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Fall 2026 Festivals & Events Guide

Knoxville Asian Festival, August 29-30,  Knoxville, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Asian Culture Center of TN

Festival season 2026 is here!

From the Virginias and the Carolinas to Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, our annual compendium is the perfect travel companion. Inside, you’ll find gatherings celebrating food and drink, the arts, music, and more—all worth building a mountain road trip around. Pick your favorite festival theme and start planning!

By Karen Neathawk / Photo above: Knoxville Asian Festival, August 29-30,  Knoxville, Tennessee. Photo
courtesy of Asian Culture Center of TN

Sept 21-27. Mayberry Days. Mount Airy, NC.

Sept 22-26. SC Foothills Heritage Fair. Seneca, SC.

Sept 23-26. Antlers & Acorns: The Boone Songwriters Festival. Boone, NC.

Sept 23-26. Henry County Fair. Ridgeway, VA.

Sept 25. Greer Alive. Greer, SC.

Sept 25-27. 73rd Annual Hardy County Heritage Weekend. Moorefield, WV. 

Sept 25-27. Chattanooga Taco Festival. East Ridge, TN.

Sept 25-27. Community Apple Festival. Chilhowie, VA.

Sept 25-27. Mountain Heritage Arts & Crafts Festival. Kearneysville, WV.

Sept 25-Oct 31 (Friday and Saturday nights). Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad. Blowing Rock, NC.

Sept 26. Burke’s Garden Fall Festival. Tazewell, VA.

Sept 26. Chattanooga Bacon & Barrel Food & Whiskey Festival. Chattanooga, TN.

Sept 26. Harvest Moon Festival. Cumberland Gap, TN. 

Sept 26. North Georgia Highland Games. Clayton, GA.

Sept 26. Oktoberfest Kickoff Concert. Massanutten, VA. 

Sept 26. Pratt Fall Festival. Pratt, WV.

Sept 26. Railfest. Greer, SC.

Sept 26. WoodsTACO Street Taco Festival. Woodstock, VA.

Sept 26. Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival. Elkin, NC.

Sept 26-27. Fall Folk Arts Festival. Kingsport, TN.

Sept 26-27. Queen City Mischief & Magic. Staunton, VA.

Sept 26-27. Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival. Moneta, VA.

Sept 26-Oct 4. Mountain State Forest Festival. Elkins, WV.

Sept 27-Oct 3. National Quartet Convention. Pigeon Forge, TN.

Sept 30-Oct 3. Albino Skunk Music Festival. Greer, SC.

OCTOBER

Oct 1-3. Kentucky Apple Festival. Paintsville, KY.

Oct 1-4. West Virginia Pumpkin Festival. Milton, WV.

Oct 2-3. 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival. Chattanooga, TN.

Oct 2-3. Unicoi County Apple Festival. Erwin, TN.

Oct 2-4. National Storytelling Festival. Jonesborough, TN.

Oct 3. Art in the Park. Blowing Rock, NC.

Oct 3. Asheville Oktoberfest. Asheville, NC.

Oct 3. Aunt Het Fall Festival. Fountain Inn, SC.

Oct 3. Brushy Mountain Apple Festival. North Wilkesboro, NC.

Oct 3. ColorFest. Dillsboro, NC.

Oct 3. Dayton Days Autumn Celebration. Dayton, VA.

Oct 3. Farm City Day. Hendersonville, NC.

Oct 3. Ketner’s Mill Fair. Whitwell, TN.

Oct 3. Sonker Festival. Mount Airy, NC.

Oct 3. Spruce Pine BBQ Festival. Spruce Pine, NC. 

Oct 3. Steins & Wine Around the Square. Hayesville, NC. 

Oct 3-4. Apple Harvest Festival. Burlington, WV.

Oct 3-4. Indian Summer Festival. Suches, GA.

Oct 3-4. John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival. Brasstown, NC.

Oct 3-4. North Georgia Fried Pickle Festival. Dalton, GA.

Oct 3-11. Fall Color Ramble. Linville, NC.

Oct 8-10. Secret City Improv Comedy Festival. Oak Ridge, TN.

Oct 8-11. Blue Highway Fest. Big Stone Gap, VA.

Oct 8-28. Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair (Fall). Gatlinburg, TN.

Oct 9-10. Ghosts of Racing and Ghost Walk. Dawsonville, GA.

Oct 9-10. SC Bigfoot Festival. Westminster, SC.

Oct 9-11. Autumn Leaves Festival. Mount Airy, NC.

Oct 9-11. Bank of America Fall for Greenville. Greenville, SC.

Oct 9-11. Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival. Cashiers, NC.

Oct 9-11. Hands & Harvest Festival. Monterey, VA.

Oct 9-11. Wardensville Fall Festival. Wardensville, WV. 

