Woolly Worm Gazette 2016

Woolly Worm Gazette 39TH ANNUAL

2016

October 15th & 16th

Tips and Twicks to Waise a Winning Worm Woolly Weturns: Pwoceeds beneďŹ t the Community Behind the Waces: An Inside Wook

A special publication of

Woolly Worm Festival

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October 5-6, 2016

A LONG AND STOWIED HISTOWY

BY MATT DEBNAM matt.debnam@averyjournal.com

O

f all the festivals that take place each year, the Woolly Worm Festival must be rated as one of the most unique of all. For the past 39 years, attendees of the festivals have flocked to the small mountain town of Banner Elk from all corners of the nation for the event to celebrate the magic of a tiny brown and black creature affectionately known as the woolly worm.

The festival, which has been going strong in the High Country since 1978, has transcended its local, small town roots and firmly planted itself, much like worms on a string, upon the national stage.

Festival co-founder Jim Morton, who spent his first autumn in the area in 1973, was enamored by the local legend of the woolly worm as a weather forecaster. According to folklore, the 13 segments of a woolly worm correspond with the 13 weeks of winter. Black segments are said to indicate severe weather, while orange or brown segments are indicative of milder weeks.

Morton put the worm to work in Banner Elk when he, along with a group of local merchants, was tasked to find an annual event to bring to the area.

While Morton had faith in the little worm’s accuracy, not all worms tell the same story.

Some of the High Country’s woolliest denizens warned of severe winter weather with their solid black coats. Other, perhaps more optimistic worms in the same area would have more brown on their backs, indicating that the winter would be mild.

While all the worms were woolly, not all the worms could be right, so Morton set out to find only the best wormy weathermen by means of a race. It stands to reason, at least to all of those learned in worm lore, that the fastest, most fit woollies will naturally be the most able forecasters of the weather.

So it has been ever since. Woolly worms and their handlers have flocked to Banner Elk every year from all over the world for

PHOTO BY MATT DEBNAM

Roy “Mr. Woolly Worm” Krege and his protege, Adam Binder, wear many hats during the festival.

In addition to officiating the races and providing commentary, the two are also the keepers of the mysterious lore of the woolly worms. have attended the past few events. People flock from all over the country, and not just to gratify the olympian ambitions of their woolly worms. The Banner Elk festival has something to offer to the whole family.

In recent years, more than 140 art and craft vendors have been present at the event.

Prospective vendors are juried by the Woolly Worm Festival Committee so that only the best handmade items are allowed to be sold.

No buy and resell vendors are allowed at the festival.

The festival, while now a mega-modern woolly worm event to rival the very woolliest the world has to offer, had humble beginnings. The first Woolly Worm Festival took PHOTO BY GARRETT PRICE place at Banner Elk Elementary School on a An oft-overlooked piece at the festival is the cold and windy day. The festival organizers official prediction display attached to the cendiscovered through their ground-breaking ter stage. Displaying the results of the worms’ worm research, that woolly worms, like divinations, the black rings represent harsh people, aren’t usually too interested in recreweather, while the brown rings represent cool, mild weather. ational climbing when it is too cold.

Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to the chance to win the right to warn the High impress the importance of the race upon the Country about its upcoming season. woolly worms who, while they are endowed Banner Elk’s small population swells durwith certain meteorological abilities, resoing the festival. More than 20,000 people lutely don’t speak English.

To combat the cold, handlers have now learned that worms can be motivated by hot air blown through a straw.

Woolly worms, many festival attendees are surprised to learn, are not actually worms at all, but are the caterpillar larvae of the Isabella Tiger Moth. The worms, like many Hollywood actors gone wrong, prefer to be known for their adolescent work rather than any perceived grown-up shortcomings.

The worms that festivalgoers race in the fall aren’t just adept at predicting the winter, they are also well equipped to survive it.

Woolly worms outlast the winter in hibernation. Instead of burrowing deep underground like many animals, they choose to spend the winter closer to the surface, under rocks, fallen foliage or logs. The worms produce a chemical called cryoprotectant that allows their bodies to totally freeze solid with no adverse effects. Some worms are known to survive as many as 14 winters using this method.

