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!

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."