Many of the region’s favorite fall festivals were delayed or cancelled outright last year – even in the foothills and midland areas - after Helene blew through, but this year, they are back and better than ever. Restoration and rebuilding are continuing, but the most important idea to remember is the mountains are open. The beautiful colors have returned and so should you.   

Head to the Fairgrounds 

The state fair, the county fair, or just “the fair” is a fall tradition across the country. Enter your homemade pickles, pound cake, or butter mints to win bragging rights along with the blue ribbon, see local 4-Hers showing off their prize calves and bulls, and farmers exhibiting bigger-than-life pumpkins and cabbages. And you can forget the food and the rides – we recommend lumping all your cheat days on your diet together for a day at the fair! 

Mountain State Fair – September 5-14, 2025, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher, NC 28732

Carolina Classic Fair – October 3-12, 2025, 2825 University Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27105 

South Carolina State Fair – October 8-19, 2025, 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29201  

Food Fetes 

Nothing says “fall” and “festival” like food. While all festivals have tasty foods like Fried Apple Pies, Pumpkin Donuts, and Corny Corndogs, some take festival fare to a whole new level.  

euphoria – September 18-21, 2025, Downtown Greenville 
euphoria shines a spotlight on the culinary arts and cooks up goodwill for the community. Since 2006, this event has made a positive impact on its local community by supporting initiatives that support and sustain life and health.  

Fall for Greenville – October 10-12, 2025, Downtown Greenville 
Combining tastes, tunes, and taps, Fall for Greenville is a unique festival held on Main Street featuring 60 restaurants, 80+ bands, and 50+ beer taps and wine vendors. Yuuu-uum! 

Photo at right is a live performance at Fall for Greenville. Courtesy of Visit Greenville, SC.

Fine Arts & Crafts 

Creativity can be found around almost every corner. These festivals feature high-quality arts and crafts as determined and selected by a board of jurors. They are great places to start your holiday shopping or to find something unique for your own home.  

Church Street Festival – October 11, 2025, Main Street, Waynesville 
For more than 40 years, this festival has offered handmade art, jewelry, and crafts along with Appalachian music and dance performances. Leave some room to enjoy the food, too. 

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands – October 16-19, Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Asheville 
This craft fair is one of the longest-running in the region – now in its 78th year. Exhibits include handmade work across 12 media – clay, fiber, wood, metal, glass, jewelry, paper, leather, natural materials, mixed media, book arts, and printmaking. In keeping with the mission of the Guild, there will be demonstrations of both traditional and contemporary techniques to connect visitors with talented craftspeople.  

Music & Culture 

Many fall festivals shine a light on time-honored traditions – like celebrating the harvest of apples and pumpkins, showcasing ethnic backgrounds through food and dancing, diving deeper into songwriting and storytelling, and did we mention food? Dig into your favorite avenue of celebrating fall with these festivals.  

Boomtown FestAVL – August 29-31, 2025, Pack Square, Downtown Asheville 
Asheville emerged as a boomtown in the 1920s. The Boomtown FestAVL brings together an array of artists, musicians, and storytellers, creating an immersive experience that highlights the city's diverse cultural tapestry. 

NC Apple Festival – August 29-September 1, 2025 – Hendersonville 
As wholesome and flavorful as the theme of the festival, Hendersonville’s North Carolina Apple Festival is a long-running “gala” the whole family will love. This Labor Day Weekend street festival celebrates not just all things “apple,” but also the culture of the place where they’re grown in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Henderson County grows 85% of the state’s apple crop. Stick around until Monday for the King Apple Parade. 

Antlers & Acorns: The Boone Songwriters Festival – September 10-13, 2025 
This festival celebrates the art of songwriting and is hosted at several venues throughout downtown. In addition to experiencing the music of songwriters, Antlers and Acorns uniquely offers attendees the opportunity to get to know the songwriters by going on a hike, kayaking, or fly fishing with them. 

Jubiliee: Festival of Black History and Culture – September 20, 2025, Columbia 
Jubilee celebrates South Carolina’s Black history and culture on the grounds of Columbia’s Mann-Simons Site, which itself represents the multi-generational entrepreneurial legacy of one of Columbia’s preeminent Black families. For more than 45 years, this free outdoor festival has brought together all people in the community through music, dance, arts, crafts, food, and storytelling. 

