Backroad Bulletin: October Events 🍎
Fill your calendar with fall fests, war reenactments, Highland games, and state fairs this month
Fall festivals really pick up across the Southeast’s backroads this month, from food-themed events to Oktoberfests and state fairs. You can also participate in traditional Scottish Highland games, take a lantern tour of an historic fort, and join in a pirate jamboree.
As with all events showcased here, check each website for details before you head out.
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Scotland County Highland Games
October 3-5, 2025
Laurinburg, North Carolina
Experience Scottish culture with heavy athletics, highland dance, and a ceilidh. Enjoy Friday’s free Highland Fling at McDuffie Square, Saturday’s Highland Games at the John Blue House, and Sunday’s free Kirkin’ of the Tartans at the Historic Old Laurel Presbyterian Church (founded in 1797 by Highlanders). Admission for Saturday is $22/adults in advance or $25 the day of the games; $3/children ages 5-12 in advance and $5 the day of; and free for children under age 5.
46th Annual Candle Lantern Tour
October 4, 2025
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Experience history at Fort McAllister State Park, guided by candlelight, with dramatic Civil War reenactments, musket and cannon firings, blacksmith demos, and bunker tours every 20 minutes from 6:40 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission costs $25, and you’ll need to reserve your spot ahead of time by calling 912-727-2339.
FestiFall at Walnut Grove Plantation
October 4-5, 2025
Roebuck, South Carolina
Experience a Revolutionary War reenactment featuring colonial crafts, musket demonstrations, and living history as you immerse yourself in South Carolina’s 18th-century past.
Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival
October 4-5, 11-12, and 18-19, 2025
Syria, Virginia
Head over to Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges for three weekends in October to enjoy the Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival, featuring bluegrass music, hayrides, farmyard animals, local crafts, and, of course, farm-fresh apples. Enjoy hard cider and a variety of foods, including barbecue and apple pies. Admission is $5/adult (ages 16 and older), plus a $1.50/ticket fee. Kids ages 15 and younger get in free.
Wilmington Riverfest
October 4-5, 2025
Wilmington, North Carolina
Enjoy this free, family-friendly festival on the Cape Fear Riverfront with music, food trucks, art vendors, a drone show, and kid-friendly activities. Wilmington Riverfest, which attracts around 114,000 visitors each year, runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Rock Around the Clock Festival
October 10-11, 2025
Winnsboro, South Carolina
Celebrate at the 26th Annual Rock Around the Clock Festival in historic downtown Winnsboro on Washington Street. Friday events include a street dance with the ACE Party Band, food trucks, and beer and wine. Saturday events include live entertainment, a cruise-in car show, arts and crafts vendors, children’s amusements, and a variety of foods.
Fall Wine Festival at Mount Vernon
October 10-12, 2025
Mount Vernon, Virginia
The Fall Wine Festival at George Washington’s Mount Vernon features unlimited Virginia wine samples, live music, and after-hours mansion tours. Enjoy a view of the Potomac River and meet General Washington. Ticket prices are $61 for members and $48.80 for the general public on Friday, $66 for members and $52.80 for the general public on Saturday, and $50 for members and $40 for the general public on Sunday. VIP tables are sold out.
Chincoteague Oyster Festival
October 11, 2025
Chincoteague Island, Virginia
Celebrate oyster season at Tom’s Cove Park with all-you-can-eat seafood including oysters, clam chowder and fritters; live music by Island Boy; raffles; and more. Tickets cost $65/person (kids under age 5 get in free). Purchase an early access ticket for two people for $200; VIP spaces cost $1,500.
Blairsville Sorghum Festival
October 11-12 and 18-19, 2025
Blairsville, Georgia
Celebrate sorghum syrup through demonstrations, crafts, food, and live music in the scenic Appalachian mountains, where you can get a taste of traditional culture over two weekends. (As of publication, the website had not been updated with 2025 information so check it out before you head to the festival.)
Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
October 16-19, 2025
Asheville, North Carolina
Discover over 100 juried artisans showcasing Appalachian crafts at Harrah’s Cherokee Center. Enjoy live demonstrations, music, and hands-on education. Admission costs $12/person and is free for children under age 12.
Walhalla Oktoberfest
October 17-19, 2025
Walhalla, South Carolina
Celebrate Walhalla’s German heritage at Oktoberfest. Enjoy the OOPS Polka Band, bratwurst, German beer, arts and crafts, carnival rides, and fireworks. You can also enjoy funnel cakes and apple dumplings at this family-friendly event.
Denim Fest 2025
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Canton, Georgia
Denim Fest is a free, family-friendly celebration at The Mill on Etowah honoring Canton’s denim heritage. Enjoy pop-up bars, festival food, live SEC football on the big screen, a nostalgic carnival, local vendors, and an interactive historical walk exploring life at the old mill. Special denim-themed contests and style showcases highlight the town’s rich textile tradition.
NC Liver Mush Festival: Mush, Music & Mutts
October 18, 2025
Uptown Shelby, North Carolina
Celebrate liver mush—a regional dish in Western North Carolina comprised of pig liver, cornmeal, seasonings, and other parts of the pig—with eating contests, recipe cook-offs, live music, and over 100 vendors. Admission is free and pets are welcome.
Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree
October 31-November 1, 2025
Ocracoke, North Carolina
Join the swashbuckling fun at Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree at Berkley Barn in Ocracoke. The event features pirate reenactments, live music, historical encampments, and a pirate parade. Celebrate the infamous Blackbeard with interactive activities, food, and fun amid the rich pirate history of the Outer Banks.
State Fairs Across the Southeast
Georgia State Fair
September 26–October 5, 2025
Hampton, Georgia
Virginia State Fair
September 26–October 5, 2025
Doswell, Virginia
South Carolina State Fair
October 8–19, 2025
Columbia, South Carolina
North Carolina State Fair
October 16–26, 2025
Raleigh, North Carolina
The Tennessee State Fair takes place in August.
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Great photography: however, I'm not into hunting.