The annual N.C. Peach Festival, filled with peach products, music, a car show, and more is taking place on July 18 to 20 in Candor, NC (with Peach Week events from July 18 to 23).
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Peaches are having a moment, thanks to the last year’s blockbuster Super Mario Brothers movie. But Candor, North Carolina has had peaches on its radar for decades. In fact, 2024 marks the 26th anniversary of the N.C. Peach Festival.
The main portion of the North Carolina Peach Festival is held annually on the third Saturday of July, which is July 18th this year.
But, don’t head to downtown Candor just that day. In fact, there’s a whole week of peach events happening around the festival this year. There are various events going on in the neighboring area (many in Southern Pines and Carthage) to expand the festival from a day to a week.
This year, there are events like peach ice cream at the ball park to peach slushies at a winery.
Get your calendar out and get ready. Or, just print this blog post. We have the full details for peach week listed.
N.C. Peach Festival History
The Peach-Growing history of Montgomery County (the county where the Candor is) dates back to over a century ago when a few prominent residents formed the Candor Fruit Company. Acreage in Candor was purchased and 30,000 peach trees were planted. That started the peach industry in the Candor and Sandhills region of North Carolina.
And, it’s how the small town of Candor gained the moniker “The Peach Capital of North Carolina.”
The first N.C. Peach Festival was held in Candor in 1996. Coincidentally, this is the same year that The Presidents of the United States of America released its song Peaches.
This festival is not to be confused with The Peach Music Festival, which was started by the Allman Brothers Band in 2012 (and is happening July 13 in Atlantic City, NJ).
N.C. Peach Festival: Frequently Asked Questions
Before we get to the schedule, let’s answer some questions about the festival.
The main dates for the N.C. Peach Festival are July 18 to 20, however, Peach Week is July 18 to 28.
The N.C. Peach Festival is held in Candor, NC.
Peach season lasts in North Carolina from June until September with the peak coming in July (coinciding with the NC Peach Festival in Candor).
July is actually National Peach Month, proclaimed by then-President Ronald Reagan in July 1982.
N.C. Peach Festival Schedule Of Events
All week long, over a dozen local restaurants and breweries will be participating in a restaurant competition. They’ll all be serving delicious foods and drinks with a peach theme, like Pizzeria Grazia’s Just Peachy pizza.
Quick note: Drugstore Divas has no affiliation with the festival or the events. This is the most current information we have, but it is subject to change without notice.
Thursday, July 18
Flamin’ Hot Wing Competition: Teams can enter for a chance to win prizes. Teams must register and make a $25 donation in advance of the competition.
Visitors can purchase all you can eat tickets for $25 here for a chance to vote for their favorites. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Peachy Pit Stop Cruise-In: There will be a car show and food trucks set up along Depot St. in Candor. There will also be a cornhole tournament. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Peach Pitch Cornhole Tournament: At 7 pm, near the Peachy Pit Stop Cruise-In.
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Too Much Sylvia: The band will be playing at 6 pm to 8 pm at/during the Peachy Pit Stop Cruise-In. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Friday, July 19
Concert In The Park: There will be vendors, food, and live music. Notorious P.I.P.S will start at 5:30 pm and CAT5 Band will play at 7 pm. Admission is free. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Peg the Peach night at the Sandhills Bogeys: The baseball game starts at 7 pm at Sandhills Community College (3395 Airport Rd, Pinehurst). There will be free popcorn for all attendees whenever a player hits a home run off the Peach Week sign. Tickets are required.
Saturday, July 20
Band of Oz: The band will play at the Peach Festival from 2 pm to 4 pm. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Peach Festival: The official festival takes place at Fitzgerald Park (145 N Depot St.), with helicopter rides, kids activities, food vendors, craft vendors, homemade peach ice cream, peaches, beer if you’re 21+, and more. From 10 am to 4 pm.
Peach Festival Parade: The parade kicks off at 10 am. The Peach Festival queen will be introduced. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Peachy Keen Sips Cruise: The Sandhills Trolley Company will drive riders around to bars and breweries featuring peach-themed drinks from 5 pm to 7:30 pm. Tickets are required and drinks are not included in the ticket price.
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
The Sand Band: The band will play at the Peach Festival from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. *This is an official Peach Festival event.