HoLa Festival – September 27-28, 2025, World’s Fair Park, Knoxville 
The colorful and tasty festival features live music, dancing, arts and craft vendors, home-cooked food, craft beer, 21 educational Hispanic Heritage booths, children’s activities and games, community resources, a Parade of Nations, and more.   

Valle Country Fair – October 18, 2025, Highway 194, Valle Crucis 
A truly uplifting community event in the heart of the High Country, the Valle Country Fair showcases food, crafts, and mountain music. This long-running fair is sponsored by Holy Cross Episcopal Church, and all proceeds from concessions and parking, as well as a portion from craft exhibitors benefit local nonprofits. The fair runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m.. Our recommendation is to COME EARLY! 
Photo at right courtesy of Valle Country Fair, photo by ASU Second Story.

Apple Harvest Festival – October 18, 2025, Main Street, Waynesville 
The mountains of Western North Carolina are a hub for apple production as the state of North Carolina ranks seventh in the nation for apple production. It’s fitting there are multiple festivals in the region that celebrate this versatile fruit. Waynesville’s Apple Harvest Festival stands out among them and has been called one of the ten best fall harvest festivals in the country. 

Woolly Worm Festival – October 18-19, 2025, Banner Elk  
This High Country event in Banner Elk, just a few miles over the mountain from the Original Mast General Store and Mast Store Annex, has been such a hit, in fact, that it’s entering its 48th year. Through a series of woolly worm races, a winning worm is determined and gets to predict the coming winter’s weather. The Woolly Worm Festival also includes food, around 150 craft vendors, live music, and kids’ activities. Bring your own worm for racing or purchase one from a “worm stable” at the fair. 

Inside & Outside 

Sometimes it’s good to sit down with a book or several, and other times, the call of nature is too strong not to heed. From festivals that celebrate authors and books to gatherings that have you stepping outside and maybe challenging your comfort zone.  

Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors – September 25-28, 2025, Downtown Winston-Salem 
The written word is alive and well at the Carolinas’ largest festival of books and authors. In its 20+ year-history, the festival has hosted more than 750 authors from around the world. Previous writers in attendance have included winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the American Book Award, the NAACP Image Award, and many more prestigious accolades and recognitions. This year’s Festival Opening Keynote will be delivered by former NBC Today Show host and podcaster Hoda Kotb. The Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors is part of the Bookmarks literary arts nonprofit, whose programming promotes the love of literature in Winston-Salem year-round. 

Anthem GO Outside Festival – October 17-19, 2025, Downtown Roanoke 
What better place to do GO Outside than in this outdoor lover’s paradise in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains? GO Fest lets you watch it, try it, and live it – no matter what your level of outdoor engagement. The festival features lumberjack shows, climbing and bouldering walls, races, BMX demos, silent disco dances, and MORE. 

For Kids Only 

OK, we may have fibbed a little here because kids need their adults to get them to the events (and the adults will have a little fun, too).  

Tweetsie Railroad’s Ghost Train – September 19, 20, 26, 27, October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 26, 31, and November 1, Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock 
All aboard the Ghost Train, Tweetsie’s family-friendly Halloween celebration. When darkness falls, the wild west town is transformed into a spooktacular place for chills and thrills. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended. 

Henderson County’s Farm City Day – October 4, 2025, Jackson Park, Hendersonville 
This free event started in 1955 and celebrates rural traditions while introducing “city folks” to the area’s most important industry, agriculture. There are many hands-on activities like petting farm animals, as well as modern and antique farm equipment, live music, and more. 

Ghoul Times at Kaleideum – October 25, 2025, West 3rd Street, Winston-Salem 
It’s a spooktacular day of Halloween fun for the whole family with mad scientists brewing up wacky experiments, a haunted hallway, spooky obstacle course, and more.  

Several downtowns host trick-or-treating on or near Halloween. Some have costume contests, storytime at the library, and other activities. Let the boys and ghouls explore their alter-egos (and the adults, too) in the spirit of Halloween – then maybe enjoy a bite to eat on Main Street. 
Trick or Treat on Main Street – October 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Downtown Greenville
Boone Boo – October 31, 2025, 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Downtown Boone  
Treats on the Street – October 31, Downtown Waynesville 
Treat Street Carnival – October 31, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Downtown Hendersonville   

Whatever destinations you and your family enjoy in the upcoming season, we bid you safe travels and warm memories – whether it be miles from home or just beyond your own backyard – leaves you refreshed and fulfilled.