Kings Mountain, NC

Local Events

Reenactments, heritage festivals, and living history programs — experience the Revolution where it happened.

Upcoming This Year

Oct

CeremonyFeatured

Battle of Kings Mountain Anniversary Celebration

Kings Mountain National Military Park

Annual commemoration of the October 7, 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain, held at Kings Mountain National Military Park. The event features wreath-laying ceremonies, speeches by park historians and dignitaries, musket and rifle demonstrations, living history encampments with period-dressed interpreters, and guided battlefield walks retracing the Patriot assault on the ridge. This is the premier annual event at the park and often draws descendants of the Overmountain Men and other Patriot militia who fought in the battle.

FreeHeld on or near October 7; when the anniversary falls midweek the main public programs may shift to the nearest Saturday. Check with Kings Mountain NMP for exact schedule.More info →

Jul

Guided Tour

Junior Ranger and Youth Living History Day at Kings Mountain NMP

Kings Mountain National Military Park Visitor Center

Kings Mountain National Military Park hosts a special youth-oriented living history day each summer, where children can participate in the National Park Service Junior Ranger program, handle reproduction 18th-century tools and equipment, learn about the Overmountain Men, try period games, and earn Junior Ranger badges. Park rangers lead age-appropriate talks on the Battle of Kings Mountain and the daily life of frontier soldiers.

FreeUsually held on a Saturday in late June or July; the Junior Ranger program is available year-round but special living history programming is seasonal. Contact Kings Mountain NMP for exact dates.More info →

Oct

Reenactment

Overmountain Victory Trail March & Arrival Ceremony

Kings Mountain National Military Park (arrival point); trail passes through multiple towns

Each fall, reenactors and history enthusiasts retrace portions of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, the route taken by frontier militia from modern-day Tennessee and Virginia to Kings Mountain. The multi-day commemorative march culminates at Kings Mountain National Military Park with a formal arrival ceremony, musket salute, and living history programs. Participants dress in period frontier clothing and camp along the trail, offering public educational stops in communities along the route.

FreeThe march takes place over roughly two weeks in late September through early October, timed to arrive at Kings Mountain NMP on or before October 7. Exact dates vary each year; check the Overmountain Victory Trail Association for the schedule.More info →

Oct

Festival

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail Patriot Day & Heritage Festival

Downtown Kings Mountain, NC

The City of Kings Mountain hosts an annual patriotic heritage celebration in the downtown area and along the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail, featuring Revolutionary War-era demonstrations, local history exhibits, live music, food vendors, a patriotic parade, and children's activities. The event honors the town's namesake battle and the broader role of the Carolina backcountry in the American Revolution.

FreeTypically held on a Saturday near the October 7 battle anniversary; dates vary. Contact the City of Kings Mountain or the Kings Mountain Historical Museum to confirm.

Date

TBD

Exhibition

Kings Mountain State Park Living History Farm Programs

Kings Mountain State Park Living History Farm, Blacksburg, SC (adjacent to Kings Mountain NMP)

Throughout the year, and especially during spring and fall weekends, the Living History Farm at Kings Mountain State Park presents demonstrations of 19th-century Piedmont backcountry life. Costumed interpreters operate the restored farmstead—complete with log cabins, a cotton gin, and livestock—showing visitors blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, open-hearth cooking, candle making, and seasonal agricultural tasks. Special themed event days tie into the Revolutionary War heritage of the area.

Free with park admissionPrograms run on select weekends spring through fall; major living history days are often held in October in conjunction with the battle anniversary. Contact Kings Mountain State Park for current schedule.More info →