Fall North Carolina Festivals

Find a North Carolina fall festival to attend in 2024. Our events calendar for September, October and November 2024 has things to do across North Carolina including activities in Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston-Salem and more. Our list includes festivals celebrating the local harvest, food, music, beer, Oktoberfest and more.

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All events showing current dates need to be verified to confirm that changes to the schedule were not made by the organizers after publication here. We do not run these events, and would hate for anyone to go out of their way only to find the event had been canceled after releasing a date. Please click through to the event website to confirm! Enjoy and have a great fall!

Asheville Fall FestivalsCharlotte Fall FestivalsDurham Fall FestivalsFayetteville Fall FestivalsGreensboro Fall FestivalsOuter Banks Fall FestivalsRaleigh Fall FestivalsWilmington Fall FestivalsWinston-Salem Fall Festivals

2024 Festivals

Woodleaf Tomato Festival - Woodleaf, NC - Aug 17, 2024
Live entertainment, crafts, silent auction, fresh produce. Tomato sandwiches, tomato tasting, hamburgers, ice cream and more! Bring a chair and stay all day!

Winterville Watermelon Festival - Winterville, NC - Aug 22 to Aug 25, 2024
Amusement rides, live entertainment, food vendors and commerical vendors, bingo, family fun night, Dare Devil Dog Team performances, Vendor and Craft Show, parade, Watermelon eating contest, and more

Night Nation Run – Raleigh - Cary, NC - Aug 24, 2024
The world’s first running music festival, supporting Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), will feature DJs on a main stage, plus party zones along the route with DJs, dancers, light shows, selfie stations, and Glow Gear giveaways!

Oak Island Art Guild Arts & Crafts Festival - Oak Island, NC - Aug 31, 2024
Come on down to the soccer field behind Middleton Park and Town Hall for over 100 arts and crafts vendors, as well as festival food! This event offers free admission and benefits the Art Guild’s philanthropic activities

North Carolina Apple Festival - Hendersonville, NC - Sep 3 to Sep 6, 2024
Labor Day Weekend family festival for over 70 years celebrating the most important agricultural product in Henderson County. Street fair, arts & crafts, King Apple Parade, festival food, free entertainment.

Ayden Collard Festival - Ayden, NC - Sep 5 to Sep 7, 2024
A popular event with pageant, parade, art show, eating and cooking contests, live entertainment including music acts and talent show. Since 1975.

Hopscotch Music Festival - Raleigh, NC - Sep 5 to Sep 7, 2024
More than 120 bands over 3 days in downtown Raleigh, offering rock, hip-hop, metal, folk, electronic, experimental, and more, plus an art exhibition and more

Mountain Song Festival - Brevard, NC - Sep 6 to Sep 7, 2024
Brevard Music Center’s Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium features a covered 1800 seat main stage with additional lawn seats. This event has plenty of food, music, children’s activities, picking sessions, and more for this 3 day event.

North Carolina Folk Festival - Greensboro, NC - Sep 6 to Sep 8, 2024
This 3 day outdoor event features over 300 musicians, dancers, and craftsman on multiple stages. Includes a Family Activities Area, Arts Marketplace and food court.

North Carolina Gourd Festival - Raleigh, NC - Sep 7 to Sep 8, 2024
Annual event at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, featuring competitions for gourd growers and crafters. Admission fees cover building rental and insurance.

Bike MS Historic New Bern - New Bern, NC - Sep 7 to Sep 8, 2024
Bike MS is more than a ride. It’s an experience grounded in camaraderie and marked by passion, inspiration, determination and pure enjoyment. It will be an experience you’ll never forget, shared with new friends and old.

Oktoberfest Party @ Raleigh Brewing Company - Raleigh, NC - Sep 8, 2024

Outer Banks Kite Festival - Nags Head, NC - Sep 13 to Sep 14, 2024
Regional kite competition with free family fun fly day and demos. Come watch some of the nation’s most talented kite fliers put on world-class displays of artistry and skill with kite flying set to music, synchronized performances, and more.

