Held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This event in the Copper Basin is for kids of all ages. The local Christmas festivities kick off the first Saturday of December. The parade features floats from many business and community organizations, and helps usher Santa Claus to the Copper Basin. The parade has been an annual event for more than 70 years.
Choirs join in the evening singing at the bridge, the focal point of the evening's activities.
Sponsored by the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association, the Arts in the Park Festival is held every Saturday and Sunday prior to Memorial Day in the natural setting of the downtown Blue Ridge City Park near the historical Railroad Depot. This festival includes fine art, handmade crafts, artists' demonstrations, mountain music and dance, food and children's activities. No admission nor parking fees. The entire race course is designed with a 3 to 6 hour finishing time in mind. One part is a 6 mile trail run, another part is a 12 to 15 mile mountain bike ride, while the third part is a 1 to 1.5 hour canoe trip.