GEORGIA
Watkinsville — Georgia Pottery Invitational, through Sept. 14, features good, live jazz, fine art sale, artists and workshops. www.ocaf.com.
Jekyll Island — Shrimp & Grits Festival, Sept. 16-18, features food, arts and crafts, cooking competitions and live music. www.jekyllisland.com/signatureevents/shrimp-grits-festival/
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.
About the Author
