What makes a particular mountain town great?
From walkable downtown areas with great shops and restaurants to a wealth of natural beauty and outdoor adventures, everyone has their own qualifying traits.
But, for us, historic sites and cultural attractions are two major X factors that elevate our favorite Blue Ridge Mountain towns above the pack.
Banner Elk NC has held a special place in our hearts since our first visit in 2021. It’s got everything we love about small towns in North Carolina, including awesome attractions, gorgeous scenery, ski resorts, and Grandfather Mountain.
But they also have a thriving cultural scene, with fantastic restaurants, a great winery, frequent live music offerings, and a professional quality theater (Ensemble Stage).
This year Banner Elk is elevating their game with the inaugural Summer of Music celebration, featuring more than 100 live shows in and around the town.
They’re also offering exceptional Theater Package travel deals, which include accommodations for 2, tickets to Ensemble Stage productions, discounts on dining, and more!
Read on for our in-depth guide to the details, including all of the program’s plays and musicals as well as an overview of the myriad concerts and festivals you can catch while you’re in town.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Banner Elk NC
Banner Elk Theater Packages
Under the leadership of Managing Director Lisa Lamont and Artistic Director Gary Smith, Ensemble Stage has been providing professional theatrical productions since 2009.
Currently housed at the Historic Banner Elk School, their shows run the gamut from classic comedies and gripping dramas to murder mysteries and holiday shows, with 6 productions scheduled between June and Christmas.
Now the town of Banner Elk NC has unveiled 2025 Theater Packages that offer attractive discounts to visitors, with prices starting at just $120 plus tax per couple on weekdays and $180 plus tax per couple on weekends.
Each package includes lodging at your choice of accommodations, two tickets to an Ensemble Stage production, 10% off dining at Banner Elk Cafe & Lodge, and free breakfast the next morning at your lodging.
Accommodation Providers in the Program
The pet-friendly Best Western Mountain Lodge is 1.3 miles from the theater, and offers rates starting at $120 + tax on weekdays and $180 + tax on weekends (which includes a hot breakfast).
Little Main Street Inn & Suites features condo-style suites with 1 or 2 bedrooms, as well as one studio-style suite. Located just a half-mile from the theater, they offer rates starting $149 + tax on weekdays and $189 + tax on weekends.
If you enjoy charming, historic B&Bs, check out The Perry House, which is walking distance from the theater and offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Rates for their 2-night packages start at $229 + tax on weekdays and $269 + tax on weekends.
To make reservations, simply pick a show from the ones featured below, then call the accommodations and (Best Western- 828-898-4571; Little Main Street Inn- 828-898-6109; Perry House B&B- 828-898-3535) and ask for the Banner Elk Theater Package.
Note that these hosts generally prefer at least a week’s advance notice, but will make every effort to accommodate shorter lead times depending on availability.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Restaurants in Banner Elk NC for Foodies
Summer Shows & Other Major Events
Ensemble Stage Productions
Ensemble Stage will have 3 shows this summer that will be included in the Banner Elk Theater Packages:
The Smell of the Kill (6/13-15, 6/17-20 & 6/21-22)- Described by Newsday as a “devilish, wicked black comedy full of nice, mean fun that’s light-hearted and cold-hearted at the same time,” this play by Michele Lowe offers a tantalizing blend of laugh and thrills in equal measure.
Bakersfield Mist (7/18-20, 7/22, 7/25-27)- Inspired by a true story, this dramatic comedy from Stephen Sachs follows an unemployed bartender who buys a “hideous” painting at a thrift store as a gag gift, only to become convinced it may be a Jackson Pollock masterpiece worth millions!
Alive & Well (8/15-17, 8/19, 8/22-24)- If you like classic films like The African Queen and Romancing the Stone, you’ll love this entertaining rom-com about a big city reporter from up North who must work with a Southern tracker/Civil War re-enactor to research a story.
READ MORE: The Hickory Ridge Living History Museum and “Horn in the West”
Banner Elk’s Summer of Music
Culture has always played a significant role in Banner Elk, but in 2025 they’re cranking it up a notch with the Blue Ridge Mountain town‘s first-ever “Summer of Music” celebration.
From June 1 through Labor Day, there will be 100+ shows, with top-notch national, regional, and local acts taking the stage at venues in Banner Elk, Beech Mountain Resort, and Grandfather Winery.
Major attractions will include Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Oates and bluegrass star Jim Lauderdale (June 20), Americana icon Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (July 18), and country music legend Gary Morris (Aug 8).
