Top 20 events selected for each fall month in Southeastern states

ALBANY — It’s still a month before school gets back into session, but the busy fall holiday season will be here before you know it.

After Labor Day weekend, time can seem to evaporate as school activities and festivals punctuate the months as the succession of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day barrel through. Planning is a necessity to avoid being overwhelmed.

One tool that might be helpful for those who want to pack in some travel during the fall and early winter is a list recently released by the Southeast Tourism Society. The society has a list of 60 events in the Southeast — including some here in Georgia — that are best bets, with a top 20 of festivals and events for each of the months of October, November and December.

“Fall is festival season, especially in the South,” said Wendy Thomas, director of communications with STS. “You can’t say there’s nothing to do in the South that time of year.”

Events that made the list come in many sizes, though to be eligible an event or festival must have been in existence at least three years and attract an attendance of at least 1,000 people.

“That’s what we’re really trying to do, give a voice to these events,” Thomas said. “We’re looking at some that probably have a very minimal budget, that are volunteer based, and yet they can tout a Top 20 win.

“It’s not just the press, but the validity to their community, too, to come out and support it every year. It’s not just for the big fish.”

Thomas said the organization, which covers a dozen Southeastern states and has the “Escape to the Southeast” travel guide, gets nominations for the list, which are then judged by tourism peers from outside the region. The judges examine how well the organization putting on the event or festival tells its story, and reviews supporting material. The judges look at areas including websites, social media, publicity and promotional efforts, and what’s been added to the event.

The list, she said, helps travelers plan for destination trips and for visits on the way to their destinations.

“It’s a nice way to plan. Some folks use it as a nice little addition. They may know they’re taking a road trip already from Atlanta to New Orleans, but they’re going to stop in Mississippi on the way,” she said, and will contact the STS for information on what there is to do along the way. “I encourage them to look at the events. It’s like an added bonus for some folks.”

Thomas also said “one of the nice perks” for winners included on the list is also being listed on Travel Media Press Room’s website. “This is also giving these winners exposure to travel writers,” she said.

“The Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Festival and Event list is an excellent guide for the Southeast’s visitors and residents. Events selected represent the best, and often most unique, activities in our region,” said Bill Hardman, president and CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society.

Here’s a look at the monthly breakdowns:

OCTOBER

Easily within driving distance from metro Albany is the Georgia National Fair, which is set for Oct. 6-16 at the national fairgrounds in Perry, about an hour’s drive from Albany and right off Interstate Highway 75. Now in its 27th year, the fair has rides, games, food and other attractions, including a nightly fireworks show. The lineup of entertainment and special events at the 2016 fair is set to be released Friday.

Other Peach State events on the Top 20 are the Cotton Pickin’ Fair, Oct. 1-2 in Gay; the month-long Rock City Rocktoberfest at Lookout Mountain; the Deep Roots Festival, Oct. 22 in Milledgeville; and Owl-O-Ween, Oct. 23-24 in Kennesaw.

Two Florida events made the list: the 69th annual Indiantown Rodeo, Oct. 14-15 in Indiantown, and Wild N’ Wicked Nights on Oct. 21-22 and 28-29 in Weeki Wachee.

Shrimp lovers, meanwhile, might want to head to Gulf Shores, Ala., Oct. 13-16 for the 45th annual National Shrimp Festival.

The Carolinas will also be busy. The North Carolina Seafood Festival is Sept. 30-Oct. 2 in Morehead City; Oct. 14-16 is the Autumn Leaves Festival in Mount Airy; and classic Southern cuisine is front and center at the Oct. 22 Barbeque Festival in Lexington. In South Carolina, Fall for Greenville is Oct. 13-16 in Greenville and the 27th annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show is Oct. 15-16 in Georgetown.

Further north, West Virginia has New River Gorge Bridge Day Oct. 15 in Fayetteville, and Oct. 28 through Nov. 5 is West Virginia University Mountaineer Week. In Virginia, the Marine Corps Marathon is Oct. 28-30 in Arlington.

