Festivals

Numerous festivals and local events are within a short drive, or an even shorter walk, of Prospect Hill in Mountain City, TN.

Sunflower Festival, Mountain City, TN

Abingdon and Damascus, VA Festivals

Virginia Highlands Festival (late July-early Aug.; 2 weekends)

Trail Days, Damascus (May) celebrates the Appalachian Trail hiker

SEE MOUNTAIN CITY EVENTS CALENDAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE↓

Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain, Linville, NC

North Carolina Festivals

This LINK covers these festivals (they are a selection!)

• Thomas the Tank Train Engine Festival at Tweetsie Railroad (June)
• Highland Games on Grandfather Mountain  (July)
• Boone Bike Rally (end of Aug./first of Sept.)
• Boone Beer Fest (approx. Sept. 1)
• Autumn at Oz on Beech Mountain (by reservation; space limited, reserve early)
• Tweetsie Railroad Halloween Festival – spooky AND on a train (October)
  

  This is a wooly worm–you can race one!

• Todd New River Festival (October)
• Wooly Worm Festival – race your worm!(October) in Banner Elk, NC. Best time: Sunday lunch time.

2013 Johnson County/ Mountain City Tennessee Calendar of Events

 
March 16th  – Annual Mountain City Sponsored Easter Egg Hunt, at Ralph Stout Park. Event starts at 11:00am (rain date- March 23rd) – call (423)727-2942 .

April 4^th,  – ATV Rodeo at Chamber Park on Hwy.67 W.(approx.. 3 miles west of city limits)  Mountain City, TN. Doors open at 2pm. A day of rip-roaring, dirt-grinding fun. Frank Arnold @ (423)291-1800.

Every Friday Through August (Begins April 5th) – Knights on Main, 5-9 pm, West Main Street, Downtown Mountain City, TN. Antique, vintage, muscle cars and bikes gathering (show and tell for vintage vehicle lovers).   Free.  A perfect fit the the vintage architecture (think Elvis)   (423)727-9221

May 1^st ‘soft opening’- DOE MOUNTAIN Recreation State Park –  With miles of hiking, mountain biking, horseback and off highway vehicles (OHV)  riding trails, this 8,600 acre mountain range nestled in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains is destined to become the regions premiere outdoor adventure destination. Permits Required! Permits can be purchased at the Doe Mountain Visitors Center, 1203 Harbin Hill Rd. (off Hwy 167 W.), or at the Johnson County Courthouse, 222 West Main St., Mayor’s Office (M-F), both located in Mountain City, Tennessee.  (423)727-9696 or visit

Independence Day Celebrated Saturday, June 29^th- with the Fireworks Show. Join us at Ralph Stout Park, Hwy 421 N. near Hwy. 67,  Mountain City, TN, for a day of patriotism, live music, dancing, games, good food and family fun. There’s usually a parade in the afternoon, events in the park, fireworks at 9:30 pm. BEST spot to watching them:  on the Prospect Hill (guests, cottage renters, friends of guests). Inn’s only free party for guests on the porch.

Fireworks in the park – great view from the innas we celebrate our Nations Independence.The town usually has a parade the same day (afternoon).

 July 20th- Annual Mountain City Sunflower Festival- held on Main and Church Streets in Downtown Mountain City, Tennessee; 9am-5pm. Arts, crafts, wide variety of food vendors, antiques, native-American art, African-American art, yard art, metal works,  live music, square-dancing, sunflower judging contests, kiddie area with wet slide, face-painting, train rides, games, bouncy houses, annual beauty pageant, quilt show, ‘cruise in’ with the Johnson County Cruiser’s (antique, vintage, and muscle car club), and fun for the entire family.  (423)727-1950 or visit www.johnsoncountytnchamber.org  

Friday, August 9th  11:30 a.m. to 10 pm) & Saturday, August 10th (9:30 a.m. to 10 pm)- Annual Old Butler Days- Butler, Tennessee. Live music, delicious food from vendors, kid’s activities, and 2 days of great family fun!  (423)768-1818 or (423)768-2913.

August 17th, 2013- Watauga Lake Triathlon – Triathlon involves 1000 meter swim; 35 kilometer bike; and 8 kilometer run.  Prizes awarded.  Triathlon participants meet at ‘Sugar Grove Baptist Church’; 838 Sugar Grove Baptist Church Road, Butler, TN   Registration begins at 6:30am- race starts at 8am
Scott Vandevier (828)963-3867 or visit http://www.wataugalaketriathlon.com/ (early registration can also be completed through active.com found on website).

August 24^th & 25^th- “88^th Annual Fiddler’s Convention- Old Mill Music Park, Hwy. 91, Laurel Bloomery, TN  (approx. 7 miles north of Mountain City). Music and pickin’ begins 9am runs until it ends (evening) . This is the 88^th annual Fiddlers Convention, Tennessee’s OLDEST Fiddler’s convention, Jackie (423)727-8013.

September 6th-7th- Annual Chamber of Commerce Sponsored Professional Rodeo. Event held at Chamber Park, Hwy. 67 West, Mountain City, TN. This is a professional circuit rodeo complete with all judged rodeo events; calf-roping, bull and bronco riding, barrel racing, and more. Frank Arnold @ (423)291-1800

September 14^th- “Surviving the Snake”. Riding curving, mountainous Hwy. 421 north of Mountain City isn’t just for motorcycles. Bicycle enthusiast – Pack up your bikes for the famed “Snake” bike ride as you will brave the twists, turns, and cutbacks of several mountains on this 100K and 50K hair-raising bicycle ride. Surviving the Snake is a fundraiser by the Johnson County Community Hospital Foundation, starting and finishing at Ralph Stout Park, Hwy.421 N. near Hwy. 67, in Mountain City, TN.  Karen Clark (423)302-3122

October 1st through November 1st- Annual Mountain City Scarecrows of Main. Stroll through downtown Mountain City, TN and enjoy the quirky, scary, humorous, and downright outrageous scarecrows. Great family fun!  (423)272-1950 or visit www.johnsoncountytnchamber.org

The area’s best known festival - October 12th- (morning) Annual Shady Valley Cranberry Festival in scenic Shady Valley, TN. Live music, dancing, arts, crafts, antiques, Native American art, food, kiddie games. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shady-Valley-Cranberry-Festival/362095236749

December 7^th- Annual Christmas Parade- Downtown Mountain City. Fun for the entire family!

Many music festival throughout the year