July is a month for celebrating and enjoying the best of what we have as Franklinites! Kids are out of school, vacations are in full swing, people are being adventurous on the weekends,and it’s the birthday of our country. There’s no better place to be right now than the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. The weather is so perfectly mild that you can still enjoy a refreshing cocktail and a delicious meal on our outdoor patio overlooking Main Street. We’ve compiled a list of all the great events taking place in town this July, so be sure to check it out as you plan your next visit to Gracious Plates On Main!
Where’s Cowee Sam? A Family-Friendly Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Franklin
Begin at A Novel Escape - 60 E Main Street
July 1 - 31
Whether you have been to Downtown Franklin before or it’s your first time visiting our town, this scavenger hunt is the perfect way to see all of the best Main Street has to offer. Start by visiting A Novel Escape bookstore to get your scavenger hunt guide, then set out to find our beloved Cowee Sam in all of his favorite hiding places on Main Street. After completing the scavenger hunt, return to A Novel Escape for a surprise!
July (various dates)
Lost In Time Tours of Franklin offers exciting and historically-based ghost tours throughout the downtown area nearly every day of the week during the month of July. The tours range from the streets of downtown to haunted homes, graveyards, and even a brewery! Check out their schedule and make your reservation early.
Friday & Saturday Evenings
Rathskeller Coffee Bar & Pub hosts live music by various artists every Friday and Saturday evening. They offer a full espresso bar, an array of craft beers, and fresh baked goods.
July (various dates)
Silver Threads & Golden Needles is a friendly and fiber obsessed yarn shop located in the Historic Downtown shopping area of Franklin, North Carolina. Whether you are a local or taking a vacation in the Smoky Mountains, we are your one stop destination for all things yarn and fiber!
July 1 ~ 7:30pm
Re-creating the music, the feel, the excitement, the authentic stage costuming and the energy, Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets will have the audience on their feet, dancing in the aisles and singing along to every song as they are transported back to the very beginning of Rock & Roll!
Enjoy such favorites as: “Rock Around The Clock” – “See Ya Later Alligator” – “Shake, Rattle & Roll” – “Razzle Dazzle” “Don’t Knock The Rock” – “Dim, Dim The Lights” – “Rock-A-Beatin’ Boogie” – “Rockit 88” “Rock This Joint” – “Skinnie Minnie” and many, many more!
Independence Day Parade Main Street
July 4 ~ 11:00am
Join the Town of Franklin in celebrating Independence Day with a patriotic parade!
Fireworks Over Franklin First Street of Highlands Road
July 4 ~ 9:30pm
Experience a spectacular fireworks show over Franklin in honor of the original adoption of the Declaration of Independence back in 1776.
July 8 ~ 6:00pm
For over three decades the Town of Franklin, NC has hosted this FREE event at the Gazebo on the Square in Downtown Franklin from May through mid-October.
Featured Band: Caribbean Cowboys
July 13 ~ 5:30-7:30pm
Each month, Gracious Plates On Main offers a "Wine Pack" of 3 exclusive bottles at a reduced rate for our Wine Club members, as well as a tasting of next month's wine pack led by their Sommelier! Joining Wine Club and attending the monthly tastings are both free.
July 14, 15, 20, 21 ~ 7:30pm
Rock star Conrad Birdie is the biggest thing to top the charts. Women love him, men want to be him and teenage girls around the country scream with glee at the mere mention of his name. But when the United States Army drafts Birdie, manager Albert Peterson sees his meal ticket preparing to fly the coop (much to the delight of longtime love Rose Alvarez, who can’t wait for Albert to ditch the music biz and become something respectable, like an English teacher). Desperate for a publicity stunt big enough to help them survive Birdie’s departure, Albert and Rose hatch a plan: send Conrad to small-town America to plant his goodbye kiss on one lucky fan for the entire world to see. Their selection of super fan Kim Macafee sends the wholesome enclave of Sweet Apple, Ohio into chaos. Kim’s boyfriend, Hugo, can’t take the humiliation of his lady love’s televised lip-lock. Rose can’t take another minute of Albert’s distracted ways. And Sweet Apple can’t take its teens’ riotous rebellion, inspired by the arrival of bad-boy Birdie. Toe-tapping tunes never stop and moments of laugh-out-loud abound in this hilarious musical comedy classic.
July 15 ~ 9:00am-4:00pm
The Hometown Heritage Festival is great, FREE FUN for all ages. Travel back i n time while strolling up and down the beautiful & historic Main Streets of Franklin. Come and see live demonstrations of heritage arts & crafts! You'll see quilters, wood carvers, canoe builders and even a live, working gem mining flume. There will be a large selection of makers to shop from as well as the m any brick & mortar shops who are there year round! Other events include a fir etruck display, face painting for the kids and of course lots of Appalachian music!
July 22 ~ 6:00pm
For over three decades the Town of Franklin, NC has hosted this FREE event at the Gazebo on the Square in Downtown Franklin from May through mid-October.
Featured Band: Paradise 56
July 28-30
The 54th Annual Macon County Gemboree will be held at the Macon County Community Building. The show will feature everything from fine jewelry to rough and cut gems & minerals, fossils, lapidary equipment and more. For complete information, call 828-524-3161. Friday and Saturday 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Admission $3 for adults, children 12 & under free. Watch for $1 off coupons in local newspapers, at restaurants and at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce.
Christmas in July - Flash Sale Main Street - Downtown Franklin
July 29
During this one-day event, various shops and restaurants on Main Street in Downtown Franklin will be offering special discounts and sales. Shop local, cross some of your Christmas purchases off the list early, and save money while you do it. Follow @SofhaNC on IG or FB for more details, and don’t forget to wear red and green to get a treat!
July 29 ~ 7:30pm
From the roots of the Grand Ole Opry to the wings of Carnegie Hall, the Annie Moses Band has been taking music to new heights for more than a decade. As the “first family of American music,” this sibling band applies its classically honed, all-American talent to a cornucopia of iconic melodies through innovative arrangements and masterful original songwriting. The Nashville-raised and New York-trained ensemble delivers a spellbinding musical odyssey.