Classic rock fans will love the town’s FORUM music series, featuring tribute acts such as Miami Sound Revue (June 16), So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience (July 7), Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook (July 14), Bee Gees Now (July 21), and Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band (Aug 4).
There will also be free concerts offered several days a week, including Concerts in the Park at the town amphitheater on Thursday nights and shows on Friday and Saturday nights on the Village of
Banner Elk’s open-air stage.
Thursday’s Concerts in the Park include 70’s Kids, Funkupation, The Extraordinaires, and The Rewind: A Tribute to the ’80s. Friday/Saturday notables include Throw Down Jones, Pressley Laton Band, Gotcha Groove, Big Fun Band, Adam Church, and Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show.
Check out the official Banner Elk Events Calendar for more details on dates, times, and ticket prices.
READ MORE: Things to Do at Grandfather Mountain State Park in Banner Elk NC
Art on the Greene
If you love visual art as much as (or more than) theater and music, Banner Elk’s Art on the Greene is a must-see event taking place on May 24-25, July 5-6, Aug 2-3, and Aug 30-31 in 2025.
Art on the Greene transforms the grounds of the Historic Banner Elk School into an outdoor art gallery, highlight impressive works from local and regional artists.
Each show features anywhere from 40 to 60 artists representing a variety of mediums, including metal, glass, ceramics, wood, watercolor, acrylics, and oil.
Shoppers with an appreciation will have an opportunity to add to their fine art collections. Proceeds from artist booth rentals are donated to the Town of Banner Elk for efforts to transform the historic school into a center for visual and performing arts.
We call that a win-win for everyone!
READ MORE: Visiting the Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk Art Center
Autumn Shows & Other Major Events
Ensemble Stage Productions
Ensemble Stage will have 2 shows this autumn that will be included in the Banner Elk Theater Packages:
A Red Plaid Shirt (Sept 12-21)- This comedy from playwright Michael G. Wilmot offers a heartwarming look at two friends taking different paths in life after retirement. One wants to focus on his health, while the other yearns for motorcycle adventures. But their wives have different ideas, and hilarity ensues.
Hitchcock Radio Hour (Oct 24-25)- This Halloween show features staged radio play productions of two spooky stories, “Death of a Doll” and “The Lost Soul,” in the style of Alfred Hitchcock. They’ll feature sound effects and suspenseful music, just as they did in the original 1949 radio broadcast!
READ MORE: How to Get to Otter Falls Near Banner Elk NC
Wooly Worm Festival
What is a wooly worm, you might ask?
If you visit the 48th annual Wooly Worm Festival at Banner Elk’s Historic Elementary School on October 18-19, you’ll learn all there is to know!
This year’s festival will be packed with over 170 local arts & crafts vendors, and lots of wooly worms ready to help predict the North Carolina High Country’s winter weather.
Around 20,000 people flock to this awesome Autumn festival every year, so come prepared to enjoy a weekend of family-friendly fun, games, and live music.
READ MORE: The Top 20 Fall Festivals in the North Carolina Mountains
Christmas in Banner Elk
Ensemble Stage Production
The final show at Ensemble Stage included in the town’s Theater Packages, A Banner Elk Christmas, is a holiday-themed variety show created by Lisa Lamont and Gary Smith.
You can catch the festive musical revue at the Historic Banner Elk School at 7PM on Dec 5, 12, 13, 19, and 20, with 2PM matinees on Dec 7 and 14.
This action-packed production pays tribute to the classic Christmas variety shows of the 1960s and ’70s, offering a mixture of warm nostalgia and holiday cheer.
There will be around 40 classic Christmas songs performed, as well as dance numbers, comedy skits, and colorful costumes, with tickets running from $12 to $26.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Christmas Towns in North Carolina
Banner Elk’s Small Town Christmas
In addition to the Ensemble Stage show, Banner Elk’s Small Town Christmas celebration easily ranks among the best in Western NC, with a diverse array of events and activities the whole family can enjoy.
Downtown Banner Elk will be decked to the nines in festive holiday cheer, offering unique options for Christmas shopping and wonderful restaurants for dining out.
Families with kids will enjoy the Lighting of the Banner Elk Tree on Dec 5, the Banner Elk Christmas Parade on Dec 6, and/or choosing a tree at one of the local Christmas tree farms.
There’s also the Holiday Market at the Banner Elk School (first 3 Saturdays in December), a Community Carol Sing at Banner Elk Presbyterian Church, skiing at Beech Mountain & Sugar Mountain, and more! –by Bret Love; lead image by Todd Bush
This post was produced in partnership with the Town of Banner Elk NC. But our opinions remain our own, and we will never sacrifice the editorial integrity we owe to our readers.
