ERB Spring Fling
2025-03-30 12:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | eno river brewing, 329 Eno Mountain Rd, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
We are so excited to invite you all to our very first Spring Fling Makers Market! Everyone had such an amazing time at Fall Fest 2024, that we couldn’t wait another whole year to get everyone back together! We have some returnees, and a lot of new faces joining us! There will be groovy tunes, a ton of local small businesses and some delicious eats from @mrdonsfamouschickenribs ! We will be slanging beer and merch in the backyard, to encourage even more outdoor time! Everything will get rocking and rolling by noon, so get here early, bring your camping chairs and picnic blankets, and get ready to shop all your new favorite local makers!

Open Farm Day at Firefly Farm
2025-04-05 08:00 - 18:00 | Firefly Farm, 4911 Hunt Rd, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
You are invited to the Open Farm Day at Firefly Farm . Saturday, April 5, 2025, 8 am till 6 pm. This free event is the perfect opportunity to see what we are growing. We are a U-pick flower farm, growing many varieties of flowers. Come out and wander the farm and pet the animals.
Schedule of Events for Open Farm Day at Firefly Farm
No ticket needed – free event, open to the public
8 am – Gates open. Farmer Cindy and staff will be available to answer any questions you may have. Wander the farm – be our guest! While the wildflowers are not ready for the U-pick season yet, this is a great time to see what the farm has to offer. Select flowers will be available for purchase and we may have a special opportunity for U-pick tulips. Park at the barn or in the overflow lot (follow the yellow signs). Check in at the barn to begin your adventure (map available). Walk the labyrinth. Say hello to the farm animals and the unicorn. Swing on the farm swing. Touch a tractor. Find a hammock and take a nap while the kids make a craft. Enjoy the fresh air and run around outside. Make it your day.
Special activity: Farm tours will occur at 10 am, noon, 2 pm and 4 pm. Meet Farmer Cindy at the barn and she will lead you around some of the flower gardens and discuss what is happening on the farm. Feel free to ask questions. During the 10 am and 4 pm tours, we will feed the animals!
Vendors joining us include: Burger Bistro, Smokehouse Bandits BBQ, Ms. Tori and her crafts (A Child’s Creative Curiosity), State Farm, First National Bank, CirclesandSymmetry Etsy store and others! Plan on buying some delicious food and sweets, finding your favorite spot on the farm, and having a picnic on a beautiful Spring day!
6 pm – Gates close. Thank you for joining us! www.fireflyfarmnc.com

Revolutionary War Living History Day 2026
2025-04-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Hillsborough Visitors Center, 150 E King Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough as we invite you to immerse yourself in the captivating history of the American Revolution through a day of FREE, family-friendly events! Featuring reenactors, dancers, captivating historic tours, interactive activities, and collaborative events throughout the town, this is a day of enriching experiences for all to enjoy.
>>> REGISTRATION is recommended, not required <<<
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Hillsborough Visitor Center – 150 E KING

-23rd Regiment Royal Welch Fusiliers of Foot

-Live colonial fiddle music by Shane Watson

-Guilford Courthouse living history interpreters

-Colonial surgeon Mike Williams medical demonstrations

-Author Suzanne Adair book signing and meet and greet

-Colonialfoodways, crafts demos, Hills Academy talks,and -SugarSpun lemonade refreshments

-Revolutionary-Era and Outlander History Walking Tours Available for Purchase

The Burwell School Historic Site – 319 N CHURTON

– Sun Assembly County Dancers perform

-High Point Museum pop up exhibit

-Quill and ink writing station

-Self guided historic site tours

-Historic schoolhouse open house

-A250 children’s comic display

Orange County Historical Museum – 201 N CHURTON

-Special display on Colonial currency

-New exhibit: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Occaneechi Replica Village – 140 E MARGARET LANE

-Foodways reenactment

-Colonial era trading demonstrations

-Historic structure living history tours

-History table featuring Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Scholar Lawrence Dunmore III

Drift Opening Reception
2025-04-25 18:00 - 21:00 | Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, 121 N. Churton St., Hillsborough, 27278
DRIFT: New work by watercolorist, Ryann Carey and furniture maker, Pete Rodrigues

Saturday Slowdown at RambleRill Farm: Market and Open Farm Day
2025-05-03 10:00 - 14:00 | Ramble Rill Farm, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough, NC, 27516, United States
Join us for the first Saturday Slowdown of 2025. Shop local makers and growers, wander the farm and trails, visit the goats and chickens, bring your lunch, relax and slowdown with us! Family friendly. Saturday, 5.3.25, 10am-2pm. 913 Arthur Minnis Road Hillsborough, NC. Free Admission.

