Have a Happy Mother's May in Asheville

What does Mom really want for Mother’s Day this year? Another bouquet of flowers and a handmade card from the kids? Maybe, but she’d probably also really enjoy a trip to the mountains of Western North Carolina. May is the best time to visit Asheville, as the weather is beautiful and temperate, an abundance of wildflowers like buttercups, Carolina Rhododendrons, flame azaleas, and more are blooming on the Blue Ridge Parkway and beyond, and festival season is getting underway in many of the surrounding towns.

You could always pack a lunch and find a spot among the wildflowers to spread out a blanket for a picnic on the Blue Ridge Parkway. With numerous trails, overlooks, and recreation areas, the BRP provides an idyllic setting for enjoying the beauty of our mountains, flora, and fauna. The Residences at Biltmore has 2- and 3-bedroom suites when you need a place to rest your head (and your feet) after a day of exploring. Our on-site restaurant, Azalea Bar and Kitchen, can set you up with a to-go order to take with you on a picnic, or an in-suite spa service could be hit with mom, especially one of our Signature Treatments. Make an appointment with our concierge by filling out the form.

Need some more ideas for what to do when you and Mom get here? Keep reading for a rundown of flowers, festivals, and fun throughout the month.

Biltmore Blooms

Spending a day at Biltmore is always a hit with Mom. Biltmore Blooms is the estate’s annual celebration of spring flowers, where 8,000 acres and more than 100,000 individual flowers are on display throughout the gardens. You’ll see tulips, azaleas, roses, magnolia, redbud trees, and more at their height of color. Have a particular blossom in mind? Check out the Bloom Report for a detailed list for each week. After exploring the gardens and grounds, tour the grand home, then head to Antler Hill Village for wine tasting and shopping.

“A Bloom with a View”

The all-new exhibit at the NC Arboretum is an immersive floral installation featuring thousands of colorful planters elevated to eye-level. Hydrangeas are the most prominent, but expect to see calla, oriental, and Asiatic lilies, as well! Admission is $30 per standard vehicle, and includes all-day access to the gardens, trails, and indoor exhibits at the Arboretum. Check the website for all the details. “A Bloom with a View” will remain on display from May 4-19.

Lake Lure Arts & Crafts Festival

Take Mom to lovely Lake Lure for this annual festival. Not only will she delight in the town’s connection to every mom’s favorite movie, Dirty Dancing, she’ll love the local art and foods for sale. The event takes place over two days, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and May 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Best of all is that the Festival is a fundraiser for the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach food pantry that benefits the local community.

WNC Bigfoot Festival

Do you believe?? Believers in the hirsute humanoid will gather in downtown Marion on May 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy Bigfoot-inspired foods, crafts, activities, and even photo opportunities with costumed (or not??) replicas of the famous cryptid.

Dog Day Afternoon

Bringing your four-footed friends to Asheville with you this spring? Take them to Lake Julian in Arden on May 4 from noon to 4 p.m. for their very own festival. The Dog Day Afternoon will feature the Ingles Ultimate Air Dogs show, pet costume contests, and other activities just for your pup. Local pet-friendly businesses will feature a wide variety of pet care, pet products, pet training demos, and tasty treats for dogs.

White Squirrel Weekend

Have you ever seen a white squirrel? The adorable creatures are a fairly common sight in Brevard and towns throughout North Carolina. To pay homage to them, the city hosts a festival for Memorial Day every year. This year’s festivities will take place in downtown Brevard from May 24-26, and feature live music, a beer garden, activities for the whole family, and plenty of food vendors. You might even catch a glimpse of a white squirrel in person.

AVL Grindfest

Created to celebrate Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses, the annual AVL Grindfest is a block-party style event at the A.B. Tech Conference Center, held over three days, May 24-26. Enjoy a weekend full of music, dancing, games, live performances, food, local vendors, and learning, employment, and partnership opportunities.

Garden Jubilee

The annual Garden Jubilee event takes place in Hendersonville’s historic downtown on Main Street. From May 25-26, visitors will have access to more than 200 different plant and craft vendor tables and booths representing garden centers, orchards, produce stands, and even restaurants from around Henderson County. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.