Boone and the surrounding areas are rich with community and traditions every App State student should get to experience. This guide will help you discover events and activities during the fall semester that allow you to try new things and meet new people.
Monday, Aug. 19 — First day of classes
Friday, Aug. 23 — Music in the Valle
Valle Crucis Community Park will be hosting local and regional musicians every Friday night from 6:30 p.m. to dusk. Come experience live music, food trucks and sunsets in the Valle. This free event runs until Sep. 7.
Friday, Aug. 23 — The Gatsby Gala — $$$
The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country will be hosting a Gatsby-themed gala to celebrate the 86th anniversary of the theater from 6:30-11 p.m. It will be $86 to attend. There will be themed food and drinks, live entertainment — including casino games — and prizes. Semi-formal or 1920s attire is encouraged.
Saturday, Aug. 24 — High Country Beer Fest — $$
The 17th annual High Country Beer Fest is an event filled with quality craft beers, ciders, live music, and seminars. This event costs anywhere from $20, for the designated driver, to $100 for those who want to get in an hour early and get a free t-shirt. Once you buy tickets, the beer, music and seminars are free. Food and merchandise will be available for purchase. The festival is from 3-8 p.m. and it will be held at the High Country Fair Grounds in Boone.
Saturday, Aug. 24 — Watauga County Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to noon, Horn in the West hosts 40-60 local vendors selling anything from fresh fruits and vegetables to handcrafted pottery. The Farmers’ Market season ends in November.
Saturday, Aug. 31 — App State vs. ETSU
App State will face off against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in the season’s home opener, with kickoff at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 7 — App State vs. Clemson
In the first away game of the season, App State will play against No. 20 Clemson. Kickoff will be at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14 — App State vs. ECU
App State’s Mountaineers will travel down to Greenville to play against the East Carolina Pirates. Kickoff will be at 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20 — Tweetsie’s Ghost Train — $$
Beginning in September, Tweetsie Railroad will be transforming every Friday and Saturday night from its usual western theme to a spooky ghost town. Tickets cost $60. Attractions include a night-time journey on the ghost train, a haunted house, carnival rides and more.
Saturday, Sept. 21 — High Country Oktoberfest — $
Oktoberfest is coming to Appalachian Mountain Brewery for a day filled with beer, live music, Oktoberfest-inspired food, stein hoisting, pretzels and more. Tickets cost $5 and it will be from noon to 10 p.m. Don’t forget your lederhosen or dirndl!
Saturday, Sept. 28 — App State vs. Liberty
App State will face off with the Liberty Flames in Kidd Brewer Stadium for the first time in nearly a decade, having last played them on Oct. 11, 2014.
Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 14-15 — Fall break
Saturday, Oct. 19 — Valle Country Fair
The annual Valle Country Fair celebrates harvest time in the High Country. This community celebration involves handcrafted goods from regional craftspeople, live mountain music and homemade meals. Admission to this 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. event is free, but parking costs $10.
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 19-20 — Woolly Worm Festival — $
Banner Elk is having its 47th annual Woolly Worm Festival, an event celebrating the oncoming of winter in an unusual way. At the festival, you may either bring a woolly worm, a furry, striped caterpillar which will become a moth, or buy one for a dollar. The worm can then be registered for $5 to enter into races to compete for $1,000 and the honor of your worm being used to predict the upcoming winter forecast. The colors of the 13 stripes on a woolly worm are used to determine what the weather will be like for the next 13 weeks of winter. The races begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday and will conclude with the grand finale at 4 p.m. On Sunday, there will be races held for fun and small prizes. There will be crafts, food vendors, live entertainment and more. It’s located at the Historic Banner Elk Elementary School.
Friday, Nov. 22 — App Ski Mountain scheduled to open
Friday, Nov. 22 — Blowing Rock NC Christmas Festival
The Town of Blowing Rock will have a Christmas Festival featuring hot chocolate, caroling and the lighting of the town Christmas lights. The event runs from noon to 6:30 p.m. and will be in Memorial Park.
Saturday, Nov. 23 — Chetola Resort Festival of Lights
Chetola Resort’s Festival of Lights is an annual event that goes from Nov. 23 to Jan. 28. 50,000 twinkle lights surround Chetola Lake and the resort area. This event is free.
Wednesday-Friday, Nov. 27-29 — Thanksgiving Break
Saturday, Nov. 30 — App State vs. Georgia Southern
App State’s final game of the season will be played against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
Tuesday, Dec. 3 — Last day of classes
Thursday-Friday, Monday-Wednesday, Dec. 5-6, 9-11 — Finals week
Friday, Dec. 13 — Commencement Ceremonies
Anonymous • Aug 22, 2024 at 12:27 pm
This was really helpful! I’m not sure if you’ve done an article like this before, but you should definitely do another one for next semester.