Sunday, July 21
Peg the Peach night at the Sandhills Bogeys: The baseball game starts at 6 pm at Sandhills Community College (3395 Airport Rd, Pinehurst). The first 100 people get free scoop of peach ice cream from Stellar Scoops. There will be free popcorn for all attendees whenever a player hits a home run off the Peach Week sign. Tickets are required.
Monday, July 22
Putt N’ Peaches: Play mini golf at Wee Pine Mini Golf. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for kids under 12. Everyone gets a free scoop of peach ice cream from Stellar Scoops. There will be prizes for getting a hole in one on specific holes.
Tuesday, July 23
Princess Peach & Friends: There will be a Rollin Video Truck, a peach hunt, a bounce house, and mustaches/crowns for the kiddos at Red’s Corner (a food truck park and beer garden) from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Wednesday, July 24
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Peach Wine Tasting: A complimentary tasting (for adults 21+) will take place at Watering Can Wines (105 McReynolds St, Carthage) from 1 pm to 7 pm.
Thursday, July 25
Peach Week 5k Fun Run: The 5k starts at 6:30 pm at FirstHealth Pinehurst Fitness Center (170 Memorial Dr, Pinehurst). The race is $15. For entrants, there will be free ice cream from Stellar Scoops, healthy snacks, a water bottle, a sticker and additional giveaways (including a free treat from Chick-fil-A).
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Moore County to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 6 pm. Tickets are required.
Peach Wine Tasting: A complimentary tasting (for adults 21+) will take place at Watering Can Wines (105 McReynolds St, Carthage) from 1 pm to 7 pm.
Friday, July 26
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Peach Wine Tasting: A complimentary tasting (for adults 21+) will take place at Watering Can Wines (105 McReynolds St, Carthage) from 1 pm to 7 pm.
Wine & Design: A peach design will be featured at the event at High Octane Coffee Shop (140 S Sycamore St; Aberdeen). Tickets are required and a Peach Bellini is included. Non-alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase. The event starts at 6 pm.
Saturday, July 27
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Aberdeen to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Peach Week Foodie Tour: Foodie Tours NC will host a walking tour through Moore County to local eateries in the area for peach-themed drink and food tastings. The tour starts at 1 pm. Tickets are required.
Peach Wine Tasting: A complimentary tasting (for adults 21+) will take place at Watering Can Wines (105 McReynolds St, Carthage) from 1 pm to 7 pm.
Power Cars & Peaches: A cars how will be held at Weymouth Center (555 E Connecticut Ave Box 939, Southern Pines) from 1 pm to 4 pm. There will be free ice cream from Gilbert’s Ice Cream.
Peach Grass Festival: Three bluegrass bands — Ice Cream for Breakfast, Pocket Change, and Low Tide String Band — will be playing at Weymouth Center (555 E Connecticut Ave Box 939, Southern Pines) . Korean Peach BBQ from Cooking with Kyong, peach ice cream, and peach drinks will be available for sale. Tickets are $10 (kids under 12 are free).
Sunday, July 28
Peach A’Palooza: There will be fresh peaches, peach cider slushies, tours, music, and more at James Creek Cider House (172 US 1 Highway BR; Cameron) from 2 pm to 7 pm.
More Peach Festivals In North Carolina
The Candor Peach Festival isn’t the only peach festival in the state. There’s also the Knotts Island Peach Festival, held in Knotts Island, North Carolina on July 29.
The festival will have carnival rides. There will also be delicious peaches for sale, along with peach pie, peach ice cream, peach beer, and more.
And, not a peach festival, but nearby Pinehurst hosts the Pinehurst Barbecue Festival every Labor Day Weekend.
Peach Recipes
If you head to the peach festival to pick up a peck (or a part of a peck) to bring home, and you’re looking for something to do with those delicious peaches besides just eating them, our Peach Hand Pies recipe is incredible. And our Tennessee Peach Pudding, which is a cake not actual pudding, is the hit of all our summer barbeques.
We made both recipes with local peaches from a farm in South Carolina (which, fun fact, produces more peaches than Georgia, the peach state).
We also have a bunch of other fresh peach recipes, so be sure to try them all.
Have you been to the N.C. Peach Festival? Let us know about it in the comments.