Halloween Event: Highlands Downtwon Halloween

October 31      Highlands Downtown Halloween   Trick-or Treat in a safe environment in Downtown Highlands. The streets are closed to vehicles with foot traffic only and children, parents, and even pets may walk around in customs collecting goodies from local merchants.

Get links for lodging and complete visitor information on the Highlands NC Guide.

Halloween Event: Boone BOO!

October 31     Boone Boo!    Ghosts, ghouls and goblins hit the streets of Downtown Boone for the Annual Downtown Boo Boone on October 31, 2012 The fun begins at 4:00 pm at the Watauga County Library.with crafts and activities for the kids. At 4:30 pm there will be a parade to the Jones House Community Center followed by Trick or Treating with the Merchants in Downtown Boone until 6:00 PM.

Get links for lodging, and complete visitor information on the Boone NC Guide. 

Halloween Event: Downtown Trick or Treat in Bryson City

October 31     Downtown Trick or Treat   Enjoy a fun, safe and small town trick or treating experience this Halloween. With the streets closed, the kids are out in full force to fill their bags with candy from the costumed downtown merchants.
And don't forget the costume contest open to all ages with the winner in each class receiving a gift certificate to Soda Pops (the local ice cream shop). For more information please contact the Swain County Chamber of Commerce, 800-867-9246

Get links for lodging and visitor information on the Bryson City NC Guide.

Halloween Event: Trick on the Street in Waynesville NC

October 31     Treats on the Street   Participating downtown Waynesville merchants open their doors for trick-or-treaters on Halloween evening. This is a safe and fun adventure for costumed children and their parents to stroll the sidewalks in search of delicious candy and special treats. Waynesville Fire & Police Departments and First Baptist Church join in the fun.

Get links for lodging and complete visitor information on the Waynesville NC Guide.

Trick or Treat in Hendersonville

October 31   Trick-or-Treat Street in Historic Downtown Hendersonville   Beginning at 5:30 pm you can come enjoy our wide sidewalks & friendly merchants for some of the safest most enjoyable trick or treating in the area. Other events include a dance party extravaganza with returning DJ, Sid the Surf, as well as a Halloween costume contest held in the 400 block of Downtown Main Street.

Learn more about Hendersonville
events, lodging and attractions HERE

Halloween Event: Fall Festival and Trick or Treat

October 29    Fall Festival and Trick or Treat   Celebrate the last day of the Tailgate Market season. For the kids there will be Trick or Treating with downtown businesses, a costume contest, pumpkin painting and craft activities. Growers will have fall crops for sale. Hours are 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Market Shade Shelter.


Get links for complete visitor information on the Marion NC Guide.

Halloween Event: HalloweenFest in Brevard, Transylvania County

October 26 - downtown Brevard NC:   This year's Halloweenfest will showcase a variety of new interactive elements as well as highlight favorite annual activities in an exciting new way this year.  The festival, which will be held in downtown Brevard on Saturday,  promises to provide fun and festivities for all ages.

Pumpkin Town, Boo-Ville, Transylvania Boulevard, Dracula's annual appearance, The Great Pumpkin Roll, Flight of the Vampire and Zombie Run, Costume Contest and Parade and the Farmers Market.  HalloweenFest in Brevard  is definitely "the place to be" for celebrating Halloween in the NC Mountains.

Get links for complete local  visitor information on the Brevard NC Guide. 

HalloweenFest Schedule -

8:00am Flight of the Vampire 5K Run
Brevard Rotary (Brevard College)

9:00am – 11:00am The Proper Pot Apple/Pumpkin Bake-Off
Outside of The Proper Pot – Judging at 11:00am

NEW TIME & LOCATION! 9:00am Registration for the Mountain Music Mash Competiton
(on a new stage on East Main St.)
10:00am – 6:00pm Street Festival: Food, Crafts, & Non-Profits(Downtown Brevard )
10:00am – 6:00pm Family Activities: Pumpkin Town, Boo-ville, Transylvania Boulevard, Tailgate Market, Ghoulish Golf, Spooky Hay Maze, Face & Hair Painting, and more!

NEW TIME & LOCATION! 10:00am-11:00am Costume Contest & Parade Registration – TYC (Downtown Brevard: Center of town at the intersection of Main and Broad Streets)
10:00am – 5:00pm Scarecrows on the Lawn
(Transylvania Heritage Museum)

NEW TIME & LOCATION! 10:00am – 6:00pm Mountain Music Mash Competition
(on a new stage on East Main St.)