To the west, the Mississippi Gulf Coast area has the regional 20th annual Cruisin’ The Coast Oct. 2-9. Louisiana has three events: the Oct. 1-8 Red River Revel Arts Festival in Shreveport; the 43rd annual French Food Festival Oct. 27-30 in Larose; and the 110th State Fair of Louisiana, which starts Oct. 27 and continues through Nov. 13 in Shreveport.

NOVEMBER

Several November events have a Christmas theme and extend into December, including the lone Georgia event to make the month’s Top 20. Also at Lookout Mountain, Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights is Nov. 18 through Dec. 31.

In Florida, the 27th annual Stuart Air Show is Nov. 4-6 in Stuart, and Winterfest Trolley Tours are Nov. 25-26 and Dec. 2-3, 9 and 16-18 in Pensacola. Alabama has the Fall Outdoor Cascading Chrysanthemums of Bellingrath Nov. 6-18 in Theodore. And along the Gulf Coast, in both states, Nov. 3-13 will be the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival.

Tennessee’s a busy state that month as well, with the Nov. 1-7 Indie Memphis Film Festival in Memphis; Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff Nov. 9 in Gatlinburg; Christmas at Gaylord Opryland Resort Nov. 1 through New Year’s Day in Nashville; and the Fine Craft Show Nov. 18-20 in Knoxville.

North Carolina has the Celebration of Seagrove Potters Nov. 18-20 in Seagrove; the 21st Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration Nov. 19 in Raleigh; and the Nov. 25-26 Holiday Flotilla at Wrightsville Beach.

Meanwhile, South Carolina has the Dickens Christmas Show and Festival Nov. 10-13 in Myrtle Beach.

Further north, Christmas at the Galt House Hotel is Nov. 17 through Christmas Eve in Louisville, Ky., and Holidays in the City are Nov. 19 through New Year’s Eve in Norfolk, Va.

To the west, the 38th annual Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival is Nov. 5-6 at Ocean Springs, Miss.; also on Nov. 5-6 is the Steampunk and Makers Fair at LaFayette, La.; the Mistletoe and Moss Holiday Market is Nov. 17-19 at Lake Charles, La.; the 90th annual Christmas Festival of Lights is Nov. 19 through Jan. 6 at Natchitoches, La.,and Nov. 18 through New Year’s Eve is Lights of the Ozarks at Fayetteville, Ark.

DECEMBER

A South Georgia event, Thomasville’s Victorian Christmas Festival, made the Top 20 list for December. The community, about 65 miles south of Albany and near the Florida line, has been turning the clock back on its downtown streets for a number of years now, with this year’s two-evening event set for Dec. 8-9.

Also in Georgia that month are the Home Town Holidays Parade Dec. 1 in Forsyth and the Dec. 3-4 Marietta Pilgrimage.

Florida has the Dec. 8-11 Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival at Palm Beach; Winter Wonderland Dec. 9-10 and 16-17 at Weeki Wachee; and the New Year’s Eve Pensacola Pelican Drop at Pensacola.

Alabama has the It’s a Dickens Christmas Y’all Festival Dec. 9-10 at Tuscumbia.

In northern states bordering Georgia, North Carolina has a Speedway Christmas Dec. 1-20 at Concord, and the Dec. 3-4 Old Wilmington by Candlelight Tour at Wilmington, while South Carolina has the 21st annual Town of Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade Dec. 11 at Mount Pleasant. Tennessee again has a heavy list of events, with Christmas Underground Dec. 1-23 at Ruby Fall in Chattanooga; the Dec. 2 Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade and Winter Magic Kickoff at Gatlinburg; the Dec. 28-31 Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies’ Classic Basketball Tournament at Greenville; and on Dec. 31 the Gatlinburg New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show and Ball Drop.

Further north, Dec. 9-10 is the Feast of Seven Fishes Festival at Fairmont, W.V., and all month long is A Colonial Christmas in Williamsburg, Va.

To the west, Louisiana has the Southwest Christmas Lighting Festival all month at Lake Charles and Dec. 2-3 is the Holiday Arts Tour at Ruston, La.; Wassail Fest is Dec. 2 at Columbus, Miss.; and the annual Christmas and Candlelight is Dec. 3 and 10 at Washington State Park, Ark.