Hops for Hope - Raleigh, NC - Sep 14, 2024
Sample over 30 beers curated by their corporate teams who partner with some of the Triangle’s finest breweries*. Hops for Hope will also host food trucks, live music, a vendor village and more!

Durham Oktoberfest - Durham, NC - Sep 14, 2024
The Little German Band and dancers will entertain with oompah music and dancing. Beer inside the Motorco decorated as a beer hall. Bratwurst and pretzels will also be available.

Festival in the Park - Charlotte, NC - Sep 20 to Sep 22, 2024
Festival food, clowns, karaoke, aerial dance, arts & crafts and family fun zone.

Oktoberfest at Roaring River Vineyards - Traphill, NC - Sep 21 to Sep 22, 2024
Three weekends of Oktoberfest with authentic German beer, food, and live music.

CenterFest Arts Festival - Durham, NC - Sep 21 to Sep 22, 2024
Voted one of the top 100 fine arts festivals in the country. Features continuous music, dance, entertainment by more than 70 performing acts. Also a featured kids zone area for hands-on art activities and fun.

Creedmoor Music Festival - Creedmoor, NC - Sep 21, 2024
Creedmoor invites you to their annual music festival.  Great music, food, and festival fans will converge on Main Street, rain or shine.  Bring the entire family for live music, handicrafts, gifts and family fun.  Activities include a Kid’s Corner, bounce house, tee-ball, and more.  Music ranges from top-notch local and regional bands playing bluegrass, gospel, classic rock, country, and dance music.  TK’s Car Show is held next door at the same time.

Dublin Peanut Festival - Dublin, NC - Sep 21, 2024
Celebrate the harvest in the peanut capital of North Carolina. Peanut bakeoff contest, parade, pageant, car show, pedal tractor pull and more.

Bike MS Tour to Tanglewood - Clemmons, NC - Sep 21 to Sep 22, 2024
Bike MS is more than a ride. It’s an experience grounded in camaraderie and marked by passion, inspiration, determination and pure enjoyment. It will be an experience you’ll never forget, shared with new friends and old.

Mayberry Days - Mount Airy, NC - Sep 23 to Sep 29, 2024
Live music, comedy, magic shows, Barbecue Cook-off, parade, games and family fun. Hosted by the Surry Arts Council at various locations including the Andy Griffith Playhouse, Earle Theatre and Blackmon Amphitheatre.

Liberty Antiques Festival - Staley, NC - Sep 27 to Sep 28, 2024
An annual event with over 400 dealers and thousands of pieces of 18th-20th century antiques and collectibles from furniture, glass, pottery, military, toys, dolls, jewelry, art and so much more. Children and parking are free.

Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival - Elkin, NC - Sep 28, 2024
The festivities begin Saturday morning with the Annual Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off on corner of Bridge and Standard Street. There will be pumpkins & watermelon from growers located all over the East Coast. Some will weigh-in at an excess of 1,000 lbs with hopes of placing in the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth top ten. The Main Street of Elkin will be lined with vendors of every description featuring everything from antiques, jump houses, funnel cakes to functional pottery, pumpkin painting, wood furnishings to wine racks, BBQ to baked goods, sand art, pumpkin butter to polish sausages, hand crafted gifts and so much more.

Wine & Food Festival - Charlotte, NC - Sep 28, 2024
Casual wine tasting event with hundreds of wines available for tasting from 15+ wineries, plus festival food, Held annually at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall. Formerly called the Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival

Mountain Heritage Day - Cullowhee, NC - Sep 28, 2024
Hosted by Western Carolina University, this event features the best of folk and roots music bands in the area, performing on three stages. Sample local wine and brews plus great southern styled foods, plus workshops, arts and crafts, dance, family reunion, kids’ tent and more. Admission and parking are free!

Muscadine Festival - Kenansville, NC - Sep 28, 2024
Celebrate North Carolina’s State Fruit at Duplin County Events Center. Amateur wine making contest, cooking contest, live music, food, arts, crafts, fun and over 30 local wineries.