NEW TIME! 10:00am – 12:30pm Great Pumpkin Roll Registration

NEW TIME & LOCATION! 11:00am-11:30am Costume Contest & Parade Judging & Awards Ceremony – TYC
(Downtown Brevard: Center of town at the intersection of Main and Broad Streets)

NEW TIME & LOCATION! 11:30am Costume Parade – immediately following the Awards Ceremony (Downtown Brevard – West Main Street and South Broad Street) Count Dracula and our favorite White Squirrel mascot will arrive to lead the costume parade!

NEW LOCATION! 12:00pm – 4:30pm Red Cross Blood Mobile (at the Hollingsworth building)

NEW TIME! 1:00pm – 2:30pm Great Pumpkin Roll Contest (Jailhouse Hill)

NEW EVENT! 2:00pm-3:30pm Mountain Music Mash Street Dance (East Main Street stage)

NEW TIME! 3:00pm – 4:00pm Downtown Trick or Treat ing (Downtown Merchants & Vendors)

NEW TIME! 4:00-4:30pm Pumpkin Carving Contest – Judging (Transylvania Times)

NEW LOCATION! EXTENDED HOURS! 6:00pm-10pm Osktoberfest – featuring Oskar Blues’ Osktoberfest beer, brats from Food Matters, live music and more. (New stage on East Main Street and the Water Oaks Suites parking lot)

Halloween Event: Beech Mountain Haunted Hayride

October 25-27   Haunted Hayride on Beech Mountain  This full scale production put on by the Town of Beech Mountain and the Lees McRae Equestrian Club serves as a fundraiser. Enjoy the thrills and chills of the hayride for a good cause. 

The early ride on Saturday is family friendly, lbut ater events may not be appropriate for children of all ages, or may require parental guidance. Tickets are $5 in advance, or $7 the day of. The rides leave from Buckeye Recreation Center at 8 PM. 

Get links for complete visitor information for Beech Mountain NC HERE.

 

Halloween Event: Haunted Corn Maze at Darnell Farms this Weekend

October 24-27  The Haunted Halls of Havoc - Haunted House and the Haunted Corn Maize at Darnell Farms Your nightmares become reality! Haunted Hay Rides from 7:30-10:00 PM For kid friendly fun, enjoy the corn maize before the witching hour (7:30 am to 7:30 pm) and pick your perfect pumpkin for carving! Children age 3 and under are free for the corn maize, 4 and up are $5. Hay rides are available all day for an additional $2 per person. Call in advance for group rates!

Darnell Farms is located at 2300 Governors Riad in Bryson City NC.

Halloween Event: Haunted Horn: Circus of Souls begins this week in Boone NC

October 23 - 31   Haunted Horn: "Circus of Souls"   The theme for this year's Haunted Horn, Life...and after-life...is a carnival. Fun-seekers beware though since the altered spooky trail route accommodates a little more "clowning around". Tight-rope walkers aren't the only ones feeling the tension. Circus animals aren't always the warm, fuzzy, cute, four-legged types.

Don't blink, or you could become the subject of the next freak show in this "Circus of Souls." Tours start at 7:30 PM and continue throughout the evening, for ages 12 and up. Haunted Horn is a production of Appalachian Educators of ASU, and Southern Appalachian Historical Association, Inc., 501(c)3. Proceeds support these organizations' educational programs and the Angel Tree for area needy children this Christmas.

Find links for complete local visitor information on the Boone NC Guide.

Fall Leaf Color Report for 10/15/13

The Week of October 15, 2013: 
 The High Country: This week, plus the coming weekend, should be peak fall leaf color times in the Boone/Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain areas. A drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway will present excellent viewing, especially at 3,000’ and up. Colors are still developing at lower elevations, and won’t peak for another week or so, but the views should be great nonetheless. Sugar maples are really gearing up now. In Boone, along King Street, and also on the Blowing Rock Highway. ......see photos and read more from local expert Howie Neufeld, Ph.D. Professor of Plant Physiology Appalachian State University 
 
Asheville and the Mid-elevations: Still mostly green with small patches of color starting to appear and more color in the surrounding hills. Dogwoods, sourwoods and Virginia creeper are all beautiful red. There is some color in some maples and yellow in other trees like birch and tulip poplar. Lower elevations at Lake Lure and Chimney Rock are beginning to turn with the drive from Hendersonville to Chimney Rock now gorgeous.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:  Leaf color Report will be updated soon as park workers catch up from the government shut-down.  There is lots of color at mid elevation throughout the Park.

