Travel calendar

Greensboro — Garden and Gun Weekend at Lake Oconee, Sept. 23-25, features food, culinary demonstrations, a boat cruise, live music and a bourbon master class. www.ggfieldreport.com/reynolds.

Augusta — Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, Sept. 16-18, features food, arts and crafts market, young artist market, music and more. www.artsintheheartofaugusta.com.

Macon — Ocmulgee Indian Celebration, Sept. 17-18, features food, music, dance, storytelling, crafts, demonstrations and cultural exhibits. www.nps.gov/ocmu.

Lookout Mountain — Rock City's Rocktoberfest, Oct. 1-30 (Saturdays and Sundays), features German music and food, polka lessons, craft beer, costumed characters and children's activities. www.seerockcity.com.

FLORIDA

Panama City Beach — Schooners Lobster Festival & Tournament, Sept. 12-18, features large, freshly caught lobsters, a sand-sculpting contest, diving and a feast. www.schooners.com/events/lobsterfestival.htm.

Port St. Joe — Scallop Festival and Music Festival, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, features scallops, other food, arts and crafts, children's activities and live music. www.scallopfestfl.org.

Indiantown — Rodeo, Oct. 14-15, features live music, steer racing, barrel racing, bull riding and team roping. www.indiantownrodeo.com.

Weeki Wachee — Wild N' Wicked Nights, Oct. 21-22, 28-29, features an underwater mermaid show, above-water Halloween shows, mazes, costume contests and more. www.weekiwachee.com.

ALABAMA

Tuscumbia — Oka Kapassa Native American Festival, Sept. 9-10, features visual artists, performances, music, demonstrations and storytelling. www.okakapassa.org.

Gulf Shores — National Shrimp Festival, Oct. 13-16, features food, cooking demonstrations, art vendors, sand castle contest, a 5K/10K run and children's activities. www.myshrimpfest.com.

KENTUCKY

Danville — Kentucky State BBQ Festival, Sept. 9-11, features food from celebrity pitmasters, live music, demonstrations, auctions and more. www.kybbqfestival.com.

Covington — MainStrasse Village Oktoberfest, Sept. 9-11, features German foods, arts and crafts, art contests, carnival rides and children's activities. www.mainstrasse.org.

Bardstown — Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Sept. 13-18, features food, bourbon tasting, barrel relays, ballon glow, arts and more. www.kybourbonfestival.com.

LOUISIANA

Gonzales — Ascension Hot Air Balloon Festival — Sept. 23-24, features hot air balloon flights, arts and crafts, food, live music, a car show and children's activities. www.ascensionballooning.com.

Shreveport — Red River Revel Arts Festivals, Oct. 1-8, features juried art exhibits, food vendors, music, dancers and art classes. www.redriverrevel.com.

Larose — French Food Festival, Oct. 27-30, features an art show, bull riding, amateur boxing tournament, music, carnival rides and games, live auction and food. www.frenchfoodfest.com.

MISSISSIPPI

Biloxi — Seafood Festival, Sept. 10-11, features food, a gumbo cook-off, arts and crafts, live music and children's activities. www.gulfcoast.org/events.

Gulf Coast — Cruisin' the Coast, Oct. 2-9, features antique, classic and hot rod cars, music, food, swap meets and more. www.cruisinthecoast.com.

NORTH CAROLINA

Boone — Appalachian Summer Festival, through Sept. 8, features opera, dance, theatre, independent film, symphonic music, an outdoor sculpture competition, juried visual arts competition, public lectures and tours. www.appsummer.org.

Cashiers — Dinner in the Dahlias, Sept. 12, features dahlia gardens, food and wine. www.highhamptoninn.com/events.aspx.

Winston Salem — Texas Pete Culinary Arts Festival, Sept. 17-20, features food from local and regional chefs, local breweries and live music. www.visitwinstonsalem.com/fall.

Cullowhee — Mountain Heritage Day, Sept. 24, features bluegrass music, art dance and more. www.mountainheritageday.com.

Benson — Mule Days, Sept. 22-25, features rodeos, mule-pulling contests, arts and crafts, vendors, street dances, carnival rides, camping, parades, bluegrass music and more. www.bensonmuledays.com.

Morehead City — North Carolina Seafood Festival, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, features food, music, arts and crafts vendors and more. www.ncseafoodfestival.org.

Mount Airy — Autumn Leaves Festival, Oct. 14-16, features art vendors, Southern food, and music. www.autumnleavesfestival.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Greenville — Fall for Greenville, Oct. 13-16, features food, live music, demonstrations, wine tastings, a beer garden and children's activities. www.fallforgreenville.net.

Georgetown — Wooden Boat Show, Oct, 15-16, features land and water exhibits, boat-building contests, knot tying demonstrations, arts and crafts, food, music and children's activities. www.woodenboatshow.com.

TENNESSEE

Chattanooga — Ruby Falls' Haunted Cavern, Sept. 30-Oct. 30, features a haunted attraction 26 stories underground. www.hauntedcavern.com.

Memphis — Indie Memphis Film Festivals, Nov. 1-7, features screenings of feature-length films, documentaries and short films. www.indiememphis.com.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Beach — Neptune Festival, Sept. 1-Oct. 9, features wine and beer festivals, concerts, arts and crafts, vendors, 8K and 5K runs, sand-sculpting competion and more. www.neptunefestival.com.

Arlington — Marine Corps Marathon, Oct. 28-30, features a run from Arlington to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial. www.marinemarathon.com.