My favorite part of the fall season is attending the annual Woolly Worm Festival, located in the cozy mountain town of Banner Elk, North Carolina. For those unfamiliar with this tradition, the event celebrates the start of the snowy season and uses a “Woolly Worm” to predict the coming winter weather. More than 20,000 people attended last year’s festival to enjoy food, music, crafts, and of course, Woolly Worms! The festival takes place the third weekend of October, falling on the 15th and 16th of this month. This year marked the 45th anniversary of the Woolly Worm Festival, and I am so glad that I got to attend.
The worms, Wooly Bear caterpillars to be exact, are raced up strings in order to determine which worm will be used in the official winter weather prediction. The weather is determined by the stripes present on the worm’s bodies. Each has 13 stripes of black and brown that correspond to the 13 weeks of winter. The lighter a stripe is, the milder the weather will be that week. Similarly, the darker a stripe is, the harsher the weather will be. The main races take place on the first day of festivities, with the winner taking home a prize of $1,000 and being declared the official Winter Weather Forecasting Agent. Races also take place on the second day with the winner taking home $500.
I first attended the Woolly Worm Festival shortly after moving to Boone, North Carolina to become a student at Appalachian State University. After seeing a giant billboard with a cartoon worm plastered on the side of it, I knew I had to check it out. Ever since I have become a devoted fan of the festival and attend every year. This year I enjoyed another successful Woolly Worm Festival, and am already looking forward to next year.
With the cool weather and the fall foliage, the Woolly Worm Festival is a great chance to have some fun with family and friends and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Check out the official website to get more information. I highly recommend a visit!