October Festivals and Autumn General Events

Asheville and surrounding towns host various fall festivals and Halloween-themed parties during September and October. From parades to corn mazes to festivals, we've supplied a list of our event recommendations below: 

• September 4-7, 2026: The North Carolina Apple Festival in Hendersonville covers eight blocks of Main Street with more than 200 vendors. The festival includes continuous live musical entertainment, arts & crafts, apple products, special exhibits, food, and the King Apple Parade. The festival is free to attend, and pets are not allowed.

• September 11-20, 2026: The North Carolina Mountain State Fair - more than 180,000 people attend the 10-day event that celebrates WNC's people, agriculture, art, and tradition. It's fun for all ages, with plenty of exhibits, animals, food, rides, and more. There are also discount days and ticket specials to consider before choosing when to attend.

• September 26, 2026: Highland Brewing's 5th Annual Clawtoberfest - Hosted at The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co. from 11 AM to 8 PM, activities will include a Magic Show, Keg Roll, Stein Hoist,  Pretzel Eating Competition, Best Dressed Awards for Adults and Groups, a Meadow Market (Saturday and Sunday), and more. You can also expect beer releases that include their Festbier Party Lager, Mountain Mama Hefeweizen, Clawhammer Marzen Lager, and more. Lagerhosen will be playing from 1-4 PM, and Displace will be playing from 5-8 PM. There will also be on-site food trucks. Prost!

• TBD September 20-October 26, 2025:  Fall For the Arb - Celebrate fall with a series of events and happenings throughout September and October at The North Carolina Arboretum. Events include Music in the Mountains, Fall Plant Sale, Monarch Butterfly Day, The Wizard of Paws Halloween Dog Parade, and more. There's no better way to celebrate the fall season!

• October 18, 2026: House of Black Cat Magic Market- Swing by the House of Black Cat Magic in West Asheville for a congregation of local makers and practitioners of all things magical, feline, and magically feline. Stock up on magical supplies in the shop, browse the market of local vendors, pet some panthers in the cat lounge, and finish your day off with an intuitive reading! The market is open from 12-6 PM, and the House of Black Cat Magic is open from 11-7 PM.

• September 25-October 31, 2026: The Haunted Farm- Celebrating its 16th season, this attraction has been voted Best Haunted House in NC and stands as one of Western North Carolina’s scariest attractions. Located in rural farmland near Hendersonville, The Haunted Farm sits on a mysterious, blood-soaked stretch of land where the locals claim an age-old Blood Feud between the Lively and Tate families has devastated the local farming community. The haunted history of curses, derangements, ghosts, and terrible bloodshed brings visitors from near and far, hoping to survive The Haunted Farm. 

• September 25-November 1, 2026: Eliada Annual Fall Festival & Corn Maze will take place Fridays from 3-7 PM, Saturdays from 10 AM-7:00 PM, and Sundays from 10 AM-6 PM all month long. Expect Corn Cannons, Spider Climbers, Custom Corn Maze, Lawn Games, Hay Rides, Scheduled Face Painting, Pumpkins for purchase, Food Trucks, and MORE!

• TBD September 26-November 8, 2025: Pinhead's Graveyard- Located in Canton just outside of Asheville, this haunted attraction was voted North Carolina's Best Haunted House in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Focusing on Horror movie characters, there are several celebrity appearances lined up in 2025, including Art the Clown from Terrifier and Leatherface from Chainsaw Massacre. Surprisingly to most given the horror-centric name, the graveyard is actually appropriate for all ages and groups, and small children can expect a toned-down version of scares. Although the realism of their haunted house is beyond impressive, they also take pride in being a family-oriented and family-friendly attraction. 

• September 26, 2026: Autumn in the Mountains Car Show- The 26th anniversary of this event will be held at Mills River Brewing Co. from 9 AM-2:30 PM and include more than 100 classic, exotic sports cars. Registration opens July 24, and attendance is free to the public. 

• October 9-10, 16-17, 22-25, 29-30, 2026: The 14th Annual Haunted Trail at The Adventure Center of Asheville - This event is perfect if you're looking for festive family fun for children ages 3-12. You and your family walk through a haunted trail with spooky sounds and spectacular props. From the Pirates Cove Mermaid and Escape Room to the Treetops Adventure Park Aerial Glow Trail to the Game Field with Monster Games, Contests, and Glow Party, this trail is chock-full of ghoulish good times. $1 from each ticket goes to MANNA Food Bank, as they feed WNC by saying BOO To Hunger.

