Now that temperatures are dropping, it's time to get outside and enjoy the South's fall festivals, foliage and food.
Alabama
The trees in the North Alabama mountains start turning colors from early October through early November. Follow the foliage here.
While admiring the autumn colors, check out Huntsville's U.S. Space & Rocket Center, the historic covered bridges of Blount County, the music of Muscle Shoals and the “singing” Tennessee River, plus so much more. Be sure and stop for pumpkins or perhaps a spooky ghost story.
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The 40th Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival will bring together nearly 200 songwriters from around the world Nov. 7-17 on Alabama’s Beaches.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the event occurs at venues along the Alabama-Florida state line. The festival is named for Frank Brown, the former night watchman at the famed Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar, an American roadhouse that straddles the state line.
Arkansas
Autumn in Arkansas means fall festivals, special events and brilliant fall foliage. The color change begins in October in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas and moves south where it lasts until early November. The state has two-and-a-half million acres of national forests: the Ozark, the Ouachita and the St. Francis.
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Don’t fear the walking dead! The Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl, where visitors unleash their inner undead, will be Oct. 26 in the town known for its quirky nature. Join others in this macabre parade through Eureka's historic streets.
Before turning into a zombie, enjoy the Nightmare in the Ozarks Film Festival, which features screenings of films in the horror genre including classic horror, thrillers and horror-themed sci-fi. It's Oct. 24-26 at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium.
And if you want to read a ghostly story set in Eureka Springs, check out my Viola Valentine paranormal mystery, “A Ghost of a Chance,” written under my pen name of Cherie Claire.
Florida
The historic districts in Panama City—Downtown and St. Andrews—don't take fall lightly. Local businesses decorate their storefronts in early October so visitors will be greeted by witches, ghosts and skeletons, some of the most impressively spooky window art hand-painted by local artists. All October long, look for fall-themed farmers markets, family-friendly festivals and immersive haunted houses. And for a touch of mysticism, check out the handful of local modern witch boutiques where visitors will find a realm of crystals, potions and all things magical. We especially love Baywitch and its tea, herbs, jewelry, books, crystals, incense and local art. The owners, two self-proclaimed witchy women, focus on organic and fair-trade items and frequently host events aimed at allowing guests to gather, conjure and flow.
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Motorcycling enthusiasts will descend upon the Daytona Beach area by the thousands October 17-20 for the 32nd annual Biketoberfest, regarded by many as one of the top motorcycle rallies in the southeastern United States. The four-day rally attracts motorcycle enthusiasts to the Daytona Beach area and neighboring communities throughout Volusia County for live music, the industry’s top vendors, bike shows, motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway and miles of scenic rides along famous A1A, historic Main Street and the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop.
Georgia
The SAM Shortline Excursion Train takes visitors to the historic towns of Americus, Leslie, Plains and Archery, depending upon the schedule, in climate-controlled, 1949 vintage train cars. Events happening this fall in those towns are the Taste of Sumter in Downtown Americus Sept. 26; the Plains Peanut Festival Sept. 28, which celebrates the farmers, the crop and Nobel Prize-winning Pres. Jimmy Carter; and the Americus Music Festival Oct. 19.
While in Americus, stay at the historic — and haunted Windsor Hotel — and enjoy a Haunted History Tour on select nights in October, with stories of the ghastly ghosts of Andersonville, Plains’ haunted house, the historic Rylander Theatre’s “Frank the Friendly Ghost” and the grave of Sumter County’s first sheriff, killed in 1839.
Read more about our haunted tour of Americus here.
During September and October, ghost lovers won't want to miss the Ghosts of Milledgeville Walking Tours, held at 6 p.m. on select evenings in the historic town of Milledgeville. The tour departs from the Visitor's Information Center and tickets are $12; call 478-452-4687.
In the North Georgia mountains, the Helen Oktoberfest is the longest-running of its kind in the United States, from early September to Oct. 27, with weeks of dancing, entertainment, food, and, of course, beer and wine.
