Southeast Tourism Society (STS) is dedicated to promoting and developing tourism in its member states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. In 1985, in recognition of the unique, diverse and unparalleled events in the region, STS began the Top 20 Events award program. A Top 20 Award seeks to bring more publicity and recognition to the best events in the Southeast, whether it be media, attendees or both! STS selects the Top 20 events, per month, and publishes them on a quarterly basis. Recent winners are listed below or look ahead to Spring 2019. Learn more about Southeast Tourism Society at www.SoutheastTourism.org
Current Top 20 Events
Click here for full event descriptions.
October
October 5-6, 2018, Beaufort Shrimp Festival, Beaufort, SC, www.beaufortshrimpfestival.com
October 5-7, 2018, Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival, Cashiers, NC, http://www.villagegreencashiersnc.com/events/cashiers-valley-leaf-festival.php
October 5-7, 2018, The 32nd North Carolina Seafood Festival, Morehead City, NC, www.ncseafoodfestival.org
October 5-31, 2018, The Lost Hollows Haunted Attraction, Lake Charles, LA, www.visitlakecharles.org
October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28, 2018, Rocktoberfest at Rock City, Lookout Mountain, GA, www.seerockcity.com/events/entry/rocktoberfest
October 12-13, 2018, Wire & Wood Alpharetta Songwriters Festival, Alpharetta, GA, http://wireandwoodalpharetta.com
October 12-14, 2018, Autumn Leaves Festival, Mount Airy, NC, www.autumnleavesfestival.com
October 12-14, 2018, Fall for Greenville, Greenville, SC, www.fallforgreenville.net
October 12-14, 2018, Fall Pilgrimage/Tour of Homes, Natchitoches, LA, https://www.natchitoches.com/fall-pilgrimagetour-homes
October 13, 2018, Big Creek Fall ATV Festival, LaFollette, TN, www.lafollettetn.gov
October 13, 2018, Bowling Green Bourbon and Brewfest, Bowling Green, KY, https://bgbrewfest.com/
October 13, 2018, Taste of Our Towns, Lewisburg, WV, www.carnegiehallwv.com/special-events/taste-of-our-towns
October 18-21, 2018, LEAF Festival, Black Mountain, NC, www.theLEAF.org
October 20, 2018, Deep Roots Festival, Milledgeville, GA, www.deeprootsfestival.com
October 20, 2018, Up, Up and Away, The Rock, GA, www.therockranch.com
October 20-21, 2018, 29th Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show, Georgetown, SC, www.woodenboatshow.com
October 20-21, 2018, 36th Annual Orange Park Fall Festival, Orange Park, FL, www.OPFallFestival.com
October 26, 2018, Freaky Friday Fright Nite, Farragut, TN, www.townoffarragut.org
October 27, 2018, The Barbecue Festival, Lexington, NC, www.barbecuefestival.com
October 27, 2018, Oktoberfest, Auburn, AL, www.auburnoktoberfest.com/
November
November 2-4, 2018, 29th Annual Stuart Air Show, Stuart, FL, www.stuartairshow.com
November 2-4, 2018, Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival, Pensacola, FL, www.ggaf.org
November 3, 2018, National Pumpkin Destruction Day, The Rock, GA, www.therockranch.com
November 3, 2018, The Shindig, Clayton, NC, www.theshindig.net
November 7-11, 2018, Cucalorus Festival, Wilmington, NC, www.cucalorus.org
November 8-11, 2018, Dickens Christmas Show and Festivals, Myrtle Beach, SC, www.dickenschristmasshow.com
November 8-18, 2018, Frank Brown International Songwriter’s Festival, Pensacola, FL, www.fbisf.com
November 9-11, 2018, Petanque Amelia Island Open, Fernandina Beach, FL, www.ameliaisland.com/petanque
