023 issue.
