Fall Festivals in North Carolina Guide
- Mountain Song Festival (Brevard, September 6-7)
- Boomtown Arts and Heritage FestAVL (Asheville, September 6-7)
- Autumn at Oz at Land of Oz (Beech Mountain, September 6-8, 13-15, 20-22)
- Art in the Park (Blowing Rock, September 7 & October 5)
- Brevard Plein Air Festival (Brevard, September 14)
- Tweetsie Ghost Train Halloween Festival (Blowing Rock, September 20- October 26)
- Cherokee Heritage Festival (Hayesville, September 21)
- Mayberry Days (Mount Airy, September 23-29)
- Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival (Elkin, September 28)
- Brushy Mountain Apple Festival (North Wilkesboro, October 5)
- PROHIBITION Hot Rod and Moonshine Festival (Newton, October 5-6)
- Colorfest! Arts and Crafts Walk (Dillsboro NC, October 5)
- The Lovely Asheville Fall Festival (Asheville, October 12-13)
- Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival (Maggie Valley, October 12)
- LEAF Global Arts Festival (Black Mountain, October 17-20)
- Harvest Festival (Robbinsville, October 18-19)
- Pumpkinfest (Franklin, October 19)
- Apple Harvest Festival (Waynesville, October 19)
- Woolly Worm Festival (Banner Elk, October 19-20)
- Halloweenfest (Brevard, October 26)
READ MORE: 20 Incredible Places To See the Blue Ridge Mountains in Fall
September Fall Festivals in NC
1. Mountain Song Festival
(Brevard NC • September 6-7)
Head to the Brevard Music Center September 6-7, 2024 to support the Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania Co. by attending the 8th Annual Mountain Song Festival.
This year, visitors can catch local favorites like the Steep Canyon Rangers, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Zach Top, and Rob Ickes, to name but a few of the artists playing at this Appalachian music shindig.
In addition to the amazing music, the place will be heaving with vendors selling food, beverages, and other local fare. This family-friendly event will also have myriad children’s activities.
You may even come across a picking jam session that you listen to, or even join in with!
READ MORE: The 20 Best Things to Do in Brevard NC & Transylvania County
2. Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL
(Asheville NC • September 6-7)
The Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL kicks off at 3PM on September 6, 2024 at runs through 10PM on September 7.
There’s a whole list of amazing musical artists performing (Asheville Symphony, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Toubab Krew & more), as well as a host of other activities.
This festival takes place at 80 Court Plaza in Downtown Asheville NC, and will celebrate Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL’s collaboration with LEAF Global Arts.
In addition to music, guests can partake in workshops, storytelling sessions, trail tours, drum circles, a parade, art exhibits, and sample local food, beverages, and wares.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Hotels in Asheville NC to Visit
3. Autumn at Oz at The Land of Oz
(Beech Mountain NC • September 6-8, 13-15, 20-22)
There are limited chances to celebrate Autumn at Oz at the Land of Oz in Beech Mountain, with 3 weekends (Sept 6-8, 13-15 & 20-22) dedicated to celebrating Fall in the mountains.
4. Art In The Park
(Blowing Rock NC • September 7 & October 5)
Art In The Park takes place in Blowing Rock NC on September 7 and October 5, 2024.
The festival ground is located along Park Avenue, from Main St to Wallingford St, with a free shuttle running continuously from Shoppes On The Parkway.
Enjoy award-winning artists showing off their jewelry, pottery, furniture, and textiles. Once you’ve finished wandering the stalls, downtown Blowing Rock is right there with all of its delicious restaurants and breweries.
There’s always a free Concert In The Park on the Sundays after Art In The Park. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and settle in from 1-3PM at the Rotary Gazebo in Downtown Blowing Rock’s Memorial Park.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Blowing Rock Cabin Rentals (1 to 4+ Bedrooms)
5. Brevard Plein Air Festival
(Brevard NC • September 14)
Visit Downtown Brevard NC this September for the Brevard Plain Air Festival, an ode to the classic tradition of outdoor painting (en plein air in French).
The festival starts at 10 AM on on September 14, and ends at 5 PM.
Artists will be creating fine art right before your very eyes, with many of their finished works sold at the Wet Paint Show & Sale at the end of the festival.
In addition to lots of art-in-the-making, the downtown area will also be heaving with food/drink vendors and arts & crafts stalls.
READ MORE: The Top 20 Waterfalls Near Brevard NC (Transylvania County)
6. Tweetsie Ghost Train Halloween Festival
(Blowing Rock NC • September 20 – October 26)
Start getting into the swing of Halloween early at the Tweetsie Ghost Train Halloween Festival. Things at the beloved theme park get rather spooky on select nights from September 20 to October 26.
