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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
