Woolly Worm Festival - Banner Elk, North Carolina
source: http://www.woollyworm.com/
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For the 32nd year the town of Banner Elk welcomes back the annual Woolly Worm Festival. This family event welcomes more than 23,000 people to the community to make family memories and also to win the prestigious title of predicting the High Country weather and the chance to win the $1000 bounty.
Since 1978, the residents of Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain villages have celebrated the coming of the snow season with The Woolly Worm Festival. The third weekend in October determines which worm will have the honor of predicting the severity of the coming winter.
This is how it works:
As the late Charles Von Canon explained, "The Wooly Bear caterpillar has 13 brown and black segments that correspond to the 13 weeks of winter. The lighter brown a segment is, the milder that week of winter will be. The darker black a segment is, the colder and snowier the corresponding week will be." The winner of the final heat becomes the survivor of the fittest and is used to for prognasticating. Its been done that way for decades by the local farmers.
Don't miss this one of a kind festival where racing woolly worms is a highlight. A true predictor of the coming winter weather is the honor bestowed upon the winner of the final heat on Saturday. Woolly Worms are racing all day for this two day event with the Championship race held Saturday at the end of the festival close to the day's end for the festival.
Opening gates at 9:00 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday (Oct 18+19)
Over 140 food and craft vendors with their handcrafted items, plus rides, musicians and dance teams.
Since 1978, the residents of Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain villages have celebrated the coming of the snow season with The Woolly Worm Festival. The third weekend in October determines which worm will have the honor of predicting the severity of the coming winter.
This is how it works:
As the late Charles Von Canon explained, "The Wooly Bear caterpillar has 13 brown and black segments that correspond to the 13 weeks of winter. The lighter brown a segment is, the milder that week of winter will be. The darker black a segment is, the colder and snowier the corresponding week will be." The winner of the final heat becomes the survivor of the fittest and is used to for prognasticating. Its been done that way for decades by the local farmers.
Don't miss this one of a kind festival where racing woolly worms is a highlight. A true predictor of the coming winter weather is the honor bestowed upon the winner of the final heat on Saturday. Woolly Worms are racing all day for this two day event with the Championship race held Saturday at the end of the festival close to the day's end for the festival.
Opening gates at 9:00 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday (Oct 18+19)
Over 140 food and craft vendors with their handcrafted items, plus rides, musicians and dance teams.
