A visit to Wears Valley will be worth your time this fall. You will find lots of fall decor and Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch which makes the drive worthwhile. Image of Pumpkin Patch by Jeaneane Payne.

Mid-October kicks off a much-anticipated season of fall festivals and fall foliage in the East Tennessee area. Millions of visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its surrounding towns, and those who travel to other areas of our fine state discover many ways to engulf themselves in nature and fun activities.

Beginning with Oktoberfest at Ober Gatlinburg which features Bavarian-style food, beverages, music and live entertainment from October 1 through early November, fall festivities continue with the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. This festival runs through October 31 and has the sights, sounds and smells of a Smoky Mountain Harvest. Leaf looking, special events, shows, shopping and attractions make this a great time of year to visit Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, or Gatlinburg.

Wears Valley Fall Fest and Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch celebrate the glory of Fall. Images by Jeaneane Payne.

Wears Valley Fall Fest

On October 11, a Fall Fest in Wears Valley includes arts and crafts, Southern food (including freshly popped kettle corn), live Appalachian crafts demonstrations, children's activities, live entertainment and more.


12th Annual Sierra Hull Bluegrass Festival

The 12th Annual Sierra Hull Bluegrass Festival will be held in downtown Byrdstown on Saturday, October 11. Admission is $8 for adults, 12 and under gets in free. The gates open at 12:00 for our Cruise-In, with T-shirts being given to the first 25 cruisers. Door prizes will also be given to Cruise-In participants. The sole purpose for the Cruise-In is to raise money for “Homes For Our Troops”. “Homes For Our Troops” is strongly committed to helping those who have selflessly given to our country and have returned home with serious injuries since September 11, 2001. The South Atlantic Woodsmen’s Association will be performing at 1pm and 3:30 pm. Also performing will be Cody Hull and Vertical Limit, Tim Shelton & Newfound Road (Reunion Show) and Byrdstown’s own Sierra Hull will begin performing at 6:30 pm. Bounce houses and food & craft vendors will provide fun for the whole family.

 

Among the Fall Folklore Jamboree entertainment is a long lineup of bluegrass and gospel bands. Gates open to the 16th annual event at the University of Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center at Milan from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, 2014. Photo by G. Rowsey, courtesy UTIA.

Enrich your October with a trip to the Fall Folklore Jamboree at the University of Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, Tennessee. On Saturday, October 18, nearly 150 folk artists and musicians will gather to re-create rural Tennessee from years gone by. Join the Jamboree to explore the history, culture, art and traditions of the area.

Gates open at 9 a.m., and you should plan to arrive early if you want to see it all. Visit the booths of skilled craftsmen who make toys, tools, instruments, furniture and more all by hand. See blacksmithing, weaving, broom making and quilting demonstrations throughout the day. You can even watch as freshly ground corn meal is prepared in an old-fashioned grist mill. These handmade goods are of the highest quality and make unique gifts for friends or family.

The mule-plowing demonstrations are always a big hit, and younger visitors will enjoy handpicking and ginning cotton and hand milking a goat! Of course, guests of all ages love to eat, and Fall Folklore visitors can enjoy a wide selection of savory foods like grilled tenderloin sandwiches, homemade chili, and old-fashioned kettle corn.

Traditional bluegrass, gospel and string bands will entertain on an outdoor stage throughout the day. Pull up a hay bale and enjoy the toe-tapping melodies performed by some of the region’s top musicians.

While you’re here, make time to tour the West Tennessee Agricultural Museum, which houses almost 15,000 agricultural artifacts. The museum tells the story of rural life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Also, be sure to include the AgResearch Overview Tour on your visit. This tractor-pulled wagon ride offers visitors an insider’s look at the AgResearch Center grounds.

The Fall Folklore Jamboree begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 3-12. Park at Milan High School, and buses will escort you to the admission booth. There is no charge to park.

The UT AgResearch and Education Center and West Tennessee Agricultural Museum are located on Highway 70/79 in Milan. For more detailed directions or other information call 731-686-8067, visit the Center’s website: milan.tennessee.edu, or visit the Facebook page at “West TN Ag Museum.”


16th Annual Taste of Autumn

Sample signature dishes from the area’s finest restaurants and other vendors while enjoying live entertainment at Gatlinburg’s 16th Annual Taste of Autumn on October 28 at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. There is a cash bar, and proceeds benefit United Way of Sevier County. Doors open at 5 p.m.

A view of Mount LeConte from Newfound Gap Road between Gatlinburg and Newfound Gap.		The Sinks on Little River Road between Gatlinburg and Townsend.
A view from an overlook along Newfound Gap Road between Newfound Gap and Cherokee, NC		Cades Cove in the Fall.