Western Mountains in Nantahala and the Smokies: More colors appearing in Highlands and Sylva with peak anticipated over the next 10 days.

Where to find color this week:  Along the Blue Ridge Parkway; Hayesville, Highway 64, Blowing Rock Highway, Chimney Rock Park.  

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Open Again!

The National Parks and their facilities
in the NC mountains have re-opened.  

Estimated losses in NC and TN resulting from the pointless shut-down are 33 million dollars, based on a Western Carolina University study.  The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is believed to be the biggest looser among the country's popular destination with more than $12 million in lost wages for workers, $1.8 million in lost state taxes and $1 million in lost local taxes.  

There has never been a better time to visit the mountain Parks. Fall leaf color will reach it peaks in the next couple of weeks, the weather is still warm during the days and cool at night. The Parks need your support from both visits and donations.

The Great Smoky Muntains National Park offers a Hike to Celebrate the re-opening .  On Thursday, October 17th hiking expert, author of several outdoor publications, GSMA board member and Friend of the Smokies volunteer Danny Bernstein will lead this 7-mile out and back hike. The hike is moderate in difficulty with a total ascent of 1,200 ft. and partially follows an old roadbed beside the creek. After the downhill return, participants can get an early jump on their holiday shopping at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

If you'd like to give Great Smoky Mountains National Park a big welcome home present, The Friends of the Smokies  invite you to join or renew your membership.  If you'd like to help spruce up the place, you can give to Trails Forever.  You  may also like to remember or honor a friend or relative with a donation in their name. CLICK HERE for more information.


October 18 and 19   Toast to the Park's reopening with Nantahala Brewing Company's 2013 debut party for Trail Magic Ale.

Get additional information and links for all the North Carolina Parks - National, State and local HERE.

Wildlife of WNC Program at Chimney Rock State Park

October 19-20   Grady's Wildlife of WNC at Chimney Rock State Park    Come meet some of Grady the Groundhog's live woodland friends and learn about their natural habitats. Or marvel at our Birds of Prey, including a Red-tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl. The family-friendly Grady’s Wildlife of WNC programs vary and are offered at 2 PM at the Outdoor Classroom on the Meadows. Best of all, the programs are included with your Park admission. All you need to bring are your kids and their curiosity about the natural world.

Get more local information on the Chimney Rock NC Visitor Guide.

Annual Fall Harvest Festival in Robbinsville NC

October 18-20   Annual Harvest Festival   Mountain traditions come alive at the annual Harvest Festival in beautiful Stecoah Valley (Robbinsville) at the Cultural Arts Center on the grounds of the historic Stecoah School.

The former community school was built in 1926, and today is the home of the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center, an organization dedicated to preserving Southern Appalachian mountain culture. Tickets for evening concert are on sale now. Admission-adults $15.00 Students k-12 $5.00 Performing this year will be the Dismembered Tennesseans.

2013 Schedule:

Friday, October 18, 6 – 8 pm
Bonfire Storytelling • Civil War Encampment • Marshmallow Roast • Hotdogs • Hot Cocoa & Soft Drinks • Free Admission
Saturday, October 19, 8 am
5K run and a “One Mile Fun Run”
Saturday, October 19, 11 am – 5 pm
Mountain Music featuring Stecoah Jam Kids, The Britthaven Band, The Wilson Family Band, Grandpaw’s Music, The Welch Family, The Dixie Darlin’s Cloggers, and The Oktoberfest Square Dancers • Storytelling • Country Fair • Great Food • Local Arts & Crafts • Folklife Demonstrations • Horse Show • Civil War Encampment • Clogging Demonstration & Lessons • Adults $3 • Students/Children (K-12) Free
Saturday Evening, October 19, 7:30 pm
Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out in Concert — 2012 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year and the 7 time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year • Adults $25 • Students / Children (K-12) $5
Purchase Tickets
Sunday, October 20, 2:30 – 5 pm
Gospel groups perform songs of praise • Free Admission
Stecoah's Festivals celebrate the beginning and end of summer in the southern Appalachians with music, dance, food, and mountain arts and crafts.

