Best Time of the Year to Visit – Year Round!
Spring in the Hickory Nut
Gorge is absolutely gorgeous with dogwood, daffodils, red bud, and forsythia blooming in April.
Then in May the mountains are covered with mountain laurel (pictured), crab apple, flame azaleas and wild
cherry trees. June brings our purple and white rhododendron and wild orange day lilies. And our leaf
color in the fall is spectacular!
On Easter Sunday every year a sunrise service is held at Chimney Rock State Park. Come celebrate Easter with song, scripture and spiritual music as a spectacular sunrise ascends over Lake Lure. Admission is free to enter the Sunrise Service, but participants must reserve a park parking pass (one pass per vehicle).
Kick
off the spring season with the first of two annual Lake Lure Arts
& Crafts Festival held on Saturday and Sunday, May 11-15, 2024 from 10 am - 5 pm rain
or shine. Festival features fine arts and crafts, food booths and entertainment. Kids activities too.
Downtown Lake Lure, across from the Beach. The festival raises funds to support Hickory Nut Gorge
Outreach.
Lake Lure Spring Classic Boat & Auto Show. May 18, 2024. Annual classic boat and antique auto show. Fun for the whole family! Boat parade, food, vendors, and music. 10 am - 4 pm at Lake Lure Beach. Free and no registration needed.
Lake Lure Memorial Day Service. Lake Lure will hold a ceremony at the Memorial Kiosk in front of the Lake Lure Inn at 9:00 am on May 27, 2024. Come join together to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Refreshments following the service.
Lure of the Lake Swim. June 8, 2024 8 am - 12 pm. Two fresh water races hosted by the Lake Lure Olympiad at the Lake Lure Beach across from the Lake Lure Inn and Spa. 1.5 and 3-mile races. Lots of good food and a great race shirt for registered participants! Come swim with us and support area charities and First Responders. Admission fees apply. To register for this event, contact the Lake Lure Annual Olympiad.
Community Independence Day Celebration. July 6, 2024. Beginning at dusk, join the Town of Lake Lure's annual community celebration for Independence Day. Watch beautiful fireworks exploding over Lake Lure.
Lake Lure Annual Olympiad.
– Aug 9-11, 2024. This 3-day sport and community festival features dozens of
events and activities for people of all ages and athletic abilities. Includes 10K Dam Run on Friday, and
Triathlon Challenge on Saturday when you can swim, bike and run your way through an exhilarating course
with spectacular scenery along the way. Then participate in the Finale on Sunday with 5K Run to the Rock
in Chimney Rock State Park. The rewarding 75-mile views from the finish line overlooking Lake Lure are
enough to take your breath away… or what’s left of it! This is the ONLY TIME you can ever
run to Chimney Rock. Advance registration required. Fees vary.
Fall Lake Lure Arts & Crafts Festival. October 12, 2024, 10 am - 4 pm. The second annual Lake Lure festival featuring wonderful art and handmade crafts. Enjoy demonstrations of artists creating new works at the event. Great music, dancing and local food vendors. A kids zone offers mini golf and face painting. Across from Lake Lure Beach. Festival proceeds benefit Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach.
Lighting Up Lake Lure. Dec 4, 2024 at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. To kick off the holiday season, enjoy the lighting up of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, a fascinating garden path created by local volunteers on an historical bridge. Santa will lead local elementary students onto the bridge to sing favorite Christmas carols. The festivities conclude with volunteers serving warm cider and cookies. The gardens are free and open to the public all year, and the majority of the paths are wheelchair accessible.
December 6, 2024 - Christmas in Chimney Rock Village. On the first Friday in December, stroll our quaint mountain village streets all lit up with Christmas lights and get a head start on your Christmas shopping in our craft and gift shops. Enjoy a delicious meal in one of our locally owned restaurants, several of which are riverside.
December 7 and 14, 2024 –
Santa on the Chimney. 11 am - 2 pm. Santa practices scaling
the chimney in Chimney Rock State Park. USA Today named Chimney Rock one of the "10 great
places to catch up with Santa."
January 1, 2025 – Polar Plunge.
12 Noon. (registration 10:30 - 11:30 am) Take the annual New Year's Polar Plunge at the
Beach at Lake Lure and freeze for a reason – to support local charities. If you're not feeling that
brave, come see the fun – there will be bonfires to keep you warm!