The Focus 2025 Summer Guide Features Local Events & Live Music! The events are sorted by community and date, and we have only included information that we could confirm. We hope that you enjoy your summer!
Asheville
Shindig on the Green, Asheville Downtown, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23. Free, 2025 will be the 59th Season of Shindig On the Green! Bring your instruments, families, friends, lawn chairs and blankets and join us for good times at the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage. In 2025 Shindig on the Green, which features a stage show and informal jam sessions around the park, 
continues at its original location — formerly known as City County Plaza, now transformed into the new Pack Square Park. Locals and visitors alike come together downtown “along about sundown,” or at 7:00pm for those who wear a watch, until 10:00p.m. Concessions are available. Come experience the beautiful music and dance traditions of Southern Appalachia on a summer evening in the mountains. Since 1967, this mountain tradition features an always-enjoyable variety of performances by: Long-standing house band The Stoney Creek Boys, Bluegrass and Old-Time String Bands, Big Circle Mountain Dancers, Clog Dancers, Smooth Dancers, Ballad Singers and Storytellers. https://folkheritage.org/asheville-events/shindig-on-the-green/
Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, Summer Edition, 7/17 – 7/20, Downtown Asheville’s Harrah’s Cherokee Center, 87 Haywood Street Asheville, NC; Thursday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, Tickets: $12, children under 12 can enter for free. Over 200 juried artisans of the Southern Highland Craft Guild will fill both the concourse and arena levels of the venue. Visitors are invited to explore a variety of fine American craft ranging from contemporary to traditional works of clay, wood, metal, glass, fiber, natural materials, paper, leather, mixed media, and jewelry.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage with the region’s finest makers. The streets of Asheville will be bustling and parking can sometimes be problematic. In addition to Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville’s parking garage below the building. For street parking, please utilize Asheville’s parking app for a real-time display of open parking spaces downtown. On Saturday & Sunday, the following school parking lots will be empty for you to use: Asheville Middle, Isaac Dickson, Montford North Star. Visit https://www.southernhighlandguild.org or visit craftguild.org/craftfair
98th Mountain Folk Festival, 7/31 – 8/2, The indoor performances are held at Auditorium at Asheville High School, 419 McDowell St, Asheville, NC 28803 from 7PM-10PM each evening. Watch and listen to some of the finest Appalachian ballad singers, string bands and square dance teams at the nation’s longest running folk festival. Beginning back to 1928, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival presents three nights of authentic bluegrass music and dance with a different line-up each night. Come celebrate the 98th Anniversary of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival! Doors open each night at 6:00pm with performances starting promptly at 7:00pm. Bonus! Youth Talent Celebration, August 2, 2025, 2-4:00pm. Tickets on sale in advance on their website or at the door starting at 5:30 PM if seats remain. Advance: Adult $20; Students: $5; Children 6-12 $5; 3-night package $55. https://folkheritage.org/asheville-events/mountain-dance-and-folk-festival.
Banner Elk
Art On The Greene, 5/24-5/25, 7/5-7/6, 8/2-8/3 and 8/30-8/31, Free, Four times this summer, Art on the Greene brings original artwork in a variety of media to the green at the Historic Banner Elk School, 185 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, NC 28604. More
than 50 artists are scheduled to participate in every show. Each installment of Art on the Greene has a unique lineup, including local artists from the surrounding High Country, as well as artists from throughout the Southeast and beyond. While some exhibitors make repeat appearances, visitors are sure to meet different artists if they attend multiple shows. Hours for Art on the Greene are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.BannerElk.com.
