This Weekend Full of Arts and Crafts Festivals and Live Mountain Music Concerts

You know its summertime in the NC mountains when the streets and parks are busy with craft festivals and art markets and the sounds of both old time mountain music and new, up and coming local musicians performing with a backdrop of the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. Check out this weekend' events:

Art and Crafts Festivals and Events:

Date:      June 2 - 4, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE

Event:     14th Annual Gourd Artist Gathering    The event features exquisitely crafted gourd art. This year’s Cherokee Gourd Artists Gathering brings together collectors and exhibiting artists for a weekend of live demonstrations, classes, competitions and a spectacular art market offering stunning works of gourd art, materials, tools and supplies. Come see how an inexpensive, traditionally utilitarian component of the Cherokee household is transformed into a piece of artwork. Admission is free. 

Date:      June 3, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE 
Event:    Asheville Downtown Gallery Association Art Walk   Enjoy the fine art and craft of the Asheville Downtown Gallery Association and see on  of the reasons Asheville has been voted #1 small city in the country by the readers of American Style Magazine 2 years running. 20+ downtown venues participate with a complete  Downtown Gallery Guide and a map available at any participating downtown gallery, the Chamber of Commerce, or Pack Place.

Date:      June 3 - 4, 2016
NC City:  LITTLE SWITZERLAND
Event:     Artisan League of Little Switzerland Arts and Crafts Market    Unique handcrafted gifts, including woodwork, pottery, paintings, fiber arts, journals, jewelry, photography, literary works, prints, cards and aromatherapy. View or purchase the work of both emerging artists and award-winning professionals. 10 AM - 4 PM at Geneva Hall.

Date:      June 3 - 5, 2016
NC City:  SPRUCE PINE
Events:   Toe River Studio Tour   Grab the tour map and hit the road to visit artists in Mitchell and Yancey counties.  This year’s first tour includes over 100 artists and 10 galleries, Artists open their studios twice a year for the Toe River Studio tours. Enjoy meeting the artists in the premier craft destination in WNC. 

Date:      June 4, 2016
NC City:  OLD FORT
Event:     NC Gold Festival   This annual event, features gold exhibits, gold mining techniques and demonstrations, treasure and scavenger hunts, geo-caching, gold panning, numerous vendors including arts and crafts, raffles, Friday night kicks off the festival.

Date:       June 3-5, 2016
NC City:   WEST JEFFERSON
Event:     Ashe County Studio Tour    Tour the best Ashe County artists working in their own studios. This is a self-guided tour and maps and artist's biographies are available online. The event is sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council. 
  

Live Music and Concerts: 

Date:      June 3, 2016 
NC City:  WEST JEFFERSON  
Event:     Backstreet Park Summer Concert Series  Come enjoy the kickoff of this FREE summer concert series held  from May/June - August, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM, every 3rd and 4th Friday. Bring your chair, blanket or picnic and enjoy the sounds of traditional, old time, and bluegrass music for ages.  Rain locations: the Farmer's Market or the Ashe Arts Center. This concert features Wayne Henderson and Helen White. Wayne Henderson is a renowned finger-pickin' Appalachian guitar player and Helen White is an award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist.

 Date:      June 3, 2016
NC City:  CASHIERS 
Event:     Groovin' On The Green   This concert features " Joe Lasher Jr." (Rock & New Southern Country artist ).  Live summer music concert with great music in a stunning venue in the beautiful weather. The summer concert series is held on Friday at 6:30 pm at the Village Commons. (Frank Allen Road – Next to the Post Office). FREE event, but tips appreciated.  

Date:      June 3, 2016
NC City:  SYLVA 
Events:   Concerts on the Creek - Bobby Sullivan Trio   Live concerts held every Friday night between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day. The free outdoor performances take place at the Bridge Park Pavilion beside Scott Creek in downtown Sylva on Fridays from 7:30-9:30 PM. All shows are family-friendly, drawing diverse audiences comprised of locals and visitors alike.   

photo courtesy of the Blue Ridge Music Center

Date:      June 4, 2016 
NC City:  Just north of Boone in Galax VA
Event:     Blue Ridge Music Center Concert    This concert features "Big" Ron Hunter & the Martha Bassett Band    The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts

Date:       June 6, 2015
NC City:   HENDERSONVILLE
Event:      Monday Night Live concert series featuring The Low-Down Sires  These summer concerts are held at the Hendersonville Visitors Center. Bring a lawn chair, but no pets or alcohol. The seating area opens after 5:30pm and the concerts are from 7 PM - 9 PM.  

 Find more weekend events and festivals on our 

NC Events Calendar