Come celebrate with us at our Tennessee festivals! It seems as though there’s always something to celebrate in Johnson County and the tri-mountain region. During your stay at Iron Mountain Inn, Lakeside Cottage or Creekside Chalet, check out what the locals are up to at these regional festivals. You’re likely to find great music and entertainment, fine handcrafted items for sale, games, rides, and wonderful food as well. Bring the whole family and discover why in every season there’s a reason to visit Johnson County, TN!
FESTIVALS:
Covered Bridge Days – First weekend in June
http://www.tourelizabethton.com/festival-events/ecc.html
Three full days of music, crafts, entertainment and of course, good food! Celebrating the only covered bridge left in Tennessee.
Trade Days – Third weekend in June
http://www.tradedaysfestival.com/trade_tn.htm
Celebrating the Native American culture and pioneer settlers who began to trade here in the oldest settlement in Tennessee, Trade, TN. Native American pow wow, quilters, broom makers and other native crafts are demonstrated. Each year new events are included: this year it was the Lipizzaner stallions. Check the website for more information, and plan to attend next year.
Appalachian Summer Festival - Month of July
http://www.appsummer.org
Music, dance, art exhibits, wine tastings there's something for everyone in the mountains in July. Check out the program and order your tickets. Many events sell out in advance.
Book your room(s) at the Iron Mountain Inn to combine outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, golfing, etc. with evenings of North Carolina Symphony, PDQ Bach, Chicago Dance Company and lectures on contemporary art.
Virginia Highlands Festival - First two weeks of August
http://www.vahighlandsfestival.org
Two weeks of arts and crafts, antiques market, home and garden, fine art and photography, music series, literary events, performing arts, a parade and lots more fun! Return again and again!
Old Butler Days – Second weekend in August
Visit the Butler Museum and learn the history of the Watauga River Valley and Butler, TN, “the town that wouldn’t drown.” Enjoy food, music, craft vendors, games, entertainment and small town fun. Contact 423-768-2446 for more information.
National Story Telling Festival - First weekend in October
http://www.storytellingfestival.com
Storytellers from around the world gather every year in Jonesborough, TN, "the oldest town in Tennessee," the first weekend in October and delight their audiences with stories old and new.
Or perhaps you would like to register and tell your stories on the Town Square? That's possible too!
Or maybe you'd just like to stroll from tent to tent hearing hundreds of stories - one here, one there until the evening of ghost stories! And, for those "of a certain age", there is the midnight cabaret.
Cranberry Festival – Second weekend in October http://pages.preferred.com/~jcwc/cranberryfestival.htm
Celebrating the last Cranberry bog in Tennessee, this small town festival features craft vendors, helicopter rides, gospel and bluegrass music, games, rides and lots of good food. Supports the artwork created during the WPA by CCC artists and also provides scholarships for students from Shady Valley elementary school.
Festival of Lights – Bristol Motor Speedway
http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com
From November through the first of the year, the Bristol Motor Speedway is a blaze of millions of lights in hundreds of static and moving displays! Why, there is even a light showing how a car races down the drag strip!
after you drive around the track and the grounds being amazed at the light displays, enjoy some ice-skating and hot chocolate.
Don't miss this once a year event for the entire family.
UNIQUE ACTIVITIES:
Start a Christmas Tradition - Choose and Cut a Special Christmas Tree
http://www.ironmountaininn.com
Choose and cut your own special Frasier Fir tree - known as the BEST Christmas tree around! Grown here in the mountains of Tennessee, trimmed to a perfect shape during a 15 year growing life, winter winds to make them strong, perfect feeding to encourage healthy trees - now it's time to walk among the trees to find "the one" for your family.
Tour the Hydroponic Greenhouses and Fish Farm
The Johnson County High School has two internationally known programs, which are open to the public. One involves the greenhouses where the students raise plants, vegetables (it’s so nice finding fresh from the vine tomatoes in January) and herbs, which they sell to the public. The other greenhouse is devoted to tropical plants.
The other program is the fish farm where the students raise tilapia fish (buy them whole or as filets) and koi. The fish water is recycled to feed hanging baskets of ferns and other plants, which are also available for purchase. Both of these programs help prepare the students for vocations as well as leadership roles in their communities.
Tours of both facilities are available with advanced reservations and are well worth the time.
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