Fourth of July Celebration, 7/4, Free, 11am – 2pm, Banner Elk’s Fourth of July celebration is a day that makes Uncle Sam proud, beginning with one of the most popular July 4th parades in North Carolina and ending with the Party in the Park and Duck Race in Tate-Evans Town Park. The parade begins at 11 a.m. and is open to all who wish to enter a vehicle, float or march. Furry friends are welcome as well. The day continues at 12 noon with the party and rubber duck race in the town park. Food vendors, old-fashioned games like egg tosses and three-legged races, and inflatables add to the fun. https://www.bannerelk.com/event/star-spangled-banner-elk-fourth-of-july/
48th Annual Woolly Worm Festival, 10/18-10/19, on the grounds of the Banner Elk Elementary School, 185 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, 28604. Since 1978, this quirky, world-famous festival has been used to predict the upcoming winter weather for the North Carolina High Country. According to legend, the 13 bands on the woolly worm (woolly bear caterpillar) represent the 13 weeks of winter. Brown bands indicate a mild week, black bands indicate a cold, snowy week. Since every woolly worm has different colors, the Woolly Worm festival holds races to determine which worm is used to make the forecast. The Woolly Worm Festival also includes about 175 craft vendors, food, live entertainment, and rides. This two-day family event annually draws more than 20,000 attendees and takes place during the traditional peak weekend for autumn leaf viewing in Banner Elk and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Saturday’s winning worm receives $1,000 and the honor of predicting the upcoming winter. Races continue on Sunday, with that day’s winner receiving $500. Tickets: $10.00 Adults, $5.00 Children 6-12, 5 and Under Free. www.woollyworm.com.
Blowing Rock
Art in the Park, 6/14, 7/12, 8/16, 9/6, 10/4, 132 Park Avenue, Downtown Blowing Rock. Outdoor, downtown art shows, 10am-5pm, rain or shine, Free admission, Free parking shuttle, 90+ jury-selected artists at each show. Enjoy arts and crafts from award-winning and acclaimed artisans. Artists are jury-selected and each show features a different set of artists, curated to present a wide variety of mediums. More information at BlowingRock.com/ArtinthePark
Concert in the Park Series, 6/15, 7/13, 8/17, 9/7, 10/5, Free, Blowing Rock’s Concert in the Park: Alair Summer Concert Series! (at Memorial Park, 1036 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC 28605) is an annual set of free outdoor concerts at the Rotary Gazebo in Memorial Park. All concerts 1-3pm. Always on Sundays following Art in the Park shows, the performances offer entertainment from a variety of musical genres. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to Memorial Park on Main Street to enjoy the music. Bring your family and
friends to enjoy some great live music and to support the High Country community! This year’s concert series is a food drive for the Hunger and Health Coalition’s A Simple Gesture Program. Show your support with a donation of canned and other nonperishable food items at the Alair tent. Lemonade for Change will also be selling lemonade during the concert and 100% of their proceeds go to end homelessness in Watauga County. Free parking at the American Legion, 333 Wallingford Street. Follow sidewalks alongside tennis and basketball courts to Memorial Park lawn areas. For music lineup, please visit https://blowingrock.com/concertinthepark/.
Boone
High Country Jazz Festival, 6/13 – 6/15, You’ll find jazz all over Boone during the 4th Annual High Country Jazz Festival. From cocktail hour on the rooftop to a free concert on the lawn, visitors will be able to eat, drink, and learn surrounded by the music. The festival kicks off on Thursday, June 12th with a jazz dinner at Casa Rustica (reservations recommended), and continues with lectures, concerts, lunches, exhibitions, and late-night jams. 2025 High Country Jazz Festival Headlining Acts: Catherine Russell on Friday, June 13th, 7:30 pm; Dizzy Gillespie Big Band on Saturday, June 14th, 7:30 pm; Noel Friedline & Maria Howell on Sunday, June 15th, 3:00 pm. Tickets for individual performances are available, as well as a ticket package that includes tickets to all three paid performances. The headliners will perform on the stage at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, a historic Art Deco theatre built in 1938, renovated, and restored to a 629-seat state-of-the-art performance venue which reopened to audiences in October 2019. Other events will include a lecture at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum, a free performance on the lawn at the Jones House Cultural Center in Downtown Boone, jazz brunches and lunches, and a jam session after the performances on Friday and Saturday evenings (so bring your horn! and sit in on a set). The High Country Jazz Festival benefits the community programs of the Boone Sunrise Rotary Club, the Appalachian Theatre, and the Jazz Studies Program at Appalachian State University. Please visit https://www.exploreboone.com/event/high-country-jazz-festival/26773/