When it decides it is ready and the spring thaw comes, the worm that stuck itself in the freezer emerges as a moth and spends its newly winged life fluttering around lamps and streetlights remembering the glory days when it was a weather-forecasting festival star.

Attempts to found moth festivals have been met with less success than the groundbased competition, as they have a nasty habit of flying away.

Entering its 39th year, the Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival will be held in downtown Banner Elk Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16. Races will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Saturday’s grand prize winner will go home with $1,000, while Sunday’s races, which are typically smaller, will award a grand prize of $500.

Worms can be purchased at the festival for $5, but attendees are also welcome to bring their own worm.

For more information, call the Avery County Chamber of Commerce at (828) 8985605 or click to www.woollyworm.com.

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Woolly Worm Festival

October 5-6, 2016

Page 3

WULES and WEGULATIONS

BY KENAN DUDLEY kenan.dudley@averyjournal.com

T

here can only be one weatherwise Woolly Worm at the end of every Woolly Worm Festival. The honorable distinction includes bragging rights and the mandate to predict the upcoming winter’s weather.

Each festival includes massive amounts of worms battling other potential champions tooth and nail in order to claim the top honor a worm can receive. Any smart worm is already searching for whatever it can use to gain a competitive advantage over the field.

Because of this, race organizers at the festi-

val have implemented a strict set of rules and regulations to ensure a good, clean competition, as well as multiple-industry-standard Human Gwowth Hormone tests.

First off, those wishing to enter a worm into competition must obtain, train and register their worm. Although the festival will have worms available for sale onsite, entrants are allowed to bring their own worms from home.

Those wishing to compete must pay a $5 entrance fee and have a name ready for their worm— which, if you choose to bring one from home, you’ve probably already accomplished. Festival organizers remind racers that the more creative the name, the better.

Worm trainers who are serious about the

race should register early, as there are a limnot allowed to be touched during the race, ited amount of spots available. A maximum but worm drivers are encouraged to yell, of 25 worms compete in each heat and the scream, whistle or blow on their worms with number of heats are determined by the num- a drinking straw. Motivational music and ber of those wishing to compete, as well as speeches are also found to be very inspiring the weather. to worms.

Only genuine, honest, 100-percent verified The first worm to reach the top of the woolly worms will be allowed to compete. string will be declared the winner by the The festival makes no exceptions for genetic main race judges that include Tommy modification or Burleson, who species variation. has officiated To ensure that the festival for the fuzzy worm more than three The bands on woolly worms denote just a different breed. you are handling decades.

Scientifics also say woolly warnings you need not heed. is indeed a proper Burleson, who But the true believers of what the woolly worm predicts woolly worm, stands seven-feet, are comfy in frigid winters while others are in a sad fix! check that it has four-inches tall, Ed Aycock 13 segments and is one of the only West Jefferson, NC some color variapeople who can tion of brown accurately judge and black. If it has more or fewer segments the races’ dramatic climaxes which take then it is recommended that you replace the place at the top of a tall race board. worm gently back where you found it, as it The regulation string upon which the cannot be guaranteed that all worm wranwoolly worms will make their ascent is gling is safe. designed to have the texture and tension of At the beginning of each heat, worms are a strand of milkweed. Festival founder Jim placed at the bottom of a vertical string on Morton was inspired to go down this path the race board. When the starting signal is after watching two woolly worms climb a given, worm handlers are allowed to release stalk of milkweed in the wild and wondering their worms. The worm, string and board are which would get to the top more quickly.

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Woolly Worm Festival

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October 5-6, 2016

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Children young and old have a blast each year at the annual Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival. This year’s event occurs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16, at Historic Banner Elk School.

WILD AND WOOLLY FUN at the 2016 Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival

BY JOHN BRASIER john.brasier@averyjournal.com

I

t’s the third weekend of October, a time known throughout Western North Carolina and Tennessee as the reprise of the annual Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival.

