The Holly Springs Pilgrimage Tour of Homes will take place in historic Holly Springs April 12-14.

The tour features selected historic homes, local storytellers, organ recitals in the town’s historic churches, luncheons, a character-guided cemetery tour, a spooky evening cemetery tour and a Sunday brunch on the grounds of Montrose mansion.

This year, the events start early, with a golf tournament at Kirkwood National Golf Course sponsored by Unity Bank, on Thursday, April 11, followed by the 19th Hole Barbecue and entertainment.

Guests are invited to enjoy the historic homes, churches and museums on the tour, which starts on Friday, April 12, after the traditional opening ceremony at Montrose. Artists, musicians, reenactors and historians will be present throughout the day on the grounds of the historic home, a national arboretum.

The Bank of Holly Springs is sponsoring the home tour this year, where guests can visit beautiful historic homes as the owners personally welcome them and tell stories about their homes.

Several churches and museums will also be available to tour throughout the day Friday and Saturday.

The annual “Plant It Pink” luncheon will take place at the Holly Springs Train Depot. Those who purchase advance tickets will feast on Southern fare provided by the ladies of the Holly Springs Garden Club. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the West Cancer Clinic.

On Friday evening, musicians will be entertaining guests at a recital at the First Methodist Church and, afterward, local historian and Haunted Holly Springs guide Phillip Knecht will lead guests (brave enough to dare) on a spooky, yet enlightening, tour of historic Hill Crest Cemetery.

In addition to home tours, guests may also attend one of several walking tours of Hill Crest Cemetery on Saturday with costumed interpreters of one of the most famous cemeteries in the South. That evening, reenactors and historians will mingle with guests for refreshments and hors d’oeuvres at Montrose.

The weekend will conclude Sunday with a Nola-themed Southern brunch on the grounds of Montrose, followed by a “crawl” down College Avenue that afternoon for light refreshments and lots of local history.

Guests are encouraged to book tickets for the home tour and all events ahead at www.hollyspringsgardenclub.com

The Holly Springs Annual Pilgrimage is a beloved event held by the Holly Springs Garden Club. The event features tours of historic homes, churches and museums led by local guides and storytellers, organ recitals in the town’s historic churches, luncheons, a character-guided cemetery tour, arts and crafts, and a Southern brunch at the historic Montrose mansion. Proceeds from the tour benefit the preservation and restoration of Montrose. Visit www.hollyspringsgardenclub.com for more information.