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Parades and celebrations in Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and more; 5 spots with fireworks
There are plenty of ways to celebrate July 4 in the Boone and Blowing Rock area … and a lot of them involve small-town parades, festivals and, of course, fireworks.
🇺🇸 Here’s your guide to ringing in America’s 250th birthday (!)
THINGS TO DO
BANNER ELK
"Star-Spangled Banner Elk Fourth of July," 11 a.m., Downtown Banner Elk. One of North Carolina's most popular Fourth of July parades down Main Street, followed by the Party in the Park and Duck Race at Tate-Evans Town Park starting at noon. Food vendors, games, and inflatables. Free.
"Independence Day Benefit Concert," noon to 8 p.m., The Barnyard at Mast Farm Inn, 2543 Broadstone Road, Banner Elk. Live music with Joe Nelson & Friends 2-4 p.m. and Morningbath 5-7 p.m. Includes food vendors, local beer, bounce house and “a veteran cigar lounge hosted by High Country Veterans.” Benefits Military Missions in Action. $10 per vehicle.
BLOWING ROCK
"July 4th Celebration in Blowing Rock," Main Street, Blowing Rock. Small-town Fourth of July parade at 10 a.m., followed by live music from Surefire Band 11 a.m.-3 p.m., games in Memorial Park at 1 p.m., and food trucks in the police department parking lot. Free shuttle from Shoppes on the Parkway starting at 8 a.m. Free.
BOONE
"July 4th Celebration in Boone," Downtown Boone. Parade along King Street at 11 a.m., followed by free refreshments and the 1872 Award presentation on the Jones House lawn at noon. Fireworks at dusk at Clawson-Burnley Park on the Boone Greenway. Free parking in town-owned lots. Free.
"Independence Day Celebration at Hickory Ridge History Museum," 1-5 p.m., Hickory Ridge History Museum, 591 Horn in the West Drive, Boone. Living history demonstrations, reading of the Declaration of Independence, colonial games, tomahawk throwing, patriotic music, and tours of six historic cabins. $10 adults, $7 children.
TODD
"Todd Liberty Parade," 11 a.m., Downtown Todd. A quirky Fourth of July parade celebrating America's 250th birthday, followed by live music from the King Bees and food at Cook Memorial Park. Walk in the parade yourself, costumes provided. Arrive early for parking. $5 parking. Free to attend.
WEST JEFFERSON
“Christmas in July Festival.” The annual Christmas in July Festival in downtown West Jefferson runs 5-9 p.m. July 3 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 4. It’s a lively street festival celebrating Ashe County's Christmas tree industry with handmade arts and crafts, live mountain music, food vendors and family activities.
🎆 FIREWORKS
Beech Mountain Fireworks
Beech Mountain Resort hosts its fireworks display at dusk on the Play Yard slope just outside the Lodge, and is free and open to everyone. Come early for live music, family activities, and vendors, or just show up for the show. Expect crowds and plan accordingly; early arrival is the move. Details here.
Sugar Mountain Fireworks
Sugar Mountain lights up the sky just after 9 p.m., and the setting alone makes it worth the trip. The most memorable way to watch is from the 5,300-foot summit via the Summit Express chairlift, tickets required, runs 7-10 p.m. Rather stay at ground level? The lodge deck is free, with live music from 6-9 p.m. before the show. Parking is free. Details here.
Town of Boone Fireworks
The town's annual fireworks display goes off at dusk at Clawson-Burnley Park on the Boone Greenway. It’s free, no tickets needed. Arrive early, grab a spot on the grass, and bring a picnic. Parking is available along Martin Luther King Jr. Street and at ASU's State Farm lot. Details here.
Tweetsie Railroad Fireworks
Tweetsie puts on what's widely considered the biggest fireworks show in the High Country, and this year marks the park's founding in 1957, so they go all out. The park runs extended hours until 9 p.m., then guests head out to the parking lot for the show. Fireworks viewing is free and open to anyone, with no park admission required. Bring lawn chairs and get there early; the lot fills up. Details here.
West Jefferson Fireworks
Ashe County's fireworks show begins around 9:30 p.m. Saturday from a ridgeline at 368 Ray Hill Drive in West Jefferson. You can watch from Main Street or along U.S. 221, with numerous free parking lots available throughout town—officials encourage spectators to view the show from their vehicles and arrive early for the best spots. Details here.
REAL ESTATE WATCH
Luxury homes are fueling the local housing market, report says
Pricey houses, like this 8,500-square-foot home that was listed for $7.5 million last week, make up a large share of real estate sales, according to a new report. (Photo courtesy of High Country MLS)
Luxury homes are continuing to drive the housing market in the Boone and Blowing Rock area, according to a recent report from the Boone Chamber of Commerce.
Properties priced above $900,000 make up just over one-quarter of listings across Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties but account for about 40% of all sales volume, wrote Stacie Pineda of the Stacie Pineda Real Estate Group. That underscores continued demand from affluent and second-home buyers even as the overall market cools.
Overall, the market is becoming more balanced after years favoring sellers. Inventory has grown to more than seven months, giving buyers more leverage to negotiate, while homes are taking longer to sell. Although first-quarter sales rose 18% from a year earlier, the report notes that comparison is influenced by the weak market following Hurricane Helene and that sales remain below 2024 levels.
Home prices, however, remain elevated, with a median listing price of $585,000, and affordability continues to be a challenge for local workers.
LOCAL NEWS OF NOTE
RIP Yonnie, Grandfather Mountain black bear
Grandfather Mountain announced last week that Yonnie, a 27-year-old black bear who had lived at the site since 1999, was euthanized following age-related complications including arthritis.
In a press release, Grandfather Mountain said Yonnie was “one of the most food-motivated bears at Grandfather” and that her favorite treats included strawberry jelly, berries and peaches.
Yonnie, a mother of eight, was preceded in death earlier this year by her longtime companion, Kodiak.
“Yonnie will always be remembered for her enthusiasm and the love she showed her cubs,” said Christie Tipton, animal habitats curator for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, in a statement. “Throughout her long life, she was always a spirited bear, and her impact will not be forgotten.”
Portion of parkway to open temporarily
The National Park Service plans to temporarily open the stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Cone Manor and Price Lake on the 4th of July weekend to accommodate holiday traffic. But it will close again after the weekend as work continues. See the latest updates on Parkway construction.
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Readers add to best desserts list
We asked readers to let us know if our article last week omitted any favorite dessert stops in the Boone and Blowing Rock area. A few responses:
Gene: “The BEST desserts in the High Country can be found at Stick Boy.”
Nataly: “Flavia’s in Blowing Rock!”
Austin: “No Flavia’s?”
Debra: “The High Country Greek's Ambrosia Kafeneio!”
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➡️ On our website, we also have 20 independent reviews and recommendations of restaurants, hikes and activities — with more added each week!
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