Weally, it is. For aficianados who prefer our wool from a caterpillar instead of a raccoon, it’s all about woolly worms.

Thousands of visitors – crowds of up to 20,000 are expected – will celebrate the 39th annual Woolly Worm Festival in quaint downtown Banner Elk with food, music, arts and crafts, and of course, the woolly worm races that make this a one-of-a -kind, fun festival.

If you’re lucky – or you have special skills in selecting or training a champion woolly worm – you can go home with the $1,000 grand prize as well.

Festival creator Jim Morton probably would be amazed to see the metamorphosis of his idea for a fall festival – how it’s developed into one the region’s most popular events. Kind of like the transition from a caterpillar to a butterfly, if you will.

The Woolly Worm Festival gets bigger and better every year. Among this year’s changes is a convenient new exit via a bridge near Historic Banner Elk School, a designated area for 14 area nonprofits to exhibit the good that comes from revenue generated by the festival, and as always, more vendors with more to offer.

The weather is usually perfect. Average high temperature in Banner Elk on Woolly Worm Weekend is somewhere in the comfortable, low 60s, depending on the exact date each year.

Scoff, if you dare, but the woolly worm is supposed to be an excellent judge of coming weather. According to completely unscientific, unreliable statistics, the festival’s winning worm is correct almost 90 percent of the time in

predicting the severity of winter. Put that in your dark, little hole, groundhog.

Never trained – let alone raced – a woolly worm?

No problem. The truth is, there’s no proven successful formula for winning woolly worm races – not that the experts who have experienced success will share, anyway.

There are a few general rules to follow. As legend holds, keeping your woolly worm warm before the race always helps. Keep your athlete from cooling off. A few warmup races before the actual heats start are often recommended.

Just pay attention and watch where you step as your worm gets ready.

The best method for speeding your lazy little worm along is to blow on it through a straw, making for some interesting photos during the weekend’s dozens of worm heats.

Technique is important. As experienced trainers know, woolly worm racing is a game of inches.

Another little-known fact is woolly worms – like other living creatures – are soothed by music. Most racers prefer the classics such as “Woolly Bully.” Be prepared to hear that tune at least a few times during the weekend.

In an area known as an enclave for celebrities, you never know if some Hollywood type will show up to take the stage or surf through the crowd.

So find a woolly worm – or buy one from one of the many established woolly worm trainers on site – and come out for a fun family weekend in Banner Elk. If you’re not into the excitement of slow-paced, high-stakes worm racing, enjoy the great food, the high-quality goods offered by local vendors and the spectacular fall colors of the surrounding mountains.

You may come for the excitement of dramatic woolly worm racing. You’ll stay for the fun on what typically is a gorgeous fall weekend amongst the splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

See you at the race board. May the best worm win.

Woolly Worm Festival

October 5-6, 2016

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Unwind with us after the Woolly Worm Festival!

FILE PHOTO

Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce and Banner Elk Kiwanian Mary Jo Brubaker counts out winning prize money to a former Woolly Worm Festival champion as Tommy Burleson and Roy Krege look on. Winning worms on Saturday and Sunday win $1,000 and $500, respectively.

2016 WOOLLY WORM FESTIVAL By the Numbers

BY JOHN BRASIER john.brasier@averyjournal.com

N

eed some stats in preparation of the Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival? Here’s a few numbers guaranteed to tell you as much as you want to know about Avery County’s famous fall

62 – Average high temperature in Banner Elk for Oct. 15 and 16.

63 – Number of worms racing in the inaugural year.

67 – The approximate number of heats required to determine a Woolly Worm Festival champion.

festival:

2 – Number of bands of black fur on a woolly worm that indicate a severe winter is on the way.

3 – Number in feet of length of string woolly worms must travel to complete a race.

8 – Number of cute caterpillar varieties that are poisonous. Don’t worry, our Western North Carolina woolly worms are safe.

13 – Number of segments or bands of fur on a woolly worm.

14 – The number of booths in the festival’s new area designed strictly for nonprofit organizations.

100 – Number of counties in North Carolina – Avery was the final county created in 1911.

