Five Wonderful Ways to Get Out and Play This October

Ahhh… October.

There are certain months that arrive quietly, pull up a chair, and wait their turn.

And then there is October in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

October doesn't so much arrive as put on a show.

The mountains begin their annual transformation from summer green into a grand, unruly palette of crimson, gold, amber, scarlet and every shade in between. The mornings turn crisp. The afternoons become glorious. The smell of woodsmoke begins drifting through the valleys.

And suddenly, everybody seems to have somewhere to go.

Thank goodness.

I've never met a festival I didn't like, and I'm convinced there's no better time to get out and experience the colors—and the wonderfully colorful people—of Western North Carolina than October.

There will be apples. Music. Food. Handmade treasures. Dancing. Painted faces. Campfires. Bluegrass. Crafts. Chocolate.

And probably a dog or two who believes the whole affair was organized specifically for his enjoyment.

But perhaps the best thing about fall festivals isn't the festival itself.

It's what happens around it.

Families put down their phones. Friends get together. Children discover that giant bubbles are more entertaining than whatever happens to be on a screen. Somebody you don't know strikes up a conversation. Somebody else recommends a restaurant. You wander into a little shop you've driven past a hundred times and discover something wonderful.

In other words, we remember how to play.

And I think we could all use a little more of that.

So, consider this your official invitation to get out of the house, breathe some mountain air, and go see what October has been cooking up.

Here are a few of my favorite places to start.

October 3, 2026 | Dillsboro, North Carolina

Let's begin close to home.

Just down the road from my office in Sylva, the historic little town of Dillsboro will be putting on its annual Colorfest Arts & Crafts Festival.

And Dillsboro knows how to throw a party.

More than 40 regional artists will line Front Street, displaying their work and demonstrating their craft. You'll find paintings, handmade creations and plenty of things you didn't know you needed until you saw them.

That's one of the dangers of a good mountain festival.

You may arrive looking for a cup of coffee and leave with a handmade bowl, a piece of art, something delicious wrapped in paper—and a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of it.

The festival also brings live entertainment, local food, indoor and outdoor dining, nearby shops and plenty of opportunity to simply wander around and enjoy the day.

And don't hurry.

Dillsboro is one of those mountain towns best experienced at the speed of a good conversation.

Explore the historic storefronts. Discover handmade chocolates and locally crafted treasures. Stop for a bite. Listen to the music. Meet the artists.

And every now and then, look up.

Because surrounding all of this human creativity is one of the finest works of art in the entire South:

the Blue Ridge Mountains in October.

10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Free

Fall is Calling

October 3, 2026 | Mars Hill University

If your idea of a good Saturday includes music, history and a healthy dose of Appalachian soul, point the car toward Mars Hill.

The Lunsford Heritage & Music Festival will be held on the Upper Quad at Mars Hill University and celebrates the extraordinary musical traditions of Southern Appalachia.

The festival takes its name from Bascom Lamar Lunsford, the legendary musician and folklorist who spent much of his life collecting, preserving and promoting Appalachian music.

And this isn't just history sitting behind glass.

It's history with a banjo.

The Lunsford festival is the second-longest-running folk festival in Western North Carolina, and it offers visitors an opportunity to experience the music, traditions and cultural heritage that have helped shape these mountains.

Come listen.

Come wander.

Come tap your foot even if you don't know what you're tapping it to.

That's how these things tend to work.

October 3, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Free

October 3–4, 2026 | Sapphire, North Carolina

Now, let's head a little farther into the mountains.

Nestled among the spectacular scenery of Sapphire Valley, the Sapphire Valley Arts & Crafts Festival is the sort of place where you can spend an entire day without ever realizing you've been there for six hours.

And that's generally a sign of a good day.

Regional artisans bring pottery, textiles, woodwork, paintings, jewelry and other handcrafted treasures. There is live regional music, food, and plenty to keep the younger members of the expedition entertained.

There are playgrounds, cornhole, Kerplunk and giant bubbles.

Yes.