Boonerang Music Festival, 6/19 – 6/22, Free, four-day music and arts festival held the third weekend of June in downtown Boone. Taking place on a Friday and Saturday, this festival highlights musicians and artists with connections to Boone who boomerang back home to perform on multiple concert stages. Other highlights are local food and craft beer, a vendor market and a kids zone. Happenings surrounding Boonerang include a dance lot, international fest, silent discos and performances at the Appalachian Theatre. https://www.boonerangfest.com/
Appalachian Summer Festival, 6/28 – 7/26 – Boone, NC. This annual celebration of the performing and visual arts is held every July in venues across the university campus, and features an eclectic, diverse mix of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and film programming. An Appalachian Summer Festival began in 1984 as a chamber music series, and retains strong roots in classical music, combined with a variety of other programming geared to almost every artistic taste and preference See full schedule at www.appsummer.org. Tickets for festival events range in price & may be purchased by calling (800) 841-2787 or 828-262-4046, online at https://appsummer.appstate.edu/tickets/ or at box office Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm located at 733 Rivers Street, Boone, NC 28608.
Burnsville
Mount Mitchell Craft Fair 8/1 & 8/2, Free, 9am – 5pm, Burnsville, NC. For more than 60 years, Burnsville has hosted the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair every year on the first Friday and Saturday in August. With more than 200 vendors, musicians and performers, and thousands of fairgoers, the Crafts Fair is one of the most popular summer events in the mountains. With bluegrass and acoustic music on stage, and one-of-a-kind handmade arts and crafts available, people love to stroll around Town Square. The event also has 
traditional craft demonstrations, and food & snack vendors. For schedule of events, please check the website closer to the event at www.yanceychamber.com.
Charlotte
Coca-Cola 600, 5/23-5/25 – Rev up your Memorial Day weekend with the historic 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s toughest test of man and machine! Coca-Cola 600 festivities include: Military Appreciation Activities and Performances; Old Dominion Pre-Race Concert and Driver Appearances on Sunday, May 25; Hairball Concert on Friday, May 23; and Smash Mouth Concert on Saturday, May 24. Coca-Cola 600 Festival is a great family-friendly event hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, over Memorial Day Weekend. In addition to the world-class drivers’ appearances, the festival features multiple musical acts, beer tents, and food trucks. For more details on the schedule of events and music lineups, please visit https://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/.
Taste Of Charlotte, NC 6/6 – 6/8, Uptown Charlotte on Tryon St. Charlotte, Fri & Sat 11AM – 11PM, Sun 11AM – 6PM; Taste of Charlotte is a three-day food festival in Charlotte, NC. It features samples from area restaurants and various performances and activities that will surely delight the festival-goers. Aside from that, a large variety of local, regional, and national partners will provide information, coupons, and free stuff! Admission to Taste of Charlotte is FREE. Purchase festival coins to use for restaurant samples, beverages and kid’s activities. You can purchase your coins on site at booths located throughout the festival or go contactless with the new Taste of Charlotte App! www.tasteofcharlotte.com.
Claremont
Friday Night Concert Series, 6/13 & 9/5, Free, 7pm-9pm at Memorial Park, Claremont, NC. Lineup: June 13: The Sellout, and September 5th: Ultimate Rock Machine. Food Trucks and Beverage Vendors start at 6pm. Band to start at 7:00PM.
Claremont Daze, 10/3 – 10/4, Free, Memorial Park, Claremont, NC. Music by Too Much Sylvia and more! Please follow on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cityofclaremontnc for more information closer to the event.
