Southern Byways

You can celebrate the last weekend in October in style at any of the following events happening in the South.

Here’s a sampling of what’s going on in the region.

For foodies, there’s the…

Fredericksburg (Texas) Food and Wine Fest on October 25-26.

Texas Mushroom Festival in Madisonville (heralded as the ‘Mushroom Capital of Texas’) on October 25.

Annual Tailgating Cook Off & Fais Do Do in Iberia, La., on October 24-26.

• South Louisiana Blackfoot Festival & Cook-off in Lafayette, La., on October 24-25.
• Oxford’s (Miss.) Town BBQ Throwdown on October 24-25.
• 15th Annual Peanut Butter Festival in Brundidge, Ala., on October 25.
• Syrup Sopping Days in Loachapoka, Ala., on October 25.
• Original German Sausage Festival in Elberta, Ala., on October 25
• Southeastern BBQ Fest Cook-Off in Panama City Beach, Fla., on October 24 -26.
• 27th John’s Pass Seafood Festival at John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk in Madeira Beach, Fla., on October 25-26.
• Slow Down O-Town at Old Hickory Steakhouse (Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla.) on October 25.
• 20th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, in Lynchburg, Tenn., on October 24-25.
• Oyster Point Oyster Roast in Newport News, Va., on October 24.
• Autumn Apple Festival  at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum in Sterling, Va., on October 25.
• Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce ChiliFest in Martinsville, WVa., on October 25.

Art lovers can attend the…

• 16th Annual Texas Clay Fest in New Braunfels on October 25-26.
• 4th Annual Arts Alive and 12th Annual Bay Artists’ Co-Op Open House in Bay St. Louis, Miss., on October 25-26.
• Art in Avondale Park (Birmingham, Ala.) on October 25.
• Boll Weevil Arts & Crafts Festival in Enterprise, Ala., on October 25.
• 13th Annual Festival of Arts at Henderson Beach State Park ( Destin, Fla.) on October October 25-26.
• Sweetwater Festival in Milledgeville, Ga., on October 25.
• 9th Annual Off-the-Beaten Path Studio Tour in Smithville, Tenn., on October 24-26.
• 44th Annual Fine Arts Show in Washington, N.C., on October 23-25.

Want to get into the Halloween mood? There’s the…

• Washington After Dark at Historic Washington State Park (Ark.) on October 25.
• 13th Annual Howl-o-Ween Party in Eureka Springs, Ark., on October 25.
• Fort Richardson Ghost Walk in Jacksboro, Texas, on October 25.
• Moon Over Minden (La.) on October 25.
• Witches Wynd in Kingsport, Tenn., on October 24-25.
• Augusta (Ky.) Ghost Tour on October 25.
• Haunted Woods at Macon (Ga.) Museum of Art and Science on October 25.
• Haunted Lighthouse tours at NAS Pensacola (Fla.) on October 24-25.
• 3rd Annual Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge Haunted House in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., on October 24-25.
• Haunted Tram Rides at Homosassa (Fla.) Springs Wildlife State Park on October 24-25.
• Haunting of Fort Taylor at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West, Fla., on October 25-26.
• Tales of Union County (S.C.) at Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site on October 24-25.
• 5th Annual Haunted Corolla Village in the Outer Banks, N.C., on October 24-25.
• “Spirit of the Neuse” Ghost Walk in New Bern, N.C., on October 24-25.
• Historic Hauntings Ghost Walk at Historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville, N.C., on October 24-25.
• Endview Plantation’s Civil War Ghost Walk in Newport News, Va., on October 24.
• Historic Haunts of Hampton (Va.) at the Hampton History Museum on October 24-25.
• Spirit Walk at Susquehanna Museum in Harve de Grace, Md., on October 25.

For leaf peepers, consider the…

• 47th Annual Fall Foliage Tour in Jasper, Ark., on October 24.
• Fall Color Hike in Guntersville (Ala.) State Park on October 25.
• Fall Colors Train Ride in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on October 25-26.

If you enjoy spending time outdoors, there the…

• Austin (Texas) Cave Festival on October 25.
• Crane Fest at Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge in Gautier on October 25.
• Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival in Lee County, Fla., that begins on October 25 (ends on November 2.)
• Monarch Butterfly Festival at St. Marks (Fla.) National Wildlife Refuge (PDF file) on October 25.

Don’t forget these events, such as the…

• Sassafras Festival (PDF file) in San Augustine, Texas on October 24-25.
• Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering and Western Swing Festival in Fort Worth, Texas on October 24-26.
• VooDoo Music Experience in New Orleans, La., on October 24-26.
• Fall Governor’s Mansion Tour in Montgomery, Ala., on October 24-25.
• Balloon Glow in the Garden in Mobile, Ala., on October 25.
• Covered Bridge Festival in Oneonta, Ala., on October 25.
• Savannah (Ga.) Film Festival begins on October 25 (ends on November 1.)
• 6th Annual SE Cowboy Festival and Symposium in Cartersville, Ga., on October 23-26.
• Daytona Beach (Fla.) Dream Cruise on October 24-26.
• The Official Blues Brother Revival in Wilmington, N.C., on October 24.
• West Virginia Turkey Fest in Mathias on October 24-25.