Historic Hillsborough Guided Tours
2025-08-09 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-08-16 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-08-23 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-09-06 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-09-13 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-09-20 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-09-27 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-10-04 10:30 - 12:30 (America/New_York) and 1 more date | Hillsborough Visitors Center, 150 E King Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Experience American history through the unique perspective of one of North Carolina’s oldest and most historically significant towns, with a guided walking tour of downtown Hillsborough. Established in 1754 as the seat of government for Orange County, Hillsborough’s colonial legacy and signs of its importance in North Carolina and American history can be seen everywhere.
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.
This is an in-person walking tour that sometimes crosses uneven terrain. Please plan to be walking or standing for the duration of the event, wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a water bottle (plus your curiosity)!
For groups that are concerned about the length, duration, or terrain of the tour. Please, contact The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough for other options, including bus tours.
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/3277bebb-5a4c-48ec-9a1e-0c4e287138b5

Uproar Festival of Public Art
2025-08-11 - 2025-08-12, 2025-08-13 - 2025-08-14, 2025-08-15 - 2025-08-16, 2025-08-18 - 2025-08-19, 2025-08-20 - 2025-08-21, 2025-08-22 - 2025-08-23, 2025-08-25 - 2025-08-26 | Downtown Historic Hillsborough, 101 S Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278
Uproar Festival of Public Art is coming to Orange County, North Carolina, Aug. 1-23, 2025. Sixty bold, high-impact, outdoor works of art will be showcased throughout the downtown communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, and cash prizes will be awarded based on public voting and a jury panel of experts. Be sure to vote to help select the $10,000 People’s Choice Winner! Uproar artists represent six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.
Think of Uproar as a big, artsy scavenger hunt. Uproar will provide a free and accessible arts experience for visitors of all abilities.
Join for a free kickoff party at Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough on Aug. 1 at 6 pm, featuring a performance from Liquid Pleasure.
Get more details about the artists and the art locations at uproarfestnc.com.

Camp Burwell
2025-08-14 08:00 - 17:00 | Burwell School Historic Site, 319 North Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure at Camp Burwell – where history comes to life in the coolest way possible! Set at the Burwell School Historic Site, this camp is all about exploring the past while having a blast. History will come to life as kids explore the wonders of the past in a fun, hands-on environment. From scavenger hunts to exciting games and crafts inspired by history, your child will dive into the stories of those who lived and worked at the Burwell School nearly 200 years ago.
Each session has a unique focus, with fun activities to inspire budding historians:
June 26, 2025 – Fashion
July 24, 2025 – Discovery
August 14, 2025 – Sports
Get ready to make new friends, explore the past, and create new memories you’ll be talking about for years. Camp Burwell is where history is more than just books – it’s an adventure waiting to be lived!

The Little Market presents "Visions," a watercolor show
2025-08-29 18:00 - 21:00 | Downtown Historic Hillsborough, 101 S Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278
The Little Market is pleased to present Visions, a new two-person show featuring the expressive watercolor work of Beth Bale and William Schaefer.
Beth Bale brings her deep love of nature to life in expressive watercolor. A self-taught artist and teacher, Beth captures animals, florals, and landscapes with fluidity and experimentation. Her work reflects a playful and curious approach to the medium of watercolor, rooted in the rhythms of her life on a 12-acre farm.
William Schaefer paints visual stories shaped by memory, emotion, and quiet reflection. Working in watercolor and mixed media, his luminous compositions blend strong value contrast and rich color to evoke connection. Each painting invites the viewer to slow down and rediscover the emotional undertones of the everyday.
Together, Schaefer and Bale explore the spaces where feeling, nature, and narrative meet.
The Little Market is an exciting new collaboration between the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts and the Hillsborough Real Estate Group, providing exhibit space for local and emerging artists and handmade giftable items by NC crafters. Admission is free and all works are available for purchase.

West Hillsborough Walk and Talk
2025-08-30 10:30 - 12:30 | West Hillsborough Parking Lot, West Hillsborough Parking Lot, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for a fun and informative stroll through the charming streets of West Hillsborough. Discover the rich history, historic mills, and hidden gems of this beautiful community.
Embark on a captivating Stroll of West Hillsborough, where the echoes of its industrial past still resonate today. See the historic Eno Cotton Mill and Bellevue Manufacturing Company, learning about the techniques that powered them and the different owners. Delve into the stories of the local mill villages, once bustling with the energy of hardworking communities. Experience the vibrant spirit of modern-day West Hillsborough, where local businesses continue to thrive. Join us for an unforgettable journey through time and tradition in this picturesque corner of North Carolina.
Buy tickets here: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/west-hillsborough-walk-and-talk
* This is an in-person walking tour that sometimes crosses uneven terrain. Please plan to be walking or standing for the duration of the event, wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a water bottle (plus your curiosity)!