Lafayette Village Oktoberfest - Raleigh, NC - Sep 28, 2024
Enjoy German food, local craft beer, live music and wiener dog races at this village located on six acres in North Raleigh. There are also kids games, crafts and door prizes. Lafayette Village is designed to resemble a European village with quaint shops, gourmet restaurants and paved walkways. and stuff

Carrboro Music Festival - Carrboro, NC - Sep 29, 2024
Free event with local music performances plus farmer’s market and more.

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Fall Festival of Music & Dance - Pittsboro, NC - Oct 3 to Oct 6, 2024
Four days of music, dance, art and education with more than 60 bands on 4 stages.

North Carolina Seafood Festival - Morehead City, NC - Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2024
The rich cultural traditions of eastern North Carolina are yours to absorb with music, craftsmen, artists, storytellers and more, plus boat builders, net hangers, crab pot makers and more who share their crafts, as well as the opportunity to discuss issues with policy makers, commercial fisherman, educators and others to preserve the state’s seafood industry. Fill your belly with some of the best seafood, including Down East” clam chowder

Scotland County Highway Games - Laurinburg, NC - Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2024
The Scotland County Highland Games are the only Scottish Games and Gathering located within the old Highland Scottish settlement of the Upper Cape Fear and Pee Dee regions of the Carolinas. This region was home to the largest settlement of Highland Scots in all of North America until well into the 19th century.

Triangle Oktoberfest - Cary, NC - Oct 4 to Oct 5, 2024
Presented by the Apex Sunrise and Cary MacGregor Rotary Clubs in collaboration with the Town of Cary, the Annual Triangle Oktoberfest is an authentic German festival focused on family fun, traditional Bavarian food and fare, and plenty of local and authentic German beers from Munich, all to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and other local and international charities. Live entertainment, Wiener dog races, a kid-friendly Kinder Platz (inflatables and face painting), Masskrugstemmen (stein hoist), and Hammerschlagen (hammer striking) competitions.

Brushy Mountain Apple Festival - North Wilkesboro, NC - Oct 5, 2024
One of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast. Enjoy free admission to the event, which features 4 different music stages, dancers and other live entertainment, plus Appalachian Heritage crafts and more from over 425 arts and craft vendors, 100 food vendors, including everything Apple, and more. Attended by over 160,000. Activities begin on Friday night with the Apple Jam.””

Asheboro Fall Festival - Asheboro, NC - Oct 5, 2024
A wonderful combination of street fair, bazaar, and homecoming with a 10K road race, live music, crafts, Heritage Village and more, hosted by the Randolph Arts Guild, and featuring over 400 vendors, amusements, livestock show and more.

Wilmington Riverfest - Wilmington, NC - Oct 5 to Oct 6, 2024
250,000 visit the two-day celebration located from Market Street to Cape Fear Community College. Take in live music, dancing and more on multiple stages. The kids zone includes facepainting, airbrush tattoos, mardi gras mask making, inflatables and more. Other offerings include craft vendors, concession booths, fireworks, Miss Riverfest, and more.

Kernersville Oktoberfest - Kernersville, NC - Oct 5, 2024
Kernersville Oktoberfest will be held from 3-6 pm on the lawn at Korner’s Folly. Must be 21+ to attend. All proceeds benefit Historic Korner’s Folly. Craft beer enthusiasts can look forward to tasting German, Oktoberfest, and Pumpkin brews! Local restaurants donate delicious small bites for a taste of light appetizers.

Oktoberfest Under the Bridge - Wilmington, NC - Oct 5, 2024
Waterline Brewing Company brings back the huge tent, the region’s best Oom-pah band, games (including the famous Stein holding competition), food, liter steins, their annual Oktoberfest Beer, “Most Festively Dressed” contest and more

Asheville Oktoberfest - Asheville, NC - Oct 5, 2024
This Oktoberfest mixes Bavaria with Asheville. Local breweries, oompah band, Oktoberfest games and food. Tickets are limited and they expect them to sell out. Oktoberfest contests like the stein race and keg-rolling contest will be back, as well as new competitions to keep everyone on their toes. Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville

Columbus County Fair - Whiteville, NC - Oct 8 to Oct 13, 2024
Acrobatic thrill shows, live music, Old McDonald’s Farm, hypnotist shows, horticulture and livestock exhibits, children’s entertainment, arts and crafts, fireworks, contests and midway rides for all ages. Held at the Columbus County Fairgrounds.