Drexel
Drexel Spring Concert Series, 5/31, Drexel, NC, Free, 6pm-9pm, Come to the Downtown Park (201 Church, Drexel, NC) to see Aces & Eights Band. Food trucks will be onsite. Please bring your lawn chair so you can enjoy this free concert comfortably.
Elkin
NC Trail Days Festival 2025, 6/5 – 6/8, Join us for the 6th annual North Carolina Trail Days in the towns of Elkin and Jonesville – home of three great state trails! The festival celebrates the great outdoors and recreation culture found in the Blue Ridge foothills. Highlighted are a collection of local trails, Segment 6 of the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and a variety of activities and adventures all weekend! NC Trail Days is always held on the weekend aligning with National Trails Day – the first Saturday in June. Bring your boots, bikes and boats(kayaks) to enjoy the weekend with trail lovers from all over. Festival offerings include themed and self-guided hikes, river clean-ups and excursions on the Yadkin, group rock climbing, a Thursday kickoff and Friday evening block party, environmental and adventure film screenings, tons of free live music, kids activities, speaker series and not to mention a vendor village full of outdoor recreation organizations with gear demos and an overland vehicle showcase. www.nctraildays.com
Forest City
Cherry Bounce Festival 6/7 & 6/8, Free, Friday 6:30pm – 10pm; Saturday 10am – 6pm. Named after moonshiner Amos Owens’
corn whiskey-based “Cherry Bounce” moonshine, the Cherry Bounce Festival features art from local and regional artists, live bluegrass/Americana music, moonshine and cherry-inspired items by local restaurants and businesses. The FREE festival kicks off on Friday night, June 6, with a concert at 7:30PM and continues on Saturday, June 7, from 10AM-6PM with art vendors, live music, food trucks and special discounts/promotions from Main Street Merchants. The Cherry Bounce Festival is held at the Forest City Pavilion on Park Square (POPS) and along historic Main Street, Forest City. www.townofforestcity.com
Hendersonville
Garden Jubilee, 5/24 & 5/25, Main Street, Hendersonville, NC, 9am – 5pm, Saturday and Sunday. More than 200 plant and craft vendors line Main Street, from Sixth Avenue to Caswell Street, transforming the historic downtown area into an seven-block garden wonderland. The two-day garden & plant extravaganza features local and regional nurseries selling thousands of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and hard-to-find plants. Crafters will offer distinctive garden art, and there will be handmade lawn furniture, jewelry, garden tools, planters, wind chimes, birdhouses, soaps and pottery. Visitors can also learn the latest techniques and tips from gardening experts located throughout the festival as well as presenting on the stage located at the Historic Courthouse. For more info. please visit www.VisitHendersonvilleNC.org/garden-jubilee or call (828) 693-9708.
Hickory
Sails Original Music Series, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 9/5, 9/12, 9/20*, 9/26 Free, Downtown Hickory under The Sails on the Square. Performances will begin at 7 p.m., Friday evenings in May, June, and September. Music fans will also enjoy a change of venue for a special Sails Original Music Series concert at the Samuel William Davis, Sr. Multipurpose Field in Taft Broome Park on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m., in conjunction with the Festival on the Field event. In addition to the seating available at Union Square, audience members are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. A variety of close-by bars and restaurants offer food and beverages. The Hickory Downtown Social District allows patrons of downtown ABC permitted establishments to drink an alcoholic beverage on sidewalks, Union Square, and other public areas within the designated boundaries of the social district. For more information about the Hickory Downtown Social District, special restrictions, and a detailed map of the coverage area, visit www.hickorync.gov/downtown-social-district. Music Lineup for 2025: May 23 – Mike Strauss Band; May 30 – Shamarr Allen; June 6 – Dangermuffin; June 13 – Larry & Joe; June 20 – Sierra Green and The Giants; June 27 – Randall Bramblett Band; Sept 5 – Psychedelic Surf Country; Sept 12 – Jacoozy; Sept 20 – Selwyn Birchwood*As part of the Festival on the Field event, the performance is at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Samuel William Davis, Sr. Multipurpose Field in Taft Broome Park. Vendors and food trucks start at 4 p.m.; Sept 26 – New Translations. For more information about the Sails Original Music Series and upcoming bands, please visit www.hickorync.gov/SailsMusic and follow the Sails Original Music Series Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SailsMusic.