This annual Fall family tradition is popular for its Halloween-themed attractions, decorations, music, and costumed characters.
Older/braver kids (ages 8+) and adults can enjoy a North Carolina train ride on the Ghost Train, walk the hallowed halls of the Haunted House, and dare to enter the Freaky Forest.
There are also dance parties, trick-or-treat stations, and the family-friendly Palace Spooktacular Show.
READ MORE: Festive Fun at Tweetsie Railroad Christmas in Blowing Rock NC
7. Cherokee Heritage Festival
(Hayesville NC • September 21)
Interested in the culture of the Cherokee people? Don’t miss the annual Cherokee Heritage Festival, which will be held on the grounds of the Cherokee Homestead Exhibit in Hayesville NC on Sept 21.
Watch members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians demonstrate their traditional crafts, including finger weaving, pottery sculpting, bead working, woodcarving, blowgun crafting, and arrow making.
Many of the indigenous artists will be available to answer questions about their work. Then the afternoon is dedicated to dance, storytelling, and music, as well as lots of fun activities for the kids.
There will also be authentic Cherokee cuisine to try, such as fry bread with all the savory or sweet fixings!
READ MORE: 50 Fascinating Facts About Cherokee Culture & History
8. Mayberry Days
(Mount Airy NC • September 23-29)
Whether you’re a diehard Andy Griffith fan or not, the Mayberry Days festival (held in Mt Airy NC September 23-29) is lots of fun for the whole family.
It’s a chance to step back in time for a while and enjoy a nostalgic game of checkers, test your mettle at the pork chop-eating contest, or see how good you are at peeling apples.
There’s also a parade, trivia competitions, and horseshoe tossing, as well as great local bands providing a retro soundtrack.
This is a fun way to imagine yourself in Mayberry, where Andy and Opie spent their days, or just enjoy a great day out in a charming little North Carolina mountain town.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Things to Do in Mount Airy NC (& Surry County)
9. Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival
(Elkin NC • September 28)
With Elkin NC as the closest town to our homestead, I couldn’t wait to see the legendary giant pumpkins at the annual Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival. I was not disappointed.
My first exclamation at seeing the 1000+ pound pumpkins was that I could totally live in one of those, because they are jaw-droppingly huge!
Considered one of the most famous pumpkin contests east of the Mississippi, this annual festival kicks off with weight-ins starting at 9 AM on September 28 and continuing through lunchtime.
In addition to the spectacle of the enormous fruits, Downtown Elkin will be heaving with arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, and live music. There will also be a kids’ zone and a dunking booth.
READ MORE: 10 Wonderful Yadkin Valley Wineries Worth Visiting
October Fall Festivals in NC
10. Brushy Mountain Apple Festival
(North Wilkesboro NC • October 5)
Taking place on October 5 in North Wilkesboro NC, the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is said to be one of the largest of its kind in the Southeast, celebrating the apples grown in Western NC.
There will be many local growers selling the fruits of their labor, from apples and apple pies, apple cider, baked apple treats, and more.
Myriad other vendors will be peddling their arts & crafts, with tons of food trucks to keep everyone full and four live music stages to keep everyone entertained.
The festival showcases Appalachian crafts such as woodcarving, chair making, soap making, pottery throwing, and quilting. You might also catch clogging, square dancing, and rope skippers doing their thing.
READ MORE: Apple Picking in North Carolina: The 15 Best NC Apple Orchards
11. Prohibition Hot Rod & Moonshine Festival
(Newton NC • October 5-6)
Celebrate the intertwined history of moonshine and hot rods at this year’s Prohibition Hot Rod & Moonshine Festival at the Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton NC on Oct 5 and 6.
In addition to distilleries offering moonshine tastings and participating in the Spirit Competition, there will be a car show open to all vehicles dating from 1990 and older.
Make sure you leave time to enjoy some live music and visit the many food trucks and other vendors.
If you want to stick around the whole weekend, there are 30 camping spots, which are available for those with self-contained RVs and campers only.
READ MORE: The 25 Best North Carolina Music Festivals
12. Colorfest! Arts & Crafts Walk
(Dillsboro NC • October 5)
Things will get pretty vibrant at the Colorfest! Arts & Crafts Walk in Dillsboro NC on October 5.
Over 40 local artists will take to Front Street with their colorful artwork, ready to demonstrate their talents and answer your questions.
You’ll be surrounded by the stunning Fall colors of the mountains while enjoying fun festival food, live entertainment throughout the afternoon, and regional beer and wine.
