There is a stretch of summer in North Carolina when nothing says”it’s the season” quite like a bowl, box, basket, or bushel full of NC peaches. The celebration takes place in the Sandhills part of the state, and it is worth building a trip around.
Each July, the N.C. Peach Festival fills downtown Candor, NC and the celebration rolls on with Moore County’s Peach Week across Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen. What began as a single festival day and, a few years back, a first-ever Peach Week has grown into one of the biggest highlights of the Sandhills summer. This year the 28th annual Peach Festival runs July 16 through 18 in Candor, and Peach Week follows July 18 through 26. For the current calendar, tickets, and any date changes, the Peach Week section of the Home of American Golf website is the place to check.
So here, in a peck of peachy detail, are the ABC’s of celebrating North Carolina peaches.
A is for the ABC’s of Moore County Peach Week
Peach Week is a full week of family fun across Moore County, from a peach-themed dining competition and food truck battle to a 5K, a car show, live music, and more. Most events are coordinated by Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, and the lineup grows every year.
B is for Baseball at Bogeys Field
If you love baseball, catch a Sandhills Bogeys game at Bogeys Field on the campus of Sandhills Community College, where Peach Week regularly brings a peach night to the ballpark, complete with free peach ice cream for early-arriving fans. More info on the schedule here
C is for the Candor Peach Festival
The heart of it all takes place in downtown Candor, at 145 Depot Street. This year marks the 28th annual N.C. Peach Festival, July 16 through 18, with a cruise-in, live entertainment, food trucks, vendors, family activities, and the Saturday-morning parade that officially kicks things off. More info here.
D is for Hot Homemade Peach Dumplings at Johnson’s Peaches in Candor
Located at 1348 Tabernacle Church Rd in Candor, Johnson’s Peaches, in business for 80-plus years, is a regular stop for folks traveling through the Sandhills to the North Carolina beaches. When you stop, know it is all cash, no credit cards, and don’t miss the delicious homemade peach dumplings. You could order them without ice cream on the side, but that would be a mistake.
E is for Enjoy
Plan to come for the festival, then tag on some time and stay for the week, or at least part of it, and enjoy all the peach-perfect fun. For more on where to stay in the area, check here.
F is for the Peach Week 5K Fun Run
The Run Your Peach Off 5K Fun Run at FirstHealth Fitness in Pinehurst is a Peach Week favorite, with proceeds benefiting the FirstHealth Cancer CARE Fund. Runners cross the finish line to ice cream, healthy snacks, and giveaways. Find this year’s date and registration on the Peach Week page.
G is for Golfing
You are, after all, in the Home of American Golf. Peach Week regularly includes a peachy day on the course, and the area’s clubs and short courses are worth a round any time you visit. Watch the Peach Week page for golf events tied to the celebration.
J is for James Creek Cider House in Cameron, NC
If you are looking for fabulous crafted NC cider in the Sandhills, James Creek Cider House is one of my personal faves. Their heirloom apple ciders are delicious on their own, but if you’ve got the mind to craft them into a cocktail recipe, here are a couple of great ways to go.
James Creek’s Stone Fence Cocktail
A delicious craft cocktail featuring cinnamon, sugar and apples along with your favorite Bourbon of rum and splash of James Creek Stargazer Shooting Star cider.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. , each orange juice and a mix of cinnamon and sugar to coat the rim
- 4 oz your favorite bourbon, rye or rum. I love keeping it NC local and enjoy this cocktail with TOPO Distillery Eight Oak Whiskey or Muddy River Distillery’s Queen Charlotte rum
- 2 Tbsp. (more or less to taste) of Saigon Cinnamon and organic sugar
- ice cubes
- James Creek Ciderhouse Stargazer Shooting Star cider, to taste
- apple slices and a cinnamon stick, for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by dipping the rim of your glass first into the OJ and then into a bit of the cinnamon/sugar mix. Do not twist the glass as you dip. Simply dip in straight in and lift it straight out for a perfect cinnamon and sugar rim.
- Pour bourbon and sugar/cinnamon mix into the glass; carefully stir till the sugar melts into the bourbon.
- Add ice to the glass; top with the James Creek Stargazer Shooting Star cider.
- Garnish with slices of apple and a cinnamon stick to finish. Cheers!
James Creek Orange Harvest Moon
A refreshing blend of spicy honey and orange mixed with vodka and gin and a splash of James Creek cider
Ingredients
- 4 oz your favorite vodka or gin. My local North Carolina go-to’s for this one are Liberty & Plenty Vodka, Fainting Goat Spirits Vodka, Chemist Spirits Navy style Gin, or Sutler’s Distillery Gin
- 2 oz orange juice
- 3 Tbsp. your favorite pepper infused honey or hot honey
- 2 slices fresh orange, seeds removed
- 2 slices fresh apple, seeds removed
Instructions
Garnish with a spring or fresh mint. Cheers!
Pour vodka, OJ and honey into the glass; stir till the sugar or honey melt.
Add orange and apple slices to the glass. Top with ice
Pour James Creek Cider House Harvest Moon cider to the top of the glass.
