Make Beattyville’s Woolly Worm Festival Part of Your Red River Gorge Fall Getaway

A fall trip to the Red River Gorge deserves a little small-town fun!

October 23–25, 2026, the Woolly Worm Festival fills downtown Beattyville with live music, Appalachian traditions, festival food, shopping, and friendly competition.

Located just 20 minutes from the Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Beattyville makes an easy addition to your weekend itinerary. Spend the morning exploring trails and scenic overlooks, then head downtown for an afternoon of entertainment and a taste of local culture. Better yet, book a nearby cabin or campground and make a full weekend of it.

The extended forecast is looking promising, with sunshine and daytime highs in the upper 60s to low 70s predicted for festival weekend. Cool evenings make an extra layer a good idea, and visitors should check the forecast again before traveling.

Championship Woolly Worm Race on Sunday at 4 p.m.

A Little Folklore and a Lot of Fun

The festival celebrates the banded woolly bear caterpillar, affectionately known as the woolly worm. Appalachian folklore holds that its black and brown bands offer clues about the severity of the coming winter. A wider brown band is said to signal a milder winter, while more black suggests harsher weather. Although this is a folk tradition rather than a scientific forecast, it’s a beloved part of the celebration.

Watch these tiny competitors climb toward the finish line and cheer for your favorite. The excitement builds to the Championship Woolly Worm Race on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Throughout the weekend, enjoy live performances at the Woolly Worm Stage and Town Square, browse vendor booths, and treat yourself to favorite festival foods. From bluegrass and gospel to other local and regional talent, the music gives visitors plenty of reasons to linger downtown.

Get ready for an evening of country, rock & roll, and blues as Marshull takes the Town Square Stage at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 23! Hailing from Richmond, Kentucky, the band features Jared Shoemaker, Justin Harris, Tristan Lambert, and Camden Baso.

Since forming in 2021, Marshull has played more than 400 live shows, building a reputation for energetic performances and versatile musicianship. Festival visitors may recognize the band from previous appearances at the Woolly Worm Festival and Beattyville Bourbon & Moonshine Festival.

Lead vocalist Jared Shoemaker earned national recognition as a Top 9 semifinalist on Season 29 of The Voice, competing on Team Adam Levine. Watch his blind audition here, then make plans to hear him perform with Marshull in downtown Beattyville.

After a day exploring the Gorge, grab some festival food and enjoy a Friday night of live music. The performance is sponsored by Lee County Tourism and Beattyville Main Street.

Full Schedule can be found at www.woollywormfest.com

Catch the Parade and Explore More

Find your spot along Main Street for the Woolly Worm Parade on Saturday, October 24, at 1 p.m. Floats, classic cars, local organizations, and community groups bring hometown pride to the streets of Beattyville.

Other weekend highlights include the youth pet show, Saturday’s cornhole tournament, and Sunday’s car show at Lee County Middle High School.

Keep the weekend fun rolling at the Woolly Worm Festival Car Show on Sunday, October 25, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Lee County Middle High School on Lee Avenue.

The annual show brings together more than 100 classic cars, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles from across the region. Stroll through the displays, admire carefully restored favorites, and chat with owners about the stories behind their rides. Awards include Top 100, Business Choice, and Best in Show.

Whether you’re a dedicated car enthusiast or simply enjoy browsing beautiful vehicles, the show makes a great addition to your festival itinerary. Afterward, head downtown for more live music, festival food, shopping, and the Championship Woolly Worm Race at 4 p.m.

Help Wanted: Woolly Worm Hunters!

This year, the festival’s smallest stars are proving difficult to find! The festival committee’s regular woolly worm hunters are having trouble locating them in their usual spots, and the community’s help would be appreciated.

Before heading out, know which caterpillar to collect. The banded woolly bear has fuzzy black ends and a rusty brown or orange band around its middle—a distinctive black–brown–black pattern. This caterpillar eventually becomes the Isabella tiger moth.

You may also spot a look-alike covered in solid black bristles, with red skin or rings visible between its body segments, especially when it curls into a ball. That description matches the giant leopard moth caterpillar, a relative of the banded woolly bear. These solid black caterpillars are not the ones the festival uses for racing or its traditional winter prediction. Please collect the banded black-and-brown woolly bears for the festival.

Collect 10 banded woolly worms and bring them to Don Begley Auto Sales, on Main Street, to receive an official handcrafted Woolly Barn! The committee will feed and care for the caterpillars until festival time and release them after the festival.

Already have a Woolly Barn? Festival Chairman Linda Smith has announced another option: bring 20 banded woolly worms to the Three Forks Tradition office on Main Street, and receive $10 cash instead.

It’s a fun way to help keep this unusual hometown tradition going!

Plan Your Festival Weekend

Whether you’re visiting the Gorge for the fall scenery, enjoying a cabin getaway, or looking for a family outing, leave room in your plans for Beattyville’s Woolly Worm Festival. Come experience the music, meet the people, and enjoy an Appalachian celebration with a personality all its own.

For the full entertainment and activity schedule, visit www.woollywormfest.com.

Social pages to follow for festival updates include: 

WoollyWormFestvialpage

BeattyvilleMainStreetPage

BeattyvilleLeeCoTourismPage