As you are gearing up for the Holiday’s and looking for those special gifts for loved ones don’t forget to shop local. Plan your weekend trip or day trip to Hickory to explore not only our outdoor adventures and culinary scene but we hope you will take a piece of Hickory home for the Holidays. 

Burke County is known for its magnificent leaf-peeping trolley tours, its world-renowned breweries, and Apple Orchards, but did you know that the best holiday shopping experience is here too!

This holiday season Hendersonville welcomes back some of its favorite traditions for its Home for the Holidays celebration. The festivities begin in November and continue through the New Year.

Early holiday shoppers can peruse over 140 craft shops in a village market which provides a diverse selection of handmade items such as pottery, jewelry, perfume, glass blown ornaments, ceramics, bath & body products, medieval costumes, hand carved candles, unique musical instruments, children’s toys, a full spectrum of clothing, and much more. Watch artisans make a masterpiece right before your eyes. Enjoy demonstrations of fine skills such as weaving, woodcarving, blacksmithing, glassblowing, pottery, and jewelry making – all using ancient skills and low technology.

Leaves of yellow, auburn, red, and brown linger a bit longer here for your leaf peeping enjoyment. The season is still perfect to experience why Stokes County ROCKS in Autumn. Cast a reel at the Hanging Rock Lake, sit back to admire the colorful array reflecting onto the water, as you catch the largest trout of a recent re-stock. Support local food banks this holiday season by attending “Soup in a Bowl” held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, this year on November 20th. A unique event hosted by Stokes Arts, where attendees will receive their very own handcrafted pottery bowl, donated by a local artist, and enjoy their choice of warm soup in the heart of Danbury, NC at The Arts Place of Stokes.

Belmont, NC The Museum of the Moon will be exhibited in downtown Belmont for three weekends serving as the backdrop for a series of lunar-inspired events. Over the centuries, the moon has been used as a timekeeper, calendar, and source of light to aid nighttime navigation. The evenings and weekends…

Davie County, NC Your family can enjoy a full day of free fun during the annual Oaks Festival. The festival is held in historic downtown Mocksville on the second Saturday in October from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with our crafters while the music plays on until 8 p.m. that evening. There…

Hendersonville, NC Whether your dream day involves a rustic wedding barn, pavilion with wraparound views, a church sanctuary or a lakeside lawn, Hendersonville has a venue to accommodate your wedding ceremony and reception. Couples planning a wedding in the Blue Ridge Mountains are invited to explore Hendersonville’s offerings at the…

Hickory, NC Hickory is known for craftsmanship in many forms including furniture, wood working and more but did you know that Hickory is well known for its craft beer and craft cocktail scene. Our booming culinary destinations are pushing boundaries in a fun and artistic way by encouraging local “mixologists”…

Burke County, NC South Mountain Distillery curates the best kind of spirits, based on generations of practice here in Burke County.  Don Smith, a 4th generation moonshiner, opened the distillery in 2016 after years of operating other businesses, as a way to embrace his roots.  He wanted to make traditional…