Revel in fields of sunflowers at Fausett Farms of Dawsonville from mid-September through October for picking, photography and tours on 30-plus acres of beautiful rolling land with mountain backdrops. Then on Oct. 12, run, walk or watch the Fausett Farms Sunflower 5K and Fun Run around the fields. Register through UltraSignUp.
You'll be amazed at the rows and rows — and variety! — of pumpkins at Burt’s Farm in Dawsonville. You can also take a two-mile hayride through a pumpkin patch, through a covered bridge filled with singing pumpkins and thousands of colorful zinnias ready for picking. At the end, get a glimpse of Amicalola Falls, the tallest cascading waterfall in Georgia (stay at the state park's lodge!.
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Celebrate the splendor of autumn at Rock City’s Fall Colors, through Nov. 8. This daytime experience features colorful fall decorations and flowers, bluegrass performances, seasonal menu items and more at the attraction located atop Lookout Mountain minutes from Chattanooga. In addition to native fall wildflowers, seasonal color and pumpkins, there will be Old-time music and bluegrass sounds of Appalachia performances daily.
Kentucky
Jack O'Lantern Spectacular, where visitors can stroll along a 1/3-mile path to enjoy over 5,000 carved pumpkins illuminated every evening as a part of the nightly art show, will be Oct. 1 through Nov. 2 at Louisville's Iroquois Park. This year's theme is Trivia Night: Pumpkin Edition.
Celebrating its 68th anniversary in 2024, the St. James Court Art Show is a juried fine art and contemporary crafts show that brings over 600 artists to Louisville every first full weekend in October (this year Oct. 4-6). The event spans four square blocks and is set in the Old Louisville neighborhood, home to the country’s most extensive collection of Victorian-era homes.
Read more about our haunted tour of Old Louisville, and its Witch Tree, here.
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Considered the first LGBTQ+ inclusive Bourbon festival in the country, the Bourbon & Belonging: Kentucky's Queer Bourbon Week event will be Oct. 2-6 across Kentucky in eight different cities and regions including Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, Winchester, Paducah, Bullitt County and Bardstown.
Louisiana
Enjoy New Orleans culinary favorites with three fall food festivals. The National Fried Chicken Festival will host 45 restaurants the weekend of Oct. 5-6 along Lake Pontchartrain, with various culinary events such as cooking demonstrations and a Beer Garden. The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival features 40 food and beverage vendors over several blocks of an uptown street on Oct. 27. There will also be live music on several stages, an arts market, an opening parade and a po-boy competition. For dessert, the annual Beignet Fest will bring together 50 unique takes on beignets on Nov. 16 at City’s Park Festival Grounds.
Looking for the most haunted places in New Orleans? Read on.
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The waterfront town of Madisonville, known for its rich maritime history, will host the 33rd Wooden Boat Festival featuring more than 100 classic boats Oct. 19-20. During the family-friendly, two-day event, festival-goers can view beautifully crafted wooden boats, cruisers, luggers, sailboats, skiffs and trawlers along the banks of the Tchefuncte River. In addition, attendees may enjoy arts and crafts, live entertainment, food, games, an obstacle course, remotely operated vehicle demonstrations and maritime science experiments. The highlight of the festival is the Quick ‘n Dirty Boat Building Contest, in which participants build and pilot their own boat that competes in a 100-yard course to see which stays afloat. Event tickets include free access to the Maritime Museum Louisiana.
Highland Games, celestial Celtic music, food, art and jewelry: The Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival is back Oct. 5 at Lazarre Park on the riverfront in West Monroe. The fest features artisans and craft vendors, live music, a kid’s zone, and more. Food trucks will be selling Celtic-themed menu items for all to enjoy. Register to participate in the free Highland Games at the festival.
Mississippi
Special candlelight tours of Vicksburg's McRaven House, known as the most haunted house in Mississippi, will be given during the month of October starting at 7 p.m. (6:45 p.m.for large crowds). Each room in McRaven will host a different character from McRaven's past, dressed in period attire, and will tell their story in the first person. A ghost hunt will be offered Oct. 5.
