Easter Around Haywood County

                                                    This list is from The Mountaineer. If your organization is hosting an Easter event or egg hunt,
send the information to [email protected]. This list will continue to be updated.

Grab your Easter basket and don your bunny ears as a plethora of Easter egg hunts get into full swing across Haywood County this month and keeps on rolling into Easter weekend.

The fun doesn’t stop with egg hunts. There’s Easter crafts, Easter breakfasts, Easter festivals, Easter bunny meet-and-greets and more.

Bring your own basket for egg hunts and get there at least 15 minutes before the listed time to allow for parking and getting in place before egg hunts start. Most events listed are free, unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, March 26

• Make an Easter door hanger decoration: Attend an in-person workshop at 6 p.m. to make a door hanger at Crown & Thistle Tea Room, 62 Overbrook St., Waynesville. Monthly craft classes are fun, lighthearted, and upbeat. All materials provided. Tea and light snacks are provided. $35. Register at crownandthistletearoom.com.

Saturday, March 28

• Easter egg hunt and activities: 2-4 p.m., Cruso United Methodist Church. There will be food, games, prizes, treat bags, egg hunt, crafts and more. 11653 Cruso Road (U.S. 276), Canton

• Easter Bunny Farm Tours: 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. March 28-29 and April 4-5, Winchester Creek Farm. Visit with the Easter Bunny, age 12 and younger gets a goodie bag, golden egg prizes, see llamas, alpacas and mini farm animals. $15-$18, free for ages 2 and younger. 386 Walker Road, Waynesville. Reserve your photos with Cold Mountain Photography. Visit winchestercreekfarm.com/holiday-events.

• Easter Fest: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Orchard Church will host a joyous and faith-filled celebration of Easter with egg hunts for different age groups, inflatables and bounce houses, games, prizes, food trucks. Four epic egg hunts with over 10,000 eggs including a sensory-friendly hunt and designated quiet spaces for children with special needs. 205 West Brook Drive, Waynesville.

• Easter festival: 10 a.m.-noon. Games, stories, and egg hunt for ages 3-12 at Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center, 450 Pigeon St., Waynesville. Co-hosted by First Baptist Church of Waynesville.

• Cottontail Market: About 100 vendors will be at the Smoky Mountain Event Center from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Enjoy shopping (maybe find gifts for the Easter basket), treats, snacks, food trucks. $5 admission, free for age 12 and younger. 758 Crabtree Road (N.C. 209), Waynesville.

• Children’s Easter celebration: Ridgeway Baptist Church will host an Easter celebration and egg hunt at 2 p.m. There will be fellowship, food, and lots of fun. 525 Old US 19/23, Candler.

• Easter Eggstravaganza — egg hunt for kids and adults: Ross Farm Nursery and Greenhouses will host a kids egg hunt at 11 a.m. with candy filled eggs. An adult egg hunt will be held noon-5 p.m. Hunt through the greenhouses for eggs filled with prizes — discounts, free plants, and free Appalachian Standard goodies. One egg per adult please, per purchase. Present it at checkout to win your discount or prize. 91 Holbrook Road, Candler.

Sunday, March 29

• Little Hoppers Easter Party: 1-4 p.m. at the mill pond at Haywood Community College in Clyde. A day of fun with games, crafts, obstacle course, bounce house, ball pit, mini photo shoots, and an egg hunt at 3:30 p.m. $5 admission. Drinks and snacks available for purchase.

Friday, April 3

• Bunny Hopper Express: Rides depart at noon April 3-5 with Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in downtown Bryson City. Passengers will be on the lookout for train-hopping bunnies who have snuck on to take a free ride. Festivities include a give-away bag with activities to enjoy during the train ride, a layover with a yummy Easter treat for junior railroaders, egg hunt and Easter-themed activities. There will also be plenty of opportunities for pictures with the bunny hoppers, so do not forget your camera. Visit gsmr.com for tickets.

• Easter egg hunt: Over 1,000 eggs and pictures with the Easter Bunny at 2 p.m., Autumn Care of Waynesville, 360 Old Balsam Road.