This community-focused, family-friendly event starts at 10AM and runs until 4PM.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Sylva NC & Dillsboro NC
13. The Lovely Asheville Fall Festival
(Asheville NC • October 12-13)
The Lovely Asheville Fall Festival takes place on October 12 & 13, right at the perfect time of year to be immersed in all the colors of Fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
This 3rd annual Autumn festival will take place in Asheville‘s Carrier Park from 9 AM to 8 PM on Saturday and noon to 8PM on Sunday.
There will be a huge lineup of bands eager to entertain visitors, including the Free Flow Band, the WTF Band, Virtuous & Her Band, and the Hypnotic Band.
The festival is designed to celebrate the beauty and preservation of nature and humanity.
READ MORE: The 15 Best VRBO Cabins in Asheville NC
14. Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival
(Maggie Valley NC • October 12)
Head to Maggie Valley NC on October 12 to celebrate the Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival, which kicks off at 11AM and closes at 6PM.
Held at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds during the heart of leaf-peeping season in the Smoky Mountains, this one-of-a-kind festival brings all of Haywood County’s best musical artists together.
This festival showcases award-winning bluegrass bands such as Balsam Range, Appalachian Road Show, and Nu-Blu, along with other acts that may be lesser-known outside the state of North Carolina.
There will also be local food and drinks to try, artist demonstrations (and artwork for sale), and a kids’ and adults’ playground, just to keep everyone happy!
READ MORE: What is Bluegrass? The History & Evolution of Appalachian Music
15. LEAF Global Arts Festival
(Black Mountain NC • October 17-20)
Join amazing artists such as Making Movies, Las Cafeteras, Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn, and many more at the LEAF Global Arts Festival, which takes place October 17-20 in the small town of Black Mountain.
16. Harvest Festival
(Robbinsville NC • October 18-19)
The Robbinsville NC Harvest Festival takes place at the Stecoah Valley Center October 18-20, opening at 6PM on Friday night.
Free festivities begin with a community campfire, with complimentary marshmallows for roasting.
There will be Cherokee storytelling from a special guest, whose tales are said to be as chilling as the cool mountain air. Hay bales are available for seating, but you’re welcome to bring a camp chair if you prefer.
Saturday’s fun runs from 10AM to 5PM, with a $5 entry fee for a full day of music, dancing, a country fair, arts & crafts vendors, face painting, pumpkin bowling, a scavenger hunt, and more!
READ MORE: The 10 Best Things To Do in Robbinsville NC & Graham County
17. 28th Annual Pumpkinfest
(Franklin NC • October 19)
Now in its 28th year (and still going strong), the Annual Pumpkinfest in Franklin NC will be held downtown on October 19 from 9AM to 4PM.
Come rain or shine, Franklin will host the largest street festival of the year, with kids and adults alike joining in on the festivities.
In addition to the “World Famous Pumpkin Roll,” there will also be a costume parade and over 90 vendors ready to share their arts, crafts, and delicious treats.
Bring the whole family and enjoy some traditional (and, reportedly, some NOT-so-traditional) Fall festivities.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Things to Do in Franklin NC & Macon County
18. Apple Harvest Festival
(Waynesville NC • October 19)
It just wouldn’t be Fall without apples, and there will be plenty to go around on Waynesville‘s Main Street during the Apple Harvest Festival on October 19.
Widely regarded as one of the 10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the Nation, this annual street festival is a wonderful way to celebrate the fresh flavors of Autumn.
There will be vendors selling their apples, cider, apple butter, and every other apple-inspired treat you could possibly imagine.
Historic Main Street will be packed with local vendors from 10 AM to 5PM, which leaves plenty of time to explore Downtown Waynesville restaurants and shops.
READ MORE: The 20 Best Things to Do in Waynesville NC & Haywood County
19. Woolly Worm Festival
(Banner Elk NC • October 19-20)
What is a wooly worm, you might ask?
If you visit the 47th annual Wooly Worm Festival at Banner Elk’s Historic Elementary School on October 19-20, you’ll learn all there is to know!
This year’s festival will be packed with over 170 local arts & crafts vendors, and lots of wooly worms ready to help predict the North Carolina High Country’s winter weather.
Around 20,000 people flock to this festival every year, so come prepared to enjoy a weekend of family-friendly fun, games, and live music.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Restaurants in Banner Elk NC for Foodies
20. Halloweenfest
(Brevard NC • October 26)
Brevard NC does Halloween in a big way, and celebrating it in Transylvania County is actually pretty cool!
Though Dracula may not be a full-time resident of the area, plenty of locals will head to downtown Brevard to partake in Halloweenfest on October 26.
There will be lots of free family-friendly fun, such as bouncy castles, trick-or-treating, and street vendors. One of the festival’s highlights is the annual costume contest, so get your best outfit ready and join in the freaky fun.
The 41st annual Halloweenfest in Brevard will begin at 10AM and continue until 4PM. –by Emma Gallagher