Autumn Leaves Festival - Mount Airy, NC - Oct 11 to Oct 13, 2024
Nearly 200,000 typically attend over the course of the weekend. Toe tapping, foot stomping, hand-clapping music with arts & crafts and great food choices with Food for the Soul”. Known for its old time Bluegrass and Gospel music. Admission is free. One of North Carolina’s longest running events.”

Cashiers Leaf Festival - Cashiers, NC - Oct 11 to Oct 13, 2024
More than 10,000 visit this mountain village for the changing leaves and 100 artisans and merchants. Free admission. Plenty of food and drinks and lots of live music choices on various stages.

Hickory Oktoberfest - Hickory, NC - Oct 11 to Oct 13, 2024
A three day outdoor festival on the second weekend in October generally attended by more than 100,000 people. Get your exercise in with a 5K run/walk or 10K run. Consume a beverage in one of the two beer gardens. Multiple stages offer live music from polka to rock & roll. Juried arts and crafts show of handmade products offers prizes to the top three artisans. First prize is $300, second prize is $200 and third prize is $100. Amusement rides, carnival games and KidFest area for children. Hundreds of food and commercial vendors will be there offering delicious food from barbecue to Bavarian pastries, as well as unique products and art. Location: Union Square, Main Ave NW, Hickory, NC 28601

Duck Jazz Festival - Duck, NC - Oct 12 to Oct 13, 2024
Free festival showcasing national, regional and local jazz musicians in Duck Town Park. Bring your food coolers, chairs, blankets, pets and kids to this family friendly event. Downtown business, including eateries, are open to help you enjoy this great event.

John Blue Cotton Festival - Laurinburg, NC - Oct 12, 2024
Home tour, hayrides, crafts, pony rides, food and children’s games plus a new car and motorcycle show and live entertainment.

MumFest - New Bern, NC - Oct 12 to Oct 13, 2024
Annually attended by more than 100,000 who enjoy the family fun, entertainment, foods and attractions.

Swansboro Mullet Festival - Swansboro, NC - Oct 12 to Oct 13, 2024
The Swansboro Mullet Festival, the oldest festival in the Crystal Coast, began in 1954. The weekend centers around the small, bony fish that appears as having a purplish-blue tint when found in Eastern North Carolina waters. Swansboro natives remember days long ago when mullets were hauled to shore in nets hooked to tractors along the beach. Today, the Swansboro Mullet Festival has expanded into a two-day festival that offers locals and visitors a glimpse into history combined with a modern celebration of all things mullet. The festival is free and visitors may enjoy a parade, entertainment featuring beach music and live bands, children’s activities and a lot of food, especially fried mullet.

Sugar Mountain Resort Oktoberfest - Village of Sugar Mountain, NC - Oct 12 to Oct 13, 2024
Annual Oktoberfest with fall foliage and a weekend of festival activities. The Harbour Town Fest Band will be filling the area with live music and Bavarian atmosphere from the Oom Pah Band every afternoon. The Avery Smooth Dancers and the Mountain Laurel Cloggers will get you out of your seat and moving with them. Bavarian food will include bratwurst, knockwurst sauerkraut, pretzels, strudel and Spaten Oktoberfest beer. This is a family friendly event with arts & crafts and children’s fun center (including inflatable bounce houses and hay rides). Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking views and fall colors with a ski chairlift ride.

Lake Eden Arts Festival - Black Mountain, NC - Oct 17 to Oct 20, 2024
For over 20 years LEAF has put on this non profit event, filled with art, crafts, learning experiences, food and lots of local live music concerts. Enjoy two festivals each year, in May and October, on the beautiful grounds of Lake Eden at the site of the Historic Black Mountain College.