Giant bubbles.

Which proves once again that childhood and adulthood have more in common than most of us care to admit.

Animal lovers can also meet adoptable pets through local humane societies, which means you should probably be careful if you already have a weakness for four-legged creatures with persuasive eyes.

Set against the mountains, the festival becomes more than an arts-and-crafts show.

It's a little slice of mountain life.

Creative people making beautiful things.

Musicians making beautiful noise.

Families making memories.

And the mountains doing what they do best—standing quietly behind the whole affair looking magnificent.

October 3–4, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Free

October 9–11, 2026 | Cashiers, North Carolina

Now we get to the part where Mother Nature really starts showing off.

The Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival takes place at the Village Green in the heart of Cashiers, and more than 90 artists will gather beneath the changing leaves for three days of art, music, food and mountain merriment.

And what a setting.

Cashiers in October is almost unfair.

The mountains begin catching fire with color, the air gets that wonderful crispness that makes you want to stay outside all day, and the Village Green becomes a gathering place for artists and visitors from near and far.

You'll find handcrafted woodwork, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts and plenty more.

There will be food vendors.

There will be live music.

There will be treasures.

And there will be leaves.

Lots and lots of leaves.

The festival is free, and it is exactly the sort of fall outing that requires no elaborate plan.

Just bring a comfortable pair of shoes, a little curiosity and perhaps enough room in the car for whatever you inevitably decide to bring home.

Friday & Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Free admission

Fall is Calling

October 16–17, 2026 | Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center

And now, if you're willing to wander a little farther down the road, let me introduce you to one of my favorite kinds of places:

Stecoah Valley, near Robbinsville in Graham County, is home to the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center, and every October they host a Harvest Festival that feels like somebody reached into an old Appalachian storybook and brought a few pages to life.

The weekend begins Friday evening around a campfire.

There's a free marshmallow roast, storytelling and campfire entertainment, with hot dogs, hot chocolate and drinks available for purchase.

Bring a chair.

Bring a jacket.

And bring somebody you love.

Because when the sun disappears behind the mountains and the temperature drops, there's something wonderfully old-fashioned about sitting around a fire listening to stories beneath an October sky.

Then Saturday brings the full festival.

Music.

Dancing.

Food.

Heritage demonstrations.

Arts and crafts.

A quilt show.

A pie contest.

A Quilt of Valor presentation.

Live animals.

A photo booth.

And enough children's activities to keep the younger crowd happily occupied, including face painting, rock painting, gourd painting and a scavenger hunt.

And, of course, there will be music.

Because in these mountains, a gathering without music is generally considered an oversight.

Friday, October 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Free
Saturday, October 17 | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | $5 admission
Free parking

You see, that's the wonderful thing about October in Western North Carolina.

You don't really need a reason to get out and explore.

But if you do, I've just given you five.

The mountains are calling.

The leaves are getting ready.

The musicians are tuning up.

The artists are setting out their work.

The cooks are firing up their kitchens.

And somewhere, right now, a child is probably discovering that a giant bubble is the most magnificent thing ever created.

So don't sit this fall out.

Get in the car.

Take the long way.

Stop somewhere you've never stopped before.

Talk to somebody you've never met.

Buy something handmade.

Eat something delicious.

Listen to some music.

Take a walk.

Look up at those old mountains.

And for goodness' sake, put the phone down once in a while.

There is a whole world waiting outside the screen.

These ancient Blue Ridge Mountains have been here for a very, very long time. They've watched generations come and go, forests change, rivers carve their way through the valleys and communities grow into the wonderfully peculiar places they are today.

And every autumn, they put on one of the greatest shows on Earth.

No ticket required.

Just come play.

Because around here, it's another world up here.

And if you happen to Fall in Love this fall with this little slice of heaven on earth, well...

please let me know.

I'd be honored to help you find your own little piece of it—and perhaps your dream home here in the oldest mountains on Earth.

Until then...

I'll see you at the festival!

— Bernie Gilchrist
We Move Mountains