Just 15 miles east of Asheville, Black Mountain moves at its own rhythm. Front porches double as stages. Brick sidewalks fill with painters, pickers and parade-goers. The peaks rise close here, and so does the creative current.
This small town carries an outsized legacy, shaped in part by the bold experimentation of Black Mountain College, whose influence still ripples through studios, galleries and gathering spaces today.
Here’s your 2026 look at the festivals and traditions that keep Black Mountain’s spirit in motion, season by season.
What Are the Can’t-Miss Events in Black Mountain Each Year?
{Re}HAPPENING
April 25, 2026 | 3–10 p.m.
Black Mountain College Campus at Lake Eden (Camp Rockmont)
Born from the legacy of Black Mountain College, {Re}HAPPENING is less a festival and more a living experiment. Expect immersive art installations, boundary-pushing performances, music, and moments that blur the line between audience and artist.
Presented in partnership with the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, the event gathers local visionaries and international creators in a setting that feels intimate, exploratory and a little electric. It’s a nod to the college’s radical past, and proof that its spirit still thrives in these hills.
Art in Bloom
May 29 – June 21, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Black Mountain Center for the Arts
Art in Bloom pairs regional visual artists with floral designers for a gallery-wide celebration of texture, shape and season. Glass catches the light. Petals echo brushstrokes. Sculpture and stems share the same room.
Art by the Tracks
June 6, 2026 and October 24, 2026
The Old Depot
A juried art and master craft show hosted by the Old Depot Association, Art by the Tracks brings artists and makers to downtown Black Mountain for a day of browsing, chatting with creators, and finding something handmade to take home. Proceeds support the Old Depot Association’s work, including grants for arts programs in Swannanoa Valley schools.
Park Rhythms Concert Series
Dates TBA (typically June–July)
Town Square, Downtown Black Mountain
Park Rhythms is Black Mountain’s free summer concert series, held outdoors at Town Square in the heart of downtown. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, build your own picnic (or grab takeout nearby), and settle in for a laid-back evening of live music with the mountains as your backdrop.
Sourwood Festival
August 8–9, 2026
Downtown Black Mountain
For more than four decades, the Sourwood Festival has drawn thousands downtown for a joyful, slightly sticky celebration of Appalachian beekeeping and craft. You’ll find honey tastings, live bee demonstrations, bluegrass drifting through the streets, and more than 200 vendors lining the sidewalks with handmade goods. Kids gravitate toward rides and face painting. Grownups linger over local art and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Everyone leaves with honey.
Black Mountain Blues Festival
September 25–27, 2026
Multiple Venues in Downtown Black Mountain
The Black Mountain Blues Festival returns September 25–27, 2026 for a three-day celebration of live blues music across walkable downtown venues. Hosted by the Black Mountain Blues Society and White Horse Black Mountain, the festival features regional and national artists performing in intimate settings throughout town. Programming typically includes mainstage performances, club shows, and educational components, creating a weekend that feels immersive and community-centered. Full lineup and venue details are expected to be announced closer to the event.
LEAF Festival
October 16–18, 2026
Location: To Be Announced
LEAF—Lake Eden Arts Festival—has long been part of Black Mountain’s creative heartbeat. In 2026, the fall festival returns October 16–18 at a new location (to be announced). Expect global music, dance, storytelling, healing arts and family programming that stretches from morning workshops to late-night sets.
(Note: LEAF’s 2026 one-day sister festival “Deep Roots” takes place May 30, 2026 at Pisgah Brewing in nearby Swannanoa.)
Holly Jolly Celebration
December 4-5, 2026
Downtown Black Mountain
Holly Jolly Celebration marks the official start of the holiday season in downtown Black Mountain. Hosted by the Swannanoa Valley Chamber, the weekend typically begins Friday evening with extended shopping hours, festive storefront displays, live entertainment, and visits with Santa. Saturday brings the beloved Christmas Parade down State Street, with floats, marching bands, local groups, and plenty of curbside cheer.
Deck the Trees
December 2026 (Dates TBA)
Hosted by The Monte Vista Hotel & Participating Local Businesses
Throughout December, decorated trees appear across town as part of a friendly competition that invites visitors to stroll, admire and vote.Each tree reflects the personality of the business behind it—playful, nostalgic, elegant, whimsical. The result is less spectacle, more warmth. A celebration you experience at walking pace.
