 April 7, 2012
Old hat, new hat, yellow hat, blue hat. They're all welcome at Dillsboro's annual Easter Hat Parade at 2 p.m.
The parade, a Dillsboro tradition the Saturday before Easter, showcases a variety of interesting hats atop participants of all ages, including pets.
Judges select the best lids in more than 20 categories, including: biggest, smallest, funniest, best-smelling, “poofy-est,” most creative, most spring-like and most outrageous.
In addition to a bounty of bonnets, the parade features vintage cars provided by the Mountaineer Antique Auto Club and the Old Timers Model A Club.
The Easter Bunny hops into town as well, hiding goodies for the youth Easter egg hunt at 10:30 a.m., then hanging around for an 11 a.m. English tea at the Jarrett House Inn. He’ll also hop on over to the 12:30 p.m. hat contest registration in the courtyard beside Bradley’s General Store.
So dig out that favorite fedora or cherished chapeau and makes plan now to attend an event that’s sure to provide 10 gallons of fun for everyone.
 And, if your collection of hats isn’t up to snuff, don’t fret. Dogwood Crafters throws its hat into the ring at 10:30 a.m. with a derby-making clinic that’s sure to cover your needs.
Although the Easter Hat Parade officially begins at 2 p.m., folks are encouraged to arrive early and spend the day. Dillsboro is a walkabout mountain village featuring many unique shops, arts & crafts studios, restaurants and inns.
Dillsboro is located on the Tuckasegee River at the crossroads of U.S. Hwy. 23/74 and U.S. Hwy 441 in Jackson County. The town is less than an hour west of Asheville, 1.5 hours from Gatlinburg, 2.5 hours from Atlanta and Spartanburg, and 3 hours from Charlotte and Knoxville.
For parade information call the Jackson County Visitors Center at (800) 962-1911, or go to www.visitdillsboro.org |
