The entire week of July 4th features many Independence Day celebrations and firework shows in Asheville and many small towns in the western North Carolina mountains! Below is a big list of events and festivals - more than 30!
Downtown Asheville Independence Day Celebration: 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. 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.
South Asheville Fireworks: At Lake Julian, the fireworks show starts at dark (9-9:30 PM) 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 live music featuring Mountain Faith to precede best fireworks show in the Smokies (10 PM). Go rafting or tubing nearby! (See our Bryson City guide)
Lake Junaluska: Visit just for the day on July 4th with a special BBQ lunch to-go and fireworks at 9:30 PM. Or stay with one of their overnight packages that include lodging, a lake cruise on the Cherokee IV, and a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard rental. Go to their website for more details.
Sylva: On the 4th, enjoy live music 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 website for more details.
Marion: See the 4th parade at 6 PM, followed by the street dance and live music at 7 PM, food vendors, and fireworks at 9:45 PM. Go to their website.
Montreat: Montreat will host 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 July 2, 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. Other events include Art on the Greene, live music and theatre. Go to their website.
Beech Mountain: Beech Mountain: Fireworks at dark, 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. The Beech Mountain Resort will be open 10 AM-6 PM for downhill mountain biking, scenic lift rides, Mile High Yoga, and more.
Hendersonville: July 4th fireworks will begin at 9:30 PM at 201 South Main (Visitor's Center). Look for the giant red balloon to signify the visibility of the fireworks show. If you can see the balloon, you can see the fireworks from your location. Go to their website.
Waynesville: The Stars and Stripes daytime celebration runs from 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. Go to their website.
Maggie Valley: Backyard Fourth, gates open on July 4 at 6 PM and fireworks at dark. Free admission. Alcohol-free. Festival Grounds, 3374 Soco Road Maggie Valley.
Robbinsville: Graham County Heritage Festival begins July 3th at 5 PM. Enjoy crafters, food, moonshiners, country and bluegrass music, exhibits, contests from 5-11 PM and Saturday 9 AM-11 PM. Saturday fireworks at 10 PM. Go to their website.
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: Fireworks On the Green with festival, food, music, and dancing. 6:30-10 PM.
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 beginning at Geneva Hall at 4 PM.
Black Mountain: Festivities begin at 7 PM with activities for kids, food vendors, and dancing before fireworks begin at dark.
Sunset 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 6:30 PM. The museum transports chairs up the mountain. The moderate 45-minute hike to the mountaintop. Cost: $40 for members, $55 for nonmembers, $30 under 18. To register, call 828-669-9566.
Orchard at Altapass on Blue Ridge Parkway: (2020 event details) July 4, 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 $15 per meal. The Orchard provides fresh barbecue, coleslaw, beans, beverages, and paper goods.
Mars Hill: Fireworks at dusk at the Mars Hill Recreation Park on Park Drive.
Marshall: Fun begins at 5 PM on July 4th with live music, food, and beer. Be sure to bring cash, as this is a cash-only event. Fireworks start at 9:30 PM.
Morganton: On July 4th fireworks will be shot from Freedom Park at dark with plenty of parking areas around the park to watch from your car. Freedom Park will be closed off to maintain social distancing. Find more details on their website.
Spring Creek: Near Hot Springs & Max Patch, July 4th festivities begin at 6 PM with live music and BBQ. Fireworks start at dark near the Spring Creek Fire Department.
Spruce Pine: Parade at 5 PM, festival afterward at Central Park, fireworks at dark.
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.
Week of July 4th Things to Do
