The Cashiers Festival of Trees 2026 opens Friday, November 27, at Summit Charter School, 370 Mitten Lane in Cashiers, North Carolina, and runs through Saturday, November 28. Doors are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The fundraiser for the Summit Charter School Foundation has become a Thanksgiving weekend tradition on the Cashiers-Highlands plateau since its 2021 debut.

What visitors will find

The festival centers on decorated Christmas trees and wreaths, along with gift baskets and experiences that guests can view and bid on. According to the school foundation, the event has grown each year and now spreads across the high school campus beyond the Summit Center.

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Beyond the displays, the schedule includes free children's crafts, a story time nook tied to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a pop-up stuffed animal workshop, a holiday scavenger hunt and a lounge showing rivalry weekend football games. Shoppers can browse the Gift Zone and Vendor Village, and food trucks will be outside.

Where does the money go?

Funds raised support Summit Charter School and its students. The giving extends further through participating nonprofits: any group that contributes a decorated tree or wreath receives 80 percent of that item's sale proceeds. This year's participating charities include Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC, the Cashiers Highlands Humane Society, the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, The Bascom and others.

Why you should go

  • A holiday tradition that gives back. Purchases and bids support local students and nonprofits rather than outside vendors.
  • Something for children. Crafts, story time, the stuffed animal workshop and the scavenger hunt are aimed at younger visitors.
  • Holiday shopping in one place. The Gift Zone and Vendor Village offer one-of-a-kind gifts, with food trucks on site.
  • Low cost for families. General entry costs $5, while everyone under 19 gets in without charge.
  • A second chance to bid. Those who cannot attend can take part through virtual bidding during the festival weekend.

What to know before you go

The festival runs November 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Summit Charter School, 370 Mitten Lane, Cashiers, NC. General entry costs $5, under-19s enter free, and a single ticket covers the whole weekend. Cashiers Valley Real Estate is the presenting sponsor and Ingles Markets is the media sponsor. The brief does not list a separate ticket page, so check with the school foundation for details. Organizers have also said the festival will move to a biennial schedule after this year, according to the foundation's announcement.

FAQ

When is the Cashiers Festival of Trees 2026?

It runs Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Summit Charter School in Cashiers, North Carolina.

How much are tickets?

General entry costs $5, and everyone under 19 gets in free. The same ticket admits a visitor on both days of the festival.