By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 9, 2026
At a Glance
Horses and mules are banned on the Appalachian Trail except for about 35 miles inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There, Back Country Horsemen chapters and other equine groups pack chainsaws, fuel, and 100-pound loads …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 9, 2026
At a Glance
The fifth annual Earl Scruggs Music Festival, held Labor Day weekend 2026 at Tryon International in Mill Spring, was its largest yet according to Earl's nephew JT Scruggs. Headliners were Béla Fleck, Greensky Bluegrass and …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 9, 2026
At a Glance
Wine Walk Asheville returns for its fourth year on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m., with check-in at The Venue at 21 N. Market St. downtown. Ticket holders pick one of three …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 3, 2026
At a Glance
Music on the Porch is a free annual festival hosted by the Appalachian Women's Museum at Monteith Farmstead Park in Dillsboro, NC, running 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, September 5, 2026. The seventh annual event …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 2, 2026
At a Glance
Waynesville's Main Street is marking roughly four decades since its historic downtown was formally revitalized through North Carolina's Main Street Program, transforming a fading commercial strip into one of the region's most walkable small-town centers. …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · September 1, 2026
At a Glance
The NC Mountain State Fair returns to the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher this September with new midway rides, expanded food vendors, and a full slate of grandstand entertainment. The fair combines livestock competitions, 4-H …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 31, 2026
At a Glance
The Cashiers Designer Showhouse is a recurring event in Cashiers, North Carolina, where a mountain home is transformed room by room by a lineup of interior designers, then opened for public tours. It typically supports …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 28, 2026
At a Glance
Asheville's tourism recovery nearly two years after Hurricane Helene remains uneven, with hotel occupancy still below 2025 and 2019 levels while vacation rentals outperform. Explore Asheville is leaning on a packed fall events calendar, including …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 27, 2026
At a Glance
Western North Carolina county fairs, including Jackson, Macon, Swain and Haywood County events plus the regional N.C. Mountain State Fair in Fletcher, showcase farm and garden competitions …
By Jon Tharp, Broker · August 25, 2026
At a Glance
The Great New York State Fair, the nation's first state fair, turns 185 in 2026, running Aug. 26 through Sept. 7 in Syracuse. Its anniversary …