Calendar of Events

“Asheville Named ‘Beer City USA’” www.examiner.com . People from 46 countries cast votes for their favorite Beer City USA.  In the end, Portland, Oregon and Asheville, North Carolina garnered the most votes. Asheville is home to more breweries per capita than any other city in the U.S. The result of such notoriety is a Brewtopian Society that no beer lover should ignore. For an insider’s take on the best craft brewed beer that the area has to offer visit, www.brewscruise.com .

The Saluda Arts and Music Festival – Third Saturday in May, Saluda. The Saluda Business Association sponsors this annual Arts and Music Festival, celebrating the heritage and culture of the Blue Ridge artists and musicians. Featuring more than 50 talented artists from Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina, visitors enjoy a dazzling diversity of art media including oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings, pottery, woodturning, blacksmithing, sculpture, jewelry, painted furniture, stained glass and more. www.saluda.com

Tryon Horse Show – June, Foothills Equestrian and Nature Center, Tryon. Bring a picnic and your lawn chair and enjoy fresh, summer breezes while watching some of the finest equestrian competition in the country. For more information: info@fence.org

The Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival – June, Tryon, . The Blue Ridge BBQ Festival. kicks off the summer festival season with one of the top barbeque events in the nation according to Martha Stewart Living magazine. “Q” specialists from across the nation gather for top honors, while visitors feast on the best of the best. Live music runs day and night on two stages. Rock, blues, folk, funk, blue grass, jazz and zydeco – bring your dancin’ shoes and bring your appetite! www.blueridgebbqfestival.com

Annual Coon Dog Day Festival – The first Saturday following the Fourth of July, Saluda. For close to half a century folks in these hills celebrated the skill and stamina of their prized hunting dogs by competing for honors every July. Today, Coon Dog Day has less to do with hunting raccoons, as it is a gathering of people interested in experiencing a genuine slice of Americana. A Main Street parade, continuous live entertainment, dancin’ in the street, arts and crafts, a variety of food and a mid-way are all part of this one-of-a-kind celebration. Book NOW and be within walking distance of all the festivities!

The Annual Bele Chere Celebration – July, Asheville. Bele Chere, (Scottish vernacular for “Good Life”) has been the premier summer celebration in the Western Blue Ridge since 1979. This three-day street festival encompasses three blocks of downtown Asheville with four stages and plenty of local beer, wine and food. Stay at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast and enjoy the biggest party of the year, then return to the tranquility and comfort of an 1895 Victorian Inn.

Past Bele Chere entertainers include Travis Tritt, The Wailers, The P Funk All Stars, Cowboy Mouth, Edwin McCain, Rusted Root, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marty Stuart, Gin Blossoms, Gov’t Mule, Train, Galactic, Shooter Jennings, Martin Sexton and many more. Access to the street party and entertainment is FREE! .www.belecherefestival.com

North Carolina Apple Festival – September, Labor Day weekend, Hendersonville. The counties surrounding Saluda are responsible for the seventh largest apple crop in the nation. Celebrate this bountiful harvest in the streets of nearby Hendersonville with continuous live entertainment, apple growers and their apples, children’s & youth activities, special exhibits, food and the King Apple Parade. www.ncapplefestival.org

The Flat Rock Music Festival – September, Flat Rock. Held in a beautiful natural venue, this three-day “happening” features 35 performers on three stages. Attracting national attention and performers The Flat Rock Music Festival offers a limited number of tickets to insure an intimate connection between audience and artist. For ticket information and a roster of this years performers, visitwww.flatrockmusicfestival.com

Home Town Christmas – Second Friday in December, Saluda. Picture Main Street and all its vintage storefronts and inns dressed in festive holiday style while traditional Christmas music wafts through the crisp night air – this is so not the mall! Friends greeting friends while sipping spiced cider and getting in a little holiday shopping. Main Street sparkles with luminaries and lights creating an elegant holiday ambiance that brings us closer to the true meaning of Christmas. www.saluda.com