White Squirrel Weekend, Brevard

Memorial Day Weekend (Annually) 
Friday, May 23 through Sunday 25, 2026
This fun street festival in Downtown Brevard honors some special wildlife critters, the white squirrels. These are not albinos but siblings to the gray Eastern tree squirrel. This species made its way to Brevard in 1949 due to a carnival wreck in central Florida.

White Squirrel Weekend is a unique and nutty summer event that's fun for people of all ages! The music is the major showcase, giving prominence to national and even international performers connected to Transylvania County, with free concerts! And there's plenty of food, art, and crafts. 

Festival Highlights

Live Music on the Main Stage – View the full lineup below. 
Street Festival & Local Shopping – More than 100 independent businesses will be open for shopping and dining, along with 80+ vendors offering handcrafted goods, jewelry, artisan crafts, food, and beverages.
Beer Garden – Local craft breweries, including Oskar Blues Brewing and Brevard Brewing Company, will serve a variety of craft beers and draft wine + Extended Brevard Social District. 
Meet Sammy the Squirrel – The official downtown mascot will be at the Heart of Brevard tent for photos and community engagement.
Kids Zone – Activities include balloon tying, a hula hoop jam, and a ten-minute pirate ship escape room.

Traditionally, the festival is held on Memorial Day Weekend.

For those who don’t believe they exist, walk through nearby Brevard College, the squirrels’ favorite feeding grounds. Those lucky enough to live in Transylvania County will display their winning photos of these wildlife critters caught on film. Photo entries will be on display, as well as a White Squirrel Exhibit that recalls their Brevard history and the results of the squirrel count that takes place every year.

Free admission. For safety reasons, dogs are not allowed. No alcohol is allowed at the weekend event except for the approved designated areas.

White Squirrel Weekend 2026 Music Schedule (check back soon!):
 

The music stage is inside the beer garden and adjacent to the food truck corral. Bring your chair!

Directions from Asheville: I-26 East to exit 40/Highway 280/Airport toward Brevard. Downtown Brevard is 33 miles from Downtown Asheville.

See more things to do on our Summer Events calendar.