Parades & Special Events

4th of July Parade & Celebration

A wonderful summer event for the whole family to enjoy, the Boone 4th of July Parade is an Independence Day celebration staple in the High Country. Find a nice spot on King Street in Downtown Boone and enjoy all of the festive floats decked out in red, white, and blue, as well as special live performances. Afterwards, make your way to the Jones House for a piece of cake and a slice of watermelon – a perfect summer treat. Later, join the Town of Boone at Clawson-Burnley Park on the Boone Greenway for a patriotic party featuring bounce houses, lawn games, music, treats, and of course a spectacular fireworks display to close out the festivities. 

Jimmy Smith Run & Street Festival

The race for non-runners, the Jimmy Run is a 0.03333K fun run around the perimeter of the three rocks and three benches that comprise Jimmy Smith Park, dedicated to an important local civic and university leader. Bring your running shoes, put on your party hat, and hang out for the evening on South Depot Street in Downtown Boone for a craft beer garden, food trucks, live music, games, and good times. Pick up some sweet commemorative Jimmy Run swag, check out free giveaways from local businesses and organizations, and enter to win some great prize packages. Come for the race; stay for the party!

Boone Boo

Join us in Downtown Boone, as the community is invited to visit downtown merchants for a safe, family-friendly trick-or-treating event. The stage will be set with a specially-curated Halloween music playlist streaming down King Street and larger-than-life Halloween inflatables lining the sidewalks. With the central part of King Street closed, nothing is out of the question including surprise guests, special performances, and impromptu dance parties. For children with food allergy concerns, various businesses hand out non-candy treats. Be sure to stop by the Jones House and the Watauga Library for additional silly and spooky fun, including inflatable bounce games, a decorated haunted house, and plenty of treats to go around.

Festive First Friday & Solar Tree Lighting

Help the Town of Boone and the Jones House usher in the holiday season at the annual Festive First Friday and Solar Tree Lighting. Head to Downtown Boone for visits from your favorite holiday characters and enough holiday cheer to last all season. Horse-drawn carriage rides, marshmallow snowball fights, food trucks, and sweet holiday treats are just a few of the highlights you can expect from this event. Don’t miss out on the fun on the Jones House lawn, with performances and caroling from local choirs and acapella groups, and the official tree lighting ceremony courtesy of the Appalachian State Solar Club.

Holiday Parade

A longtime holiday tradition, nothing brings yuletide cheer quite like the annual Town of Boone Holiday Parade. Take a break from your holiday shopping, bundle up in some warm clothes, and bring the whole family downtown for an exciting afternoon. Proceeding east down King Street, the parade features local businesses and organizations showing off their Christmas and holiday best with floats, marchers, costumes, and performances – with Santa Claus himself making an appearance at the finale! After the parade, be sure to visit the festively-decorated Jones House for a cup of hot chocolate and some holiday cookies.