North Carolina State Fair - Raleigh, NC - Oct 17 to Oct 27, 2024
Folk festival, fireworks, flower & garden show, local wine and craft beer exhibit, grandstand shows and more. New for 2019 is the nation’s tallest mobile Ferris Wheel, measuring in at 155 feet (that’s 62 feet taller than Dorton Arena!). Tickets are $6 in advance and $7 at the fair, and are not included in the unlimited rides wristband. Held annually at State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raleigh, NC. Future N.C. State Fair DatesOctober 15-25, 2020; October 14-24, 2021; October 13-23, 2022

Autumn with Topsail - Topsail Beach, NC - Oct 18 to Oct 20, 2024
Over 100 regional artists in a juried Artists and Crafts Court, plus exciting live entertainment, amazing food plus beer and wine, inflatables and crafts for children, and more!

Carolina Balloon Fest - Statesville, NC - Oct 18 to Oct 20, 2024
Watch 50 hot air balloons rise to the skies! Enjoy tethered balloon rides for – proceeds from the event benefit local nonprofits. Live music entertainment on 2 stages, plus a kids’ zone, artisan marketplace, 5k run, wine and beer tasting and more.

Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair - Fletcher, NC - Oct 18 to Oct 20, 2024
Fleece show, workshops, demonstrations, shopping, contests and more. Held at the WNC Agricultural Center. Children under 13 are free.

Stecoah Harvest Festival - Robbinsville, NC - Oct 19, 2024
Two day harvest festival with free Friday evening campfire and music jam. Sarurday activities include live music, demonstrations of blaksmithing, butter churning, and corn-grinding; arts & crafts, country fair, quilt show, and more. Saturday admission is only $3 for adults, kids and parking are free. Held at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center

NC Oyster Festival - Ocean Isle Beach, NC - Oct 19 to Oct 20, 2024
Local cuisine, arts and crafts, children’s activities, live music, oyster stew cook-off and the oyster shucking contest. Describes itself as a food festival, arts festival, oyster festival and a music festival. Admission is $5 (cash only) and free for children.

Yadkin Valley Grape Festival - Yadkinville, NC - Oct 19, 2024
Annual festival with live entertainment, food, fun, and of course wine events. Wine tasting tickets are $20 (advance) and $25 (door).

Wilmington Oktoberfest - Wilmington, NC - Oct 19, 2024
This annual Oktoberfest will include authentic German food and beer, wiener dog races, live music and kids zone. Admission is $5 – admission money goes to local organizations.

Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival - , NC - Oct 22 to Oct 27, 2024
More than 400 avian species to spot on guided birding trips, art and photography workshops, tram tours, kayak and canoe tours, and more. Over 100 guided programs for enthusiasts during this event. There is an encore event in December.

Clayton Harvest and Music Festival - Clayton, NC - Oct 24 to Oct 27, 2024
The Clayton Chamber of Commerce’s Clayton Harvest Festival has roots dating back to the 1951 when the Clayton Merchant’s Association (now CCOC) hosted Clayton’s first festival, the Cotton Festival. With over 31,000 in attendance, the current five-day festival incorporates events such as carnival rides and games, a BBQ competition at Squealin’ on the Square presented by Carolina Packers, Home of the Bright Leaf Hot Dog, Clayton’s largest vendor fair with a military crossroads, Halloween night fun, concerts, a Latin American Festival, and much more.

Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival - Wilmington, NC - Oct 25 to Oct 26, 2024
Sample from 100 craft breweries and wineries in one place. Held for over 15 years in Wrightsville Beach. Don’t miss the Voracious & Rare Beer Festival the day before!

Lighthouse Voracious & Rare Festival - Wilmington, NC - Oct 25, 2024
They’ve selected 50 breweries through a rigorous selection process, selected to pour their favorite limited release beers [read as: beers you’Â’ll never have otherwise]. Also included in the evening is dinner, delightfully rare voracious brews, and live music. Followed by the larger Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival the next day.

The Barbecue Festival - Lexington, NC - Oct 26, 2024
Free admission for over 100,000 people to the barbecue capital of the world. Great food, live entertainment, and the finest exhibits along with a wine garden, barbecue carnival, sand sculptures, car show, and BMX stunt shows make this a fun day. Since 1984

Calabash Oktoberfest - Calabash, NC - Oct 26, 2024
Activities include Bavarian costume contest, arm wrestling contest, horse drawn carriage, best bier stein contest, and children’s entertainment. Enjoy authentic German food and Munich beer.

