Visit Banner Elk

Visit Banner Elk Official Visitor Guide by Banner Elk Tourism and Town Hall. Our town is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Home to Lees-McRae College.
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A beloved vacation getaway for cool summers and snowy winters (NC's top ski town).

Fabulous Valle Country Fair returns Oct 17, just 6 weeks away! One of the top art & craft festivals in western NC with 1...
09/05/2026

Fabulous Valle Country Fair returns Oct 17, just 6 weeks away! One of the top art & craft festivals in western NC with 100+ artists, paired with "old time" harvest flavors of Brunswick Stew, barbecue, and homemade apple butter, jams, c***r, cakes, pies and more. (Not the amusement ride type of fair!) Gorgeous setting in a valley field. Mountain music too. Just 6 miles from Banner Elk - the same weekend as Woolly Worm Festival. Free admission, $10/car for parking. 9am-4pm. No pets (too crowded with humans). The Fair raises funds for local human service organizations, giving more than $1.4 million in the past 47 years. Located across from Holy Cross Church, 122 Skiles Way, Banner Elk.
Enjoy photos from last year!

Grandfather Mountain is a top fall stop! Leaves begin the color show by the Swinging Bridge in late September with gorge...
09/02/2026

Grandfather Mountain is a top fall stop! Leaves begin the color show by the Swinging Bridge in late September with gorgeous valley views extending through October. Black Rock Trail is a fantastic hike for colors and dramatic rock formations. Also, see the animals, bring a picnic, explore the Wilson Center nature exhibits, or hike the adventurous Grandfather Trail to the summit. These photos are from Oct 10 of a typical fall season.
Black Rock Trail details: Begins at the Black Rock Parking Area along the road to the summit a half-mile before the Swinging Bridge parking area. The trail ends at large, flat boulders perched on the east slope of Grandfather Mountain. You’ll descend only 300 feet in elevation – ending at 4,722 feet. So it's not a strenous hike, but be careful on rocks and roots (see photos)!
See our Grandfather Mtn Guide including lodging packages: www.bannerelk.com/grandfather-mountain/

Exciting! Jeff Corwin partners with Lees-McRae College for new television series, “Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild” - premie...
09/01/2026

Exciting! Jeff Corwin partners with Lees-McRae College for new television series, “Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild” - premieres Saturday, October 3. It will air weekend mornings on ABC stations nationwide as part of the Weekend Adventure educational / informational (E/I) programming block (times vary; check local listings).
Filmed across North Carolina, “Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild” follows Corwin from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast as he explores the wildlife, wild places and passionate people that make the Tar Heel State one of the country’s most remarkable natural environments. Along the way, Corwin will search for bats and salamanders, encounter black bears, alligators and sea turtles, snorkel waterways in exploration of native fish, and take viewers inside wildlife rescue and conservation efforts happening in real-time.
Joining Corwin in the field are scientists, wildlife experts and conservationists, as well as Lees-McRae College students, educators, and alumni, whose hands-on work in wildlife biology, rehabilitation, and conservation offers a window into how the next generation of environmental leaders is being prepared.
“North Carolina is an extraordinary place to tell stories about wildlife,” Corwin said. “But what excites me most about 'Southern Wild' is that we're not only encountering incredible animals — we're meeting the people who have dedicated their lives to understanding and conserving them and working alongside students who will carry that mission into the future.”

Great hiking: Bass Lake at Moses Cone Park is a beautiful spot with many trail options for length and challenge! Take an...
08/30/2026

Great hiking: Bass Lake at Moses Cone Park is a beautiful spot with many trail options for length and challenge! Take an easy 1-mile stroll around the lake with views of the Manor House on the hill. Or hike up to the Manor House and create a 4-6 mile loop. The park has 25 miles of carriage trails with gentle climbs – all open for hiking. 17 miles from Banner Elk. GPS for parking area off US 221: 1 Bass Lake Drive, Blowing Rock.

08/29/2026

7 weeks to Woolly Worm Festival: Oct 17-18! Much fun with worm races, arts/crafts, food, music & kids fun in downtown Banner Elk, North Carolina. After more than 1,000 racing for the title, the winning worm gets the honor of making the winter forecast. According to legend, the 13 bands on the woolly worm (woolly bear caterpillar) represent the 13 weeks of winter. Saturday 9 AM-5 PM & Sunday 9 AM-4 PM. Make plans with our festival guide: www.bannerelk.com/attractions/woolly-worm-festival/

Fall arriving at Mountaineer Garden Center! First batch of pumpkins, mums & more. Their "PumpkinPalooza" is just getting...
08/28/2026

Fall arriving at Mountaineer Garden Center! First batch of pumpkins, mums & more. Their "PumpkinPalooza" is just getting started. Open every day. 1735 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk
Follow them: Mountaineer garden center

Sept 5 & 6: Final Art on the Greene of the season! Sat & Sun 10AM-5PM. Buy direct from 60+ artists - all handpicked for ...
08/27/2026

Sept 5 & 6: Final Art on the Greene of the season! Sat & Sun 10AM-5PM. Buy direct from 60+ artists - all handpicked for quality and variety! Downtown Banner Elk in front of the Historic School. Ice cream and food truck too. Free admission & parking. Extra parking behind school.

Avery County A&H Fair is Sep 2-5 at Heritage Park, 661 Vale Road, Newland. Admission $5 for adults, 18 years old and und...
08/26/2026

Avery County A&H Fair is Sep 2-5 at Heritage Park, 661 Vale Road, Newland. Admission $5 for adults, 18 years old and under are free. Gate open 5-10 PM Wed-Fri with rides starting at 6 PM. Saturday gate open 11:30 AM-10:30 PM with rides starting at 1PM. Photos from last year!

08/25/2026

Hooray! The new NC 105 bridge opened this morning between Banner Elk and Boone - after 4 years of blasting through rocks and construction delays. Next, the 75-year-old bridge comes down to complete the other two lanes of the new bridge. Very few traffic delays for that since major earth moving is done. Entire 4-lane bridge should be finished by late next year to be ready for future 4-lane highway widening to Boone. Happy travels!

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200 Park Avenue
Banner Elk, NC
28604

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