Hickory Music Factory’s Annual “Swingin’ Under the Stars,” 5/25, Free, 6:30-9:30pm, Downtown Hickory at the “Sails on the Square.” The outdoor event features the Hickory Jazz Orchestra and will perform big band arrangements from the great American songbook. Hickory Music Factory’s “Swingin’ Under the Stars” was the 2009 winner of the “Best Outdoor Event for NC”. In addition, the Hickory Music Factory will pay tribute to members of the community for their years of dedication and musical contributions. The Hickory Elks will present a patriotic tribute to honor the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces and The Hickory Music Factory will celebrate two members of the community for their years of dedication to music education and performance. So, put on your dancing shoes or bring a chair and relax and enjoy the show! This is a rain or shine event. For more information about the “Swingin’ Under the Stars” or how you can support the Hickory Music Factory, please contact 828-308-5659 or visit their website: www.hickorymusicfactory.com.
Crawdads Independence Day Extravaganza, 7/4, LP Frans Stadium, 2500 Clement Blvd NW, Hickory, NC 28601; 7 PM game, Hickory Crawdads VS Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Independence Day Extravaganza Fireworks after the game! www.milb.com/hickory.
Crawdads Game and Post-Game Christian Concert ft. Building 429, 7/26, 5pm; Hickory Crawdads VS Augusta Green 
Jackets with post game Christian concert. Bring your family, friends, or your church out for a night of baseball and a post-game performance by Building 429! Ticket includes the game and concert. Presented By 106.9 The Light FM. www.milb.com/hickory.
Hickory American Legion Fair, 8/27- 9/1, 1 American Legion Ave, Newton, NC 28658. Join us for the 112th Annual Hickory Fair for lots of fun, family entertainment. Attractions are midway rides, local agricultural products and livestock exhibits, craft barn, exhibit hall with all kinds of vendors, live music, and entertainment. Visit www.hickoryfair.com/ for admission and updates on entertainment.
Hickory’s Oktoberfest, 10/10 -10/12, Free, Downtown Hickory, NC Hours: Friday: 5 pm to 11 pm, Food service begins at 12 Noon
with the full festival opening at 5pm; Saturday: 10 am – 11 pm; Sunday: 12 Noon – 5 pm. Outdoor festival on the second weekend of October, in Hickory, North Carolina, featuring three stages of non-stop live entertainment ranging from traditional polka to rock & roll, beer gardens, Kidsfest, a juried arts and crafts show, and hundreds of food and commercial vendors. The Hickory Oktoberfest festival started in 1985, and has grown to become one of the premiere festivals in Western North Carolina. (828)322-1121. Visit Downtownhickory.com for more information on daily entertainment schedule.
Lenoir
Lenoir Downtown Cruisers – Cruise- In’s, 6/7, 7/5, 8/2, 9/6, 10/4; 3 PM, Downtown Lenoir, NC; All cars, trucks, bikes, and rat rods welcome. Free, family-friendly environment. Drivers tickets, ladies tickets, veterans tickets, and 50/50 tickets. Tell your friends and family and plan to join us!