North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival - Whiteville, NC - Nov 2, 2024
Events to kick off the festivities occur throughout the week. Highlights include the Celebrity Queen’s Luncheon, tour of the elegant homes of Whiteville, parade, live entertainment, 5k walk/run, pecan cooking contest, kids block, car show, antique tractor show, art show, and more, plus of course, pecans and other food offerings!

Wilson Whirligig Festival - Wilson, NC - Nov 2 to Nov 3, 2024
35,000 attend. Arts and crafts, food vendors, 5K, live music and contests, 3 stages of live music and kid’s zone mean fun for the whole family!

WNC Pottery Festival - Sylva, NC - Nov 2, 2024
A juried art event with 40+ master potters plus demonstrations and silent auction. WNC Clay Olympics competition precedes the festival. This is also usually peak leaf-peeping season in the area!

Southern Christmas Show - Charlotte, NC - Nov 14 to Nov 24, 2024
Support local businesses this holiday season – shop for holiday décor, apparel, food and wine, jewelry, toys, and more. Get your holiday shopping done in person and avoid shipping hassles later. My sweet friend Melina will be there among the awesome vendors, be sure to say hi!

Cucalorus Film Festival - Wilmington, NC - Nov 20 to Nov 24, 2024
Founded in 1994 this annual festival screens over 200 films at several area venues. Dress up for the red carpet and enjoy your nights out. Recent addition can help venture capitalists and entreprenteurs meet at the Cucalorus Connect conference, which featured more than 50 events (in addition to the film festival) such as panels and workshops.

Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade - Charlotte, NC - Nov 27, 2024
Starts at 5:30pm on Thanksgiving Eve on Tryon St in uptown Charlotte

Charlotte Southpark Turkey Trot - Charlotte, NC - Nov 28, 2024
8k, 5k, 1 mile, and Tot Trot (26.2 yards). Starting and finishing at the SouthPark Mall, the largest road race (9,000+ total participants) in North Carolina is a homecoming destination for extended families, old classmates, and a place to meet and celebrate with neighbors. The community comes together to kick-off the holiday season with a healthy morning run/walk before heading home to celebrate Thanksgiving with food and family. The Charlotte Turkey Trot is a fundraiser for Charlotte-based Samaritan’s Feet – providing shoes for underprivileged children in the Charlotte region.

Turkey Dash Charlotte - Charlotte, NC - Nov 28, 2024
The foundation of Turkey Dash is family and friends, so they offer a 4-mile timed run/walk and a 1-mile fun run/walk on Thanksgiving morning. If you register for the 4-mile, you can run/walk the 1-mile at no additional cost! They also provide a “Family Village,” with bounce houses and other activities for the kids so they are entertained waiting for their parents to run

University City Turkey Trot 5K - Charlotte, NC - Nov 28, 2024
Participation in this event supports Sickle Cell Partners of the Carolinas, a non-profit established to provide support for patients and families affected by sickle cell disease, a hereditary illness

Holidays at the Garden - Belmont, NC - Nov 29 to Dec 29, 2024
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden – Sing along to your wintertime favorites at the popular topiary display, take in the rolling lights of the Piedmont Prairie and stroll among the twinkling cherry trees. Grab a bite from the food trucks, roast a marshmallow beside a roaring fire, sip a warm or cold beverage and soak up the season’s cheer.

Past Events

We know that you want current events. But we don’t always have dates for every event for the current year. We leave those events with their link here so that you can look for the new dates yourself. We hope you don’t mind!

Onslow Oktoberfest - Jacksonville, NC - Oct 27 to Oct 28, 2023
The community fundraiser for Onslow Community Outreach includes live music and 5K run. Children’s area offers entertainment, amusement rides, games, micro racing, animal park and home improvement workbench/clinics. The festival was started in 2008. Location: Riverwalk Crossing Park, 421 Court Street, Jacksonville, NC

New Bern Oktoberfest - New Bern, NC - Sep 29, 2023
Oktoberfest at the Garage

Carolina in the Fall - Wilkesboro, NC - Sep 22 to Sep 23, 2023
Music and Food Festival featuring the state’s best folk/roots music bands, plus a variety of bands from around the world, to entertain bluegrass and folk music lovers. Food trucks from around the region feed the masses and vie for the festival’s Food Truck Championship trophy, and local vineyards and breweries are on hand with the best of the region’s beverages.

