The Week Downtown Highlands Switches On: A Holiday-Season Calendar From The Cottages on 4th
"Come out and enjoy ice skating while it lasts." That line sits at the top of the Town of Highlands ice rink page, just above the Winter 2026–2027 schedule. The schedule is worth a careful look. The rink at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park opens Thursday, November 19, and its regular week runs Thursday through Sunday. Almost every 2026 holiday event downtown falls in that same four-day window. The exceptions come in two weeks, Thanksgiving and Christmas break.
For anyone living at The Cottages on 4th, a few minutes from Main Street, that pattern is the most useful thing to know about the season. Plan by the day of the week first, then by the date.
Here are the regular rink hours, as the Town lists them for this winter:
| Day | Rink hours, Nov. 19 – Feb. 28 |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed to the public |
| Tuesday | Closed to the public |
| Wednesday | Closed to the public |
| Thursday | 3:30 – 8 p.m. |
| Friday | 3:30 – 10 p.m. |
| Saturday | 1 – 10 p.m. |
| Sunday | 1 – 5 p.m. |
Admission is $8, with or without skates. Rental skates run from youth size 8 to adult size 14, and the rink serves coffee and hot chocolate. You no longer need a reservation, and the rink won't take one. According to the Highlands Chamber of Commerce's holiday page, skating continues into early March, weather permitting.
The rink's week follows the rest of the town. Last winter, the Chamber's Highlands Winter Hours Guide, published January 7, 2026, called Thursday through Saturday the "best overall" days, with most shopping and dining open and the steadiest daytime hours. It called Tuesday the quietest day of the week and said many shops close earlier on Sundays. The guide also said some businesses change their hours until early March. That was last winter's pattern, not a published schedule for 2026–27. The Chamber's own advice is to confirm before you go, because hours change with weather, staffing and private events.
Two examples from that January guide show how specific the changes can be. Highlands Smokehouse was closed on Wednesdays until early spring. The Baked Bunny closed for January, took special orders in February and reopened in March. Expect the same kind of patchwork this winter, and check before you head out midweek.
The rink adds weekday hours twice this season, and the dates match the times when family and guests tend to be in town.
| Week | Holiday-week hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | Mon. Nov. 23 – Wed. Nov. 25, 1 – 8 p.m.; Fri. Nov. 27 and Sat. Nov. 28, 1 – 10 p.m.; Sun. Nov. 29, 1 – 5 p.m. | Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26 |
| Christmas break | Mon. Dec. 21 – Wed. Dec. 23, 1 – 8 p.m.; Thu. Dec. 24, 1 – 5 p.m.; Sat. Dec. 26, 1 – 10 p.m.; Sun. Dec. 27, 1 – 5 p.m.; Mon. Dec. 28 – Wed. Dec. 30, 1 – 8 p.m. | Christmas Day, Dec. 25 |
| New Year's Eve | Thu. Dec. 31, 1 p.m. to 1 a.m., "Skate The New Year In" | Regular schedule resumes Fri. Jan. 1 |
If your house is full over either holiday, these are the only stretches when a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon on the ice is open to the public. On ordinary weeks, Monday and Tuesday evenings are set aside for private parties from 6 to 8 p.m. Those have to be booked at least two weeks ahead through Highlands Parks & Recreation at 828-526-3556. A family gathering that falls on a quiet weeknight can still have the rink, with some planning.
Thanksgiving week is busy, and its Saturday is the biggest day of the season. The Chamber's schedule for November 28 runs from late morning into the evening, and the daytime stroll is free.
The day happens in two places. The afternoon centers on Town Square, which the Highlands Newspaper lists at 343-D Main St. The evening moves to Founders Park, which the Town places on Pine Street. The rink is open that Saturday from 1 to 10 p.m. So the skating, the stroll and the evening lighting all overlap on the busiest day of the season. Walking from The Cottages on 4th spares you the search for a parking space.
Santa makes an earlier appearance the day before. He is in Founders Park on Friday, November 27, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children can drop their letters in a special mailbox in the park, and Santa collects them at each visit. That same Friday, The Bascom holds a free Holiday Market reception at 10 a.m. and two Gingerbread House Workshops, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., for $75 per session.
After Thanksgiving week the Thursday-to-Sunday pattern returns, and December's events land almost entirely on Saturdays.
Saturday, December 5. The Highlands Christmas Parade starts at 10 a.m. on Main Street, with marching bands, llamas, camels, handmade floats and Santa. The free parade is organized by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC. Afterward, Santa heads back to Founders Park until 3 p.m. Community groups and businesses that want to join the parade must apply by noon on November 16.
Saturday, December 12. Breakfast with Santa begins at 8:30 a.m. at Highlands United Methodist Church, with a suggested donation of $10 per family. Call 828-526-3376 to reserve a spot. Santa is also in Founders Park that day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, December 19. Santa's last scheduled park visit, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Highlands Performing Arts Center has one holiday show on a Saturday and one on a Thursday, so both fit the pattern. Mark O'Connor's An Appalachian Christmas, with Maggie O'Connor, plays Saturday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m. with reserved seating. A Highlands Christmas with Mike Kinnebrew is Thursday, December 17, from 6 to 7 p.m., general admission, an evening of Christmas music, stories and songs.
The longest-running event on the calendar opens first. The Bascom's free Holiday Market opens Saturday, October 31, at 10 a.m. and runs through Saturday, December 26. The galleries fill with handmade gifts from local and regional artists, including ceramics from The Bascom's own studio members, plus glass, jewelry, textiles, woodwork, books and cards. Children can write letters to Santa, make ornaments and explore the SmART Space.
The market's workshop calendar adds some reasons to come back in November. Most of them fall on Saturdays.
The clay project on November 2 is the one Monday on that workshop list. Nearly everything else, from the market's opening day to the New Year's Eve skate, happens between Thursday and Sunday or during one of the two holiday weeks.
Taken together, the calendar is easy to plan around. A Tuesday in early December, with the rink closed to the public and many shops on reduced hours if last winter's pattern holds, suits a hike or a quiet day at home. A Saturday the same week can include a parade, a Santa visit and an evening on the ice, all within walking distance of 4th Street. Guests visiting over Thanksgiving or Christmas break get the most open days, which is when the Town has scheduled them. The Chamber notes that all dates and times may change, so check the rink schedule or call Parks & Recreation at 828-526-3556 before heading to Founders Park.
The holiday calendar affects more than plans with guests. For owners at The Cottages on 4th thinking about when to list, this season sets which weekends downtown is at its busiest and which weeks are quiet. If you want to talk through how that timing could shape your listing, Michaud Rauers Group would be glad to walk you through it. Schedule a Complimentary Luxury Listing Consultation.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned developer, our property services are designed to exceed expectations. We consistently sell homes quickly and above asking price.