NC Blackberry Festival, 7/11 & 7/12, Downtown Lenoir NC; The Blackberry Festival in Downtown Lenoir is an a 2 day festival that brings in upwards of 25,000 people from all over the state and is one of North Carolina’s premiere street festivals. Vendors, Live Music, Kids Zone, The World’s Largest Patchwork of Blackberry Cobbler, Blackberry eating contest, Food…and oh so much more! It’s a berry
good time during this two day event! Check website for updates and schedules at ncblackberryfestival.com
Lincolnton
Lincolnton Alive After Five Concert Series, 5/22, 6/26, 7/24, 8/28, 9/18; 7pm; East Side of Court House-100 & 200 blocks of East Main Street, Lincolnton, NC. Join us Downtown Lincolnton for live music! There will also be food trucks! Just a few rules that we always want you to remember. 1) You MUST be 21 to drink and we ask that you drink responsibly. 2) No pets or animals are allowed at the events. 3) You CANNOT take alcohol outside of our permitted event area and there are signs to remind you of that and you CANNOT bring in any outside alcohol. Music Lineup: May 22nd – “On The Border” The Ultimate Eagles Tribute; June 26th – “Unknown Artist” Classic/Modern Rock; July 24th – “Jim Quick & Coastline” Carolina Swamp Soul; Aug 28 – The Legendary “Chairmen of The Board” Motown/Beach/Soul; Sept 18th – “Rev On / Arrival” Foreigner / Journey Tribute. Follow on Facebook for more information https://www.facebook.com/lincolntonaliveafterfive.
Maggie Valley
Maggie Valley Arts and Crafts Shows, 7/12 & 7/13; 8/30 & 8/31, Maggie Valley’s largest gathering of artisans and crafters come together to sell their handmade treasures. Artisans from all over the Southeast will be in attendance. Chainsaw art demonstrations and lots of festival food. Seasonal items, yard art, paintings, photography, pottery, wooden bowls, furniture, jewelry, goat milk soaps and more will be featured at the event. The Maggie Valley Arts & Crafts Festivals is one of the longest running and most popular events held in Maggie Valley. Visit https://maggievalleyfestivalgrounds.com/maggie-valley-festivals-events/maggie-valley-arts-crafts-shows/
Hillbilly Jam 7/25 & 7/26, Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, 3347 Soco Road, Maggie Valley, NC 28751,Hours: 10am-10pm Daily, Maggie Valley’s largest festival! Hillbilly Jam features loads of entertainment, Food, Crafts, Cornhole, Car & Bike Show, TV Celebrities and Moonshiners. Spectators $10 per day / 10 & under FREE! For more information, please visit https://thehillbillyjam.com
Marion
Marion’s Jive After 5, 5/30, 6/13, 6/27, 7/11, FREE, 19 Main Ave North, Maiden, NC, Shows begin at 6:30pm. Put on your dancing shoes and get ready for a summer filled with fun, featuring music, delicious food, and vendors.
Marion Livermush Festival 6/7, 5pm-9pm, Main Street, Downtown Marion. 17th Annual Livermush Festival. Join us for a “squealin’” good time in Downtown Marion on June 7! We have a live band, where dancing on the street is encouraged. There are free children’s activities, over 80 craft vendors, and incredibly fun hog callin’ and pig squealin’ contests. Contest winners earn $25.00 and a free festival tshirt! Our savory food trucks also compete for a trophy. You will be able to vote for the best Livermush dish from our savory food trucks! Plus plenty of sweets and fresh squeezed lemonade will also be available. Visit https://marionlivermushfestival.com for more information.
42nd Annual Mountain Glory Festival, 10/11, 9AM – 4PM, Marion, NC, Marion celebrates the arrival of autumn in the Blue Ridge during their annual Mountain Glory Festival. For 42 years, beautiful downtown Marion has hosted this popular celebration on the 2nd Saturday in October. Celebrate small-town life in the mountains. Visitors looking for original handicrafts will find plenty of choices shopping with three jam packed blocks, featuring over 150 craft, food, non-profit and sponsor booths of locally made arts and crafts; festival foods and pubs with local wines, mead and beers. Plus, two stages presenting Marion’s finest musicians. Don’t miss the annual Mountain Glory Quilt Show inside the McDowell Arts Council. The quilt show is the gallery’s featured October exhibit. The kids will have fun in the “Kid’s Korner” with hands-on activities, local entertainment and the ever popular best-dressed pet contest. Shuttle services will run from Rose’s parking lot to the Festival site every half hour. Shuttle service is free. Handicap Parking will be available behind State Farm Insurance. You might even see Bigfoot, Marion’s Official Animal! The festival is sponsored by the City of Marion. For festival information visit www.mtngloryfestival.com or call 828-652-2215.