Concert on the Courtyard Series
2025-05-14 18:00 - 19:30, 2025-05-21 18:00 - 19:30, 2025-05-26 18:00 - 19:30, 2025-05-30 18:00 - 19:30 | The Colonial Inn, 153 W King St., Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Welcome to May at The Colonial Inn!
The flowers aren’t the only things blooming this month—so is our live music lineup
>>> Check out the schedule below:

Wednesday May 14th: Tea Cup Gin 6pm
Wednesday May 21st: Bob Hartford 6pm
Monday May 26th: Houda Idrissi 6pm
Friday May 30th: Charlotte Morris 6pm – Part of Hillsborough Arts Council’s Last Fridays & Art Walk

Sponsored by Hillsborough Real Estate Group
Let May be full of music, memories, and community.

Trivia Nights at the Rookery
2025-05-14 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-05-21 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-05-28 19:00 - 21:00 | The Rookery, 115 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us at The Rookery for Trivia Night in partnership with Orange County Public Library! Every Wednesday from 7-8pm starting on May 14th!! Teams or individuals welcome! Winner(s) get a free round of drinks on the house! Free parking in the parking deck beyond the Public Library.

Hillsborough on Tap: Local Trivia & Non-Profit Showcase
2025-05-22 19:00 - 20:00 | The Rookery, 115 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Time: 7:00–8:00 PM
Location: The Rookery, Hillsborough, NC
Hosted by the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, Hillsborough on Tap is a special event celebrating our Annual Meeting in a fun, engaging format. This evening gathering brings together board members, staff, volunteers, and community partners to share our collective goals and missions in a relaxed and social setting.
The evening begins at 7pm with a partner showcase, where participating organizations will each have two minutes to introduce themselves and share highlights of their work in the community. The Showcase will be followed by Local Trivia, with questions drawn from the presentations and local history. Prizes will be awarded to the top teams.
Learn more about the space:
Located at 115 W Margaret Lane in the heart of historic downtown Hillsborough, The Rookery is a family-friendly bar offering a welcoming atmosphere for all. With both indoor and outdoor seating—including cozy fire pits and a relaxed lounge area—it’s an ideal spot to unwind. The Rookery features a creative cocktail menu and encourages patrons to bring their own food or order from nearby sister restaurant Nomad.
This event is free and open to nonprofit partners, board members, volunteers, and community supporters. For more information and updates about Hillsborough on Tap, visit our event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1368497407507265/

Last Fridays and the Art Walk!
2025-05-30 17:30 - 21:00 | Downtown Historic Hillsborough, 101 S Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278
FREE monthly events celebrating ART, CULTURE, and COMMUNITY in Hillsborough, NC, featuring:
⭐ The Art Walk (Year-Round) – 28+ participating venues offer monthly artist receptions, demonstrations, mini markets, live music, and more.
⭐ Living Arts in River Park (April – October) – Community drumming, dance, and interactive opportunities with the Living Arts Collective in Hillsborough’s River Park. No matter your experience or comfort level with drumming or dance, these gatherings are an opportunity to expand. All are welcome.
⭐ Last Fridays Makers Markets & *NEW* Live on the Lawn Performance Series (May – October) – Local artists, community groups, community arts & crafts, and live performances at the Old Orange County Courthouse Lawn.
Applications to become an Approved Vendor for 2025 Last Fridays Makers Markets are NOW OPEN. Local artists and organizations/community groups are encouraged to apply.
Learn about each monthly lineup, download the itinerary, and CHOOSE YOUR LAST FRIDAYS ADVENTURE at www.lastfridays.org*!
*Details on this page are generally finalized the week before each Last Friday event.
This program was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Additional support is provided by the Tourism Board of the Town of Hillsborough.

