Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
apples totebag unsplash?width=1280&height=854&fit=crop&auto=webp&dpr=4
apples totebag unsplash?width=398&height=256&fit=crop&auto=webp&dpr=4
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
App State | Life > Experiences

My Favorite Fall Activity Right Outside of Boone

Celia Sifford Student Contributor, Appalachian State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at App State chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

For some, the fall season starts with the first football game, when the leaves start to change colors and the breeze begins to chill. For me, however, fall doesn’t officially start until the first weekend of October when I attend North Wilkesboro’s Apple Festival.  

Less than an hour from Boone, the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is held in downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The one-day festival is held annually by the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club on the first Saturday in October, and is one of Wilkes County’s largest fundraisers. According to the festival’s website, over 100 civic, church and other non-profit organizations participate in the festival.

Rain or shine, 300 arts and crafts vendors, 50 food concessions and three music stages fill the closed streets with over 100,000 attendees. The best part: the festival is free to attend.

I first attended the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival with my mom when I was about 12, and I fell in love with it at first visit. Since then, attending the festival has been our “thing,” and we always come home with empty pockets but fuller hearts. 

Although a bit early, I always find and buy Christmas presents for at least half of my family. Each vendor offers something unique, making it the perfect one-stop gift shop. 

One purchase that I never fail to make is apples. The festival pays tribute to the apples that are grown and harvested each year by orchardists in Northwestern North Carolina. You get to sample different varieties of the fruit, buy by the bushel, drink cider, eat dried apples, explore recipes and more.

If you’re looking to celebrate the festival ahead of time, you can attend Apple Jam the Friday before the festival from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. At the music event, people are welcome to bring a chair, relax and enjoy the music before the hustle and bustle that the next day will bring. 

The Brushy Mountain Apple Festival’s website includes accommodations for boarding and parking, as well as an easily accessible “FAQ” tab.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so take the day to drive down the mountain, buy some apples, help the community and kick off your fall season.

Celia Sifford

App State '28

Hi! I'm a junior at App State, and I am majoring in Digital Journalism and minoring in child development. I grew up loving to write, and love coming up with new story ideas!