Read more about our visit to the haunted McRaven House here.
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The 28th Annual Cruisin’ The Coast Oct. 6-13–affectionately known as America’s Largest Block Party–is a great way to see all of Coastal Mississippi’s unique beach towns along scenic Highway 90. Biloxi, Pascagoula, D’Iberville, Ocean Springs, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian -- and more – celebrate with fun experiences throughout the week.
“Every year, we are thrilled to see how this grassroots event grows,” said Sherwood “Woody” Bailey, Jr., event vice chair and executive director. “This year we have registered vehicles from 43 states, Canada and England. In 1996, our inaugural year, we had 374 participants. We’ve since grown to become the largest single event in the state of Mississippi.”
The Grand Slam Jam on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Keesler Federal Park is an all-day event featuring recording artists like Chapel Hart, Tab Benoit, Amanda Shaw. On Saturday, Oct. 12, the Super Saturday Concert at Hollywood Casino Resort in Bay St. Louis will be a Parrothead Cruisers Party featuring the Caribbean Chillers, a Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band. Grand Slam Jam
North Carolina
There's nothing like sitting outside with a chill in the air, a glass of wine in your hand and a view of mountain autumnal foliage. North Carolina is home to numerous wineries, such as JOLO Winery and Vineyards of Pilot Mountain (seen above) and cideries, such as Bold Rock Cider in Hendersonville. Learn more about the state's extensive wine culture here.
Mike’s Farm in Beulaville is a popular agritourism entertainment experience that's especially robust this time of year. Mike’s Farm is repeatedly selected as the best pumpkin patch in North Carolina and was among the 2022 top 10 pumpkin patches in the U.S. in USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice contest. Take a hayride, then pick your very own pumpkin and visit the petting zoo. Enjoy a meal from their family farm-to-table restaurant, a dessert from the bakery or shop at the barn showcasing North Carolina products. Bring lawn chairs to enjoy live music. An annual Haunted Hayride is Oct. 27-29 and new this year are Fall Educational Tours Tuesday-Friday from Oct. 8-31.
Lights, sound effects, woods, a scary walking trail past the Butcher Shop and other “abandoned” buildings—does this sound like your kind of fun? Fishstrong Foundation’s Annual Fright Nights in Hubert brings on the fear and the fun with food and craft vendors, carnival games, a pumpkin patch and more. Proceeds from the event go to the Fishstrong Foundation, a non-profit that raises funds to assist North Carolina families that are experiencing life-altering illnesses. Open Friday and Saturday nights starting the last weekend of September through the end of October.
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The Lumbee Tribe's Dance of the Harvest Moon will be Friday-Sunday, Sept. 27-29, at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center in Maxton. There will be native arts and crafts vendors, traditional Lumbee food, and dancers and drum groups from around the nation.
South Carolina
Newberry Oktoberfest on Oct. 5 celebrates its German heritage with cuisine and beer, a lively Biergarten, arts and crafts vendors and live entertainment. Don’t miss out on the activities at Kindertown, the live music at Rocktoberfest Stage and the captivating display of classic cars at the Coke Mural Parking lot.
Weekends from Sept. 20 through Nov. 3, Clinton Sease Farm in Lexington will offer pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and more. This year’s corn maze is themed “Home of the Free.” On Saturday. Sept. 28, the annual Harvest Festival at The FARM 1780 in Lexington gives visitors a chance to experience this eighth-generation family farm.
Fall Family Fun at Lever Farms is held every Saturday in October in the town of Pomaria. Enjoy a kid-size corn maze, farm games, wagon rides and interactions with farm animals and choose your perfect pumpkin from the patch or farm stand.
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Celebrate Halloween weekend (Oct. 25-26) at the BBQ, Blues, & Boos Festival in Barnwell, a fundraising event to showcase the culture of the region and support the non-profit economic development work of the Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber and The Palmetto Innovation Center. Explore authentic Mennonite culture with a visit to nearby Blackville and while there, visit God’s Acre Healing Springs where Indigenous Americans brought wounded Revolutionary War soldiers to drink and convalesce.
