Famously hot Columbia is just right for fall color enjoyment. The steamy temperatures of summer are a distant memory and snowflakes are nowhere to be found on the itinerary. While the fall colors may not be as readily evident, there are beautiful places to get fully immersed in autumn’s glory.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year … and it’s the most hectic time of the year, too. Gifts to buy, boxes to wrap, meals to cook, rooms to decorate, cards to write – the list could go on and on. Outside the general lists are the special occasions and events not to miss. We’ve collected several of them in one spot to make it easier to add them to your calendars.

Intricate stars twinkle from cottage doorways, behind the opaque attic windows of bakeries and blacksmith shops, under the arched ceiling of a covered wooden footbridge, and amidst the remnants of crimson and gold foliage lining cobblestone sidewalks. Today, Moravian stars are found throughout Winston-Salem and are welcome harbingers of the holiday season.

Beautiful fall colors in the mountains make it a season of magic, especially in Roanoke. Known as the Magic City in the late 1800s because of its incredible growth linked to the railroad, the city is still the star of the Blue Ridge with outdoor adventure around every turn along with dining and entertainment opportunities to fill every itinerary.

They say that Halloween is the spookiest time of the year. Legend warns it’s when the veil between our world and the afterworld is thin and spirits can easily pass from one side to another. We don’t know about that, but we do know it’s one of the “funnest” times of the year. Check out these family-friendly events in our local communities.

The arrival of railroads in the western part of North Carolina was a lifeline for farmers and loggers. They also opened up these once-isolated communities to travelers and adventurers from the lowcountry, the piedmont, and even places in the nearby foothills. 

Did you know that one in four kids within parts of Mast Store’s region don’t have access to adequate nutrition?... Or that $1 can provide as many as ten meals for a family that struggles to feed their children on a daily basis?... Or that this year, through its annual Food for Kids campaign, Mast General Store is donating $15 for every pair of Merrells sold to a food bank in your community to feed children?

The seat of Haywood County, Waynesville, sits at the Gateway to the Smokies. It is surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest and skirted by the Blue Ridge Parkway. Needless to say, if you are up for adventure, this small town is close to it all, even if your definition of adventure means exploring art galleries, enjoying tasty cuisine, or sampling local brews.

Greenville, South Carolina, is a city that has undergone a recent and oh-so-familiar “downtown revitalization.” While these city projects have varying degrees of success, in Greenville’s case, the revitalization has blossomed into a full-fledged revival. There is much to love about this beautiful city, especially in the fall. 

Asheville, North Carolina, has been a haven for travelers since the 1800s. The beautiful colors of fall beckon visitors from far and near, but there’s much more to do than just wander about in an expansive real-life Monet painting. Prepare for an expansive itinerary, too.

The fall season officially arrives this week. While it is often bittersweet – summer is so hard to say goodbye to - but autumn is full of beauty, activities, and seasonal flavors that our reluctance is soon overcome with excitement. The High Country is where our heart is, and it's where a fall itinerary can be filled as quick as a blink.

It’s beginning to feel and look a lot like fall – cooler temperatures, clearer skies, and pumpkins, lots of pumpkins. While it’s sad to see summer drawing to a close, it’s always exciting to see what fall has to offer. Here are a few ideas to help you Fall for Knoxville over the next several weeks. 

Mast Store’s Friends Day returns on September 11 with new partners and old friends alike. This day of giving recognizes organizations that work in each of our hometowns to activate volunteers around beautiful community assets which contribute to residents’ quality of life and the economic viability of the region. Mast will donate 10% of the day's sales to our partners.

Turn back the clock 15 years. Downtown Knoxville was a completely different place – devoid of people strolling the sidewalks with coffee cups in hand, cars waiting for other cars to pull out of parking spaces, or restaurants open on the 4^th of July. So much has changed since August 17, 2006.

It’s difficult to believe, but it’s back-to-school time already. We know back-to-school shopping is going to be particularly difficult this year because of shortages, but this is a time to think creatively to find substitutes and perhaps items that students didn’t know they needed for school.  

The Fourth of July is the perfect time not only to celebrate but also to reflect on what makes us American. We’re a unique people – to say the least – and among the best of our traits is that we’re a diverse people represented by the familiar but too often forgotten motto, “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one.

Guess what. We opened our newest “old” location during the height of the pandemic. We were asking ourselves, “Have we gone mad?” There were so many hurdles to jump and challenges to overcome, but we had a great staff and everything was in place and ready. And it’s been open for a year now.