Visit Hillsborough, NC | The getaway you've been waiting for...

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Hillsborough is no ordinary southern small town.

Its scenic beauty, graceful architecture spanning three centuries, lively arts and culture scene, and convenient location provide a charming getaway for the day - or longer.

Events

From art walks to live music, farmers markets to festivals, there's always something going on in Hillsborough.

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September 29

Carving Pumpkins with Goats

September 29

Dementia at Dusk

September 30

Talk Time Cafe (Dementia + Brain Changes) Support Group and Free Community Education

September 30

Brain Games Cafe with Snow Approach Foundation, Inc. at Weaver Street Market Outdoors

September 30

TikTok Fun Weekly Dance Challenge @teepasnow

September 30

Last Fridays & Art Walk 2022

Hillsborough is a close and easy getaway.

From	Distance	Time
Asheville	212 miles	3 hours
Chapel Hill	12 miles	20 minutes
Charlotte	131 miles	2 hours
Durham	14 miles	18 minutes
Greensboro	42 miles	43 minutes
Greenville, SC	229 miles	3.5 hours
Morehead City	190 miles	3.25 hours
Nags Head	226 miles	4 hours
Raleigh	38 miles	43 minutes
Richmond, VA	163 miles	2.5 hours
Wilmington	170 miles	2.5 hours
Winston-Salem	68 miles	1 hour

What type of adventurer are you?

Explore Hillsborough using self-guided tours.

The Art Whisperer

The History Enthusiast

The Outdoor Adventurer

The Sweet Seeker

View All Tours.

Did you miss the last Churton Street History ...

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Jul 14

Did you miss the last Churton Street History Stroll, hosted by @historichillsborough? Well here's another chance! On Saturday July 23rd, journey back in time, walking the centuries-old streets of Hillsborough, North Carolina. The four-block, in-person walking tour will travel the remarkable history of this unique southern town, beginning in the 1600s. Your tour guide, Barney Caton, explores local events which shaped the nation and key figures such as Billy Strayhorn, Moses Curtis, Elizabeth Keckly, and William Graham, whose legacies reach beyond Orange County.
Visit www.historichillsborough.org for more info.

Next Sunday, July 17th at 2 PM, visit St. ...

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Jul 9

Next Sunday, July 17th at 2 PM, visit St. Matthew's Episcopal Church to explore the lives of the family who made the Burwell house and Hillsborough their home during the Civil War. There will be speakers from @somersetplaceshs with a reception to follow.

"The Journey from Somerset to Hillsborough" is part of @burwellschoolhistoricsite's Bicentennial Celebration series. Learn more at www.burwellschool.org.

Happy 4th from Hillsborough! 🇺🇸🌟 ...

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Jul 4

Happy 4th from Hillsborough! 🇺🇸🌟 #visithillsboroughnc

This Saturday, June 18th, at 2:00PM, Spirit ...

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Jun 15

This Saturday, June 18th, at 2:00PM, Spirit Freedom (formerly Free Spirit Freedom) in coordination with @orangehistorync and the Northern Orange NAACP, will host a program entitled "Sacrifices" to commemorate Juneteenth.
This event will take place at the Hillsborough Presbyterian Church and is free and open to the public.
Attendees will explore the trauma, struggle, and triumph and achievements of African Americans through performances, storytelling, and discussions of little known Hillsborough figures.

Registration encouraged: www.orangehistorync.org/events.

Get excited - the Hillsborough Food Truck Rodeo is...

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Jun 9

Get excited - the Hillsborough Food Truck Rodeo is happening this Sunday, June 12th, 3-8 pm! Hillsborough’s favorite food trucks will be downtown along with a DJ, some non-food vendors, and face painting for the kids. Visit www.facebook.com/hillsboroughfoodtruckrodeo for more information.

Have you heard yet about Historic Hillsborough ...

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Jun 3

Have you heard yet about Historic Hillsborough Excursion Day, happening on Saturday, June 25th? Hillsborough’s local historic sites, including the Alexander Dickson House, the Burwell School, the Orange County Historical Museum, Ayr Mount, the Occaneechi Village, and more, are coming together to showcase Hillsborough's historic significance. This will be a day full of reenactments, exhibits, tours, and family-friendly fun. Events are taking place throughout the day, so make sure to stop by each site and see what’s going on!
Find out more at www.historichillsborough.org.

We hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day ...

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May 31

We hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend! Hearty the pig sure did. 🐷 And of course, we want to recognize and honor all those who have passed while serving in the US armed forces. We send our gratitude to all who have served.

This Friday, May 27th, is May’s Last Friday ...

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May 25

This Friday, May 27th, is May’s Last Friday & Art Walk here in Hillsborough! From 6-9pm, enjoy gallery exhibitions, live music, poetry and spoken word, makers markets, family-friendly activities, and more! Check out a list of venues and vendors at www.hillsboroughartscouncil.org/last-friday.

Did you know that Allie from Water and the Well is...