Morganton
TGIF Summer Concerts, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, Free, Courthouse Square (102 East Union), Morganton, NC, 6:00-10:00pm. Come join us under the summer stars on the newly designed courthouse square for the FREE 2024 concerts held every Friday evening in May, June and July (except Friday, July 4th) from 6:00-10:00pm. Food and Beverage vendors will open at 6:00pm and music begins at 7:00pm. Bring your chairs and or picnic blankets and make yourselves comfortable while you let this high energy band entertain you! Our events are rain or shine. MUSIC LINEUP: May 23rd – The Rewind (80’s cover band); May 30th – Fox And Company (Classic Rock/Variety); June 6th – Blackwater (Variety); June 13th – Casey Ray Band (Country); June 20th – Gotcha Groove (Variety); June 27th – Runaway Train (Classic Rock/Top 10); July 11th – Jacoozy (Alternative Jam Band); July 18th – The Vinyl Junkies (Variety); July 25th – The Livehouse Band (Dance/Pop). For more information, please visit: https://morgantonfest.org/tgif-concert-series/.
Historic Morganton Festival, 9/5 & 9/6, Morganton, NC. The 43rd Annual Morganton Festival is set for Friday, September 6th from 12:00-11:00pm and Saturday, September 7th from 9:00am-10:00pm in downtown Morganton. The festival features 3 stages with free music each evening on the Courthouse Square Stage, dancers, acrobats and theater talents on the Pepsi Stage and wonderous amazements on the Kid Zone stage. In addition to the entertainment there is fun with rides and games, food for all ages, plus over a mile of arts and crafts vendors! ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE! Entrance into the festival grounds are FREE! The festival is an animal-free event and will go on rain or shine. (828)438-5252 www.morgantonfest.org
Mount Airy
Mayberry Days, 9/22 – 9/28, Celebrating The Andy Griffith Show in Mount Airy, NC, Mayberry Days® is a festival for the whole family with activities and events for the fans who long for the days when life was simple and the sheriff didn’t carry a gun. Enjoy a bottle of pop while playing checkers, relax to music from many local bands playing the same songs that Andy grew up with and 
performed on The Andy Griffith Show. From the first concert to “The Emmett” golf tournament on Thursday to eating a porkchop sandwich to singing along on the last song at the Blackmon Amphitheater on Sunday evening, there is something for everyone in the family. The Surry Arts Council and City of Mount Airy welcome fans of all ages and from all around the world to Mayberry Days. Make plans now to attend this family-friendly festival and enjoy days filled with the Mayberry spirit. Only service animals are permitted at Surry Arts Council venues, including the Blackmon Amphitheater. Pets are not permitted. For more information, visit https://www.surryarts.org/mayberrydays/.
Newton
Music On Main, 6/12, 7/10, 9/11, 10/9, Downtown Newton. This beloved annual tradition invites residents and visitors to gather at the Frank & Sue Jones Amphitheatre in Downtown Newton for an unforgettable season of live music, community connection, and summer fun. All concerts are free and begin at 6:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the music under the stars. Food trucks and local vendors will be onsite, offering delicious eats and refreshing beverages to enhance your concert experience. No outside alcohol or coolers will be permitted during the event, but beer will be available for purchase on N Main starting at 5 p.m. Please note that wristbands will be utilized for age identification and required for alcohol purchases available at the beer tent starting at 5 p.m. The Newton Social District will be in observance of purchases of beer and wine at several Downtown Newton beverage providers.Bring a lawn chair or blanket, Bug spray, and sunglasses, the sun gets bright as it sets behind the Amphitheater. Music Lineup: June 12 — The Extraordinaires; July 10 — Dani Kerr; September 11 — The Megan Doss Band; October 9 — Trial By Fire. Check music lineup on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/newtondowntown or visit https://www.downtownnewton.org.
