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. Guests are invited to stay and enjoy the Park all day. Admission is free to enter the Sunrise Service, must reservations are required through Chimney Rock State Park.
The annual Gorge Sale on the Trail. Find exceptional bargains at this 19-mile yard sale stretching from Gerton through Bat Cave and Chimney Rock to Lake Lure and Rumbling Bald Resort along Hwy. 64/74A. Date to be decided.
Memorial Day
weekend kicks off our summer season with our Lake Lure Arts
& Crafts Festival held Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend, rain or
shine. Festival features fine arts and crafts, food booths and entertainment. Kids activities too.
Downtown Lake Lure, across from the Beach. May 13 and 14, 2023.
Lure of the Lake Swim. June 10, 8 am - 12 pm. Two fresh water races hosted at the Lake Lure Beach. 1.5 and 3-mile races. Lots of good food and a great race shirt! 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.
Lake Lure Annual Olympiad.
– Aug 11-13, 2023. 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, Golf
Tournament, a Sprint Triathlon and Junior Olympiad, and 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.
Annual Spring Go Festival at the Gathering Place in Chimney Rock Village. Family fun throughout the Village. Pancake Breakfast, Parade, Sidewalk Sale, Cowpie Bingo Raffle, Symphony of Rutherford County at the Gathering Place and more. Date to be decided.
Lake Lure Spring Classic Boat & Auto Show. May 20, 2023. Annual classic boat and antique auto show. Fun for the whole family! Boat parade, food, vendors and music. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at Lake Lure Beach. Free and no registration needed.
December 2 and 9, 2023 - Christmas in Chimney Rock Village. Stroll our quaint mountain village streets all lit up with white lights and get a head start on your Christmas shopping in our craft and gift shops.
December 2 and 9, 2023 – Santa on the Chimney. (11 am - 2 pm) Santa practices scaling
chimneys in Chimney Rock State Park. USA Today named Chimney Rock one of the "10 great
places to catch up with Santa."
January 1, 2024 – 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!