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Fall in the Carolinas is great for weekend escapes: Room rates dip faster than temperatures along the coast; Western North Carolina and upcountry South Carolina are magnets for leaf-peepers.
Thing is, a spate of bum weather can ruin those trips, and finding the best spots for leaves varies from day-to-day and mile-by-mile.
But autumn is awesome for festivals - the weather is less torrid than in summer and North Carolina and South Carolina stage an incredible variety of festivals. Here are eight.
-Sept. 28-30: Raleigh
Event: 27th International Festival of Raleigh
In a nutshell: The Raleigh Convention Center is the site of this culture-sampling bash that draws a crowd of about 30,000. There are ethnic dancers and cafes, cultural exhibits, an international shopping bazaar, a beer garden stage with live music, plus a kids area. Admission is $8 ($6 on opening day); $6 for ages 7-12 and 65 and older ($5 on opening day). Sept. 29 also brings Gaelic music and food to Raleigh's Moore Square for Irish Fest (( http://www.raleighirishfest.com ).
Details: http://www.internationalfestival.org
-Oct. 12-14: Hickory
Event: Oktoberfest
In a nutshell: The three-day downtown event has five stages with music ranging from rock to polka. The main stage is in the fest's enormous beer garden. Vendors sell everything from bratwurst to barbecue. Also here: amusement rides in the kids' area. Olde Hickory Brewery is a block or so away, and The Old German Schnitzel Haus, down on U.S. 321 Business, is considered one of the very best German restaurants in America (reservations: 828-325-0800).
Details: http://www.hickoryoktoberfest.com.
-Oct. 18-21: Black Mountain
Event: LEAF Festival
In a nutshell: The Lake Eden Arts Festival is perhaps the premiere cultural outreach event in North Carolina and is held on the grounds of the late/ historic Black Mountain College (instructors included Albert Einstein and Buckminster Fuller). The nonprofit festival held every spring and fall on park-like grounds, blends arts, awareness and education. The 57 live performances this fall range from Mickey Hart (ex of the Grateful Dead) and his band to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to the Chirgilchin group (featuring north-of-Mongolia throat singing). Juried artists will display their work; a "healing arts" area features massages and workshops. Per-day tickets (including all shows) are $45; $35 for ages 10-17; multiday packages available.
Details: http://www.theLEAF.org.
-Oct. 20: Georgetown, S.C.
Event: 22nd annual Wooden Boat Show
In a nutshell: This free-admission show, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. along the waterfront and four blocks of Front Street, features boat exhibits, a boatbuilding competition, children's model boatbuilding and lots boats on display. Last year there were 125 anchored at the dock. There will be maritime art and crafts and nautical food (shrimp Creole, seafood chowder) at this fundraiser for the South Carolina Maritime Museum.
Details: http://www.woodenboatshow.com
Thing is, a spate of bum weather can ruin those trips, and finding the best spots for leaves varies from day-to-day and mile-by-mile.
-Sept. 28-30: Raleigh
Event: 27th International Festival of Raleigh
In a nutshell: The Raleigh Convention Center is the site of this culture-sampling bash that draws a crowd of about 30,000. There are ethnic dancers and cafes, cultural exhibits, an international shopping bazaar, a beer garden stage with live music, plus a kids area. Admission is $8 ($6 on opening day); $6 for ages 7-12 and 65 and older ($5 on opening day). Sept. 29 also brings Gaelic music and food to Raleigh's Moore Square for Irish Fest (( http://www.raleighirishfest.com ).
Details: http://www.internationalfestival.org
-Oct. 12-14: Hickory
Event: Oktoberfest
In a nutshell: The three-day downtown event has five stages with music ranging from rock to polka. The main stage is in the fest's enormous beer garden. Vendors sell everything from bratwurst to barbecue. Also here: amusement rides in the kids' area. Olde Hickory Brewery is a block or so away, and The Old German Schnitzel Haus, down on U.S. 321 Business, is considered one of the very best German restaurants in America (reservations: 828-325-0800).
Details: http://www.hickoryoktoberfest.com.
-Oct. 18-21: Black Mountain
Event: LEAF Festival
In a nutshell: The Lake Eden Arts Festival is perhaps the premiere cultural outreach event in North Carolina and is held on the grounds of the late/ historic Black Mountain College (instructors included Albert Einstein and Buckminster Fuller). The nonprofit festival held every spring and fall on park-like grounds, blends arts, awareness and education. The 57 live performances this fall range from Mickey Hart (ex of the Grateful Dead) and his band to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to the Chirgilchin group (featuring north-of-Mongolia throat singing). Juried artists will display their work; a "healing arts" area features massages and workshops. Per-day tickets (including all shows) are $45; $35 for ages 10-17; multiday packages available.
Details: http://www.theLEAF.org.
-Oct. 20: Georgetown, S.C.
Event: 22nd annual Wooden Boat Show
In a nutshell: This free-admission show, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. along the waterfront and four blocks of Front Street, features boat exhibits, a boatbuilding competition, children's model boatbuilding and lots boats on display. Last year there were 125 anchored at the dock. There will be maritime art and crafts and nautical food (shrimp Creole, seafood chowder) at this fundraiser for the South Carolina Maritime Museum.
Details: http://www.woodenboatshow.com