NC Corn Mazes Open this Weekend

Eliada's Corn Maze in Asheville, the largest maze in WNC, has created a “Love Asheville Give Local” theme in the maze this year. A giant heart, with this familiar slogan creates the maze trails and celebrates Eliada as a local charity in the region. “Get Lost” in corn mazes over 12 acres of twisting trails. Eliada's includes activities for kids of all ages including like corn cannons with pumpkin men targets, a cow train, hayride, pumpkin patch, giant sandbox filled with corn kernels, haybale maze, spider-web net climb on and giant slides.

The Blue Ridge Corn Maze in Brevard offers 6 Acres of "corn~fusion" where you can lose it and it's all right! Self-serve hours that fit your schedule!  Instructions are posted at the gate which send you into the field to where a school bus is parked. Further instructions are posted there along with clue cards which help navigate the maze, a few rules, admission prices and where to place the admission. Trails are marked out front of the bus,with the 1st trail being the shortest. They both begin and end at the same point.  Go when you want to / self serve/ honor system.   14th Annual "Shock in the Corn" October 18-19, 25-26, 31.

The Ashe County Corn Maze in the West Jefferson Area takes anywhere from 25 minutes to 45 minutes to hours! There are six "stations" in the maze to explore.  The corn maze can take anywhere from 25 minutes to 45 minutes to hours if you like! There are six "stations" in the maze. Remembering where you've been and finding all the stations can be a little confusing but you'll have lots of fun trying to find your way out!  There will also be a variety  of games and activities for the entire family. Special Event: Corn Fest on October 12.

The Hickory Nut Gap Farm in the Asheville area lets you wind your way through the corn maze, pick your own pumpkin, fill your bag with organic apples, hold a baby chick, visit the animals and enjoy a day with your family. Open 7 days a week in October.  Visit the farm store and see first hand the landscape where your food is grown and to meet the people who make it happen. Purchase meat, fruits, and mushrooms from the farm as well as other local producers and spend some time with the animals.

The Maze at Seasonal Produce Farm in Canton includes special events such as a professional lumberjack competition, haunted house and Hospice Day. Enjoy Family Fun on the Farm! Pick out a pumpkin and enjoy a variety of attractions including campfires, the corn box, mini mazes, the hay jump, hayrides, the pumpkin patch, the haunted maze and the Scout Maze. Field trips and group events are available. October 12 is Heritage day.

Darnell Farms in Bryson City is a true "Agritourism" farm with horseback riding, wagon rides, camping, bluegrass music, educational tours, pick-your-own seasonal produce and an 8+ acre corn maze that opens in mid August! The Corn maz will open this year on October 11.

Grandad's Apples and Such  in Hendersonville NC includes  5 acres of corn maze and a fun-filled hour of exploring. After visiting five different way stations, your corn maze adventure will be complete! Grandad’s has several funny backdrops to create some great family photo ops. Visit the pumpkin patch and pick out your perfect pumpkin from  all sizes and shapes, including extra large and baby pumpkins. Ride the Cow Train on a tour of Grandad’s. The cow train is made from barrels painted to look like cows

New River Corn Maze  on the Brown Family Farm in Deep Gap NC, just outside Boone.  Get lost in the family fun and enjoy a High Country tradition on the banks of the New River. Bring your family, friends, church or student group. The maze itself winds through 5 acres of planted corn with over a mile of twists, turns, dead-ends, and switchbacks.  While visiting the Corn Maze, come by our Pumpkin Patch, to pick your own for Halloween. New this year - Come take a ride around the farm in a genuine passenger train.

Additional NC mountain Corn Mazes:
Smoky Mountain Corn Maze (Otto NC near Franklin)
Fodder Trot Trails ( Sprata NC)
The Great Pumpkin Patch (Glade Valley NC).

Flat Rock Playhouse Music on the Rock Series: Donna Summer & the Sounds of the 70s Brings "the Diva of Disco" to Hendersonville

October 16 - 20   Music on the Rock: Donna Summer & the Sounds of the 70s   It’s going to a be a party at Playhouse Downtown with a tribute to the original Diva of Disco. Reva Rice returns to Flat Rock Playhouse for a dance celebration that includes hits like, “Last Dance,” “She Works Hard For Her Money,” and “I Will Survive.” The 2013 concert series produced by The Flat Rock Theatre offers a celebration of music form country to pop to Sinatra.

