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To obtain information on the request for proposals (RFP), click link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15a-aJ09li9sFFWGqjmk01n_I-RMhcBlz?usp=sharing
***2026 MerleFest Campers***
Due to the WWTP Construction and to better explain what areas are considered the "upper portion" and will be available for the 2026 event, I have labeled them on the map. These will be mostly campervan and tent sites with almost no RV sites. I have also listed the unavailable sites here.
As summer waves goodbye and fall rolls in, the Splash Pad has officially gone on vacation until 2026! We can’t wait to splash around with you again then!
Wilkes County Government and the High Country Council of Governments in cooperation with Brushy Mountain Cycling Club in Wilkes County developed this map to encourage biking as a healthy and enjoyable form of recreation and an energy efficient, economical, and non-polluting form of transportation. The map suggests routes for bicycle travel throughout Wilkes County.
Each of the 15 routes is signed with Wilkes County Bike Route signs that have arrows pointing in the direction of travel. The signs direct riders to travel in a direction that matches the elevation profiles illustrated in the Route Descriptions.
Routes are signed for one direction only. Riders risk getting lost if they choose to deviate from the signed route. Some routes will overlap but cyclists should follow the arrows with the corresponding number for the route they have chosen.
home > for visitors > wilkesboro sundial > wilkes county barn quilt trail
Reflect on times past as you travel through the present scenery of Wilkes County, with homesteads, barns and farms passed down to through the generations. Similar to passing down quilts through the generations and the quilting techniques.
Barns and quilts makes for the perfect combination in the countryside.The quilt patterns were chosen from centuries old, placed on barns of local residents wishing to ensure this legacy, and enjoyed by all who gaze and recognize it as a form of art. Sharing rich heritage through quilting designs, Wilkes County Quilters Guild in partnership with Cultural Arts Council of Wilkes present this Barn Quilt Trail.
In recent years, a working vertical Barn Quilt Sundial was installed on the Wilkesboro Police Building and the Heritage Square Splash Pad was designed from a quilting square at the Wilkes Heritage Museum in Historic Downtown Wilkesboro and has become part of the official trail. Presently there are 16 quilts displayed throughout in Wilkes County, N.C. and these are listed in the brochure. Click on the photo of the Barn Quilt Trail for the brochure and map.
Reminders - Safety & Respecting Private Property
Use caution when traveling along the Quilt Trail. Traveling under speed limit, pausing and/or stopping along any road can be dangerous and illegal.
All barns are located on private property and should be viewed from the public road unless otherwise indicated on site.
home > for visitors > yadkin river greenway
This Greenway is a natural area between urban communities where wildlife, vegetation, and streams are preserved and enjoyed. The track is 8.1 miles long from W. Kerr Scott Dam in Wilkesboro to Smoot Park in North Wilkesboro. Although a few of the sections are natural paths and rock dust, the majority is paved and perfect for family walks or bicycling. The greenway is open year-round from sun rise to sunset, except in certain inclement weather conditions.
The Yadkin River Greenway was created through the cooperative efforts of citizen volunteers, landowners, and the governments of Wilkes County, North Wilkesboro, Wilkesboro, and the State of North Carolina. The effort began in 1994, and the first phase of the greenway became a reality and was opened May 18, 2002. The Yadkin River Greenway Council, a non-profit community organization, provided coordination and leadership.
home > for visitors > nc birding trails in wilkes county
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds in their natural habitats as a recreational activity. Birding can be one of the quieter and more relaxed outdoor activities. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, photography equipment, and by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are more readily detected and identified by ear than by eye.
Some birders are avid rare bird seekers and will travel long distances to see a new species to add to one of their "lists", e.g., state list, county list, life list, etc. The NC Birding Trail is more than just lines on a map. It physically links great bird watching sites and birders withcommunities, businesses and other local historical and educational attractions.
Listed below are the Wilkes County sites on the NC Birding Trail. 
N. Blue Ridge Parkway region
New River region
Northern Foothills region
Yadkin River Greenway - many photos posted on their Facebook
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MerleFest, a four-day event, which USA Today described as a “happy, family friendly festival that’s loved by musicians who come to play and those who come to add their energy by listening, as well,” will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, gathering to celebrate the memory of musician Eddy Merle Watson, beloved son of American music icon Doc Watson. MerleFest also provides family activities, heritage crafts, food, dance, and shopping in a safe, alcohol-free environment. MerleFest has evolved into the most important annual ticketed event in northwest North Carolina and the world’s foremost Americana music festival. In so doing MerleFest has defined and lead the way for that field called Americana music.
MerleFest, which starts on the last Thursday in April, takes its name from Merle Watson, who died in a tractor accident in 1985. A noted finger-picking guitarist in the folk, blues, and old-time country styles, Merle performed with his legendary guitarist father, Doc, from 1965 until his death. Conceived as a benefit concert to raise funds for the Eddy Merle Watson Memorial Garden for the Senses at Wilkes Community College, MerleFest has grown into a significant economic engine.
With Arthel "Doc" Watson's passing on May 29, 2012, Merlefest will definately continue on.
Doc Watson was clearly a folk life and acoustic music icon of legendary proportions who richly deserves his place in history. He performed and recorded for five decades and during that time won seven Grammy Awards. On February 8, 2004, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by NARAS, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Despite his enormous success, Doc remained one of the most fundamentally modest and humble men ever and he will be missed for many years to come.
One of the hallmarks of MerleFest has been the musical diversity, was inspired by Doc’s eclectic interests. Doc filled his concerts with hot flat-picking tunes, slow romantic ballads, gutsy blues numbers, delicately picked melodies and an old-time gospel song or two. From its two-stage beginning, MerleFest has evolved to no less than a dozen stages spread across the 151 acre Wilkes Community College campus. Each year, many performers visit the public schools in the area to further educate and cultivate the musical interest of young people.
The initial lineup reflects the diversity and quality of performers that have become the hallmark of the four-day festival. MerleFest is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, Blues, Country, Celtic, Cajun, Cowboy, Zydeco, Rock and many other styles that Doc Watson has referred to as “Traditional Plus.”
Throughout the 30 years, one of the major factors that has built MerleFest is the quality of the artists and performances that our guests see over the four days of the festival, adds Ted Hagaman, Director of the Festival. That, in turn, creates another important element of MerleFest’s success: people truly feel that the festival is a great value. That’s probably best expressed by the fact that so many music fans and families return year after year, making MerleFest a regular spring tradition. We’re tremendously proud of what we’ve built and that tradition will continue.
During MerleFest, an event the Town is equally proud of is the annual campground sponsored by the Wilkesboro Fire Department. The campground was begun about fifteen plus years ago to offer a place for MerleFest patrons to camp. Since that time, the campground has evolved into an institution of its own and has been dubbed "Sewerfest." Free hot showers, a shuttle to MerleFest, and late night pickin’ sessions all combine to make the campground a great place to stay. More than 2,000 people will stay at the campground during MerleFest. The campground is located about 2 miles from the festival. Wilkesboro firemen work very hard to provide a pleasant experience for campers and the money made at the campground goes toward the firemen retirement fund.