November 10, 2018-January 1, 2019, Holiday Festival of Lights, James Island, SC, www.holidayfestivaloflights.com
November 15-17, 2018, Mistletoe & Moss Holiday Market, Lake Charles, LA, www.visitlakecharles.org
November 16-18, 2018, A Showcase of Fine Crafts, Knoxville, TN, www.foothillscraftguild.org
November 16-18, 2018, Charleston’s Holiday Market, Charleston, SC, www.gilmoreshows.com/charlestons_holiday_market.shtml
November 16-25, 2018, American Sand Sculpting Competition, Fort Myers Beach, FL, www.fmbsandsculpting.com
November 17, 2018, 23rd Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration, Raleigh, NC, www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/events/festivals
November 18, 23-25 and December 1, 7, 14-24, 2018, Winterfest Trolley Tours, www.pensacolawinterfest.org
November 22-23, 2018, 48th Annual Poarch Creek Indian Thanksgiving Pow Wow, Atmore, AL, www.pci-nsn.gov
November 23-25, 2018, Craftsmen’s Christmas Classic Art & Craft Festival, Greensboro, NC, www.gilmoreshows.com/craftsmens_classics_greensboro_christmas.shtml
November 24, 2018, The North Carolina Holiday Flotilla at Wrightsville Beach, Wrightsville Beach, NC, www.ncholidayflotilla.org
November 29, 2018, Hometown Holidays Parade, Forsyth, GA, www.forsyth-monroechamber.com
November 29, 2018, Taste of Southern, Perry, GA, www.perrygachamber.com/taste-of-southern
December
November 5, 2018-February 28, 2019, Smoky Mountain Winterfest, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville & Sevier County, TN, www.SmokiesFun.com
November 6-December 29, 2018, American Music Jubilee Down Home Christmas Show, Selma, NC, www.rudytheatre.com
November 16-December 31, 2018, Enchanted Garden of Lights, Lookout Mountain, GA, www.seerockcity.com/events/entry/enchanted-garden-of-lights
November 17-December 31, 2018, Holidays in the City, Norfolk, VA, www.holidaysinthecity.net
November 17, 2018-February 24, 2019, Snow Mountain, Stone Mountain, GA, www.stonemountainpark.com/events/snow-mountain
November 23-December 28, 2018, Celebration of Lights, Fairmont, WV, www.celebrationoflightswv.com/home.html
November 24-December 15, 2018, Christmas in Collierville, Collierville, TN, www.collierville.com
November 23-December 31, 2018, Magic Christmas in Lights at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, Theodore, AL, www.bellingrath.org
December 1, 2018, Crystal Coast Christmas Flotilla, Beaufort, NC, www.maritimefriends.org
December 1-2, 2018, Marietta Pilgrimage, Marietta, GA, www.mariettapilgrimage.com
December 1-23, 2018 (select dates), Christmas Underground, A Journey to the North Pole, Chattanooga, TN, www.rubyfalls.com/special-events/ruby-falls-christmas-underground/
December 1-31, 2018, Auburn Gingerbread Village, Auburn, AL, www.auhcc.com
December 1-31, 2018, North Pole Stroll, Athens, AL, www.VisitAthensAL.com
December 1-31, 2018, Southwest Louisiana Christmas Lighting Festival, Lake Charles, LA, www.visitlakecharles.org
December 3, 2018, Downtown Columbus Christmas Parade, Columbus, MS, www.columbusmainstreet.com
December 7, 2018, Wassail Fest, Columbus, MS, www.columbusmainstreet.com
December 7-9, 2018, Dickens on Centre, Fernandina Beach, FL, www.ameliaisland.com/christmas
December 8, 2018, Beaufort Christmas Candlelight Tour, Beaufort, NC, www.beauforthistoricsite.org
December 8-25, 2018, Community Holiday Light Show, Danville, VA, www.playdanvilleva.com/409/Community-Holiday-Light-Show
December 13-14, 2018, Victorian Christmas, Thomasville, GA, www.thomasvillega.com/attractions/festivals/victorian-christmas