Summer 2026 Social Events

JUNE

Ongoing

Highlands Saturday Market/Farmer’s Market

Come on out to Kelsey-Hutchinson Park from 8 am to noon each Saturday for the weekly farmer’s market. Talk to the people who actually grow and produce the food, and fill your basket with naturally grown meat, fresh dairy items and eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, honey, pickles, and freshly baked breads and baked goods. You’ll also find locally made beauty and wellness products, craft items, and plants for your home and gardens.

Ongoing

Locally Grown on the Green

Each Wednesday, May through October, you can shop fresh and local from 11 am to 3 pm. Local vendors bring ethically-raised meats and dairy, farm-fresh eggs, artisanal jams, savory pickles, fresh-baked breads, handmade soaps, flowers, and so much more. Meet the Western North Carolina farmers who produce food for your table, and taste the difference that fresh ingredients make for your meals.

Ongoing through August 8

I Sing Behind the Plow: A Century of Teaching Craft & Traditional Culture at the John C. Campbell Folk School

As the John C. Campbell Folk School celebrates its 100th anniversary, this exhibit highlights Appalachian crafts such as blacksmithing, weaving, woodcarving, woodworking, dance, instrument making, pottery, enameling, basketry, and paper arts. On display in the Bunzi Gallery at The Bascom, located at 323 Franklin Road, Highlands.

Ongoing through July 25

Connecting to Place: Blue Ridge Craft Trails Invitational 2026

This exhibition brings together 20 craft artists from communities across Western North Carolina. Admission is free. On display in the Thompson Gallery at The Bascom, located at 323 Franklin Road, Highlands.

Weekly on Fridays

Friday Night Live

Head to downtown Highlands to catch this weekly, free concert series each Friday from 6 to 8:30 pm. Located at 343 Main Street, Highlands.

Weekly on Saturdays

Saturdays on Pine

Join friends and neighbors each Saturday from 6 to 8:30 pm for the Saturdays on Pine free outdoor concert series, featuring a variety of popular regional bands and musicians. Located at 411-499 Pine Street, Highlands.

June 9

Mountain Container Gardening and Propagation

Join Lisa Dailey of Cultivation for a hands-on gardening session designed especially for mountain gardeners easing into the growing season. Located at Center for Life Enrichment in Highlands. Cost of the class is $40 for members or $55 for non-members. Call 828-526-8811 or email Office@CLEHighlands.com for more information.

June 11

Weird and Underappreciated Arthropods of North Carolina

The Highlands Biological Foundation is offering this fun, free class from 6 to 7 pm. Come learn about North Carolina’s weirdest and least talked about arthropods. Located at 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands.

June 12

Groovin’ on The Green featuring The Deep Shallow Band

Head over to The Village Green in Cashiers for a favorite seasonal event, the Groovin’ on The Green concert series, from 6 to 8:30 pm. This week, The Deep Shallow Band serves up Southern rock n roll.

June 16

Village Nature Series: Illuminating the Fabulous Worlds of Fireflies

Learn all about our fascinating fireflies from Sara Rivera, former Insect Curator for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a graduate student in the Biology department of WCU. Offered from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at The Village Green in Cashiers.

June 18

Story: Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Conservation, and the Science Inside the Nest

This free presentation from 6 to 7 pm will teach you all about the red-cockaded woodpecker. Located at 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands.

June 26

Groovin’ on The Green featuring The Wobblers

Head over to The Village Green in Cashiers for a favorite seasonal event from 6 to 8:30 pm. This week, The Wobblers perform a dynamic mix of original compositions and eclectic, soul-infused covers.

June 28

Opening Gala Concert & Champagne Reception

Celebrate the opening of the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival on June 28 at 5 pm at the Highlands Performing Arts Center. Enjoy a champagne reception as the renowned Pinchas Zukerman Trio kicks off the festivities. Tickets available at 828-526-9060 or online at www.h-cmusicfestival.org

JULY

July 3

Fireworks Extravaganza

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country! Enjoy festivities at The Village Green in Cashiers on Friday, July 3rd, 2026. Enjoy live music, local food and beverage vendors, and a fireworks show at dark. Bring picnics, coolers, lawn chairs, or blankets. This is a free community event, open to the public.

28th Annual Friends of Lake Glenville Fireworks

JULY 5

Come on out to enjoy one of our favorite local traditions! After a day of celebration on the water, The 28th annual Friends of Lake Glenville Fireworks Over The Lake will be held on Sunday, July 5th at approximately 9:30 pm following the Gala Boat Parade. Watch the show from your boat or gather with loved ones on land to enjoy the spectacular display. The fireworks will be launched from The Pointe, just north of Trillium on the west side of Lake Glenville. Locals usually park and walk along Highway 107 to watch this annual event; please be careful driving through. Happy 250th!

July 5 – August 9

Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival

A beloved summer tradition, bringing world-class musicians to the Plateau for an inspiring season of performances. Known for elegant programming and exceptional talent, the festival features renowned artists from across the country performing a wide range of chamber music. Visit h-cmusicfestival.org for more information.

July 13–18

Plein Air Festival

Artists will be painting at select locations around town. Come out and witness how they create amazing works, completely outdoors! Also, admission to the Cashiers Plein Air Festival Gallery will be free and open to the public on July 16th, 17th, and 18th, from 10 to 5 pm inside Lewis Hall, located at 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers.

July 14

10th Annual Champagne Dinner featuring Pol Roger

The Farm at Old Edwards hosts their 10th Annual Champagne Dinner, celebrating fourteen years of timeless elegance, featuring the iconic Pol Roger Champagne paired with Calvisius Caviar. Enjoy an evening of refined flavors and celebratory bubbles accompanied by live music. Held from 6 to 10 pm at 336 Arnold Rd, Highlands. Call 855-421-2919 for tickets.

July 16

The Venomous Snakes of Western North Carolina

The Highlands Biological Foundation presents this free informative class on venomous snakes in our region, how to react if you see one, and why we actually need these snake species in our forest ecosystem. Demonstration is from 6 to 7 pm at 930 Horse Cove Rd, Highlands.

July 18 –19

Summer Colors Fine Art Show

Presented by the Art League of Highlands-Cashiers, local artists display and sell their works in Sapphire Valley from 10 am to 4 pm each day.  Located at 207 Sapphire Valley Rd, Sapphire.

July 24

Groovin’ on The Green featuring Gotcha Groove

Head over to The Village Green in Cashiers for a favorite seasonal event from 6 to 8:30 pm. This week, Gotcha Groove will showcase their diverse repertoire of R&B, soul, funk, classic rock, oldies, beach, and dance tunes from the last nine decades.

July 28

Biological Foundation Summer Soirée

Support the Highlands Biological Foundation by attending their Summer Soirée at Flat Mountain Farm, July 28 at 6 pm. This is the largest annual fundraiser in support of biological

research and education in the southern

Appalachians. Tickets go on sale in June.

Call 828-526-2221 for more information.