Leaf Peeking

Fall foliage is best viewed in the higher elevations of Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as along Little River Road between Sugarlands Visitor Center and Townsend. Cades Cove offers magnificent views as well. Leaves reach their peak colors of red, gold, and yellow between mid-October and early November. Six scenic drives from the Wears Valley area will give you some great peeks at fall colors and offer amazing photography opportunities. One of the more popular driving tours in the National Park is the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Along the way you will find six hiking trails, majestic overlooks, and Ely's Mill, a family owned and operated mill built in 1925. The best overlooks for viewing fall foliage is on Newfound Gap Road (Hwy 441) between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC. Clingmans Dome, accessible on the Tennessee and North Carolina border, offers the best views along with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. To find the times for sunrises or sunsets on the day you plan to visit, visit Sunrises, Sunsets and enter the date.


Moonshine Tasting at Old Forge Distillery

 

The Old Forge Distillery has released the first set of flavors for its 1830 Original Moonshine line. Image courtesy of the distillery.

If you are in the Pigeon Forge area, check out the Moonshine Tasting at Old Forge Distillery. This unique Tennessee mountain distillery, crafting innovative small batch spirits, has released the first set of flavors for its 1830 Original Moonshine line. Inspired by local ingredients served at the nearby Old Mill Restaurant and Pottery House Café, Head Distiller Keener Shanton has crafted French Toast, Coffee and Chocolate flavored moonshines, now available for sale.

Rich in flavors, the coffee flavored moonshine has a dark roasted coffee flavor with almond overtones; the French Toast offering has notes of maple, caramel and cinnamon, and the chocolate flavored moonshine is reminiscent of chocolate icing with hints of butterscotch and vanilla.

All three moonshine flavors are made with pure mountain spring water, locally-sourced non GMO grain and are presented at 60 proof. In addition to the newly released flavors, visitors can sample the three initial releases of 1830 Original including the Miller’s Blend (a mix of corn, wheat and malted barley), Distiller’s Blend (a mix of corn, rye and malted barley) and Corn Liquor (a 100 percent corn recipe).

Visitors can stop by the Distillery, located in the Old Mill District in Pigeon Forge, TN, and enjoy samples of the hand-forged spirits at a tasting bar Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm.


October at The Old Mill

Fall is the perfect time of year to make your way to The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge where they keep up with the color changes of the surrounding mountains and put up decorations around the Old Mill Square. The Candy Kitchen is making their favorite fall Pumpkin Fudge, and The Old Mill staff has been busy stocking the General Store, Farmhouse Kitchen, Pigeon River Pottery and Sassafras with gifts, gadgets, and accessories to match the season. Spend a day in the Square, then enjoy a delicious meal at The Old Mill Restaurant or Pottery House Café & Grille.


Fall Harvest at CAC Beardsley Community Farm

On Sunday, October 26, celebrate the fall harvest at CAC Beardsley Community farm with a free, family-friendly celebration. The festival will celebrate the farm, the community, and all things fall. There will be delicious food, live music, children's activities and harvest to themed workshops for all to enjoy. If you've never been to Knoxville's only urban demonstration farm, now is your chance! Bring the whole family to this exciting seasonal event. In case of inclement weather, this event will be canceled. Beardsley Community Farm is located at 1719 Reynolds St in Knoxville. Hours for the event are 1:00pm to 5:00pm.


If you would like to traverse a little further than East Tennessee, Western North Carolina has several popular annual festivals and crafts fairs.


Southern Highland Guild Crafts Fair

For four days, October 16-19, the US Cellular in Asheville, NC comes alive with fine traditional and contemporary crafts. Over 200 craftspeople from the Southern Highland Guild fill the two levels of the center selling their works of clay, fiber, glass, leather, metal, mixed media, natural materials, paper, wood and jewelry. Live regional music causes visitors to kick up their heels. Adult admission is $8; Children under 12 are free. US Cellular Center is located at 87 Haywood St, Asheville, NC.


Maggie Valley Fall Arts & Crafts Festival

Traveling deeper into the heart of the mountains, you will find the Maggie Valley Fall Arts & Crafts Festival which will be held October 18-19 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. More than 100 artisans & craftsmen bring in hand-made items from all across the Southeast. Chainsaw demonstrations and a variety of foods are also onsite. Parking and admission are free.


18th Annual PumpkinFest

Historic Downtown Franklin, NC will hold its 18th Annual PumpkinFest on October 25. This popular festival has grown to be one of the most popular events in Western North Carolina. Historic Downtown Franklin is transformed into a giant playground full of activities to be enjoyed by all ages. The highlight for many festival goers is the opportunity to participate in Franklin's World Famous Pumpkin Roll. Hundreds vie each year for the $100 top prize for rolling their pumpkin the farthest. There will be a limited supply of pumpkins for sale downtown or bring your own.

Other activities include a wide variety of live entertainment including great music and roving street performers including a fire eater/spinner. The Kids Zone has also been expanded this year to include inflatables, lots of games for all ages and much more. You can also participate in many different contests from best costume to eating pumpkin pie, a screaming contest and more. Plus, there are dozens of arts & crafts booths, great festival food and great shopping in downtown Franklin.

Franklin's Main Street is closed for this event.