160 – The approximate number of vendors for the 2016 Woolly Worm Festival.

500 – The number of dollars paid to the grand-prize winner of Sunday’s woolly worm races.

1,000 – The number of dollars the grand prize winner of Saturday’s woolly worm races will receive.

16,000 – The approximate number of visitors at the 2015 festival.

17,713 – Population of Avery County in 2013.

25 – The number of woolly worms in a heat when the worm racing begins on Saturday.

(828) 898-5605 – The number to call with additional questions about the festival and Avery County.

39 – The number of consecutive Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festivals.

50,000 – The approximate revenue in dollars generated by the festival for the Kiwanis Club to help local children, communities and charitable events.

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Woolly Worm Festival

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October 5-6, 2016

2016 WOOLLY WORM COMMITTEE Behind the scenes of the Woolly Worm Festival, a hardworking group of committee members strives year-round to ensure that each year’s festival is a success. Pictured clockwise, from top left, are Teresa Huffman, Kathy Boone, Amy Southern, Melynda Pepple, Tom McMurray, Mary Jo Brubaker, Nancy Morrison, J.D. Hughes, Dan Brubaker and Babette McAuliffe.

“TWINKLE TOES” takes the cash at 2015 festival

BY MATT DEBNAM matt.debnam@averyjournal.com

R

ebecca Perree of Palm Beach, Fla., was all smiles after her woolly worm, fondly dubbed “Twinkle Toes,” won the championship race on Oct. 17 at the 38th Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk. Festival officials examined her winning worm to determine an official winter forecast.

The big board stayed busy, as more than 80 races took place over the course of the weekend, with local legend Tommy Burleson among the worm judges and both veteran master of ceremonies, “Mr. Woolly Worm” himself, Roy Krege, and “Mr. Woolly Worm in Training,” Adam Binder, keeping the massive crowd lively with conversation and commentary.

When the final whistle blew at the end of the championship race late Saturday afternoon, a worm named “Twinkle Toes” stood tall as the grand champion. Twinkle Toes earned a $1,000 grand prize for his handler, as well as the privilege of serving as the official worm predictor of the 13 weeks of winter weather in Banner Elk and the High Country area.

According to the prediction, the winter was to begin with three weeks of cold weather and snow, followed by six weeks of below normal temperatures with snow, then two weeks of milder temperatures.

The last two weeks would consist of cool weather, featuring light dustings of snow.

PHOTO BY GARRETT PRICE

“Mr. Woolly Worm,” Roy Krege, presented Rebecca Perree with a $1,000 cash prize at last year’s festival after Perree’s champion worm, “Twinkle Toes” danced his way to eternal glory as the winner of the Saturday race.

Woolly Worm Festival

October 5-6, 2016

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Children young and old have a blast each year at the annual Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival. This year’s event occurs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16, at Historic Banner Elk School.

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WOOLLY WETURNS Woolly Worm Festival benefits local businesses and nonprofits

BY MATT DEBNAM matt.debnam@averyjournal.com

T

he furry little brown and black denizens of the Woolly Worm Festival have been delighting festival attendees for 39 years now, making the festival a memorable time of fun and entertainment for all who attend. Although the event may appear from an outsider’s perspective to be largely fun and games, the reality is that this event draws not only crowds, but dollars as well.

After settling bills and setting aside funds for the next year’s startup costs and long-term needs, the Woolly Worm Festival Committee paid out $70,000 in 2015, which was split evenly between the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and the Banner Elk Kiwanis.

While the Avery Chamber uses its funds to promote business and tourism in the area, the Banner Elk Kiwanis, consistent to its mission statement, passes along every penny of its $35,000 take to benefit kids and families in Avery County.

“From the Kiwanis perspective, it’s all about the kids,” Festival Committee Chair and Kiwanian Mary Jo Brubaker said. “Every bit of effort we put into the festival is a labor of love, because it goes back to the kids.”

Speaking of how these funds are allocated, Brubaker said schools and teachers in Avery County may apply for grants to use for projects of their choice. For the schools, the funds are a much-needed and appreciated boost during a time of tightening budgets that causes demands to outweigh supplies in the classroom.