Saturday, April 4

• Easter egg hunt and skating: Sessions from 1-6 p.m. and 6-10 p.m., Smoky Mountain Sk8way. Skating, games, food, photos with Easter Bunny-bring your camera, inflatables. Egg hunt starts at 3 p.m. for ages 10 and younger. Bring a basket. $8 admission, $3 skate rental, $20 FUN Pass. 19025 Smoky Mountain Expressway, Waynesville. Visit www.smokymountainsk8way.com.

• The Day Before Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt: Brunch with seatings at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., egg hunt with Easter Bunny for age 12 and younger noon-2 p.m., Balsam Mountain Inn. $20; $10 for egg hunt only. 68 Seven Springs Drive, Balsam. Register at simpletix.com or thebalsammountaininn.com.

• Canton Police Department Easter egg hunt: 10 a.m. Meet the Easter bunny and enjoy hunting eggs at the Canton IP Sports Complex, 305 Silkwood Drive, Canton. Egg hunts will be divided into age groups for age 1-11. In addition to thousands of candy-filled eggs, some eggs contain tickets for special prizes and giveaways, including a few brand-new bicycles.

• Easter party and egg hunt: The fun begins at noon at Maggie Valley United Methodist Church, 4192 Soco Road, Maggie Valley. Come early, bring your basket, and meet in the fellowship hall. Visit maggieumc.org.

• Fines Creek Easter Eggstravaganza: 2-4:30 p.m. Come meet the Easter Bunny, participate in an egg hunt, crafts, activities, and sweet treats. Fines Creek Community Center, 190 Fines Creek Road, Clyde.

• Dillsboro Easter Hat Parade: Bring your most creative Easter hat to downtown Dillsboro in Jackson County for the parade — or make one for free at Dogwood Crafters from 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m. The parade begins at 2 p.m. at town hall on Front Street. Pets are welcome.

• Easter egg hunt: 9 a.m. at Friendship House at First United Methodist Church, 104 Academy St., Waynesville. An egg hunt for young children begins at 9 a.m. and the older children can begin a hunt at 9:15 a.m.

• Easter egg hunt: Noon at Woodland Baptist Church. Egg hunt for preK-fifth grade, food, crafts, and Bible story. 828-454-5550. 545 Crabtree Road, Waynesville.

• Easter trolley ride: Enjoy an old-fashioned seven mile round-trip trolley ride with the Craggy Mountain Line Railroad, 111 Woodfin Ave., Asheville. Catch a ride at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. The ride includes a special stop at Silverline Park, where each child will receive an Easter basket with treats. Then back on the trolley to head back to the depot where there will be an Easter egg hunt. Tour the historic railroad equipment before or after the trip. Rides are $20, free age 3 and younger. Visit craggymountainline.com.

• Easter Bunny Farm Tours: 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April 4-5, Winchester Creek Farm. Easter Bunny visit, age 12 and younger gets a goodie bag, golden egg prizes, see llamas, alpacas and mini farm animals. $15-$18, free for ages 2 and younger. 386 Walker Road, Waynesville. Reserve your photos with Cold Mountain Photography. Visit winchestercreekfarm.com/holiday-events.

Maggie Valley United Methodist Church is happy to announce our new membership in the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce.  We are a small, friendly, and serving church at 4192 Soco Road in Maggie Valley.  Our church has been around for over 150 years serving the Maggie Valley Community.

We have several ministries serving the food needs of Maggie Valley.  We have a food pantry that provides food to those in need in a supermarket type format.  The clients choose their food from shelves but there is no checkout register!   We provide a wide variety of food and necessities, such as canned goods, meats, milk, and eggs.  We also provide necessities such as dishwashing soaps and personal needs such as toothpaste and toothbrushes.  We also provide clothing to those in need during the winter months, all free of charge.  Our Food Pantry is open from 9 AM-Noon on Monday and Wednesday.

We also have what we call Shepard’s Table, which is a ministry to provide hot meals delivered to those in need.  Our volunteers prepare the food fresh in our kitchen each Monday morning and deliver to the homes to those who have applied and been approved for the service on Monday afternoon.  We presently deliver about 125 meals each week.

