Celebrating the Seasons in Wilkesboro

Celebrating the Seasons in Wilkesboro

Colorful fall leaves, apple harvests, pumpkins in the fields, first snowflakes, Christmas trees on street corners -- fall and winter are a time of celebration and beauty in Wilkesboro.

Harvest-time Fun

If you like apple pie -- and who doesn’t? -- make plans to attend the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival operated by the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club. The event celebrates the growers who are so much a part of this region, and visitors can get their fill of fried apple pies, apple butter, apple fritters and apple cider. You can even see apple butter being made right before your eyes.

Don’t let the name fool you, the apple festival is about much more than apples. More than 400 vendors line the streets of North Wilkesboro, offering a large variety of artists and crafts, including handmade jewelry, local pottery, stained glass, and more. When you’re ready for a break from the shopping, grab a bite to eat at one of the many food vendors and check out the entertainment at one of four different stages offering a constant line-up of music and performances throughout the day, from bluegrass and clogging to rock-and-roll.

Holiday Happenings

The holiday season kicks off in Wilkes County the weekend of December 4, with a small-town parade full of wonderfully decorated floats, all four county marching bands, and local businesses, scout troops, homecoming queens, dance troops and classic cars putting on their best show for the crowds lining the streets. This year’s theme, “A Patriotic Christmas,” is sure to enthrall spectators with bright colors and great music celebrating our country and the Christmas season.

The parade starts in North Wilkesboro and makes its way over to downtown Wilkesboro, where it passes by the Wilkes Heritage Museum square, the site of the Christmas in the Commons celebration immediately following the parade. Stick around for food trucks, activities for kids, visits with Santa, and the official lighting of the Heritage Square Christmas Tree.

Plan Your Visit

43rd Brushy Mountain Apple Festival

October 2, 2021, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Downtown North Wilkesboro

Pre-Festival Apple Jam featuring Sassafrass

October 1, 2021, 6 p.m.

Wilkes County Christmas Parade

December 4, 2021, 3-5 p.m.

Christmas in the Commons

December 4, 4:30-8:30

Carolina West Wireless Community Commons and Wilkes Heritage Museum Square