Tennessee
When you visit Tennessee, ghostly encounters are tied to history, connected to hotels, theaters, historic homes, hospitals, battlefields, infamous prisons, caves, bars—even claimed to be spotted by lantern light during walking tours. There's the Old Historic Harriman Hospital built in 1939 and rumored to have ghosts roaming the halls. The Bell Witch Cave in Adams where haunted activity dates back to the early 1800s. Franklin has many haunted sites, including the Lotz House, once at the epicenter of the Civil War Battle of Franklin. And then there's the Shiloh National Military Park, one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War and rumored to be haunted.
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We love Dollywood any time of the year but right now Dollywood shines with autumn colors for Dollywood’s Harvest Festival. The event runs from Sept. 9 through Oct. 28 at the Pigeon Forge attraction and features colossal pumpkins that weigh 800 to 1,500 pounds; a larger-than-life guitar (made of pumpkins!) that plays “Tennessee Mountain Home” and a tree where Dolly’s voice narrates the changing of the seasons in the Smokies; live musical performances including Southern gospel, bluegrass and country tunes; more than 50 world-class rides and attractions; and delicious fall-themed treats featuring pumpkin and apple flavors. At night the park transforms into “Great Pumpkin LumiNights,” and guests can view more than 12,000 illuminated pumpkins that have been carved into whimsical creatures. Stay at one of Dollywood’s two resorts for even more fall fun, including crafts, music and fireside treats.
Virginia
This year, Virginia's fall color season runs from approximately Sept. 20 through Oct. 15 at peak. Visitors will find lots of breathtaking color on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hikers and cyclists might favor the Hall of Fame Virginia Creeper Trail, a premier Rails to Trails route offering stunning views along 34 miles of multi-use trail in southwest Virginia. It begins at Mile 0 in downtown Abingdon and makes its way through rolling farmland to Damascus, then winds to its highest point at Whitetop Station (and you can ride it all downhill).
Virginia has more miles of the famed Appalachian Trail (AT) than any other, winding through many of Southwest Virginia’s natural areas and outstanding parks and preserves. It also passes through the heart of Damascus, known as Trail Town USA, as do several other long-distance hiking and cycling routes. Several towns throughout Southwest Virginia, like Narrows and Pearisburg, are designated AT communities that provide access to supplies and downtown restaurants and retail businesses.
While in the region, visit Abindon's “Haint Mistress” Donnamarie Emmert who has been sharing stories of the historic town's haunts for 20-plus years. With a masters in storytelling and a love of eerie history, she takes visitors down the brick sidewalks of the Historic District, where colorful fall scenery and shivery stories abound.
Read more about our visit with the Haint Mistress here.
Over in nearby Wytheville, lovers of the paranormal may want to visit the 1870 Octagon Mansion History Museum, favored by bona-fide paranormal investigators and is admired for its impressive military artifact collection. Have a gourmet Dinner with a Ghost and meet the spirits of past residents while engaging in a paranormal investigation. The Haunted Graham Mansion holds secrets along with unsettled spirits from the past trying to find rest from their dark memories. Hair-raising tours are offered throughout October.
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Celebrating more than 40 years, Graves’ Mountain Apple Harvest Festival in Syria takes place the first three weekends in October. Th event features everything from hayrides and hay mazes to kettles of apple butter cooking over an open fire. Hear the traditional sounds of the Virginia Mountains from local bluegrass bands, and don’t miss out on a real Virginia classic: a steaming bowl of homemade Brunswick Stew.
Weird, Wacky & Wild South is written by travel writer Cheré Dastugue Coen who adores the fall, mainly because her summers are so long and the chance to wear a sweater is sweet, sweet. Last year, she enjoyed the 30 acres of sunflowers at Fausett Fams in Dawsonville, Georgia, and thinks you will too. If you love ghost stories, don't miss Cheré's "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana" and her paranormal mysteries under her pen name of Cherie Claire.
