Studio Alive at The Bascom
2025-07-28 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-04 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-11 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-18 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-25 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-01 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-08 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-15 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Studio Alive is a group of dedicated artists that share a passion for drawing from live models.
The group meets in The Bascom’s Adult Studio on select Mondays, year-round.

Macon County Art Association | Artfest 2025 at Macon County Public Library
2025-08-09 10:00 - 16:30 | Macon County Public Library, 149 Siler Farm Road, Franklin, NC, 28734, United States
Get ready! The Macon County Art Association (Uptown Gallery) invites you to a day of hands-on creativity and community fun at Artfest 2025, happening Saturday, August 9th from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM at the Macon County Public Library (149 Siler Farm Road, Franklin, NC). This exciting FREE event is open to the public and welcomes families, kids, and art lovers of all ages!
What to Expect:
• Interactive art activities for children and families
• Face painting and make-and-take art stations
• A bake sale with homemade treats
• A raffle with creative prizes
Whether you’re a parent, a student, a supporter of the arts, or just looking for a fun and inspiring Saturday, Artfest 2025 has something for everyone—indoors and outdoors, rain or shine!
Hosted by the Macon County Art Association, this event celebrates local creativity and connects the community through the arts.
For more information, visit the Uptown Gallery at 30 East Main Street in downtown Franklin, or email us at franklinuptowngallery@gmail.com.

Loosen up your Painting Style at The Bascom
2025-08-13 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-14 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-15 10:00 - 16:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Learn practical techniques to achieve a more painterly, expressive style. Through demonstrations, exercises, and a “paint along,” explore methods to loosen up your approach. Apply these skills to create a fresh interpretation of one of your own past paintings. Suitable for oils or acrylics.

Barn Dance at The Bascom
2025-08-14 17:30 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Gather ’round, folks! It’s time to kickup your heels and dance to the toe-tapping rhythm of our Community Barn Dance. Join us for an authentic country dance experience led by an Old Time Country Dance Caller. Everyone can participate, regardless of experience. Organized by The Bascom.
For more information, thebascom.org or call 828-526-4949.

Art Play for Grown-Ups : Seasons on Canvas at The Village Green
2025-08-24 11:00 - 12:00 | The Village Green, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
Unleash your inner artist and reconnect with the joy of creating at Art Play for Grown-Ups: Seasons on Canvas—a lively, hands-on session with Showhouse Artists Jessie Mackay, Cynthia Perryman, and Brenda Sulmonetti.
In this no-pressure, all-fun environment, participants will collaborate on three large canvases, each celebrating a season in the mountains—Spring, Summer, and Fall. With oil paint sticks as your only tool (no brushes, no turpentine!), it’s all about mark-making, color, and playful expression!
What to Bring:
• A love of color
• A child’s enthusiasm
• An apron (or wear your painting clothes!)
Whether you consider yourself an artist or just want to play like one for the day, this is your invitation to make bold marks, celebrate the seasons, and create something joyful—together.
Picasso: “Every child is an Artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
A big thank you to JFM Enterprises for donating canvases for this event!

Laurel Magazine | Meet September's Cover Artist at High Country Wine & Provisions
2025-09-02 17:30 - 19:00 | High Country Wine & Provisions, 621 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Meet Shannon Woodford at The Laurel’s September Cover Artist Reception at High Country Wine and Provisions in Highlands on Tuesday, September 2, 5:30 – 7:00 P.M. – and raise a glass to her.
RSVP to info@thelaurelmagazine.com.

Dazzling Dahlia Festival | Petals and Perspectives at The Bascom
2025-09-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-05 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-06 10:00 - 17:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Experience an inspired dialogue between art and nature at this year’s Dahlia Festival with Petals and Perspectives, a distinctive floral design showcase. This special event invites selected area non-profit organizations to create floral arrangements in direct response to works of art on view in The Bascom’s galleries, offering a compelling exploration of the connections between the visual and floral arts.

Dazzling Dahlia Festival | Studio Member Pottery Show at The Bascom
2025-09-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-05 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-06 10:00 - 17:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Bascom Studio Members will present a curated collection of handcrafted wall pockets and vases, each adorned with fresh dahlias and available for purchase during the Dahlia Festival.
Be sure to visit the Studio Barn for a chance to take home a unique, functional piece of art!

Dazzling Dahlia Festival | Fall Reception at The Bascom
2025-09-04 17:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Kick off the festival weekend at The Bascom’s Fall Reception!
This special evening will celebrate our fall exhibitions, the Dazzling Dahlia Festival, and the winner of the 2025 Dahlia Poster Contest.

Dazzling Dahlia Festival | The Single Bloom Competition at The Bascom
2025-09-05 15:30 - 17:00, 2025-09-06 10:00 - 16:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
The Single Bloom Competition ( Public Viewing)
Join us at The Bascom for the public viewing of the 15th Annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival’s Single Bloom Competition.
Viewings take place Friday, September 5, from 3:30–5 pm, and Saturday, September 6, from 10 am–4 pm. This cherished tradition invites dahlia enthusiasts to present their most exquisite blooms for all to enjoy.
All levels of growers are welcome to enter the Single Bloom Competition.

Dazzling Dahlia Festival | The Dahlia Dialogue at The Bascom
2025-09-06 11:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Join renowned gardener and dahlia expert Drew English for an engaging educational talk, “The Dahlia Dialogue,” presented in conjunction with the Dazzling Dahlia Festival. Drew will guide participants through the fascinating history of dahlias, with special emphasis on their enduring legacy on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.
This interactive session promises an expanded Q&A, embracing the conversational spirit implied in its name. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own dahlia specimens for personalized diagnostics and expert growing tips.

Beginner Drawing: Medieval Illumination at The Bascom
2025-09-13 14:00 - 16:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Learn about the Middle Ages and the art form of “Illumination.” Create an original illuminated letter design inspired by ornate medieval manuscripts. Add a touch of gold paint or gold leaf to make your project shine!

The Abstracted Landscape at The Bascom
2025-09-16 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-09-17 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-09-18 09:00 - 16:00 | The Bascom, 323 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
This immersive four-day workshop at The Bascom invites artists to explore the fundamental principles of design while discovering their own authentic creative voice.
Rather than prescribing a single style, Larry Moore offers a flexible process that allows participants to choose their own level of abstraction—from representational interpretations to fully abstract compositions

Highlands Cashiers Film Festival at Highlands PAC
2025-09-18 09:00 - 19:00 | Highlands PAC, 507 Chestnut Street, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
The Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival will be held September 18 – 21, 2025 in the towns of Highlands and Cashiers, North Carolina.
Film, filmmakers, actors, directors, producers, and writers will be promoted at this 4-day event, featuring screenings of the film festival finalists, an industry professional panel, a Director and Film Critic workshop, and an awards ceremony celebrating the winners of the festival.
All proceeds from the Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival will be used to support the performing arts within Highlands, including the PAC Educational Theatre programs at the Highlands Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
For more event information including a full schedule, please visit https://www.highlandscashiersfilmfestival.com/