Stanley
Coolin’ Out Concerts On Main, Stanley, NC, 5/31, 9/20, The 4th Annual “Coolin’ Out Concerts On Main” stage is located Downtown Stanley at 114 S Main Street. Come out and enjoy the live music along with entertainment, food trucks, beer garden and more! DJ starts at 6pm and bands play at 7pm. Music Lineup: May 31: The Pink Slips Band; September 20: TOO MUCH SYLVIA. For more information on Stanley, NC, please visit the towns website at townofstanley.org or facebook page www.facebook.com/townofstanley.
Statesville
Piedmont HealthCare’s Friday After 5 Summer Concert Series, 6/6, 8/1, 9/5, 10/3, The popular Friday After 5 Summer Concert Series offers FREE entertainment to residents, neighbors, and visitors in Downtown Statesville May through September and features music genres of all styles. The concerts are held in Downtown Statesville on West Broad Street in front of Mitchell Community 
College from 6 –8:30 pm. Beer, wine, soft drinks and food will be available for purchase beginning at 5pm. Bring your chairs and enjoy a night of music. No dogs, pets, coolers, outside beverages or containers are allowed. Lineup: 6/7: Kids in America; 8/2: Chocolate Chip & Co.; 9/13/: Camel City Yacht Club; 10/4: Megan Doss Band. Music Lineup: May 2: Ashes & Arrows (Country/Rock); June 6: Thomas Road Band (Country); August 1: Y2K Kids (Tribute to 2000s & Up); September 5: Chocolate Chip & Co. (Soul, Funk, Rhythm and Blues); October 3: Party Parrot Band (Jimmy Buffet Tribute).
Taylorsville
Alexander County’s 2024 Summer Concert Series, 6/7, 7/19, 9/6, and 9/20 at 7:00 p.m., Free, Alexander County Courthouse Park, 101 West Main Avenue in Taylorsville, NC. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the 2024 Alexander County Summer Concert Series. Food trucks will be on-site for each concert. No dogs, coolers, or tents are allowed. All park rules and regulations apply (https://alexandercountync.gov/pdf/parks-and-recreation/courthouse-house-park-rules.pdf). The park is owned and operated by Alexander County Government. Music Lineup: 6/7: Dirty Grass Soul; 7/19: Caribbean Chillers; 9/6: Tribute – Allman Brothers Band Tribute; 9/20: Eliminator – ZZ Top Tribute Band.
Valdese
Valdese Family Friday Nights Concert Series, 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/4, 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22, 8/29, Concerts are held at Temple Field at 400 Main Street West Valdese, NC 28690. Get ready for an unforgettable Summer in Valdese! The Annual Independence Day Celebration and the 48th Annual Waldensian Festival will be held in conjunction with the series. Concerts are FREE to the public will take place on Temple Field behind the Old Rock School from 7-10 pm, with the exception of the Independence Day and Festival celebrations, which will take place on Main Street. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring a chair, a blanket, and a friend and enjoy the live music, great eats, and lawn games. Season Lineup: June 6: The Tonez (Beach/Variety) FFN Season Kick Off; June 13: Skaterink Jukebox (Variety/Classic Rock); June 20: Night Move Band (Beach & Variety); June 27: Carson Hill (Country/Acoustic); July 4: Too Much Sylvia (Beach/Variety) – Independence Day Celebration Downtown & Fireworks; July 11: Little Johnny Trailer Trash (Country); July 18: Garrett Huffman Band (Country); July 25: Shakedown Band (Variety); August 1: Chasing Phoenix (Rock); August 8: The Embers (Beach) -50th Annual Waldensian Festival Kickoff Celebration; August 15: Aces & Eights (Classic Rock); August 22: Gotcha Groove (Dance & Variety); August 29: Rockie Lynne (Country) FFN Season Finale. For more information about the Family Friday Night Summer Concert series or a full event calendar for Valdese, go to visitvaldese.com or call 828-879-2129.