Saturday Slowdown at RambleRill Farm: Market and Open Farm Day
2025-09-06 10:00 - 14:00 | Ramble Rill Farm, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough, NC, 27516, United States
Slow Down with us this Saturday at the farm. Shop local makers and growers, bring a picnic, meet the goats and Houdini the black snake, visit the Flower Bar and the Cookie Bar, make some crafts with the kids, check out the forest classroom, enjoy the music.10am-2pm, Saturday, 9.6.25, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough, NC

Book Reading and Release
2025-09-06 14:00 - 17:00 | Burwell School Historic Site, 319 North Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for a reading and launch celebration Saturday, September 6, from 2 to 5pm. Live music, kids’ games from the 1890s, snacks, and more! The author will donate $1.00 from every book sold at the launch party to the Friends of the Orange County Library AND to the Burwell School Historic Site.
About the Book:
In Finding Your Place, it’s 1894 and 11-year-old Ginny’s life is about to be turned upside down. First her beloved Grandmother dies, then her parents decide to move away from their failing North Carolina farm to a cotton mill in search of a better life. Ginny is certain it won’t be a better life for her – no friends, new school, and a strange new environment. Will she ever fit in?
Visit www.janiceirwin.com to learn more about the book and author.
Registration is free to all, but we do suggest adding a donation. Your generosity allows us to continue preserving this 200-year-old historic site and to offer free events like this for our community. Thank you for considering a gift to the Burwell School!

Closing Reception for watercolor show "Visions" at The Little market
2025-09-26 18:00 - 21:00 | 118 N. Churton Street, 118 N. Churton St, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
The Little Market is pleased to present Visions, a new two-person show featuring the expressive watercolor work of Beth Bale and William Schaefer.
Beth Bale brings her deep love of nature to life in expressive watercolor. A self-taught artist and teacher, Beth captures animals, florals, and landscapes with fluidity and experimentation. Her work reflects a playful and curious approach to the medium of watercolor, rooted in the rhythms of her life on a 12-acre farm.
William Schaefer paints visual stories shaped by memory, emotion, and quiet reflection. Working in watercolor and mixed media, his luminous compositions blend strong value contrast and rich color to evoke connection. Each painting invites the viewer to slow down and rediscover the emotional undertones of the everyday.
Together, Schaefer and Bale explore the spaces where feeling, nature, and narrative meet.
The Little Market is an exciting new collaboration between the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts and the Hillsborough Real Estate Group, providing exhibit space for local and emerging artists and handmade giftable items by NC crafters. Admission is free and all works are available for purchase.
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The Little Market is located at 118 N. Churton Street within Hillsborough Real Estate Group, and is open Fridays 2-6pm, Saturdays 12–4pm, and Last Fridays 6-9pm. Fragile Light will be on view from June 19th through August 19th, 2025. For more information, visit www.hillsboroughgallery.com/the-little-market.

FlushFest 2025
2025-10-03 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-04 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Hillsborough’s largest music festival

Great music from around the world.Four stages around HillsboroughSupporting global clean water projects since 2018

For more information, visit their website >>> https://www.flushfest.org/

Saturday Slowdown at RambleRill Farm: Market and Open Farm Day
2025-10-04 10:00 - 14:00 | Ramble Rill Farm, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough, NC, 27516, United States
Kickoff October at the Saturday Slowdown! For kids, free pumpkins and pumpkin decorating contest, meet Houdini the friendly black snake, enjoy live music, shop local artisans and farmers, visit the goats. Slowdown with us! 10am-2pm, Saturday, 10.4.25, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough, NC

The Witch's Haunted Barn & Pumpkin Patch
2025-10-04 12:00 - 19:00, 2025-10-11 12:00 - 19:00, 2025-10-18 12:00 - 19:00 | Firefly Farm, 4911 Hunt Rd, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Step into the Witch’s Haunted Barn for a whimsical Halloween adventure – just spooky enough to thrill, but not too scary for little ones. Stroll through vibrant flower gardens, wander scenic trails, and meet friendly farm animals. Shop from local vendors and pick the perfect pumpkin from our patch. A festive, memory-making day awaits the whole family. Open all Saturdays in October, noon till 7 pm, rain or shine. Tickets available online at https://fire-fly-farm-nc.square.site/ or at the farm the day of the event.

Josh's Hope Fall Festival
2025-10-18 13:00 - 17:00 | 40 Terry Brook Lane, 40 Terry Brook Lane, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Our Second Annual Fall Festival fundraiser is just around the corner! Join us on the Josh’s Hope farm for a makers market, live music, food, hayrides, activities for the kids, art demos, and a special performance by magician Joshua Lozoff!
Admission is free; donations welcomed.
Bring canned goods to support PORCH Hillsborough and you’ll be entered into a raffle for a repurposed iPhone, iPad, or laptop.

The Haunting Hour
2025-10-18 13:00 - 21:00 | Hillsborough Visitors Center, 150 E King Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Step into the shadows of Hillsborough’s past at The Haunting Hour, our brand-new take on the dearly departed Spirits Tours! We’ve buried the old format, now join us for an immersive evening of storytelling, where ghostly tales and eerie legends unfold around you in a spine-tingling performance at the historic Hughes Academy. A partnership between the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough and the Orange Community Players. With haunting histories brought to life before your eyes, every twist and turn will keep you on edge.
For those brave enough, add on Tales from the Grave—a moonlit mini walking tour through St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church graveyard, where stories of the departed echo among the stones.
And don’t miss our FREE mini Fall Celebration at the Hillsborough Visitor Center, filled with seasonal fun and shopping for all ages before or after your haunting adventure.
Step into the story… if you dare.
Date: October 18th, 2025
Times:
– Fall Celebration: 1pm to 8pm
– Haunting Hour Performances: 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm, 6:30pm, 8pm
– Tales From the Grave: 5pm to 8:30pm
Price: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-haunting-hour
– The Haunting Hour: $20/person and $10/ child
– Tales from the grave (Add-on): $10
