5 Fall Faves: October Is Just Getting Started in Columbus County
October has arrived in Columbus County, and if this first weekend was any indication, we’re in for a pretty good month.
We’ve already had pumpkins, pine trees, fashion, food and plenty of community spirit.
The Robinson Produce Farms Pumpkin Festival brought folks out for some good old-fashioned fall fun over the weekend, while Bolton hosted its Pine Tree Festival Saturday. Families First also brought people together Saturday evening for Rock the Runway, a night of fashion, entertainment and fundraising in support of its women’s domestic violence shelter.
Not a bad way to start October.
And the best part? We’re only getting started.
With the first full week of October now underway, there are still plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the season right here in Columbus County. From longtime traditions that have become part of the county’s identity to celebrations that bring entire communities together, there’s something for just about everybody.
So, in no particular order, here are five of our fall favorites.
1. Columbus County Agriculture Fair
October 13–18 | Whiteville
Let’s start with the obvious one.
Is it really fall in Columbus County without the fair?
The Columbus County Agriculture Fair returns October 13–18, bringing six days of rides, food, agricultural exhibits, competitions, entertainment and the kind of fairground atmosphere that makes you feel like a kid again.
There will be carnival rides, live entertainment, agricultural shows, competitive exhibits and, of course, fair food.
And don’t forget about the fair parade on Monday, October 12. It is the traditional kickoff to fair week and one of those simple hometown events that reminds you just how much people here enjoy showing up for one another.
The fairgrounds will be busy, the midway will be spinning and somebody will almost certainly be walking around with something fried on a stick.
That’s fall in Columbus County.
2. Waccamaw Siouan Pow Wow
October 16–17 | Bolton
One of the most meaningful fall traditions in the county is also one that gives residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the history and culture of the Waccamaw Siouan people.
The annual Waccamaw Siouan Pow Wow brings traditional dancing, drumming, food, crafts, demonstrations and fellowship to the tribal grounds in the Buckhead community of Bolton.
It’s more than just another fall festival. It’s an opportunity to experience and appreciate a living culture and traditions that have deep roots in this part of North Carolina.
The weekend includes traditional dancing and drumming, food and vendors, along with opportunities for the community to come together and celebrate Waccamaw Siouan heritage.
If you’ve never attended the Pow Wow, this is a good year to put it on the calendar.
3. Taste of Tabor
October 22 | Tabor City
A couple of days before the Yam Festival reaches its big finale, Tabor City will already be giving people another reason to come hungry.
Taste of Tabor brings together local restaurants, cooks, businesses and community members for an evening built around one of our favorite things: good food.
It’s a chance to sample different dishes, support local businesses and spend an evening with friends and neighbors.
And let’s be honest—fall is a pretty good excuse to eat your way through Columbus County.
If the Yam Festival celebrates one of Tabor City’s signature traditions, Taste of Tabor celebrates another thing the community does very well: bringing people together around a table.
4. N.C. Yam Festival
October 24 | Tabor City
You can’t talk about fall in Columbus County without talking about the yam.
For decades, Tabor City has turned its agricultural heritage into one of the county’s biggest annual celebrations.
The N.C. Yam Festival is the kind of event where you can come for one thing and end up spending the entire day. There are vendors, food, entertainment, contests, exhibits, a parade and plenty of opportunities to celebrate the sweet potato that put Tabor City on the map.
And if you’ve never experienced the Big Yam Day atmosphere, you’re missing one of the county’s great fall traditions.
It’s quirky. It’s local. It’s fun.
And that’s exactly what a good fall festival ought to be.
5. Pecan Festival Weekend — and the Veterans Day Parade
November | Whiteville
Then there’s the weekend that brings another of Whiteville’s most recognizable fall traditions to the community: the North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival.
The Pecan Festival brings downtown Whiteville to life with music, food, vendors, crafts and family-friendly activities.
It’s the kind of event where you can come downtown without much of a plan, walk around, see what catches your eye, listen to some music, grab something to eat and run into somebody you haven’t seen in a while.
In other words, it’s very Columbus County.
And as part of that fall stretch, the Veterans Day Parade gives the community another important reason to gather.
The parade is a chance to put the celebrations aside for a moment and recognize the men and women who have served our country. It’s one of those community traditions that reminds us that fall in Columbus County isn’t just about festivals and food. It’s also about honoring the people and traditions that make our communities what they are.
Together, the Pecan Festival and Veterans Day celebrations make for a fitting close to the county’s fall festival season.
Fall Is Just Getting Started
The nice thing about October in Columbus County is that you don’t have to look very far for something to do.
We’ve already had pumpkins, pine trees and Rock the Runway.
Now we’ve got the fair, the Waccamaw Siouan Pow Wow, Taste of Tabor, the Yam Festival and the Pecan Festival and Veterans Day celebrations still ahead.
And that’s without even mentioning all of the smaller community events happening around the county.
So grab the family. Call a friend. Take the kids. Bring a lawn chair.
Go see what’s happening in your own backyard.
Because fall doesn’t last forever—and in Columbus County, there’s plenty of it left to enjoy.
