Don't miss all of our Signature Events in Gaston County

Take a look at some of our most popular events then mark your calendars so you don't miss out!

From springtime events featuring art and orchids at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden to the wintertime transformation of McAdenville into Christmas Town U.S.A.®, Gaston County presents a robust offering of events season by season.

Some events, like the Cherry Blossom Festival and New Years Shooters Celebration in Cherryville, are long-standing traditions, while others, like Pumpkin Carving Mania and Trail of Treats at The Schiele Museum of Natural History, have come to life more recently. This page keeps you up-to-date on all happenings taking place across our outdoors wonderland known as Gaston County. Please check back often for the latest news.

Can't Miss Events in the Charlotte Area

Gaston County’s location on the western edge of Charlotte makes it easy to stay in Gaston County and enjoy a short drive to big events in the Queen City. Most of our hotels are located in the towns closest to Charlotte – Belmont, Mount Holly and Gastonia. From there, it’s a quick drive via I-85 to annual Charlotte sporting events like the ACC Football Championship game, NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship and Charlotte’s college bowl game at Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte also hosts several cultural events such as Taste of Charlotte, Circle K Speed Street, Charlotte SHOUT!, Carolina Renaissance Festival and SCarowinds, a month-long Halloween adventure at Carowinds theme park. Many hotels in Gaston County offer lower room rates than their Charlotte counterparts, and all have free parking.

New Year’s Shooters               January | Cherryville  Shooters from all over travel to Cherryville, North Carolina to take part in this very old tradition. Complete with the chant and musket blasts spectators are welcome to watch the shooting which takes place every year on New Year's Day.  Art & Orchids     February | Belmont The Art & Orchids is a yearly event held at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden where visitors can not only view beautiful orchids from the conservatory but also see an incredible art display as well. Each year the art display changes making it worth revisiting year in and year out.

Fossil Fair February | Gastonia  Travel back through time by exploring fossils, rocks, minerals, and the ancient stories they tell. Explore museum and fossil club displays, and purchase interesting specimens from vendors. Mine for gemstones, visit our Dino Safari and Tiny Titans exhibits, search for tiny fossils from the Carolina coast, and even meet some living fossils! All this takes place at The Schiele Museum of Natural History. Gaston MAX March | Gastonia The City of Gastonia and Gaston County Public Library are partner to host Gaston MAX (Multicultural Arts Xperience) at the Rotary Pavilion in downtown Gastonia. This event showcases art, music, literature, and culture and features food trucks, cultural and artistic vendors, cultural dances and activities, artists, authors, and musical performances. Belmont Blooms March - April | Belmont A month-long citywide celebration of blossoming bulbs, art, community and culture.  Beginning with an electric evening parade, Belmont Blooms will also include Pups and Perennials at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, a juried art exhibit, a symphonic band concert, an Arbor Day Celebration, a Friday Night Live concert on Main Street, Easter festivities and the annual Garibaldi Festival. Cherry Blossom Festival April | Cherryville Located on Main Street in Downtown Cherryville, the Cherry Blossom Festival is a 2 day community festival with games, inflatables, clowns, puppets, dancers, little Blue Choo, arts, crafts, food, entertainment stage and the Little Miss Cherry Blossom Festival Pageant. Tuck Fest April | Charlotte Tuck Fest is a multi-day festival that celebrates the outdoor lifestyle through competitions, exhibitions, demos, and live music at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The festival features a variety of outdoor competitions that include trail running, kayaking, biking, climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, obstacle, and adventure racing. Spring on the Farm April | Gastonia Celebrate the arrival of spring on The Farm! Meet baby farm animals, explore newly planted gardens and enjoy outdoor activities and displays. The event happens at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia.  Spring Fest  May | Mount Holly Mount Holly Springfest in Downtown Mount Holly. Bring your family and friends. and celebrate spring. This festival features a car show, over 120 different vendors, lots of food, great music and a kids zone.  Down Home Festival May | Bessemer City The Annual Down Home Festival is a two day festival of fun in downtown Bessemer City! Entertainment, activities and fun for everyone will includes music, rides, food, crafts, games and face paintings. Vendors will offer jewelry, wood crafts, local art, candles, artisan items, and much more. The festival ends with a fireworks show. Bug Day - Schiele Museum May | Gastonia Explore the wild world of insects, spiders, and other interesting arthropods on Bug Day at The Schiele Museum of Natural History. Learn all about bugs by meeting entomologists, have hands-on opportunities with live insects, and enjoy insect-themed crafts, games and activities. Freedom Fest May | Lowell The Down Home Festival is held yearly at Rankin Park and features all kind of rides, rides for children, rides for the family and rides to thrill you! Games, food, live entertainment, music, vendors, and more!  Juneteenth  June | Belmont The Belmont Juneteenth Celebration is a FREE cultural festival of arts, crafts, music, food and more. Join us at Stowe Park, located in Historic Downtown Belmont. The celebration will include music throughout the day, and a finale concert. Music, art, and culture are the key elements of the festival theme. National Trails Day June | Mount Holly Celebrated on the first Saturday of June, our National Trails Day celebration is a great way to kick off the summer on segments of the Thread Trail on land and water! The annual American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day is the country’s largest celebration of trails featuring a series of outdoor activities across the United States designed to promote and celebrate the importance of trails to our communities. National Trails Day is a free community event. Gaston All American Fair June | Gastonia  The Gaston All American Fair is 9 days filled with spectacular rides, live music, food, crafts, jewelry, games, art, music, entertainment, eating contests, a spectacular fireworks show and Soapbox Derby Races. Admission is always free! Beer and wine garden will be available on Friday and Saturday nights.  Flow Fest August | Charlotte Blending elements of wellness and mindfulness in a natural, outdoor setting, at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, Flow Fest features a variety of yoga practices and workshops to invigorate both the curious first timer and the seasoned yogi. Whether you are looking to enhance your existing practice, or learn techniques on inversions and meditative breathwork, there is plenty of opportunity to engage on and off the mat. Set your weekend intention, come for ten classes or for one, sample kombucha from local brewers, and enjoy live music on Saturday evening.