"Atmospherics" Art Reception at The Little Market
2025-05-30 18:00 - 21:00
The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is proud to announce the opening of its new satellite space, The Little Market, with an inaugural exhibition by artist Adrienne Knowles. The show, titled “Atmospherics,” features a striking new body of abstract landscapes. A reception will be held Friday, May 30th from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Art Walk.
The Little Market is dedicated to showcasing curated, rotating exhibitions and creative collaborations, providing a fresh space where artists and the community connect through art. They aim to create new opportunities for both established and emerging artists.
In “Atmospherics,” Knowles explores the emotional and intuitive process of artmaking through a series of richly layered, abstract landscapes. Working with acrylics, oil, cold wax medium and sometimes collage elements, she builds compositions from color, texture, and memory—inviting viewers to experience the quiet mystery of landscapes that arise from within.
Adrienne shares: “For the last several years, I’ve focused on non-representational abstraction, but recently this group of abstract landscapes has taken shape—unbidden at first, then welcomed wholeheartedly.”
The Little Market is located at 118 N. Churton St, just across the street from the main HGA gallery within Hillsborough Real Estate Group, and will feature a rotating selection of artist exhibitions, small works, and curated collections. Join us for the closing reception of “Atmospherics” on Friday, May 30th from 6-9pm and experience this exciting new addition to Hillsborough’s art scene.
“Atmospherics” will be available to view fthrough June 15th, 2025. The Little Market is open Last Fridays 6-9pm and Saturdays and Sundays 12-4. For more information, visit www.hillsboroughgallery.com/the-little-market.

Hands-on History Fair
2025-05-31 10:00 - 15:00 | Hillsborough Visitors Center, 150 E King Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join Us for the FREE Hands-On History Fair!
Get ready to step into the past at the Hands-On History Fair on May 31st from 10am–3pm at the Hillsborough Visitor Center grounds! This FREE community event brings history to life with fun, family-friendly, and interactive experiences.
Meet local preservationists, artisans, and history-minded organizations as they showcase the many ways we keep the past alive—from restored artifacts and tools of the trade to hands-on activities designed for all ages. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious, there’s something for everyone to explore!
This event is held in conjunction with our Past Meets Present Preservation Tour. The Past Meets Present Preservation tour is a paid self-guided tour where participants will be able to explore inside 7 different preserved historic buildings in Hillsborough.
To learn more about the FREE Hands-on History Fair or the paid tour, please visit our website: https://historichillsborough.org/preservationfest/

BLAC Fest: Summer Reading
2025-06-02 10:00 - 19:00 | Orange County Main Library, 137 W. Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
This month at Main Library, we have displays in Adult Services highlighting:
Read Black | Juneteenth occurs this month on June 19th. Celebrate by reading Black literature of various genres.

Join us for book discussion of Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson (available in multiple formats) hosted by Tuesday Evening Book Club on Tuesday, June 10th, 6:30pm at Main Library.

Join us for a book discussion of Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (available in multiple formats) hosted by Spotlight Books & Films Club on Wednesday, June 11th at 6:30pm at Main Library

BLAC Fest is OCPL’s Black Literature, Arts, & Culture Festival leading up to Juneteenth.

Saturday Slowdown at RambleRill Farm: Kids and Families Day
2025-06-07 10:00 - 14:00 | Ramble Rill Farm, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough, NC, 27516, United States
It’s Kids and Families Day at Saturday Slowdown this weekend! Don’t miss Alex’s Menagerie of Musical Instruments, Kids’ Crafts, Scavenger Hunt, Flower Bar, Longleaf Forest School Play Date, and Greet the Goats. Plenty of prizes to win and free ice cream scoops to eat! Shop local makers and growers, bring a picnic lunch, wander the woods. Slow Down with us. Saturday, June 7, 10am-2pm, 913 Arthur Minnis Road, Hillsborough

BLAC Fest: Story Quilt Activities Begin
2025-06-08 10:00 - 19:00 | Orange County Main Library, 137 W. Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Event Details

Story Quilt Activities | Ongoing All June at Main Library | Stop by the library and create a square for our community-made story quilt in honor of the late Faith Ringgold, artist, quilter, and author of the classic children’s book, Tar Beach. The quilt that we make over the summer will be highlighted as part of our Artember festivities in September of this year. While you’re visiting, you can also learn more about story quilts and Ringgold’s life and legacy at our ongoing puzzle table which features a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle depicting Ringgold’s quilt, Tar Beach 2. Both activities are for all ages.

Cognitive Baseline Testing at Snow Approach Foundation
2025-06-09 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-12 09:00 - 17:00 | Snow Approach Foundation, 133 East King Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join a Community Brain Health Study
For ALL Ages and Stages.
Learn more about brain health
Learn more about local resources
Enjoy some snacks and social engagement
Help our community remove stigma attached to talking about brain health
Cognitive Baseline Testing June 9th – 13th – Sign Up for a Time Slot!!
https://teepasnow.com/snow-approach-foundation-inc-cognitive-health-screening-study/

BLAC Fest: Book Club ("Lovely One" by Kentaji Brown)
2025-06-10 18:30 - 19:30 | Orange County Main Library, 137 W. Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Event Details

Tuesday Evening Book Club in collaboration with BLAC Fest hosts a discussion of best-selling biography, Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Tuesday, June 10th, 2025 at Main Library located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278.
Tuesday Evening Book Club is a Community Member-Led book club which meets the on 2nd Tuesdays of the month at 6:30pm at Main Library in Hillsborough. The club discusses a wide variety of popular and interesting books in a light atmosphere.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required. For reading selections and more information, visit the library’s book club page.