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May 18

Did you know that Allie from Water and the Well is leading yoga classes at @thecolonialinnhillsborough every Friday evening? The class is from 4-5 pm, for all levels of experience. You can register at www.exploretock.com/thecolonialinn or by calling or visiting the front desk at The Colonial Inn.

Do you have your tickets yet for “On the Banks ...

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May 10

Do you have your tickets yet for “On the Banks of the Eno”, happening this weekend at the old courthouse? Funds from this new play by Seymour Playwrights will benefit @orangehistorync .
“On the Banks of the Eno” is a courtroom drama set in 1930s segregated Hillsborough, NC. Young teacher Virginia Curtis is on trial for the murder of Harold Campbell, the father of one of her students. The bloody crime scene by the Eno River implicates Virginia. Her attorney is a black man, and the gossips of the town can hardly stop chiming in, but facts quickly emerge that confound the prosecution.

@strikeanywhere.nyc music director Rolf Sturm ...

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May 6

@strikeanywhere.nyc music director Rolf Sturm soundpaints @orangehighschoolbands band students for #PopUpHillsborough performances with @ohs_theatre May 6-7, 2022. Tickets: ohstheatre.com

#soundpainting #ensembletheatre #strikeanywhereedu #artseducation

@strikeanywhere.nyc is taking over our social! ...

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May 6

@strikeanywhere.nyc is taking over our social! Check out our Instagram Stories and Highlights for more info and behind the scenes look at #PopUpHillsborough.

Thank you community partners for making this possible: @ohs_theatre @orangehighschoolbands @ocncarts @enoriverfarmersmarket @hillsboroughnc @weaverstreetmarket and to all of the 60+ community members interviewed including @hillsboroughnc_mayor! Our students thank you for your stories, and hope you’ll come see your dreams animated at our shows, Saturday May 7, 1:00 and 6:00 PM.

Tickets: ohstheatre.com

The Occaneechi Replica Village Rededication event ...

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Apr 27

The Occaneechi Replica Village Rededication event this past Saturday was a wonderful event! Thank you to the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation for hosting it, as well as all of the volunteers and everyone who had a hand in making this event happen. Be sure to check out https://obsn.org/ for more information about the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, including events and a shop.

Happy Earth Day! Did you know that the first Earth...

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Apr 22

Happy Earth Day! Did you know that the first Earth Day took place in 1970 following the publication of "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, which raised public awareness for the environment and the links between pollution and public health?

In 2016, Hillsborough became the 35th city to be named a Bee City USA. Bee sure to check out our Bee Hotel and pollinator garden in Gold Park, and our many natural areas like our Riverwalk, pictured here!

This Thursday, April 21st at 5:30pm, ...

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Apr 18

This Thursday, April 21st at 5:30pm, @orangehistorync is hosting “Letters From Red Farm with Elizabeth Emerson.”

Award-winning artist and Chapel Hill resident Elizabeth Emerson will share the story of the 40-year friendship between Helen Keller and her great-great grandfather, Joseph Edgar Chamberlain, a renowned columnist, essayist, and editor.

This exciting event will be held at Eagle Lodge #19 and will also be live streamed if you wish to attend virtually!

@historichillsborough's guided walking tours ...

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Apr 5

@historichillsborough's guided walking tours are back! Available 4/30 and 5/21, experience a guided walking tour of downtown Hillsborough. The tour begins at the Hillsborough Visitors Center, located in the eighteenth century Alexander Dickson Farm House, and guides visitors to a variety of historic places from the site of a 1790s African American-owned distillery to the 1840s Orange County Courthouse and the grave of one of North Carolina's signers of the Declaration of Independence. Go to https://bit.ly/hborotours for tickets and more information!

The @enoriverfarmersmarket opened with regular ...

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Apr 2

The @enoriverfarmersmarket opened with regular season hours this morning! From now until November, the farmers market will be open 8 am - noon on Saturdays. Stop by for live music, over 30 regular vendors, handmade crafts, and fresh food and goods!

Flowers are blooming at the Hillsborough Visitors ...

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Mar 30

Flowers are blooming at the Hillsborough Visitors Center! Stop by to check out our garden, gift shop, and resources. We're open Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm, and Sunday 12pm-4pm!

Last Fridays start back up tomorrow! Hosted by the...

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Mar 24

Last Fridays start back up tomorrow! Hosted by the Hillsborough Arts Council with support from the Town of Hillsborough Tourism Board, full programming for Last Fridays & the Art Walk occur on the last Friday of each month, March – November 2022, from 6-9 PM! Activities span both the historic downtown area and Nash Street’s West End.

Have you seen the new arch under construction at ...

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Mar 18

Have you seen the new arch under construction at the entrance to the River Park? The Hillsborough Arts Council (HAC) and the Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) initiated this project when an approximately 250 year-old, venerable Southern Red Oak on Calvin Street in West Hillsborough fell during Hurricane Florence in September 2018. This arch uses strips of the repurposed wood from this tree.
Jonathan Brilliant is the artist, and is based out of Raleigh. The public is invited to River Park over the next several weeks to watch the installation and meet Brilliant, including during Last Fridays ArtWalk on Friday, March 25.