“The impact that is made by Kiwanis and the Woolly Worm Festival is tremendous. It is absolutely amazing,

and allows teachers in schools to do things that funding that is currently in place just doesn’t allow them to do,” Avery County Schools Superintendent David Burleson said. “Teachers can do extraordinary programs for kids.

They can get funding for many of their projects, but for that little extra needed for efforts and projects in the classroom the Woolly Worm funds help them to make the projects happen. The Woolly Worm Fund and Kiwanis have always been a strong source of support to the schools and in the community, and those involved partner with us in recognizing that impact to Avery County. It starts with our youngest citizens.”

Another way that Kiwanis has impacted children in Avery County has been through its “Reading is Fundamental” program, distributing three books each year to every child from pre-K through fifth grade in Avery County Schools, as well as at Williams Academy, Children’s Hope Alliance, Head Start and the school system’s mobile Pre-K SCOTTIE Bus. “We give money to support the Boy Scout troops, Girl Scout troop, and the Kite Festival on Beech Mountain,” Brubaker said. “We sponsor the Key Club at Avery High School and the Builder’s Club, which is a Kiwanis Club for middle school students at both of our middle schools. We also give money to the Action Club, which is a brand new venture based out of Mayland Community College that is a Kiwanis Club for adults with special needs.”

In addition to these organization, the club’s woolly worm funds also support local nonprofits. This year, nine organizations will have booths at the festival provided free of charge.

The Avery Chamber of Commerce

uses its portion of the funds to help with day-to-day operation of the Chamber, in addition to aid in promoting tourism and travel to Avery County and the surrounding area through media, brochures, billboards and other methods. Additionally, the Chamber plays a critical role in recruiting merchants and vendors for the festival, as well as maintaining the festival’s website.

“When we say that funds go back to support small businesses and tourism, that’s exactly what we do here at the Chamber,” Avery Chamber Director Melinda Pepple said. “Over the 40 years that this festival has grown, it has been tremendous for our community. It has continually grown every year to impact this community in a positive way. It’s a huge asset for our community.”

Festival officials make concerted efforts to make sure expenses incurred are steered and geared toward using local merchants and businesses to help generate income for businesses here at home.

According to Brubaker, the annual festival generates a tremendous economic impact for Avery County each year.

“The Kangaroo store’s ATM ran out of money by noon on Saturday. That kind of tells you what kind of traffic they got,” Brubaker said. “Across the street at the Banner Elk Cafe, Les (Broussard) brings in a huge refrigerated trailer so that he has enough food. Three years ago, Dave Calvert ran out of food at his restaurant in Newland. All of the bed and breakfasts are booked. It’s just huge the amount of traffic that comes through this weekend.

People come, have a great time and take advantage of what our area has to offer.”

For more information, call the Avery County Chamber of Commerce at (828) 898-5605, or click to www.woollyworm.com.

Woolly Worm Festival

October 5-6, 2016

Page 9

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October 5-6, 2016

WOOLLY WORM VENDOR LIST VENDORS Booth # 65 114 70 & 71 27 & 28 101 & 102 9 45 52 68 98 81 & 82 2&4 59 78 & 79 50 19 18 34 120 & 121 91 R 93 12 113 144 31 1 33 126 & 127 63 48 105 7 51 76 119 97 132 23, 24 & 25 6 36 44 112 77 128 & 129 56 95 21 1A 158 & 159 16 35 145 & 146 134 130 2A 85 & 86