BLAC Fest: Book Discussion
2025-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Hillsborough Main Library, 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, 27278, United States
Event Details

In June, Spotlight Books & Film Club at Main Library in Hillsborough is taking part in BLAC Fest and Pride Month for double feature of sorts. Join us for:

A book discussion of Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler | Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at 6:30pm; and
A film screening of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar | Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 2pm.

This series is intended for adults. All events are free. Registration is preferred.
Spotlight Books & Film Club at Main Library in Hillsborough alternates book discussions and film viewings with light discussion. The theme of each book or film we read/watch & discuss will often mirror books and films that Main Library’s Adult Services is highlighting that month. Bring a light snack for yourself, and join us! View the upcoming schedule of events in this series here.
Register for the event here: https://orangecountync.librarycalendar.com/event/spotlight-blac-fest-read-parable-sower-19217

BLAC Fest: Lunch & Film Discussion
2025-06-13 14:00 - 17:00
Event Details

Juneteenth Lunch & Film Discussion on Friday, June 13, 2025 from 2-5pm at Main Library in Hillsborough located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278. Join us for a midday gathering featuring a screening of Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches, a catered lunch served onsite, and engaging community dialogue and activities. The venue is ADA accessible, and language interpretation is available upon request. Registration is preferred. This free event is hosted by the The Orange County Office of Civil Rights & Civic Life as part of its annual full day of Juneteenth Celebration events. Find details about the celebration below.
The Theme for 2025: Where Freedom Gathers, We Rise – a full day of reflection, learning, and joy honoring the legacy of emancipation and the resilience of Black families who reunited and rebuilt their lives following slavery.
Event highlights include:

10–11:30am | Opening Ceremony at the Farmers Market Pavilion | 140 E Margaret Lane in Hillsborough
Begin the day with a Presentation of Colors by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, song selections from B.U.M.P. the Triangle, and a powerful keynote by Dr. Sonny Kelly featuring an excerpt from The Ongoing Fight for Freedom: Stories of NC Black Veterans, followed by an interactive performance by The Magic of African Rhythm. Seating and shade will be provided, and ASL interpretation will be available.
2–5pm | Luncheon and Film Discussion at Main Library | 137 W Margaret Lane in Hillsborough
Join us for a midday gathering featuring a screening of Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches, a catered lunch served onsite, and engaging community dialogue and activities. The venue is ADA accessible, and language interpretation is available upon request.
6–9pm | Evening Celebration at Eno Arts Mill | 437 Dimmocks Mill Rd #17 in Hillsborough
Join us for an evening of celebration featuring a live DJ, spoken word, and a performance by B.U.M.P. the Triangle—plus family-friendly games, food trucks, a vibrant community marketplace, and a drum celebration with The Magic of African Rhythm. Bring your folding chairs and favorite games; restrooms and water stations will be available onsite.

Learn more at orangecountync.gov/juneteenth2025

Telling the Full Story Installation
2025-06-14 10:00 - 19:00, 2025-06-16 10:00 - 19:00 | Orange County Main Library, 137 W. Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Event Details

Telling the Full Story | From June 14th to July 30th at Main Library, explore a powerful visual installation that spotlights Hillsborough’s history through stories shared by people connected to our town and collected by the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough. Learn more about the project at historichillsborough.org/map Main Library is located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278.

Big Spoon Roasters' Second Annual Birthday Bash
2025-06-14 13:00 - 16:00 | Big Spoon Roasters, 500 Meadowlands Dr, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
The festival-like celebration will include shopping from an incredible lineup of food, beverage, and craft vendors (think beer, cocktail syrups, coffee, macarons, jams, a build-your-own bouquet station, ceramics, candles, and more!), with proceeds benefiting Paws4Ever Animal Rescue! We’ll also have meet-and-greets with some sweet (adoptable) furry friends, and a shopping/sample station for Big Spoon’s entire lineup of nut butters and snack bars.
The event is free to attend, open to the public—dogs included! (outdoors)—and fun for the whole family. We can’t wait to see you there.
Participating vendors (in addition to Big Spoon Roasters) include: Alley Twenty-Six, Bright Black Candles, Eno River Brewing, Fillaree, Firefly Farm, J’Ellen Jam, Le Petit Amour Macarons, Locopops, Paws4Ever, and Ware Ware Ceramics.
Please note there is no parking available on-site, but free parking is provided nearby at Joe Van Gogh (505 Meadowlands Dr), Grace Hill Church (515 Meadowlands Dr), and Barlow Scientific (504 Meadowlands Dr).

