It’s North Carolina
It's North Carolina

Events and things to do in North Carolina, with dates, prices and drive times checked at the source.

Smoky Mountains NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027

9 events and attractions in the Smoky Mountains region are confirmed on the organizers’ own pages, from Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Prices, hours and rules below are quoted from those pages and dated; anything an organizer has not published says “not published” rather than a guess. Towns covered include Cherokee, Bryson City, Waynesville and Sylva. Next up: Western Carolina Catamounts Football Homecoming vs Chattanooga, Oct 24, 2026.

Smoky Mountains events by date

Event Where Dates Hours Price (as published) Notes
Western Carolina Catamounts Football Homecoming vs Chattanooga Cullowhee Oct 24, 2026 2:30 PM not published WCU Homecoming 2026; SoCon game; ticket and gameday parking links on page; family rules not published
The Polar Express Train Ride (Great Smoky Mountains Railroad) Bryson City Nov 5, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 not published (choose date/time at booking) Coach Class from $50.85 adult (13+), $33.52 child (2-12), $0.00 infant (0-23 months, needs own seat); First Class tables from $71.94 per seat; Premium Crown from $66.16 per seat; Crown from $57.50 per seat; peak/steam/Christmas Eve may be higher; all-in pricing 1 1/4 hour round trip from Bryson City depot; cocoa and cookie, Santa gives each child a silver bell; one free lap child (0-23 months) per adult ticket in table/section classes; dog and stroller rules: see the organizer page
Western Carolina Catamounts Football vs Wofford (Heroes Day / EBCI Day) Cullowhee Nov 7, 2026 1:00 PM not published SoCon game; ticket and gameday parking links on page; family rules not published
Western Carolina Catamounts Men's Basketball vs Lipscomb Cullowhee Nov 14, 2026 7:00 PM not published Home game in Cullowhee; family rules not published
Western Carolina Catamounts Football vs The Citadel (Hall of Fame Day / Senior Day) Cullowhee Nov 21, 2026 1:00 PM not published Fan 'Purple Out' day; ticket and gameday parking links on page; family rules not published
Sylva Christmas Tree Lighting Sylva Dec 4, 2026 6:00 PM-7:00 PM not published Evening of music and fun hosted by Town of Sylva / Main Street Sylva Association, 83 Allen Street listing
Western Carolina Catamounts Men's Basketball vs The Citadel (SoCon opener) Cullowhee Dec 5, 2026 1:00 PM not published Home SoCon opener, afternoon tip; family rules not published
Hometown Heritage Christmas Parade Waynesville Dec 7, 2026 6:00 PM-8:00 PM not published North Main Street; held first Monday of December; family-friendly community parade; dogs, strollers, parking not published

Each event name links to the organizer’s page. Last checked 2026-10-18. Confirm the date and ticket price there before you go, because organizers change both.

Open daily, weekly or all season

Event Where Dates Hours Price (as published) Notes
Museum of the Cherokee People Cherokee Oct 24, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 9:00 AM-5:00 PM daily (last ticket 4:00 PM) Adults $15; children 6-12 $8; children 5 and under free Self-guided visit about one hour; closed day before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 31, Jan 1; 589 Tsali Blvd; dogs, strollers, parking not published

Big-event guides

Drive times

See drive times to 20 North Carolina destinations from Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington.

State parks in this region

For free days outdoors, see the North Carolina State Parks Passport: most state parks charge nothing for day use.

Frequently asked questions

How were these events checked?

Each row was read on the organizer’s or venue’s own page, not copied from a listings site. The link in the first column is that page and the check date is in the log. See our editorial standards and verification log.

What if a price says “not published”?

It means the organizer’s page did not show a price when we looked, often because tickets sit behind a booking widget. We leave it blank instead of guessing; use the event link to see current prices.

What is the next event in the Smoky Mountains region?

Western Carolina Catamounts Football Homecoming vs Chattanooga, Oct 24, 2026, in Cullowhee. Dates shift, so use the link in the table.

Where do I report a wrong date or price?

Use the contact page. Corrections are logged on our corrections page.

Sources

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Smoky Mountains NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027”, itsnorthcarolina.com/smoky-mountains-events/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.