Company 1 Pulse Outfitters, LLC 3 Came Home 7th Moon Gifts Adoughables Ornaments Americamanta Animal Emergency & Pet Care Clinic Arachne by Carol Clay & Mac Chambers Art Island Artistic Designs Austin’s Pottery & Crafts Avery Farms/Trinity Trees Bark 4 Bones Barrier Island Organics LLC Bath Fitter Bearabows Bear’s Den, Inc. Beech Mountain Beekeeping Big Bang Books Bill Elder Apples Bill Lyons Woodworking Blue Ridge Love Story Blue Ridge Mtn Belt Company Blue Ridge Light Photography Bounty Hunter Hats Cane Creek Creations Carolina West Wireless Children’s Castle Chuck Thompson Colonial Wagon & Wheel Crafts by Janice Curlinator Designs Dan Goad Fine Art Darlene’s Sewing Garden, LLC Datil Sensation Davis Dyes DB’s Glass Shack Designs by Lynell Dichroic Glass Art Dick Crowder Artworks Dogwood Pet Wear Doug Coffey Douglas Alexander Collection Element Tree Essentials Ellis Brothers Builders Face Painting by Donnie Fake-A-Face Fire Fly Cove Creations Fire Fly Glass Floyd’s Creative Woodworking Forever Teak Wood Free Reign Farm Green Thumb Pottery Harry’s Woodworking Heather Applegate Photography High Ridge Woodworking of Deep Gap Historic Trade/Sock Zen Holston Mountain Hat Project

122, 123 & 124 11 135 141 & 142 10 62 96 133 110 69 60 140 146D 22 43 3 57 111 42 20 146B 1B 83 & 84 99 109 67 58 103 & 104 74 143 5 30 32 49 73 100 146A Radio 146C 53 & 54 75 136 & 137 17 138 & 139 72 88 & 89 131 37 & 38 92 Sound 148 90 13, 14 & 94 47 87 26 106 2B 46

In the Potter’s Hand Inspire Me Iron Fish Products Iron Imagination Jacob & Mabry’s Gourmet Cotton Candy Jana’s Paintings & Pottery Jason Penland Photography Jeri’s Jewels Jerry Cole Metal Designs Jewelry Designs by Heidi Cline Keepsake Memories Kimberly Allynne Designs Leaning Tree Game Calls Linda K. Persinger Lisa’s Originals Little Gray Studio Live Art Wood Design Mads Mod Dogs Collars Mallory’s Candles Margalena LePore Studios Mary Belle Company MasterCraft McNeill’s Pottery Michael Roberts Michelle’s Bakery Mountain Hollow Crafts My Mountain Flower Oak & Rope Design OBX Artz & Craftz/Lighted Images Ocean Palms Jewelry Palm Tree Pottery Patricia Adams Photography Peaceful Path Pottery Personalities Plus Pine Needle Stitches Pops Kreative Stache Potting for Fun Radio Ray’s Weather Rebecca Hiatt Photography Redbird Photo Gallery Robin Goodwin Santa’s Bag Savell Studio Silly Willy Caricatures Silver & Stones Jewelry Sisters Act Two Sledge Metal Sonrise Pottery Sound Souvenir Shirts Spiral Dyes Stanley’s Produce Stoneage Art Works Stonegate Candle Creations The Nut House Those Kooky Chickens Tin Creations T-N-T Mine Co

108 115, 116 & 117 61 64 15 29 118 107 125 RIGHT OF STAGE 66

Treasures Jewelry Turtle Old Man Jewelry West End Wreaths White Wolf Lodge Whitson Crafts Wilkey Woodcrafts Wishful Thinking Studio Woolly Worms & Stuff Worley’s Best WORM REGISTRATION Wreaths to Your Door

NON-PROFIT G B L C D 55 8 J A N 80 K E M O H F

Aktion Club of Mayland (S.P.Kiwanis) Appalachian Voices Avery County Habitat for Humanity Avery County Humane Society Avery Cty. Dem. Party Avery Journal Times Banner Elk PTO/GSA Beech Mountain TDA Crossnore Weavers & Gallery Feeding Avery Families MAY Wildllife Rehabilitation Center at Lees McRae Oasis, Inc. Susan G. Komen Northwest NC Town of Banner Elk Tribute to the Troops of NC Wake Forest Baptist Health Yellow Mountain Enterprises

FOOD VENDORS 161 160 153 167 156 155 164 166 162 152 149 163 165 151 150 154

A & Y Concessions Alf’s Kettle Corn Asia Fusion Elite Auntie Ruth’s Doughnuts Avery High Key Club Boy Scouts & Avery High Band Carolina BBQ International Grill Co., LLC JSA Restaurant Inc./ The Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria K & M Concessions Paris Festival Rock Star Grille Roops Imbiss Southland Concessions Steakboys Stick Boy Bread Co.

