Holiday Happenings

SUBMITTED PHOTO Carolers perform at the Jones House prior to the Solar Tree Lighting.

BY JILLYAN MOBLEY

The holiday spirit is felt in valleys and on mountain tops in the High Country as celebrations take place throughout the region during the winter months, ranging from parades to the annual reopening of the area’s many winter sports facilities.

In Boone, holiday festivities started in early December with the Festive First Friday. Featuring the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at the Jones House on King Street, the event will start the holiday season on a high note.

Over in Blowing Rock, the holiday season started with an early kickoff the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Blowing Rock Christmas in the Park and Lighting of the Town took place at Memorial Park in downtown Blowing Rock and was free to all visitors. With hot chocolate, games, a visit from Santa and more, the festival is a great start to the holiday season. To learn more, visit blowingrock.com/christmas-park.

The Town of Boone held its annual Holiday Parade on King Street. Traveling east on King Street beginning at the Poplar Grove Connector and ending at Hardin Street, community groups of all kinds will partake in the annual holiday spectacle.

In Banner Elk, Apple Hill Farm hosts guests for its Christmas at Apple Hill Farm from Nov. 19, 2022, to Jan. 3, 2023, every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can participate in a guided tour of the working alpaca farm decorated for the holiday season and enjoy all the farm has to offer. To learn more, call (828) 963-1662 or visit www.applehillfarmnc.com.

Up in Banner Elk the Christmas cheer does not stop at the Apple Hill Farm. The weekends of Dec. 2 and 16, the town celebrated “A Small Town Christmas in Banner Elk,” setting the tone for the cheery holiday season with a tree lighting, performances of Ensemble Stage’s “A Banner Elk Christmas,” and more throughout the month. To learn more, visit www.bannerelk.com/latestnews/a-small-town-christmas.

There are a variety of light shows throughout the country during the holiday season. For spectacular views, visitors can partake in light shows in any corner of the region. Opening to the public on Nov. 25, the Festival of Lights at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock will continue to bring holiday

FILE PHOTO One of the trees lit up in the Banner Elk Town Park shines brightly in the winter night.

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Santa Claus waves to the adoring crowd during a Blowing Rock Christmas Parade down Main Street. FILE PHOTO

HAPPENINGS

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cheer all the way through the end of the Blowing Rock WinterFest on Jan. 29. There is no entrance fee or reservations required, but visitors can visit chetola. com/events/festival-of-lights to learn more and plan their trip.

Atop Beech Mountain in late December, the Town of Beech Mountain and the Beech Mountain Parks and Recreation department held the community’s annual Christmas parade. Starting at the Beech Mountain Resort, the parade will follow Beech Mountain Parkway and conclude at the White Wolf Lodge.

To learn more or inquire about joining the parade, call the Beech Mountain Visitors Center at (828) 387-3003.

While this list is extensive, there are plenty more holiday events everywhere in the High Country for families and friends to enjoy. Taking in crisp winter air in the mountains, there is no way to go wrong celebrating the holidays in the High Country.