Oct 9-11. West Virginia Bigfoot Festival. Sutton, WV.

Oct 9-11, 15-17. Georgia Mountain Fall Festival. Hiawassee, GA.

Oct 10. Cumberland Valley Cruise-In OctoberFest Corbin, KY.

Oct 10. Fall Festival. Massanutten, VA. 

Oct 10. Mountain Glory Festival. Marion, NC.

Oct 10. Spooky Paws Pet Parade. Chattanooga, TN.

Oct 10. Taste of Our Towns. Lewisburg, WV.

Oct 10. Tiger Fall Festival. Tiger, GA.

Oct 10. Twilight Harvest Moon Market. Chattanooga, TN.

Oct 10. Vinton Fall Festival. Vinton, VA.

Oct 10-11. Apple Butter Festival. Berkeley Springs, WV.

Oct 10-11. Crozet Fall Arts & Crafts Festival. Crozet, VA.

Oct 10-11. Fall Arts in the Park. Blue Ridge, GA.

Oct 10-11. Heritage Days Festival. Rogersville, TN.

Oct 10-11. Page County Heritage Festival. Luray, VA.

Oct 10-11. Spruce Pine Potters Market. Spruce Pine, NC.

Oct 10-11. Sugar Mountain Resort’s Oktoberfest. Sugar Mountain, NC.

Oct 10-11. Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival. Amherst, VA.

Oct 10-11, 17-18. Georgia Apple Festival. Ellijay, GA.

Oct 11. HoLa! Festival. Knoxville, TN.

Oct 15-18. Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. Asheville, NC.

Oct 15-18. Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival. Martinsburg, WV.

Oct 16-17. The Mountain Grrl Experience. Pikeville, KY.

Oct 16-17. Witches Wynd. Kingsport, TN.

Oct 16-18. Blue Ridge Mountains Parade of Homes. Blue Ridge, GA.

Oct 16-18. Fall LEAF Festival. Black Mountain, NC.

Oct 16-18. GO Outside Festival. Roanoke, VA.

Oct 16-18. Home Craft Days Festival. Big Stone Gap, VA.

Oct 16-18. Oktoberfest. Walhalla, SC.

Oct 17. Apple Harvest Festival. Waynesville, NC.

Oct 17. Artisan Makers Market. Greer, SC.

Oct 17. Bridge Day. Fayetteville, WV.

Oct 17. Gran Fondo Hincapie. Greenville, SC.

Oct 17. Moonlight Festival. Somerset, KY.

Oct 17. NC Liver Mush Festival. Shelby, NC.

Oct 17. Valle Country Fair. Valle Crucis, NC.

Oct 17. Wade’s Mill Annual Apple Butter Festival. Raphine, VA.

Oct 17. Yadkin Valley Grape Festival. Yadkinville, NC.

Oct 17-18. Arts & Crafts Show. Maggie Valley, NC.

Oct 17-18. Chattanooga Apple Festival. Chattanooga, TN.

Oct 17-18. Gold Rush Days Festival. Dahlonega, GA.

Oct 17-18. Lake Lure Fall Arts & Crafts Festival. Lake Lure, NC.

Oct 17-18. Oktoberfest. Chattanooga, TN.

Oct 17-18. Punkin’ Chunkin. Brasstown, NC. 

Oct 17-18. Woolly Worm Festival. Banner Elk, NC.

Oct 22. History & Haunts. Sevierville, TN.

Oct 22-24. Southern Gap Elk Fest.  Grundy, VA. 

Oct 23. Greer Alive. Greer, SC.

Oct 23-25. Mountain Moonshine Festival. Dawsonville, GA.

Oct 24. Appalachian Autumn Festival. Greeneville, TN. 

Oct 24. Appalachian Brew, Que, and Stew Festival. Hiawassee, GA.

Oct 24. Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. Ferrum, VA.

Oct 24. Mayhem on Main. Wytheville, VA.

Oct 24. Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival. Maggie Valley, NC.

Oct 24. Spooktacular Halloween Bash. Norton, VA.

Oct 24. West Virginia Book Festival. Charleston, WV.

Oct 24-25. Plow Days Festival at Darnell Farms. Bryson City, NC.

Oct 25. BRAGco (Bike Ride Across Greene County). Greene County, TN.

Oct 25. Jeeptoberfest in the Smokies. Sevierville, TN.

Oct 26-31. Hilloween: A Multi-Day Halloween Festival. Mitchell County, NC.

Oct 28-31. Haunted Grounds. Sale Creek, TN.

Oct 31. Halloween at the Fairgrounds. Hiawassee, GA

Oct 31. Halloween Bash. Galax, VA.

Oct 31. Sheriff’s Halloween Spooktacular. Sevierville, TN.

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The story above first appeared in our May / June 2025 issue.

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