All proceeds from the fair benefit local High Country charitable organizations. Come early and stake out a parking spot. To find the Apple Barn, take N.C. Hwy. 194 S. past the Mast General Store. You'll find the Apple Barn in just under 2 miles.
Tradition says it's so.
The woolly worm has earned this distinction here in the mountains, and people gather high up in Banner Elk to celebrate the fact every year during the third weekend in October, just before the winds blow chill. Stripes on the woolly worm are traditionally inspected by town elders. Depending on the color, the elders can predict what kind of winter it will be. Along with the honored woolly worm, more than 120 craft artists, races, entertainment and food make the festival a hit for the whole family. This annual juried and invitational exhibition that takes place on the 3rd weekend in October features traditional and contemporary glass, fiber, ceramics, metal, wood, sculpture and jewelry by some of the region's finest artists.