From free concerts and farm dinners to art openings and festivals, here is everything worth putting on your calendar from late summer through September 2026.
The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau saves some of its best for the back half of the year. As the days cool and the leaves start to turn, the calendar fills with live music, chef dinners, gallery openings, and the kind of community gatherings that make this place feel like home.
Whether you are already here or still thinking about making the move, consider this your guide to the season ahead. As a longtime community partner, including a sponsor of the Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Meadows Mountain Realty is proud to spotlight the events that make this corner of the mountains unlike anywhere else.
August
Weekly Farmer’s Markets
Wednesdays & Saturdays, through October · Cashiers & Highlands
Two markets, two towns, every week. Locally Grown on The Green fills The Commons in Cashiers on Wednesdays (11am to 3pm), and the Highlands Farmer’s Market takes over Kelsey-Hutchinson Park on Saturdays (8am to 12pm). Local farms, artisan makers, and whatever is in season.
Friday Night Live
Fridays in August · Town Square, Highlands
Free live music every Friday in Town Square, 6 to 8:30pm. No tickets, no reservations, just a chair and the sunset. This month: John Webb (Aug 7), the McClain Family Band (Aug 14), and the Shawn Lane Trio (Aug 21).
Saturdays on Pine
Saturdays in August · KH Park, Highlands
The bigger, louder counterpart to Friday Night Live. Rock, blues, and beach music at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, 6 to 8:30pm and free. This month: Yacht Rando (Aug 1), Blake Ellege + The Resonators (Aug 8), and the Will Thompson Band (Aug 22).
Orchard Sessions: Shane Meade & The Sound
Wednesday, August 5 · The Farm at Old Edwards
Live music and light bites under the trees at The Farm. Shane Meade brings soulful vocals and feel-good grooves to one of the prettiest settings on the Plateau. These sell out, so book ahead.
Zahner Conservation Lecture Series
Thursday, August 6 · Highlands Nature Center
The final summer talk in a beloved series that dates back to the 1930s. This one digs into plastic pollution and microplastics research here on the Plateau. Free, and always worth the evening.
Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival
Through August 9 · Various Venues
The 45th season of world-class chamber music in intimate mountain settings, now in its final week. Catch a performance before the curtain falls on August 9.
Under the Stars with Chef Julia Sullivan
Tuesday, August 11 · Skyline Lodge
A guest-chef dinner on the rocks at Skyline Lodge, with a menu built around the best of late-summer produce. Ticketed, intimate, and exactly the kind of evening the Plateau does best.
Groovin’ on the Green
August 14 & September 4 · The Village Green, Cashiers
Cashiers’ free outdoor concert on The Village Green. Bring a chair and a dancing partner. The Wandering Hours (Aug 14) and McIntosh & the Lionhearts (Sep 4) close out the season in style.
Highlands Twilight 5K
Saturday, August 15 · KH Founders Park, Highlands
A run/walk through downtown at golden hour, presented by the Rotary Club of Highlands. It steps off from Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park from 6 to 7pm, and proceeds benefit the Gordon Center.
Highlands Arts & Crafts Show
August 29 to 30 · KH Founders Park, Highlands
The Mountaintop Rotary’s largest fundraiser brings 120 regional artisans to Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park for a weekend of fine art and craft. Expect live music, food and drink, a Saturday Sip & Stroll, and juried art awards.
Cashiers Designer Showhouse
August 28 to September 5 · Cashiers
The most anticipated design event of the season. Top designers transform one showstopping home near Cashiers Lake, and every ticket benefits the Cashiers Historical Society. A must for anyone who loves mountain interiors.
September
Ceramic Artists of The Bascom Clay Symposium
Opens September 5 · The Bascom, Highlands
A gallery exhibition previewing The Bascom’s celebrated Clay Symposium, featuring work by Andrew Godfrey Shaw, Alexander Thierry, and Tiffany Thomas. A first look at three of today’s most compelling ceramic voices.
Brookings Bash
Sunday, September 6 · Brookings Anglers, Cashiers
Bluegrass, food trucks, and craft beer at Brookings Anglers, headlined by Clay Street Unit. A laid-back Cashiers afternoon that gives back, with proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity.
Orchard Sessions: Martin & Kelly
Wednesday, September 9 · The Farm at Old Edwards
The Farm’s fall Orchard Session, featuring Nashville duo Jilly Martin and Ryan Brooks Kelly. Live music and light bites outdoors, in one of the most sought-after seats on the Plateau.
Bel Canto Recital & Gala
Sunday, September 13 · Highlands PAC
The 34th annual evening of internationally recognized opera stars at the Highlands Performing Arts Center, followed by a gala dinner. Arias, Broadway favorites, and a good cause under one roof.
Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival
September 17 to 20 · Highlands PAC
Four days of film, filmmakers, and storytelling, and an event we are proud to sponsor. Screenings and conversations fill the Performing Arts Center for one of the smartest weekends of the fall.
Highlands Porchfest
Sunday, September 20 · Downtown Highlands
Forty-plus musicians across fourteen downtown porches, all in one free afternoon. Stroll, listen, and discover a new favorite. It is the unofficial start of fall in Highlands.
Highlands Heritage Jamboree
Saturday, September 26 · KH Founders Park, Highlands
Mountain dancing, moonshine tasting, and local history at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park. A celebration of Appalachian roots and the traditions that shaped this community.
Oyster & Seafood Fest
Sunday, September 27 · The Farm at Old Edwards
The Farm’s 8th annual coastal celebration: Lowcountry oysters, seafood creations from visiting chefs, and live music under the mountain sky. A late-September favorite that always sells out.
Coming Up This Fall
Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival
October 9 to 11 · The Village Green, Cashiers
Peak color, 100 artisans, food and drink, youth activities, and live bluegrass on The Village Green. Free to attend, and one of the best weekends of the year to be in Cashiers.
Halloween on Main
October 31 · Downtown Highlands
Main Street closes to traffic and fills with costumes, candy, and live music from 6 to 8pm. The whole town turns out for it, and Halloween lands on a Saturday this year. Free.
Thinking About Living Here?
The events on this list aren’t outliers. They are what every season looks like on the Plateau. If you are considering a move to Highlands or Cashiers, there is no better way to understand what the lifestyle actually means than spending a season here. Our team knows this community from the inside out. Explore the Plateau.
