There are many 4th of July celebrations and firework shows in Asheville and many small towns in the western North Carolina mountains! Below is a big list of 2018 events and festivals - more than 30!
Downtown Asheville Independence Day Celebration 2018: Join in the fun in Pack Square Park starting at 2 PM on July 4th at the Ingles Independence Day Celebration. Children's activities, Splashville and bouncy house 2-6 PM. Live music after 5 PM. Headliner Larry Keel Experience starts at 8 PM. Ultimate Air Dogs at 2, 4, 6 and 7:30 PM. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Fireworks at 9:30 PM can be best seen from the park (buildings will block the view in other parts of downtown). Bring your chair or blanket to picnic. Buy from 10+ food trucks or nearby restaurants. Beer, wine & cider for sale. No outside alcohol, coolers or pets in the park.
Tourist Baseball Game July 4th: Watch a big fireworks show after the Asheville Tourists game. Get tickets in advance since this game will sell-out ahead of time.
South Asheville Fireworks: At Lake Julian, fireworks show starts at dark on the 4th, but come early. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and find a spot along the lake. The park offers picnic tables, grills, a sand volleyball court, two horseshoe pits, boat rental and a playground. Bring a picnic! Park at Estes Elementary School on Long Shoals Road across from the lake. Free. Daytime shuttle 8 AM-6 PM. No pets please due to crowds. No alcohol or tobacco products. From Asheville take I-26 East to Exit #37. Turn left at the light onto Long Shoals Road. Address: 406 Overlook Extension Arden.
4th of July Celebrations & Fireworks near Asheville in Western North Carolina Towns
Bryson City: Freedom Fest is an old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration and street festival (10 AM-10 PM) in downtown Bryson City with a 5K, crafts, food, contests, live music, watermelon eating race and the best fireworks show in the Smokies (10 PM). Go rafting or tubing nearby! Ride the Freedom Train on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad that begins at 7:30 PM. Read more.
Lake Junaluska: Visit just for the day with the parade at 11 AM, BBQ picnic at 12-2 PM, Lake Junaluska Singers concert at 7:30 PM, and fireworks at 9:30 PM. Or book a 3-night package with lakefront lodging, buffet breakfasts, dinners, cookouts, three concerts, parade and fireworks VIP seating. Go to their Web site.
Sylva: Enjoy live music and and dancing starting at 6:30 PM, followed by fireworks at dark in the picturesque "all-American" small town nestled in the mountains. Stroll Main Street filled with shops, restaurants and breweries. Go to their Web site.
Marion: See the parade at 6 PM, followed by the street dance and live music at 7 PM, food vendors and fireworks at 9:45 PM.
Montreat: Montreat will host a the all American small town parade on July 4 at 10:30 AM (pic above). It's a longtime local favorite. Get there early to see the short-but-fun parade. See photos and video.
Lake Glenville: Watch fireworks from land or the lake on Sunday, July 1st, located near Cashiers. Rent a pontoon boat at Signal Ridge Marina!
Lake Lure: On July 3rd, watch fireworks at dusk over the lake from Morse Park (2948 Memorial Hwy, Lake Lure). Bring your picnic and chairs. No alcoholic beverages allowed. Also watch from the beach, opening at 8 PM. On the 4th, fireworks will be at Rumbling Bald Resort for their guests, but others enjoy from boats on the lake. Expect traffic bottlenecks after fireworks since there's just one road out!
Banner Elk: Iconic small-town parade begins at 11 AM on the 4th, starting at Lees-McRae College at ending at the town park with lunch vendors, rubber duck race and lawn games at 1 PM. Part of Mile High 4th Weekend, June 29-July 4 with neighboring Beech Mtn. Other events include Art on the Greene, live music and theatre. Go to their Web site.
Beech Mountain: Fireworks on Saturday, June 30, following their annual roasting of the hog that starts at 6 PM. Events all day including scenic chairlift rides, wine tasting, Blues on the Beech, biking, blues and jazz. July 3 concert by Tommy DeCarlo, lead singer of the legendary rock band Boston, 6:30 PM in the town park. Part of Mile High 4th Weekend, June 29-July 4. Go to their Web site.
Hendersonville: Patriotic Parade 11 AM. Ice Cream Social in front of the Historic Courthouse on Main Street 12 Noon-1 PM. Fireworks at dark, following free live outdoor music 7-9 PM downtown at 201 South Main (Visitors Center).