Reva Rice's Broadway and international starring credits include Starlight Express, Fosse and Chicago. She has starred in the first national tours of Starlight Express, Smokey Joe’s Café, Fosse, Chicago and Just Off the Road from Oprah Winfrey’s The Color Purple. Rice has worked with such greats as Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Patrick Swayze, Chaka Khan, Dolly Parton, Melissa Manchester, American Idol’s Fantasia and many more. She also performs and produces cabaret acts around the world. Reva Las Vegas is a 90-minute revue based on her journey back and forth from Broadway Babe to Vegas Vixen and her dance show band, The Jewelry Box.

The Playhouse Downtown is located at 125 South Main Street in historic downtown Hendersonville NC.

Chimney Rock State Park Weekend Events

October 12   Old Growth Forest “Off the Beaten Path” Guided Hike at Chimney Rock State Park   Learn what is special about a forest with canopy members over a century old, some even 200 to 300 years old. See the largest known Chestnut Oak in the Park among other prime specimens of their kinds on this moderate 1-hour hike. No additional cost with paid admission! Meet at Grady's Animal Discovery Den in the Meadows.

October 12   Park in the Dark at Chimney Rock State Park   Learn about the sights and sounds of owls and more of Grady’s quirky nocturnal wildlife friends living in Chimney Rock. Arrive by five to hike the Park’s scenic trails on your own and grab a bite at the Sky Lounge Deli, then gather by 7 PM in the Meadows for the fun, family-oriented birds of prey program. Afterward, enjoy an adventurous, kid-friendly one-hour night hike led by Ron Lance, an internationally renowned naturalist and nature lover. Registration and additional fee.

October 12 - 13   Grady's Wildlife of WNC at Chimney Rock State Park   Come meet some of Grady the Groundhog's live woodland friends and learn about their natural habitats. Or marvel at our Birds of Prey, including a Red-tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl. The family-friendly Grady’s Wildlife of WNC programs vary and are offered at 2 PM at the Outdoor Classroom on the Meadows. Best of all, the programs are included with your Park admission. All you need to bring are your kids and their curiosity about the natural world.

Get links for these and other Chimney Rock State Park Events on the Chimney Rock NC Visitor Guide.

LEAF - Lake Eden Art Festival this Weekend in Black Mountain NC

October 17- 20   LEAF - Lake Eden Art Festival   LEAF is one of the treasured traditions for families and friends across the southeast. Held annually at Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain NC.  A weekend at LEAF is the equivalent of going on a year-long multi-cultural music, arts, dance, and outdoor adventures journey to "recharges your batteries".

A few aspects that make LEAF popular is the family friendly atmosphere, the diverse sampling of arts and music, the beautiful setting, and the intimate size.

Get links for complete visitor information on the Black Mountain NC Guide.

Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express on The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

October 11-13   Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express   The PEANUTS gang return the the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Pumpkin Patch for this annual family fun favorite. The excursions, which are themed after Charles M. Schulz's classic story "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," will be departing from the Bryson City Depot and arriving at the Pumpkin Patch.

Listen to a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels through the beautiful fall leaf color to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During the 1 hour and 45min layover, your activities will include: campfire marshmallows, a coloring station, temporary tattoos, trick or treating, bouncy house, hayrides and live musical entertainment.

And kids - don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes. There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the Smoky Mountain Trains gift shop for those who would like a souvenir.  Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.

Advanced booking and ticket purchase are recommended. Get complete information on the website.

Find links for the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and other attractions in the Smokies on the Bryson City NC Visitor Guide.

NC Fall Color Leaf Report for the Week of 10/7/13

The Week of October 7, 2013:
 The High Country:Color is increasing, but still not close to peak. It’s about 40% colored up with 60% to go. At higher elevations, like at Tynecastle on Rt. 105, and on the upper slopes of Grandfather Mt., it is more like 60-75% colored. This coming week will be good for leaf looking, but next weekend will be one you should not miss, and I think the same can be said for the weekend after that. The rains on Sunday night did not do too much damage, with most of the leaves still on the trees and favorable weather forecast for the upcoming list......see photos and read more from local expert Howie Neufeld, Ph.D. Professor of Plant Physiology Appalachian State University 
 
Asheville and the Mid-elevations: Still mostly green with small patches of color starting to appear. Dogwoods, sourwoods and Virginia creeper are all beautiful red. There is some color in some maples and yellow in other trees like birch and tulip poplar.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:No reports because of Federal Shut-downs.

