North Carolina Festivals
From the mountains to the coast, experience our state’s culture, foods and history at these annual festivals
Soak up North Carolina mountain culture at these annual festivals across the state, categorized by the mountains, Piedmont and coastal regions, and listed in order of date.
Mountain Festivals
Hillbilly Jam, Maggie Valley
July 21–23, 2022
thehillbillyjam.com
Maggie Valley’s largest festival celebrates North Carolina’s music and moonshine history and heritage. Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiners” will attend, along with crafters, and car and motorcycle enthusiasts.
Mayberry Days, Mount Airy
September 19–25, 2022
surryarts.org/mayberrydays
Celebrate “The Andy Griffith Show” in Griffith’s hometown. Journey back in time when life was simple: The town’s sheriff carried no gun, children fished in ponds and everyone knew each other’s names.
Woolly Worm Festival, Banner ElkOctober 15–16, 2022
woollyworm.com
Located near several North Carolina ski resorts, celebrate the upcoming ski season with a Groundhog’s Day–esque woolly worm forecast by a fuzzy caterpillar that predicts the severity of the coming winter.
More Festival Fun
MerleFest, Wilkes County
April 27–30, 2023
merlefest.org
Christmas in July Festival, West Jefferson
First weekend in July
highcountryhost.com/christmas-in-july-festival-west-jefferson-july-2-2022
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, Asheville
August 4–6, 2022
folkheritage.org/asheville-events/mountain-dance-and-folk-festival
Sourwood Festival, Black Mountain
August 13–14, 2022
exploreblackmountain.com/sourwood-festival
Dirty Dancing Festival, Lake Lure
September 10, 2022
dirtydancingfestival.com
Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival, Cashiers
October 7–9, 2022
villagegreencashiersnc.com/cashiers-valley-leaf-festival
Apple Harvest Festival, Waynesville
October 15, 2022
romanticasheville.com/apple-harvest-festival
Highlands Food & Wine Festival, Highlands
November 10–13, 2022
highlandsfoodandwine.com
Piedmont Festivals
Got to be NC Festival, Raleigh
May 2023
gottobencfestival.com
Celebrate what makes North Carolina great each May at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Offering carnival games, rides, live music, food fair, pig races and livestock shows, it’s spring’s answer to fall’s state fair.
Benson Mule Days, Benson
September 22–25, 2022
bensonmuledays.com
Consider this North Carolina’s answer to the Kentucky Derby. Instead of horses, mules take the spotlight. Enjoy a parade featuring local bands, floats, antique tractors, beauty queens, horses, wagons, buggies and, of course, mules.
North Carolina State Fair
October 13–23, 2022
ncstatefair.org
Explore North Carolina’s agriculture, agribusiness, arts, crafts and culture at this annual fair featuring amusement rides, live performances and culinary delights. From fried Oreo’s and donut burgers to atomic tots and lobster pops, you’ll find a wide range of twisted treats to try.
Barbecue Festival, Lexington
October 22, 2022
thebarbecuefestival.com
The age-old battle of eastern versus western barbecue divides families more than Tobacco Road basketball. The Barbecue Festival welcomes nearly 250,000 visitors, doing its part to prove that North Carolina is the barbecue capital of the world.
More Festival Fun
Brewgaloo, Raleigh
April 2023
shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo
North Carolina Pickle Festival, Mt. Olive
April 2023
ncpicklefest.org
Dreamville Festival, Raleigh
April 2023
dreamvillefest.com
Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, Fayetteville
April 2023
thedogwoodfestival.com/40th-fayetteville-dogwood-festival
Durham Blues & Brews Festival, Durham
May 2023
durhambluesandbrewsfestival.com
Pimento Cheese Festival
June 2023
townofcary.org
Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas, Charlotte
June 2023
juneteenthofthecarolinas.com
Festival for the Eno, Durham
July 2 and 4, 2022 (not held July 3)
enofest.org
IBMA World of Bluegrass, Raleigh
September 27–October 1, 2022
worldofbluegrass.org
Carolina BalloonFest, Statesville
October 14–16, 2022
carolinaballoonfest.com
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, Cary
November 2023–January 2024
facebook.com/ncchineselanternfestival
Costal Festivals
North Carolina 4th of July Festival, Southport
July 4, 2022
nc4thofjuly.com
This quintessential patriotic celebration featuring a flotilla procession and parade, has been hosted in Southport for more than 200 years, welcoming upwards of 50,000 revelers annually.
The Beaufort Pirate Invasion, Beaufort
September 23–25, 2022
beaufortpirateinvasion.com
Batten down the hatches! Every year, pirates invade Beaufort, once home to the infamous Blackbeard. This 1747 battle reenactment, when the town was attacked by Spanish pirates, features sea battles, sword fights, pirate pleasures and mermaids that will shiver your timbers.
Swansboro Mullet Festival, Swansboro
October 8–9, 2022
swansborofestivals.com/mullet-festival
The oldest festival on the Crystal Coast began as a tribute to the small, bony fish that fed workers building the White Oak River Bridge in 1954. Nowadays, the festival features fish fries, live music and a parade.
More Fun in the Sun
North Carolina Azalea Festival, Wilmington
April 12–16, 2023
ncazaleafestival.org
Outer Banks Watermelon Festival, Nags Head
August 4, 2022
kittyhawk.com/event/outer-banks-watermelon-festival
Fig Festival, Ocracoke
August 6–7, 2022
ocracokepreservationsociety.org
Outer Banks Kite Festival, Nags Head
September 9–11, 2022
kittyhawk.com/event/outer-banks-kite-festival
The North Carolina Seafood Festival, Morehead City
September 30–October 2, 2022
ncseafoodfestival.org
Ocean Fest, Surf City
October 7–8, 2022
theoceanfest.org
Mumfest, New Bern
October 8–9, 2022
mumfest.com
Holiday Flotilla, Beaufort
December 3, 2022
maritimefriends.org/christmas-flotilla-2022
“My parents used to live in Southport, and they always seem to be having some sort of festival there. My favorite is the one on the Fourth of July. For such a small town, the celebration is massive and so much fun.”