Waynesville: The Stars and Stripes daytime celebration runs 11 AM to 3 PM along Main Street with music and sidewalk sales. Children's parade at 11. No fireworks in downtown Waynesville, but see them nearby in Maggie Valley and Lake Junaluska.
Maggie Valley: Backyard Fourth, gates open at 6 PM and fireworks at dark. Free admission. Alcohol free. Festival Grounds, 3374 Soco Road Maggie Valley.
Forest City: Rutherford County Freedom Fest is 10 AM-2 PM at McNair Stadium with Owls baseball game at 7:05 PM followed by fireworks.
Robbinsville: Graham County Heritage Festival on July 6-7, 2018 on the square with crafters, food, moonshiners, country and bluegrass music, exhibits, contests on Friday 5-11 PM and Saturday 10 AM-11 PM. Saturday fireworks 10 PM.
Columbus: Their Fabulous 4th features food, music, entertainment, family games and a variety of vendors 10 AM-10 PM, with fireworks concluding the day.
Cashiers: LAST MINUTE UPDATE... On the Green fireworks, festival, food, music and dancing 6:30-10 PM moved to night of July 6th.
Brevard: Their 4th Celebration begins with the 5K/10K Firecracker Run at 8 AM. Downtown streets close for the Fine Arts & Craft Festival 9 AM-5 PM. The Classic Auto Show stretches for blocks. The Courthouse Gazebo is center stage for day-long musical entertainment. Evening fun moves a few blocks to Brevard College starting at 6 PM, with fireworks at 9:30 PM. Bicycle parade, hot dog eating contest and much more.
Brevard Music Center Festival: Patriotic Pops Concert on July 4th at 2 PM with favorite marches and patriotic tunes, color guard, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with live cannons. Arrive early and enjoy a picnic on the lawn prior to the concert. More on the Festival.
Little Switzerland: Watch or participate in their July 4th Parade at 4 PM.
Black Mountain will have family fun and fireworks beginning at 7 PM on July 4.
Fireworks Hike: Come celebrate the Fourth of July with an old-fashioned watermelon cutting, and view the Black Mountain fireworks display from the peak of Sunset Mountain, presented by the Swannanoa Valley Museum. Meet at 6 PM. Museum transports chairs up the mountain. Moderate 45-minute hike to the mountaintop. Cost is $35 for members and $50 for nonmembers. To register, call 828-669-9566.
Orchard at Altapass on Blue Ridge Parkway: July 4th, 11 AM-4:30 PM, Covered dish picnic open to all. Live music all day is free! Admission for the meal is a dish to share OR $10 per meal. The Orchard provides fresh barbecue, water, iced tea and paper goods.
Old Fort: Ice Cream Social at Mountain Gateway Museum 2-4 PM (watermelon & music too). Parade at 4 PM. Fireworks at dark.
Marshall: Food, music and more begins at 5 PM. Fireworks at dark.
Spruce Pine: Parade at 5 PM, festival afterwards at Central Park, fireworks at dark.
Weaverville: "Fire on the Lake" at Lake Louise Park with food, vendors and live music 7-10 PM and fireworks at 10 PM.
Franklin: 4th of July Parade at 10 AM with activities until 1 PM. Fireworks at dark at Macon County Rec Park on US Highway 441 South.
Morganton: Red, White and Bluegrass Festival on July 4-7, 2018: One of the top bluegrass music festivals in the South with 20+ bands. Camping, food, crafts and more. Catawba Meadows Park (701 Sanford Dr). Daily admission starts at $25/advance and $30/gate. Three day pass is $60/advance and $75/gate. Go to their Website.
Cherokee: Pow Wow on June 30-July 1, 2018 with authentic Indian dancing, drumming and tribal regalia. Fireworks June 30th at 10 PM. Read more about Cherokee Pow Wow.
Tryon International Equestrian Center: Saturday Night Lights on June 30 and July 7. Watch international level riders compete in horse jumping at this world-class campus with multiple arenas, stadium, restaurants, shops and entertainment. Free admission. Read more about Saturday Night Lights.
Saluda: Coon Dog Day is July 7th! Read more.
Reminder: Fireworks Illegal in National Forests
Fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices are prohibited on all national grassland and national forest lands year-round, regardless of weather conditions or holidays. Regulations are enforced, and violation is punishable as a misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.
For events throughout the year, see our list of seasonal calendars.
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