Western North Carolina

Things to do in Cherokee

The Qualla Boundary — Cherokee heritage, Harrah's, and the NC gateway to the Smokies.

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Cherokee is the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — land the Cherokee bought back in the years after the Removal, not a reservation in the western sense. The culture is the calendar: the Museum of the Cherokee People, the Oconaluftee Indian Village living-history site, the "Unto These Hills" outdoor drama that has played summer nights at the Mountainside Theatre since 1950, and the Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual, the oldest Native American arts cooperative in the country. We cover it straight, never as a curiosity — read the Qualla Boundary guide first.

It's also the North Carolina front door to the Smokies: the Oconaluftee visitor center and its elk herd are two miles up US-441, the Blue Ridge Parkway ends here, and Fire Mountain has the region's best purpose-built mountain-bike trails. Harrah's Cherokee brings the arena-size concerts to the far west of the region. The Cherokee Indian Fair in October is the year's anchor — over a century old and the real thing. Visit Cherokee NC has the official calendar.

Today Sep 24 2 events

Thu 24 Sep All day

Heritage & Culture via FranklinWhat →

Visit Museum of the Cherokee People

Museum of the Cherokee People· Cherokee

Thu 24 Sep All day

Heritage & Culture via FranklinWhat →

Cherokee Heritage Exhibit

Museum of the Cherokee People· Cherokee

Tuesday Oct 6 1 event

Heritage & Culture via WNCWhat Curated →

Cherokee Indian Fair

Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds· Cherokee

The big ones every year in Cherokee

The events the calendar builds itself around — exact dates land in the feed above as each year's details firm up.

Cherokee Voices Festival · June, at the Museum of the Cherokee People
A free day of Cherokee music, dance, storytelling, and craft demonstrations.
Cherokee Bonfire · summer evenings at Oconaluftee Islands Park
Free storytelling around the fire by the river — bring the kids and marshmallows.
"Unto These Hills" · summer evenings, Mountainside Theatre
The outdoor drama of the Cherokee story, staged every summer since 1950.
Cherokee 4th of July Powwow · Independence Day weekend, at the fairgrounds
Dancers and drums from nations across the country; open to the public.
Cherokee Indian Fair · early October
Over a century old — parade, stickball, agricultural exhibits, rides, and Cherokee food.