Spring Events & Festivals: Top 40

Go nuts at the White Squirrel Festival in downtown Brevard that features a parade, plenty of live music, food, arts and much on Memorial Day Weekend.

Exhibition at the North Carolina Arboretum features award-winning roses of every color and size. Experts on hand to answer questions and provide information about the selection, care, and history of roses.

See works of 90 of the finest artisans from the Southeast on the Village Green in Cashiers, 10 AM- 5 PM. Find ironwork, woodcraft, textiles, cakes, jams, pottery and more. Free admission, but donations accepted.

Find a big variety of 40 artists working with metal, glass, pottery, wood, jewelry and more in downtown Banner Elk. Many restaurants, shops and things to do nearby. Benefits their historic school renovation. 10 AM-5 PM. Free admission.

Kick off Memorial Day Weekend with free outside live music in downtown Sylva, with Freeway Revival (rock/Americana) 7-9 PM at the Bridge Park, two blocks from Main Street with shops, restaurants and breweries. Family friendly, bring a chair or blanket.

Tour studios of 180+ artists in 25 buildings along the river. Watch them create an eclectic mix, from traditional to cutting-edge. See special gallery exhibits and demonstrations. Near downtown Asheville and Biltmore. 10-5.

Outstanding festival with 100% handpicked regional artists along Saluda's historic Main Street. See a big diversity of art media and enjoy music representing Americana, blues, folk and contemporary. Watch artist demonstrations. Free. 10 AM-4 PM.

Buy from 160 juried artists, including paintings, sculpture, clay, glass, fiber, wood, photography, jewelry and more. All work is original and handmade by artist in the show. Indoors at US Cellular Center downtown. Admission

Watch horse jumping and riding with the best jockeys in the country at the impressive, new Tryon International Equestrian Center with an exciting atmosphere featuring music, food, kid's activities and Venetian carousel rides. Events vary each week. Free admission.

Enjoy great music, food and beer in downtown Asheville at this popular outdoor concert.

See a big variety of dahlia tubers and chrysanthemum rooted cuttings featuring cultivated varieties available for sale. Learn from Dahlia Society experts about how to produce plants with show quality blooms.

Lots of fun in Chimney Rock Village with a pancake breakfast, Cow Pie Bingo, recycled garden art contest, llamas strutting their stuff in a Main Street parade, and a grilled dinner and a special outdoor performance by the Rutherford County Orchestra at the Gathering Place.

Sample wines from 8 wineries on the grounds of the grand Inn at Glen Alpine near Morganton. Live music, festival food, and arts and crafts. Bring your own blanket or chair! No pets. 12-5 PM. Tickets $20 in advance or $25 at the gate (cash only). Info: 828-584-9264

Huge, sustainable living event with more than 200 hands-on workshops and demonstrations at the WNC Ag Center.

Explore this former NASA campus hidden in Pisgah National Forest that is now a research and educational center for space and science. Tours, star gazing, minerals, meteorites, on hands exhibits, and more for all ages. Free

This grassroots festival in Hot Springs on the banks of the French Broad features some of the best music in the area, camping and outdoor events in celebration of this beautiful river.

Check out the season's hottest gear (with free test paddling) at the NOC's Outfitter's Store on the Nantahala River. Top it off with free live music and local brews.

Drive scenic country roads to visit 35 artists in their studios and galleries about 10 minutes north of Asheville. Buy direct from them - find some great deals. Free.

Presented by the American Rhododendron Society, SE Chapter, this judged event features hundreds of Rhododendron and Azalea blooms at The North Carolina Arboretum. Also see the National Native Azalea Repository.

This festival at Highland Brewing Company includes hands-on fun, grilled cheese cook off, milking demonstrations, panel discussions, workshops, vendors and 19 cheese makers from across the south. Advance tickets $14 for ages 12+. Tickets at the door $20. 12-4 PM

Join Chimney Rock State Park rangers, biologists and other environmental educators to learn about the great work being done to protect our beautiful landscape. Booths will be located in Chimney Rock Village behind the Old Rock Café. Free.

Celebrate Easter by watching the sun rise over Hickory Nut Gorge during the annual service atop Chimney Rock. Free admission.

Usher in spring with picnics, sundresses, elegant hats, tailgating, and the sounds & sights of thoroughbreds thundering past in Tryon, at the longest running steeplechase in North Carolina. The National Steeplechase Association sanctions four of the races.

Nantahala Outdoor Center's (NOC) jamboree to celebrate the Appalachian Trail, with outdoor adventure-themed film screenings, a vendor village, gear repair, and tournaments to support the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Also enjoy product giveaways, door prizes and live music.

Take a time warp at the Cradle of Forestry to the days of the Biltmore Forest School. Meet homesteaders David and Diane and their Percheron draft horses. Observe the horses plow the heritage garden and even take a turn at it yourself. Visit with living history volunteers as they bring traditional Blue Ridge culture to life. $5/person, children under 16 free

Hear and feel the beat at the weekly drum circle every Friday night in downtown Asheville in Pritchard Park. And dance the night away!