AMUSEMENTS Banner Elk Mini Golf Bouncin Kids Flexflying, Inc.

H Wake Forest Bap st Health 12x12

Tickets

G Ak on Club of Mayland 12x12

F Yellow Mtn 12x12

E Susan Komen 12x12

12x12

Avery Democrac c

D

C Avery Humane 12x12

B Appalachian Voices 12x12

A Crossnore Weavers 12x12

Tickets

O Tribute to the Troops of NC 12x12

N Feeding Avery Families 12x12

M Town of B.E. 12x12

L Avery Habitat 12x12

K Oasis 12x12

J Beech Mtn TDA 12x12

12x20

I Avery Chamber & Volunteers

Civil Air Patrol

Pet Care

12x40

Worm Race RegistraƟon

146D Leaning Tree Game Calls 12x12

146C Rays Weather 12x12

146B Mary Belle Co. Jewelry 12x12

146A Po ng for Fun 12x12

12x24

Harry’s Wood Work

145 & 146

144 Cane Creek Crea ons 12x12

143 Ocean Palms Jewelry 12x12

12x24

Iron

Imagina on

141 & 142

140 Kimberly Allynne Designs 12x12

12x24

Savell Studio

138 & 139

Entrance

19 Bear Den Carvings 12x12 20 Margalena LePore Oil Pain ng 12x12

7 Darlene’s Sewing Garden 12x12 8 BE PTO & GSA

M OR W Worm Doctor

Sound

12x24

Ornaments

Adoughables

27 & 28

26 The Nut House 12x12

12x36

Dick Crowder Artwork Wood

23, 24 & 25

22 Persinger Sewing 12x12

sea ng

Hay for

16 Free Reign Farm 12x12

15 Whitson Cra s 12x12

12x24

Stanley’s Produce

13 & 14

12 Blue Ridge Light 12x12

11 Inspire Me Pain ng & Jewelry 12x12

10 Jacob & Mabrys Gourmet 12x12

9

Animal Emergency Pet Care 12x12

12x12

21 Firefly Glass 12x12

18 Beech Mtn Bee-Keeping 12x12

6 Dogwood Petware 12x12

Woolly Worm Sales

17 Santa’s Bag 12x12

5 Palm Tree Po ery 12x12

Radio

95 Fire Fly Cove Needlework 12x12

94 Stanley’s Produce 12x12

ELK

99 M. Roberts Wood Toys 12x12

112 Element Tree Essen als 12x12

29 Wilkie Woodcra s (PENS) 12x12

63 Cra s by Janice 12x12

76 Davis Dyes 12x12

33 Chuck Thompson Book 12x12

50 Bearabows 12x12

32 Peaceful Path Po ery 12x12

49 Personali es Plus by Linda Brown 12x12

62 Jana’s Pain ngs & Po ery 12x12

75 Redbird Photo 12x12

34 Big Bang Books 12x12

51 Da l Sensa on 12x12

64 White Wolf Lodge 12x12

77 Ellis Brothers Builders 12x12

90 Spiral Dyes 12x12

92 Sonrise Po ery 12x12

105 Dan Goad Fine Art 12x12

118 Wishful Thinking Po ery 12x12

12x12

R Blue Ridge Love Story

36 Doug Coffey Bird House 12x12

37 & 38 Sledge Metal 12X24

67 Mountain Hollow Cra s 12x12

80 May Wildlife 12x12

93 Blue Ridge Belts 12x12

106 Kooky Chickens 12x12

119 DB Glass 12x12

53 & 54 Rebecca Hia Photography 12X24

66 Wreaths to your Door 12x12

35 Green Thumb Po ery 12x12

52 Art Island Jewelry 12x12

65 1 Pulse Ou i ers 12x12

78 & 79 Bath Fi er 12X24

91 Lyons Woodworking 12x12

156 ACHS Key Club Italian Ice 12X12

Entertainment

155 Boy Scout/ ACHS Band 12X20

