20K
visitors
100 +
vendors
1,000
worms
49
years
Fall Fun For Everyone
The 49th Annual Wooly Worm Festival
2026 Festival Hours:
Saturday: 9 AM-5 PM
Sunday: 9 AM-4 PM
About the Festival
Learn more about the Woolly Worm Festival
For nearly 50 years the town of Banner Elk has welcomed both old and new friends to the annual Woolly Worm Festival. This family event co-hosted by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and the Banner Elk Kiwanis Club welcomes more than 20,000 people to the community to make family memories, the chance to earn the prestigious honor of predicting the high country winter weather and win the $1000 bounty!
CBS Sunday Morning News Segment
“Wholesome and family oriented fun.”
CBS News Sunday Morning features the Woolly Worm Festival, October 2023
Join the Fun
20K
visitors
49
years
1000
worms
100+
vendors
2025
Winner & Prediction
48th Annual Woolly Worm Race: Read by Tommy Burleson
2025 Winner: Maribel Murphy from Indiana with a winning worm named Billy!
❄️ Week 1-4 – Black: Snow and below-average temperatures.
❄️ Week 5 – Fleck: Light snow or frost, with below-average temps.
🌤️ Weeks 6-10 – Brown: Average temperatures.
❄️ Week 11 – Fleck: Light snow or frost, with below-average temps.
❄️ Weeks 12-13 – Black: Snow and chilly, below-average temperatures.
There are 13 body segments in a Woolly Worm and 13 weeks in the winter season. Each body segment of the winning Woolly Worm corresponds to that week’s weather.
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