Local Events to plan for in October!

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Your Guide to October in the Blue Ridge Foothills

October 8th, 2026

October is the best month of the year in Happy Valley. The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and the calendar is packed with apple festivals, bluegrass, fall fairs and Halloween fun. If you are staying with us at Happy Valley Hideaway this month, here is everything happening close by, sorted by weekend, so you can plan your days out and still leave plenty of time for the firepit and the hot tub.

Weekend of October 9 to 11

Apple Butter Festival at Saunders Old Country Store

Our favorite fall tradition right here in Lenoir. Head up Blowing Rock Boulevard to the Saunders Old Country Store for a full day of mountain fun.

  • Saturday, October 10th: Starts at 10 AM at 3637 Blowing Rock Boulevard, Lenoir.
  • Over 65 vendors, live music all day, food trucks, arts and craft vendors and family activities.
  • Bring your lawn chairs!
  • Presale raffle tickets are available at the store, with proceeds supporting The Heroes Among Us.

Grab a jar of apple butter for breakfast back at the cabin. Follow the store for updates.

Happy Valley Filling Station

Less than 5 minutes from the A-frame, our neighborhood brewery, pizzeria and wine lounge has live music both nights.

  • Friday, October 9th: Crystal Fountains Duo, 6 to 9 PM. Bluegrass, Americana and indie folk from a North Carolina group.
  • Saturday, October 10th: Heavens to Betsy, 6 to 9 PM. A Boone duo blending Americana, folk, country and blues.

It is the perfect way to end a festival day with wood fired pizza and a local pint. See their events calendar.

Sugar Mountain Oktoberfest

Saturday and Sunday, October 10th and 11th, from 10 AM. A festive Bavarian weekend at Sugar Mountain Resort with the Harbour Towne Fest Band. Admission, parking and the shuttle are all free, and the festival goes on rain, shine or snow.

More This Weekend

  • Friday, October 9th, 11 AM: Indigo and Cyanotype Workshop at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
  • Saturday, October 10th, 10 AM: Artful Yoga with Suzie Taylor in the galleries at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum ($10).
  • Saturday, October 10th: App State Football vs. Old Dominion at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone.
  • Sunday, October 11th, 3 PM: Autumn Paint and Sip on the Lawn at Daingerfield's in Blowing Rock.

Weekend of October 15 to 18

Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk

Saturday and Sunday, October 17th and 18th, from 9 AM. The 49th annual Woolly Worm Festival takes over the field at the Historic Banner Elk School. Watch the famous woolly worm races that "predict" the coming winter, then browse the craft and food vendors. A true High Country classic.

Happy Valley Filling Station

  • Friday, October 16th: Tyler Dodson, 6 to 10 PM. A multi instrumentalist and songwriter with a sound as eclectic as the South.
  • Saturday, October 17th: Soul Watt, 6 to 9 PM, playing the HVFS stage for the first time.

More This Weekend

  • Thursday, October 15th, 10 AM: Dan and Claudia Zanes with Tyree Austin, an interactive family concert at the Schaefer Center in Boone.
  • Thursday, October 15th, 6 PM: Betty Maney Artist Talk on Cherokee basket weaving, beadwork and pottery at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
  • Friday, October 16th, 6 PM: Witches and Warlocks Paddle at Price Lake. Paddle in costume under the moon to benefit the Upper New Riverkeeper.
  • Friday, October 16th, 7:30 PM: Be part of the live radio audience as Mountain Stage records an episode with host Kathy Mattea at the Schaefer Center in Boone.
  • Sunday, October 18th, 2 PM: Docent Focus Tour at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum. Spaces are limited.

Weekend of October 22 to 25

Happy Valley Humdinger

Saturday, October 24th. The fifth annual Happy Valley Humdinger race runs right through our valley. Runners can register on site starting at 9:30 AM on race day, and packet pickup is Friday, October 23rd from 5 to 8 PM at Happy Valley Filling Station. Not running? Spectators are welcome to park at the Filling Station and cheer everyone on. Race details here.

Live Music at the Appalachian Theatre in Boone

  • Friday, October 23rd, 7:30 PM: Pressley Laton Album Release Concert. The 2026 MerleFest Band Contest winner brings her alt country and roots rock sound home to Boone. Reserved seating.
  • Saturday, October 24th, 7:30 PM: Steep Canyon Rangers. North Carolina's own bluegrass favorites.

More This Weekend

  • Thursday, October 22nd, 6 PM: Drawing the Wind, a talk with artist Mark Nystrom at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
  • Thursday, October 22nd, 7 PM: App State Football vs. James Madison at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone.

Halloween Weekend, October 30 and 31

Halloween Fair at Happy Valley Filling Station

Friday, October 30th, 6 to 10 PM. Think spooky vintage circus with an Appalachian twist. Local vendors, live music from The Pigeon River Messengers, face painting, sweet treats, a photo booth and tarot card readings, all just down the road from the cabin.

Saturday, October 31st, 6 to 9 PM: The Shelby Rae Moore Band returns to the stage. Bring your own chair!

Blowing Rock Halloween Festival

Saturday, October 31st, from 5 PM. Free, family friendly fun in Memorial Park and downtown Blowing Rock, with the Monster March, downtown trick or treating and a costume contest with DJ Taco.

All Month Long

  • Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train: Every Friday and Saturday evening through October 31st. Ride the haunted steam train, then explore the Haunted House, Freaky Forest and Main Street Dance Party. Advance tickets are required and it sells out fast, so book early.
  • October Artists in Residence: Watch artists at work at Edgewood Cottage in Blowing Rock, 10 AM to 5 PM daily, with new artists each week.
  • Breakfast at Six Pence Pub: Biscuits, donuts, coffee and mimosas on Main Street in Blowing Rock, daily from 8 to 10 AM.

For the full list of High Country events, visit the Blowing Rock events calendar.

 

Then Come Home to the Hideaway

However you spend your day, save the evening for the cabin. Pull a blanket around the firepit, make s'mores with the kit waiting in the kitchen, and let the hot tub warm you up under the cool October sky. A full day of fall festivals and a quiet night in the mountains is exactly what this time of year is for.

Still need a place to stay this fall? Book directly at happyvalleyaframe.com for the best rates.

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