Beach Blast August | Kings Mountain The water, the sand, the music and the fun—that’s life along the Grand Strand at Myrtle Beach, Kings Mountain will feel more like Ocean Drive as we celebrate all-day! A FREE concert featuring some of the hottest beach music bands at the Gazebo at Patriot's Park. Fall Festival September | Ranlo Held in late September, the Ranlo Fall Festival is a two day event that is fun for the whole family! There will be rides for all ages, live music, chili cook-off, cornhole and shuffleboard tournament, shagging and line dancing contest and more.

Country Fest  October | Stanley Join us for this family fun event! Country Fest begins on a Friday evening in early October and ends Saturday on Main Street in Downtown Stanley. Country Fest includes carnival rides, live music, food and local vendors. 

Homecoming October | Belmont Homecoming at Belmont Abbey features a Welcome Back Reception, a women’s volleyball game, The President’s Breakfast, men’s & women’s soccer games, field events, A Homecoming Court and The Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner. Cotton Ginning Days October | Dallas Exhibitors from all over the southeast will convene in Dallas for the annual 'crank-up' of antique steam and gasoline engines and tractors. One of the highlights of the engine show is the operational 1900 single-stand, Continental Cotton Gin and we will be ginning cotton all weekend long during the festivalt! Many activities are planned including a Kids County Fair, Heritage Arts Area, Handmade Craft vendors and Music. The food is good and admission and parking are FREE.

Mount Holly Lantern Parade October | Mount Holly Downtown Mount Holly. This family-friendly parade is FREE to attend. Over 500 artists, community members, teachers and their students will be showing off their creations, which fit into a designated theme. Participants from as far away as Canada, DC, and Colorado will be joining local artists and community members. At the end of the parade there will be music and opportunities to see the lanterns up close in all of their glory. Holidays at the Garden December | Belmont Delight in a stroll through the shimmering Mile of a Million Lights this holiday season! Along your journey, discover the colorful lights of the topiaries dancing to merry tunes, LED cherry trees glowing along Canal Garden, waves of color glittering in the Piedmont Prairie, enchanting fairy villages and model trains flourishing in the Orchid Conservatory, and so much more. Roast a marshmallow, listen to live holiday music, children's activities and more at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.

Christmas Town U.S.A. December | McAdenville Each season the quaint town of McAdenville becomes a Christmas wonderland. Almost overnight, the little textile-town-that-could is transformed, attracting visitors from across the country.  More than 375 trees and nearly all the community homes are lit in spectacular fashion with red, white and green lights. Over 600,000 annual visitors, both young and young at heart, walk along the wreath-lined route through the center of town. This true Christmas tradition has spanned nearly six decades.