July 11-14
The 58th Annual
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering O' Scottish Clans
Join 1000s of Scots in 85 clans decked out in their finest plaid for the
annual celebration of Scottish heritage. Live Celtic music, tradition
heritage events and Highlands games. New this year is a Saturday night
Celtic Rock Concert.
The Gathering begins on Thursday with a picnic, sheep herding and Celtic music. At 7:30 PM The Bear: Assault on Grandfather, a five-mile footrace climbs 1,568 feet in
elevation from the town of Linville to the summit of Grandfather Mountain. Over
800 runners will start up the Old Yonahlossee Road from Linville at 7 PM, circle
the Highland Games track around 7:15, and head up the Grandfather Mountain
summit road. The evening concludes with a torchlight ceremony.

Friday begins with a mountain bike race
and continues with a Preliminary athletic competition, sheep herding,
music/dancing exhibitions. Celtic Groves will be open and other
activities will highlight the day. The official opening ceremony will be
held.
Events throughout the weekend range from the
Scottish Fiddling Workshop & Jam Session to Highland Wrestling
to the Highland Dancing Atlantic International Championship, piping,
drumming, Scottish athletic events, track and field events,
Scottish country dancing, Scottish fiddling, and Scottish harp. Get a complete calendar of events online.
Get a link for the Highlands Games and find lodging near Grandfather Mountain on the Linville NC Visitor Guide, the Blowing Rock NC Visitor Guide or the Banner Elk NC Visitor Guide.
May 3 - 5
16th Annual French Broad River Festival
The Festival is a benefit for American Whitewater, The Mountain Area Child and Family Center and Hot Springs Community Learning Center.
Located just 35 minutes north of Asheville at Hot Springs Campground and Spa,
this family-friendly weekend includes great regional and national recording artists.
Enjoy shopping for new outdoor gear at the Live Auction or with one of
the many art and craft vendors. Try participating in the "Paddle with the Pros", the 8th Annual FBRF Mountain Bike Race, or the 16th Annual French Broad River Raft Race.
The River Festival is an entire weekend of fun, family, art, music and adventure.
Learn more about Hot Spings NC lodging, restaurants and attractions on the Hot Springs NC Visitor Guide.
This year's featured music line-up includes:
Langhorne Slim & The Law
Sol Driven Train
Yarn
Col. Bruce Hampton & the Realms of Ventilation
The Jeff Sipe Trio
The Mosier Brothers
Marley Carroll
Snake Oil Medicine Show
Brushfire Stankgrass
Chalwa
Hank West & The Smokin' Hots
The Hermit Kings
The Swayback Sisters
The Mad Tea
Hillstomp
The Fritz
The Evergreen Multi-Cultural Beat Ensemble
The Reckoning
The Paperhand Puppet Intervention
40 Fingers & A Missing Tooth
September 17 - 22 The Pisgah Mountains Bike Stage Race Come experience some of the best mountain biking trails in the U.S. The Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race is a five-day, fully supported endurance event that offers an unmatched sampler of some
of the best single-track in the country.
The course includes the East’s most rugged trails and tallies 28,000 feet of climbing over 195 miles. Discover riding in Pisgah with rhododendron tunnels, picturesque creek crossings, incredible leaf colors, and rooty, rocky single-track. Additional activities include a free kids’ race and more.
Get a link for details about the Pisgah Mountains Bike Stage Race on the Brevard NC Visitor Guide