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Woolly Worm Festival
October 21, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
$4 – $6Banner Elk’s famed Woolly Worm Festival celebrates its 41st year. the weekend of Oct. 20-21.
The festival is known worldwide for its quirky mission of conducting races among woollybear caterpillars, known locally as woolly worms. Races are held both days, with Saturday’s winner getting the honor of forecasting the winter weather in North Carolina’s High Country.
The festivities date to 1978 when a magazine editor wanted to publish a forecast based on the legend that the 13 fur bands on a woolly worm foretell the severity of winter’s 13 weeks. Brown bands indicate mild weather, while black bands indicate cold, snowy conditions.
The festival also includes craft vendors, plus a variety of live entertainment and food.
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