Songs of the Freedom Bound: A Juneteenth Celebration and Poetry Reading
2025-06-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Burwell School Historic Site, 319 North Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Join us for a Juneteenth celebration! We are overjoyed to host Crystal Simone Smith and Dr. Sheila Smith McKoy on June 18, 2025, at 6:30pm. Crystal will read from her new release, Runagate: Songs of the Freedom Bound, a collection of haiku and tanka about the enslaved, a reimagining of their flights of escape. Dr. Smith McKoy will deliver a brief history of Juneteenth, leading us into a powerful reflection on and celebration of this important holiday. Both scholars will be available for a Q&A and book sale/signing following the reading.

Weave & Spin Open Mic
2025-06-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Eno Arts Mill, 437 Dimmocks Mill Road, Suite 17, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, United States
Weave & Spin is not your run-of-the-mill open mic. It’s a safe space for all humans 18+ to share tales of life: from joy to trauma, from hilarity to drama. If you are a poet, storyteller, or musician, bring your truth. Each month will showcase one featured artist followed by an open mic. We particularly invite BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and anyone else who has waited too long to be heard.
Every 3rd Wednesday, 7-9pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Eno Arts Mill Gallery
Free admission, cash bar
Must be 18 to enter and participate

June 18th Featured Artists: Andrew Mack and Matt G.
Andrew Mack is the Founder and Managing Editor of Loblolly Press. His commitment to fostering emerging writers particularly those from marginalized or underrepresented communities drives Loblolly Press’s mission to showcase contemporary poetry, short fiction, and novels with a distinctly Southern voice. Andrew has published two collections of his own poetry, Weekend Revival and What the River Was. He lives in Asheville, NC with his partner.

Matt G. is an NC poet, political sociologist, and educator. He believes that poetry, like Wu-Tang, is forever and for the children. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Matt G. was a member of the spoken word group Wordsmiths. In addition to hosting open mics and acting as a performance artist on campus, he also competed in the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI). His team ranked top 20 in the nation in 2012 and made semi-finals in 2018. Matt G. also spent a year with Ebony Readers Onyx Theatre (EROT)—the premier spoken word performance group of UNC’s Black Student Movement. Most recently, beginning in 2023, Matt G. became a fellow of The Watering Hole. In 2024, Matt G. became a member of the Bull City Slam Team in Durham, NC and competed at the 2024 Southern Fried Poetry Festival Slam Tournament, ranking in the top 25 of individual competing poets.

*254th Annual Regulator Remembrance Event*
2025-06-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Regulator Historic Site at Cameron Park, 200 East King Street, Hillsborough, 27278
The 254th Annual Regulator Remembrance Day Event will take place Thursday, June 19, at 6 p.m., at the Regulator Historic Marker site in Cameron Park, 200 E. King St., Hillsborough.
This year’s event marks the 2534th anniversary of the date on June 19, 1771 when six early American patriots were executed at the site by English colonial Governor William Tryon on the charge of High Treason against the King of England for questioning English colonial authority as part of the Regulator Rebellion.
A mammoth stone slab was placed at the site in the late 18th/early 19th century as a marker. Since 1771, descendants and the general public have quietly visited the site to lay flowers there in remembrance of those brave patriots. That tradition has continued for over 250 years.
More formal commemoration events were revived again in 2013 by Scott Washington, former Assistant Director of the Orange County Historical Museum and Hillsborough Historian. The annual Regulator Remembrance Event is a way for descendants and all who care about this history to intentionally remember these early patriots.
The 254th anniversary ceremonies will include introduction of special guests, historical remarks, reading of the names of those who were executed on this date, a tolling of the bell, followed by a chance for the public to bring and lay flowers at the Regulator Marker just as people have done for more than 250 years.
Representatives of Alamance Battleground Historic Site, elected officials, descendants of the original Regulators, and many others are also expected to be present at this popular event.
The event is free and open to the public.