• October 17, 2026: Apple Harvest Festival- Named one of the "10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the Nation," this street festival is held annually in downtown Waynesville. Celebrating all things apple, you can expect delicious treats, arts and crafts, and a variety of shops and restaurants to explore. Admission is free, and the event runs from 10 AM to 5 PM.

• October 17-18, 2026: Woolly Worm Festival- The 49th Annual Woolly Worm Festival will take place in Banner Elk the 3rd weekend of October. This charming festival is an honored tradition for locals! The Woolly Bear caterpillar has 13 brown & black segments that are said to correspond to the 13 weeks of winter. Lighter brown segments correspond to milder weeks of winter, while darker black segments correspond to colder and snowier weeks. In addition to the 140+ food and craft vendors, the woolly worms race, and the winners help predict the winter forecast based on their stripes. The winning worm on Saturday gets the $1,000 first prize, and the Sunday winner gets a $500 prize. Festival hours are Saturday from 9 AM-5 PM and Sunday from 9 AM-4 PM. 

• TBD October 23, 2025: Paws & Pumpkins at Biltmore Park Town Square- Calling all ghouls, goblins, and four-legged friends! Looking for a pet-friendly activity in Asheville this fall? Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 3:00–6:30 PM. This festive celebration takes place at the Biltmore Park Farmers Market and throughout the vibrant shops along Town Square Boulevard, bringing together families, neighbors, and furry companions for an afternoon of autumn joy. Fall festivities include a Trick-or-Treating Trail, Pumpkin Patch Fun, Festive Face Painting, Dog Adoption Station with Mountain Pet Rescue, Spooky STEM Activities with Zaniac Learning Center, Halloween Storytime with Barnes & Noble, and a Dog Costume Contest!

• TBD October 24, 25 & 31, 2025: Junior Wolf Howl-O-Ween- This annual event series explores biofacts and offers animal games, a wolf-themed craft, and an opportunity to meet a live animal. After the fun, you'll trek to the on-site wolf habitats for a howling session (please note that during the outdoor portion, you'll be walking on rough terrain in dark conditions for up to one hour). Discover the legends and lore of these top predators and celebrate the spooky season with some sweet treats. This kid-friendly version of their Wolf Howl event is geared toward families. Tickets are $25 for children and $30 for adults. Because this event is close to and on Halloween, costumes are encouraged! 

• TBD October 24, 2025: Haunted History Tour of Downtown Black Mountain- Hosted by the Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center, this Haunted History walking tour in downtown Black Mountain will take place from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. Traversing the historic district's most storied streets, visitors will learn about the humorous, haunting, and harrowing history of the Swannanoa Valley while being visited by some of its most famous spirits. This event is a fundraiser for the museum, and the cost is $25 for SVM Members and $30 for Non-Members. 

• October 24, 2026: The Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival- The Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival returns to Pack Square Park for a free day-long celebration of the freaky, funky community that makes this town so special! This year's event will be bigger than ever with multiple stages for live music, DJs, and performance art throughout the park. Plus dozens of local art vendors, food, libations, and of course, it all gets capped off with the nighttime performance by Surreal Sirkus. Experience a new story told through circus arts, live music, puppetry, narration, fire dancers, and more!
• October 24, 2026: Heart of Brevard’s Halloweenfest & Spooky Stroll- This Halloweenfest is easily the trickiest, treatiest, most spooktacular celebration around! Held the Saturday before Halloween annually from 10 AM-5 PM, this fangtastic fall event features a full day of family (and pet) friendly fun, including the Flight of the Vampire running races, downtown trick or treat, costume contest and parade, a lively street festival with plenty of bewitching vendors, old-time music at the Courthouse gazebo, and much more!

• October 31, 2026: Asheville Halloween Bar Crawl- Ready for a spooktacular bar crawl filled with eerie cocktails, thrilling costumes, and non-stop fun? This is the ultimate Halloween party where you and your friends can dress up in your most creative costumes and hit the town for a night you won't forget. Meet tons of new people, explore some of the best bars in Asheville, and enjoy an electric atmosphere that only Halloween can provide. Packed with energy and excitement, tickets include 2-3 drinks or shots, entry to the $1,000 National Costume Contest, Custom Crawl With US Stadium Cups (First 400 Check-Ins), Custom Keychain Lanyards With Bottle Openers (First 400 Check-Ins), Custom Halloween Badge, Epic After Party With DJ, and more!

• October 31, 2026: Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade and Costume Contest- This annual celebration of the Halloween holiday shines a spotlight on your furry four-legged friends. Starting at 3:00 PM, the parade routes through downtown Black Mountain so your pups can strut their stuff and show off their adorable costumes. After the parade, stick around for the costume contest and award ceremony!