103 & 104 Oak & Rope Design 12X24

115, 116 & 117 Turtle Man Jewelry 12X36

88 & 89 Silver & Stones Jewelry 12X24

101 & 102 Americamanta Na ve Cra s 12X24

114 3 Came Home Aranoff Book 12x12

128 & 129 Face Pain ng by Donnie 12X24

136 & 137 Robin Goodwin Seasonal Cra s 12x24

31 Carolina West Wireless 12x12

48 Curlinator Designs 12x12

61 West End Wreaths 12x12

74 OBX Artz & Cra z 12x12

87 Stonegate Candle Crea ons 12x12

100 Pops Krea ve Wood Turned 12x12

113 Bounty Hunter Hats 12x12

30 Patricia Adams Photography 12x12

47 Stone Age Art 12x12

60 Keepsake Memories 12x12

73 Pine Needle S tches 12x12

Highway 184

ELK

46 T-N-T Mine Co. Jewelry 12x12

45 Arachne by Carol Clay 12x12 44 Douglas Alexander Collec on 12x12

43 Lisa’s Jewelry 12x12

42 Mallory’s Candles 12x12

ELK

59 Barrier Island Organics 12x12 58 My Mountain Flower 12x12

72 Silly Willy Caricatures 12x12

57 Live Art Wood 12x12

70 & 71 7th Moon 12X24

56 Fake A Face 12x12

ELK

69 Jewelry Designs by Heidi Cline 12x12

135 Iron Fish Products 12x12

12X16

12X20

3 Li le Gray Studio 12x12

154 S ck Boy

153 Asia Fusion

2&4 Bark for Bones 12x24

1 Children’s Castle 12x12

12X28

152 K&M

126 & 127 Colonial Wagon Wheel 12X24

85 & 86 Holston Mtn Hats 12X24

98 Aus n’s Po ery & Cra s 12x12

111 Mads Mod Dogs 12x12

55 Avery Journal 12x12

68 Ar s c Designs 12x12

97 Designs by Lynell Jewelry 12x12

110 Jerry Cole Metal Design 12x12

125 Worley’s Best 12x12

134 Heather Applegate Photography 12x12

2B Tin Man 12x12

2A Historic Trade/Sock Zen 12x12

133 Jeri’s Jewels 12x12

1B Master Cra 12x12

12X20

151 Southland

1A Floyds Woodworking 12x12

12X40

150 Steak Boys

132 Dichroic Glass 12x12

83 & 84 McNeill’s Po ery 12X24

96 Jason Penland Photography 12x12

109 Michelle’s Bakery 12x12

Mini Golf

108 Treasurers Jewelry 12x12

81 & 82 Avery Farms & Trinity Trees 12X24

131 Sister’s Act Two Needlework 12x12

122, 123 & 124 In the Po ers Hand 12X36

107 Woolly Worm Stuff 12x12

12X24

Bill Elder Apples

130 High Ridge Woodworking 12x12

12X16

12X20

120 & 121

149 Paris Fes val

148 Souvenir Shirts

Banner Elk Historic Elementary School

185 Azalea Circle

39th Annual Woolly Worm FesƟval

WOOLLY WORM VENDOR MAP PortAJohns

OPEN SPACE

167 Aun e Ruth’s Doughnuts 12x20

166 Interna onal Grill 12x36

12x16

165 Roop’s Imbiss

12x20

164 Carolina BBQ

12x20

163 Rock Star Grill

12x20

162 JSA Restaurant Pizza

12x16

A&Y Funnel

161

12x16

Alf’s

160

12 x 40

4 Ever Teak Wood

158 & 159

Bridge from TownPark BE

No Sunday

October 5-6, 2016 Woolly Worm Festival Page 11

INFLATABLES

TRAMPOLINE

CE RA

Page 12

Woolly Worm Festival

October 5-6, 2016