Western Mountains in Nantahala and the Smokies: Still mostly green with some colors appearing in Highlands and Sylva.

Where to find color this week: Along the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mount Mitchell, Craggy Pinnacle, Black Balsam Knob and the highest elevations. Grandfather Mountain along the ridgeline. Elk Knob State Park in Todd. The higher-elevation corridor around Winding-Stair Gap near Franklin. Beech Mountain.

Keep updated about the fall color in the mountains on the NC Mountain News.

Waterfall Tour this Weekend in Brevard

October 12 - 13   Tour De Falls in Dupont State Forest   A favorite annual event providing easy access to the falls without strenuous trail walking 9:00AM-2:30PM, buses will be available in the parking lot on DuPont/Staton Rd. to take visitors to High Falls, Triple Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Lake Julia, donation - adults $12, $6 ages 6-17, under 6 free, sponsored by Friends of DuPont Forest

Dupont State Forest is one of North Carolina's newer parks.  DuPont offers more than 10,000 acres of forest, trails, and 10 waterfalls and is located in Cedar Falls NC between Brevard and Hendersonville North Carolina. You can enjoy the trails by foot, bike or horse or bring the fishing gear and picnic basket. For current Park conditions CLICK HERE.

Get links for visitor information on the Brevard NC Guide.

5th Annual Leaf Festival in Cashiers

October 11-13  Cashiers Leaf Festival   Held each year as the leaves begin to change in this beautiful mountain village nestled at 3,487 feet in elevation, this free event has grown tremendously since its inception in 2009.  This year’s festival will offer approximately 100 artisans and merchants scattered throughout the Village Green and Commons park, located directly in the center of Cashiers adjacent to the crossroads of Highways 64 and 107.

Visitors will find unique handcrafted wood, pottery, jewelry and much more on display and available for purchase throughout the weekend. There will be plenty of food and drinks in both parking lots behind the two stages of the park, which will be filled with live music throughout the weekend.

Highlighting this year’s musical lineup is a special Friday night, Oct. 11 concert by Deja Vu, a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young tribute band based out of Athens, GA. Take a trip back to the psychedelic 1960s with an intimate evening under the tent with this amazing group, led by John Keane. Keane is a powerful musical force of his own, having shared the stage and/or produced records for the likes of Widespread Panic, REM and the Indigo Girls.

The Friday night concert will begin at 7:30 PM, and end at 10:15 PM. Gates open at 6:30 PM. This will be the only event of the weekend requiring a purchased ticket. There will be a full cash bar including a moonshine margarita bar and a culinary cafe. Concert ticket prices are $25 for general admission and VIP tickets for $65 per person, which includes valet parking, a reserved table, and a dinner voucher at the culinary cafe. Advanced ticket sale locations are at Bear Paw Design/Robins Nest and Midnight Farms. There will be a presale only for VIP tickets, as a limited number of tables are available. To purchase tickets online, visit www.dejavucashiers.eventbrite.com.  No pets, coolers or chairs will be allowed at this event.

Live music is scheduled from 12 to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday on two different stages. All of these shows are free and open to the public. Most of the performers are local and regional acts, ranging in genre from singer/songwriters, to jazz, blues, Americana, bluegrass, rock, soul, funk, and much more.

Sunday’s festival finale on the Village Commons stage features new regional band Soldier’s Heart with special guest Darren Nicholson of the WNC award-winning bluegrass band Balsam Range. Don’t miss this special one of a kind performance.

Get a link for the Cashiers Leaf Festival, local lodging and attractions on the Cashiers NC Guide. 

 

NC Mountain Fairs this Weekend

October 1 - 5
NC City: CHEROKEE
Event: 101th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair Part carnival, part art exhibit and agriculture show, this annual fair features artwork, traditional Cherokee food, nightly musical entertainment, rides and games, and of course, fireworks. You’ll find Cherokee white oak baskets, pottery and beadwork, and you’ll marvel and the traditional Cherokee contests and competitions like the infamous Cherokee Stickball games. While you’re on the Ferris wheel, be sure to take in the gorgeous fall foliage that engulfs the Great Smoky Mountains this time of year.

