Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration
HICKORY – Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day with the City of Hickory and the Community Appearance Commission (CAC) during the fifth annual Green Fest at the Hickory Farmers Market on Saturday, April 25. Learn how to “be green” by protecting and preserving our natural environment.
From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the community is invited to stop by the City of Hickory’s booths for free potted trees (white flowering dogwood, Washington hawthorn, sourwood, thornless honey locust, and golden raintree), free milkweed seeds to attract monarch butterflies, vegetable and herb seeds, assorted plant starts, additional giveaways, and information about environmental stewardship.
Representatives from the CAC and several City departments will be available to share important information about solid waste collection and recycling, tree and landscape maintenance, plant propagation, stormwater management, and litter reduction and cleanup efforts.
Attendees that stop by the City of Hickory booths can also take the Hickory Litter Quitter pledge, sign up for monthly City e-newsletters, and register to win a native plant for spring landscaping.
“The Community Appearance Commission is happy to share potted trees and milkweed seed packets with local residents in our continued efforts to promote tree planting, biodiversity, and preservation throughout the Hickory community,” said Wilson Elliott, CAC liaison and planner for the City of Hickory.
Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.
Native milkweed plants support the natural environment and biodiversity, especially the endangered monarch butterfly species. They attract beneficial insects that help with pest control and reduce common pests like aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, and even stink bugs.
Green Fest and the Hickory Farmers Market will take place under The Sails on the Square in downtown Hickory. For more information about the Community Appearance Commission and City of Hickory departments, please visit www.hickorync.gov.
Multicultural festival in downtown Hickory
HICKORY – The City of Hickory Community Relations Council (CRC) will host the third annual Hickory Multicultural Festival on Saturday, April 25, from 4-7 p.m. in downtown Hickory.
This vibrant community event celebrates the many cultures that make Hickory unique, highlighting art, music, dance, food, and traditions from around the world. Attendees will enjoy an afternoon filled with entertainment, cultural demonstrations, and opportunities to learn from local organizations.
The festival begins at 4 p.m. on Union Square with opening remarks from CRC members and a special Quilt of Valor presentation. The CRC will then announce the 2026 Human Relations Awards and recognize this year’s honorees.
Throughout the evening, Union Square will feature a rotating lineup of cultural performances. Food trucks will be located in the Lowes Foods City Park parking lot, and a variety of vendors, community groups, and resource booths will be set up under The Sails on the Square.
The entertainment schedule will feature Hawaiian dancing by Jingle Enerio de Niet with Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts at 4:30 p.m.; Hmong dancing by Nkauj Hmoob Ntxim Siab at 4:45 p.m.; contemporary line dancing by the Ridgeview Sliders at 5 p.m.; traditional Mexican folk dancing by Dance of the Little Old Men at 5:30 p.m.; a performance by local singer, artist, and theatre performer Rachael Woodard at 5:45 p.m.; a performance by Italian musician Maria Grosso at 6:15 p.m.; and lively square dancing by Catawba Valley Cloverleaf at 6:30 p.m.
Participating food vendors include Exodus Dawgs, Southern Spoon, Urban Flavor, CJ’s Pit Smoked Ribs, HKY Smoking Catering & Events, Crab Shack King, Gigi’s Parlor, Queens Cakes, Island Flavor Foods, Sunkissed Lemonade, and Sumtin to Smile About Cakes & Pies.
Additional vendor booths will feature the Guardian ad Litem Program, Terry Phillips Shirts, Hickory Furniture Mart, Hickory NAACP, Catawba Valley Community College, and more.
“The Multicultural Festival acknowledges the vibrant tapestry of traditions, stories, and identities that unite us as a community,” said Phyllis Michaux, chair of the CRC. “We look forward to a great day of learning and celebrating together as we honor the trailblazers whose dedication to diversity and inclusion transforms our community.”
In the event of inclement weather, the festival will be moved indoors to Ridgeview Recreation Center (115 Seventh Avenue SW, Hickory, N.C. 28602).
For more information, please contact CRC staff liaison Captain Justin Levey with the Hickory Police Department at 828-261-2617 or jlevey@hickorync.gov, or CRC Chair Phyllis Michaux at 828-962-1371 or phyllismichaux@yahoo.com.