Halfway There Craft Beer Walk - Wilmington, NC - Sep 17, 2023
Join the Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance to celebrate the halfway point to Cape Fear Craft Beer Week (March). Local breweries will be setup at different venues in Downtown Wilmington to each release a new beer. Exciting seasonals, first ever releases, and carefully crafted one-offs will be available for purchase at each designated location.

Shine to Wine Festival - North Wilkesboro, NC - Sep 7, 2023
Live entertainment, food, wine, spirits and beer for purchase. 21+ event.

Goombay Street Festival - Asheville, NC - Sep 1 to Sep 3, 2023
Enjoy sights and sounds of the African-Caribbean at this free weekend festival, held at Pack Square Park. Lots of live music, drums, gospel, reggae, funk and soul plus kids area, local dance troupes and food and craft vendors.

Phoenix Fest - Durham, NC - Oct 2, 2021
Celebrate African American cultural traditions with music, a parade and family friendly activities, plus food and other vendors.

Waldhorn Restaurant Oktoberfest - Pineville, NC - Sep 18 to Oct 10, 2021
This German restaurant opens up for their annual Oktoberfest with German food and live music under the tent. Dance the night away to music bands.

NC Comicon - Durham, NC - Nov 14 to Nov 15, 2020
Canceled for 2021, look for their return in 2022. Normally: Enjoy a weekend of fantasy, superheroes, wizards and cosplayers. Costume contest and film festival as well.

Mills River Oktoberfest - Mills River, NC - Oct 9 to Oct 10, 2020
Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest welcomes thousands of lederhosen-clad and dirndl-sporting beer lovers to hoist a stein and Prost like a Pro! Come for a festive night of craft beer, bountiful food, costumes, dancing, raucous music, and more. Dress your best and brush up on your Chicken Dance skills.

Beach, Bacon and Beer Festival - Carolina Beach, NC - Oct 12, 2019
The family-friendly Beach, Bacon and Beer Festival will invite selected local and regional restaurants to offer their selected dish that must include BACON. This is a friendly, culinary competition that pits the creativity of local chefs to present the most unique and tasty BACON-inspired offerings. Prizes will be awarded for PeopleÂ’s Choice-Best Bacon Entry and Best Non-Entree/Dessert as well as Best Decorated Tent and Most Enthusiastic Tent.

Brewgrass Festival - Asheville, NC - Oct 5, 2019
21+. An annual event held at Memorial Stadium in downtown Ashville. Experience include over 200 brewery/brewpup tastings, food court, great music and arts. Since 1996.

Triad German Club Oktoberfest - Winston-Salem, NC - Oct 5, 2019
This Winston-Salem Oktoberfest is hosted by the Triad German Club and includes live music. Tickets include a traditional style German food platter with sausages,  sauerkraut, potato salad, bread and pastry. Beverages, including German beer, pretzel  are sold separately. A portion of the proceeds benefit schools with German language and culture programs.

Find other fun things to do in North Carolina in the fall:

Oktoberfest in North Carolina
North Carolina Corn Mazes
North Carolina Ghost Tours
Haunted Houses in North Carolina
North Carolina Pumpkin Patches

2 thoughts on “Fall North Carolina Festivals

  1. Marissa Grooms says:

    Hamlet Seaboard Festival, 25 October 2014. 9am – 5pm on Main Street in Downtown Hamlet, NC. Celebrating Hamlet’s rich railroading heritage. Old fashioned crafters demonstrating, craft vendors, food vendors, retail vendors, pottery, homemades, etc.

    Please contact me at [email protected] or 571-431-9907 for more information.

  2. Tom Davis says:

    Is it possible to add the “Welcome Home Veterans Festival 2017” to your site.
    This will be our first annual festival, to be located in Cherokee, NC – Sept 21 thru 24.

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