Haywood County is Blooming with Activity May 2025!

Haywood County -- Haywood County is blooming with activity this May 2025! Get ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant mix of festivals, markets, and cultural celebrations.

From the Appalachian Heritage Festival on May 2-3, showcasing the region's traditions, to the Boho Hippie Fest on May 10-11 with live music and arts, there's something for everyone.

Other highlights include the Maggie Valley Fly Fishing Festival on May 23-24 and the PlottFest on May 17, celebrating the state dog. Don't miss out on the Berries & Blooms Spring Festival, Mom's Blooming High Tea, Visit Haywood Open House, and the Whole Bloomin' Thing Spring Festival for even more springtime fun!

Spring Pop Up Shop
Church Street Studios | Waynesville, NC
May 01
to
May 17

Discover a trove of handmade and vintage goods at Show & Tell’s Spring Pop Up Shop! Hosted in Church Street Studios, a former school turned Haywood creativity hub, this limited-time market is rife with colorful art, one-of-a-kind finds, and good vibes. While you’re shopping, check out the Studios’ groovy residents, including Roll Up Herbal Bar, Raw Living Kitchen, Golden Bear Alchemy, and more!

Thunder in the Smokies Spring Rally
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds | Maggie Valley, NC
May 02
to
May 04

Join thousands of bikers as they roll into Haywood's Great Smoky Mountains for the busiest motorcycle weekend of the year! Cruise winding mountain roads and show off your ride during the judged Bike Show. Compete in the fun-loving Bike Games for cash prizes of up to $1000. Rock out at nightly concerts, shop bike vendors, and fellowship with an expansive rider community. This is the oldest and longest currently running rally in Western NC––come get into the rumbling tradition!

Mom's Blooming High Tea
Crown & Thistle Tea Room | Waynesville, NC
May 02

Bloom with gratitude and joy at this Mother’s Day celebration! Treat the special women in your life to an evening of world-class tea, scrumptious treats, and good company. Crown & Thistle’s Blooming High Tea experience is fit for a queen, with individual pots of tea chosen from their extensive menu, three tiers of classic teatime light bites, live cello music, and goodie bags for the women of the hour! Find menu and ticket

An Evening Under the Arch
Gateway to the Smokies Arch | Waynesville, NC
May 02

Kick off Appalachian Heritage Weekend with a night filled with lively tunes, foot-tapping rhythms, and the warm camaraderie of fellow music lovers. Don't miss out on the chance to experience an authentic bluegrass performance with Woody Platt and the Bluegrass Gentlemen.

Appalachian Heritage Festival
Downtown Waynesville | Waynesville, NC
May 02
to
May 03

Celebrate the traditions of Appalachia with a weekend full of culture, crafts, and music! Main Street will be closed to traffic, creating a festival atmosphere featuring a kick-off concert Friday night, hands-on demonstrations of heritage crafts, over 50 art and craft vendors, a true crime rail inspired by local history, tours of the historic Shelton House, and the Quilt Trails Bus Tour. Join in the Appalachian Heritage festivities and tap into the history of Haywood!

Berries & Blooms Spring Festival
Ten Acre Garden | Canton, NC
May 03

Join Ten Acre Garden for a fun-filled celebration of Spring! Shop local handmade vendors, pick organic strawberries and wildflowers grown onsite, take a hay ride, enjoy live music, and try a farm-to-brick oven pizza —all made with ingredients straight from the Garden! Bring the whole family to enjoy springtime on the farm, explore beautiful blooms, and meet the talented local artisans behind our handmade vendors.

Mother's Day Makers Class @ Waypoint
Waypoint | Waynesville, NC
May 04

Create a selection of unique gifts to celebrate the special women in your life at Waypoint’s Mother’s Day Makers Class! No gift is more heartfelt than one handmade with love. Better yet, bring Mom along for the experience and enjoy quality bonding time (plus a cute craft to remember the occasion by). Drift between crafting stations with the option to create rose salve, solid perfume, elderflower eye cream, a pressed flower frame, and more! Please see event site for more details.

Visit Haywood Open House
Visit Haywood Welcome Center | Lake Junaluska, NC
May 08

Celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week at Visit Haywood's official Open House! Come explore the revamped Welcome Center, meet the friendly faces behind Visit Haywood, and connect with local businesses, residents, and visitors alike. Shop a new stock of locally-made products, sip on mocktails and lemonade from Roll Up Herbal Bar, and score a goodie bag at the door! Plus, enter to win awesome raffle packages filled with Haywood-made treats. Let’s celebrate what makes Haywood County special—you!

Whole Bloomin' Thing Spring Festival
Historic Frog Level | Waynesville, NC
May 10

The annual Whole Bloomin' Thing Spring Festival, held in the historic Frog Level district of Waynesville, is a Mother's Day weekend tradition. This vibrant festival invites attendees to explore offerings from regional growers and skilled local artisans. Diverse food trucks will be on site, as well as live music performers. Lively and colorful, this event invites both Haywood County residents and visitors to join in celebrating the spirit of spring!

Build Your Own Bouquet w/ Pinnacle Farms
Barber Orchards Fruit Stand | Waynesville, NC
May 10

Make Mother’s Day a colorful affair at Pinnacle Farms’ Build Your Own Bouquet Bar! Build your dream arrangement from Pinnacle Farms’ vibrant precut flowers. This time of year, the farm is blossoming with ranunculus, peonies, snapdragons, and other spring flowers. Stop Barber Orchards Fruit Stand to harness the beauty of springtime and leave with a one-of-a-kind bouquet as special as Mom.

4th Annual Boho Hippie Fest
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds | Maggie Valley, NC
May 10
to
May 11
Get groovy at the 4th Annual Boho Hippie Fest! Time to dust off your bell bottoms, deck yourself out in feathers and flowers, and get down with good vibrations. This family-friendly shindig is packed with live jam sessions, outta sight food trucks, and off-the-hook performance artists. Jive with hula hoop dancers, catch some live glass blowing, shop over 100 unique vendors and a sweet tie-dye station. Peace, love, and happiness await

Get out, enjoy, & support local businesses!

You can find all the happenings  Visit Haywood Here

WNCTimes

Image: WNCTimes