Don”t Miss the James Creek Peach A’Palooza
And during Peach Week, plan to join the crew at James Creek for their Peach A’Palooza on Sunday, July 19, from 1 to 5 pm, with peach cider slushies, orchard and cidery tours, live music, a farmers market, and, of course, fresh-picked peaches. James Creek Cider House is located at 172 US-1 Highway in Cameron, NC. (Owners and cidermakers Ann Marie and David Thornton were also our gracious hosts for the 2026 NCRLA Chef Showdown judges dinner ahead of the Pinehurst culinary preliminary round of competition)
K is for Kids, and a Peach Week Movie Night
Adults will love it too. Peach Week has become known for a family movie night at the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines, often paired with a canned-goods donation for the Sandhills Food Bank. Check the Peach Week page for this year’s showing.
L is for Local, and a Reminder to Shop Local and Support Local
Attending the Peach Festival and Peach Week is a wonderful way to support all the Moore County peach farmers, restaurants, chefs, and local businesses who work so hard to put this celebration together. Go, shop local, and share the love. #TellThemHeidiSentYou
M is for Moore County Farmers Markets
The Moore County Farmers Market in Southern Pines and the Sandhills Farmers Market in Pinehurst run through Peach Week, and you can bet NC peaches will be front and center among all the local produce and proteins. (Closer to home in Charlotte? Here is my where-to-shop-local guide to Charlotte farmers markets.)
O is for Peach Orchards and Farm Stands
As you can imagine, there are more than a few in this peachy part of the Old North State. In preparation for writing this piece, I made the quick trip to the Sandhills, only about 90 minutes from Charlotte, and stopped at a number of them, including Chappell Peaches and Kalawi Farm, both in Eagle Springs. Buy peaches, and blueberries too. You will also find Hillcrest Peaches in Eagle Springs and Highlanders Farm in Carthage. And if you are on the hunt for the best ice cream in these parts, don’t miss Ben’s Homemade Ice Cream at Kalawi Farm.
Ben’s has ice cream for the doggies and a delicious assortment of homemade flavors for people too. This time of year, peach ice cream is always tempting and strawberry is a close second. But in this case, I took the advice of the lovely gals behind the counter and ordered a waffle cone of banana pudding ice cream. Take it from me, it is a must try!
P is for NC Peaches, of course, but also for Pickled Peaches
If you like to cook and want to hold onto the taste of NC peaches all year long, keep an eye out for the Moore County Cooperative Extension’s peach preservation workshop, a Peach Week regular at the Moore County Agricultural Building in Carthage. Details, when set, land on the Peach Week page.
Q is for Questions?
If you have any questions about where to stay or what else to do while you are in the Sandhills, you will find all the answers and more in the Peach Week section at the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Home of American Golf website.
R is for Restaurants with NC Peaches on the Menu
Beyond the festival itself, Peach Week turns loose dozens of area restaurants, bakeries, breweries, and coffee shops with specially made fresh-peach menu items. You can track and vote for your favorites with the annual Pick Your Peach card. There are many delicious places to eat in and around Moore County. The current participating list lives on the Peach Week page.
S is for Seventh, and for the Sandhills
Here’s a Fun FAQ. Did you know North Carolina is the seventh-highest producer of peaches in the United States? According to NC State Extension, North Carolina, local peach farmers grow an average of 3.6 million pounds of peaches each year.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, peach farming was booming in Georgia, where the trees loved the sandy soil. Farmers there were looking to expand the growing possibilities. They found their way to the sandy soil in Montgomery and Moore counties. And so it began… and that is why, today, the Sandhills are the Peach Capital of North Carolina.
T is for Trolley, as in Trolley Food Tour
A Peach Week regular, the Sandhills trolley food tours often take you on a rolling tasting of peach-themed dishes, fruit-stand stops, and peachy drinks. Look for this year’s tour and reservations on the Peach Week page.
V is for Vintage and Classic Cars
Peach Week loves a car show. This event is often set against the shady grounds of a historic venue. Expect games, live music, food trucks, and free ice cream. It is usually free and family-friendly; watch the Peach Week page for the date.
W is for Wine, Cider, and Peachy Drinks
From local peach wine tastings to James Creek’s peach ciders, the Sandhills know how to pour peach into a glass. It is the perfect excuse to explore the area’s wine bars, breweries, and that destination cidery in Cameron.
What to Do with All Those NC Peaches? Let’s Make a Fast, Fruity Summertime Favorite
In the meantime, enjoy this recipe for Peach Granita. It;s easy to make and it is exactly what a hot afternoon calls for.
Summer NC Peach Granita
Ingredients
- 4-5 very ripe local peaches
- 1/2 cup water
- 1-2 Tbsp. sugar
Instructions
-
Peel and slice the peaches and mash them by hand or puree ina blender or food processor.
Add water; mix well. Sweeten to taste with sugar ( Note: you may not need any sugar at all!)
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Pour the puree into a 8×8 inch baking pan; cover withplastic wrap and freeze.
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When the mix is frozen solid, use the tines of a fork toscrap up the frozen mix. Spoon the frozen “shavings” into another container;cover tightly and store in the freezer.
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When you are ready to serve, spoon the granita into serving cups. If you'd like to create a parfait, use stemmed cups and layer with fresh blueberries or blackberries; serve topped with sprigs of mint or basil and enjoy this refreshing treat!
And whenever you see these five little words “Tell Them Heidi Sent You” (with or without the hashtag), know that they are my personal seal of approval. It means I have been there, I believe in the folks behind it, and I am sending you their way with my whole heart. So go on…
#TellThemHeidiSentYou
Great post and what nails!