Other activities and missions include a hiking group, and the Maggie Valley Quilters, previously housed in the Maggie Valley Town Hall, are now housed at the church.  They meet each Wednesday morning.  We supply transportation and a driver for Camp Ability’s summer camp for children with special needs for two weeks in the summer.

It is our pleasure to be a new member of the Chamber of Commerce. We hope to meet many of the members over time through various activities.  Come see us, we have services each week at 10:30 AM, or come during the week and let us show you around.

Country Vittles Extends Hours

Country Vittles Restaurant has announced that they will be staying open on Friday and Saturday until 8:00 p.m. These new hours will begin on April 17th.

Stop in and have dinner with Ms. Judy and the Vittles crew!

Attention Lodging Partners!

Effective July 1, 2025

Under North Carolina General Statues 130A-511 and North Carolina General Statutes 42A-39, certain employees and contractors involved in vacation rentals or lodging establishments must complete approved human trafficking awareness training. Below is a list of training programs currently approved by the North Carolina Department of Labor.

Available Training Options (choose one)

Let me know if you have additional questions.

Thank you!

Kisha Scotton, Administrator
NC Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Bureau

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Road and Trail Updates

This link gives good detail about road and trail closures in NC.

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

Visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway

With its scenic views and convenient access to outdoor adventures, it’s no surprise that the Blue Ridge Parkway is such a popular destination for travelers. Drawing millions of visitors each year, the Parkway is a journey encompassing impressive geological features, diverse wildlife and habitats, recreational and cultural activities, and much more. Covering 469 miles through the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, the Parkway is a sight to see up close and in person. See what other remarkable places and attractions are awaiting and start making plans to experience one of America’s most iconic drives.

 

For information about road closures on the BRP due to weather, maintenance or construction, please click here.

 

Cataloochee Valley Update

We’re excited to share that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened parts of Cataloochee Valley  after being closed since September 2024 due to damage from Hurricane Helene.

Repairs completed by the National Park Service (NPS) include:

  • Re-graveled sections of Cataloochee Entrance Road, Cataloochee Creek Road, parking areas near Palmer House, and Cataloochee Group Camp Road.
  • Completed emergency stabilization of Hiram Caldwell Barn.
  • Addressed many downed and hazard trees around roads, campgrounds and buildings throughout the valley.
  • Assessed trail conditions across 60 miles of trails and completed some trail restoration.
  • Addressed significant erosion around Caldwell Barn and restrooms and Beech Grove School.

Your Chamber Board 2026

Patty Carter – Maggie Valley Puzzle Rooms, President
Randy Fisher – Maggie Valley Embroidery, Vice President
Brad Pendley – Maggie Mountaineer Crafts, Treasurer
Melissa Pless – Premier Vacation Rentals, Secretary
Angela Frisbee – Route 19 Inn
Christine Chamberlain – Organic Beans Coffee Company
Val Gene “Pop” Hamilton – Pop’s Place
Erin Mahoney – J Arthur’s Restaurant
Brittany Heathman – Mountain Dreams Realty
Teresa Smith – Chamber Executive Director

2026 Maggie Valley Visitor Guide

The Chamber is currently working on the 2026 Maggie Valley Visitor Guide. The new guides will go out to be printed just before Thanksgiving and we expect them to arrive at our office in early January 2026. Our new address is 3933 Soco Road (Directly behind the ABC Store)

UPCOMING FESTIVALS

2026 Calendar of Events has been added to the website. There is a printable version for your convenience.
Check our website: www.MaggieValleyFestivalGrounds.com or MaggieValley.org

RISE and SHINE

9:00 a.m. 1st WEDNESDAY

Upcoming Dates:
April 1 – High Country Furniture

May 6 – TBA

June 3 – Maggie Valley Puzzle Rooms
If your business is interested in hosting a Rise and Shine event, please contact Teresa at the Chamber office.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS in 2026!!

Maggie Valley United Methodist Church – Non-Profit Partner
High Country Cannabis – Business Partner
Maggie Mountain Fitness – Business Partner

Maggie Valley Festival Grounds Schedule 2026

Visit this page often for the latest information on Festivals and Events held at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

www.maggievalleyfestivalgrounds.com