Get links for local visitor information on the Cherokee NC Guide. 


October 3-5 
NC City: MARSHALL
Event: Madison County Fair Fair events include; rides, produce and cooking competitions, livestock competitions, special contests and exhibits. 4-H certified livestock and horse shows. Create some memories similar to the ones you have from growing up and going to the Fair with your family. Carnival rides are there for the delight of all as well as craft booth and food vendors. But, the most fun is viewing the competitions of livestock and all the other categories ranging from baking to photography.


Get links for local visitor information on the Marshall - Mars Hill NC Guide.

Folk School Festival with over 200 Artists

October 5-   John C Campbell Folk School Fall Festival   Celebrate the rich heritage of Appalachia at the 40th annual Folk School Fall Festival, featuring over 200 juried and non-juried craftspeople.

Handcrafted items for sale include jewelry, woodturning, pottery, weaving, ironwork, photography, rugs, woodcarvings, furniture, paintings, baskets, and much more. Live music and dance on two stages, great food, craft demonstrations, and kids' activities are just a few more reasons why the John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival is one of the most popular events in the region.

Grandfather Mountain Creatures of the Night and Bonfire

October 5   Creatures of the Night and Bonfire Delight at Grandfather Mountain   Families will enjoy this rare opportunity to visit Grandfather Mountain after dark. Get your Halloween juices flowing while listening to scary stories told by firelight and keep a tight hold on your loved ones' hand as you set off on a rare after-dark tour of the Mountain that includes a nocturnal animal prowl. Must be age 8 or older.  

There is an additional cost and Reservations are required: 828-733-8715.

Grandfather Mountain is located just off US 221 between Blowing Rock and Linville NC and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.  The street address is 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646. The GPS coordinates are 36.08502N, -81.84646W. The road to the summit is referred to as Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road, Linville, NC.

40th Annual Fall Festival at the John C Campbell Folk School

October 5-6   John C Campbell Folk School Fall Festival   Celebrate the rich heritage of Appalachia at the 40th annual Folk School Fall Festival, featuring over 200 juried and non-juried craftspeople. Handcrafted items for sale include jewelry, woodturning, pottery, weaving, ironwork, photography, rugs, woodcarvings, furniture, paintings, baskets, and much more. 

Enjoy live music and dance on two stages, great food, craft demonstrations, and kids' activities - just a few more reasons why the John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival is one of the most popular events in the region.

John C Campbell Folk School is located at 1 Folk School Road in Brasstown NC. For links to local visitor information visit the Hayesville NC Guide or the Murphy NC Guide.

Mountain Spirits: Joe Cruz Live at the WineSeller this Weekend

October 4 - The Classic WineSeller, 20 Church Street in Waynesville NC - Joe Cruz on piano and vocals performs live the best of the Beatles and Elton John.  Join the fun from 7 PM to 10 PM and also enjoy small plate fare from 5:30 PM - 9 PM.  $10 per person minimum for food, drink of tickets.

Get links for complete visitor information on the Waynesville NC Guide.

Brushy Mountain Apple Jam in North Wilkesboro

October 5   Brushy Mountain Apple Jam   This event is one of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast and features a large variety of arts and crafts, food and entertainment. Events begin at 8 AM and continue until 5 PM. There will be live entertainment at the corner of 10th and Main Streets. Open jam. Sponsored annually by the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club and held on the 1st Saturday of October since 1978.

Get links for local visitor information on the North Wilkesboro NC Guide. 

Bascom Lamar Lunsford Music Festival at Mars Hill College

October 5   Bascom Lamar Lunsford Music Festival   An all-day festival celebrating regional music and dance traditions. The event is the second oldest folk festival in Western North Carolina and was named in honor of cofounder Bascom Lamar Lunsford.

Lunsford was a musician and folklorist who dedicated his life to collecting and promoting the music of the Southern Appalachians. Through his work he became known as “Minstrel of the Appalachians.”

The festival, which is now in its 46th year, brings out the region’s finest musicians and dancers. Numerous music and dance performances, jam circles, and a ballad and story swap will occur for free throughout the day. The Concert at 7 PM has a $10 fee for adults and $5 for children.

Learn more about local lodging, attractions and visitor information on the Mars Hill NC Guide.