Siliconchef by Brian Richardson
Why was I not informed about this ‘woolly worm‘ before?
Suzan and are passing a long line of cars as we drive from Banner Elk to Boone. We were going to have brunch in one of Banner Elk’s touristy shopping centers, but the long line of cars for the ‘Wolly Worm Festival’ made us choose Boone instead.
We wandered Boone, still mystified by the line of cars heading to Banner Elk. At lunch, the waitress explained …
You see, ‘woolly worms’ are these fuzzy caterpillars that live in the mountains. Locals use their movements in the fall to predict the winter weather.
They race them. The winning worm gets used to predict the weather.
It’s a race …
a race with worms …
and it has its own festival …
in Banner Elk …
this weekend.
Of course we had to go.
We showed up towards the end of the day, just as the final race was run. The winner, racing a plucky worm named ‘Sparky’, took the $1000 prize and the honor of having his worm predict this year’s winter (the worms are 87% accurate so far). The usual festivities surrounding a small-town fall festival ensued … booths of local artists, giant turkey legs, fresh squeezed lemonade, fried pickles, beads & necklaces.
It wasn’t a planned stop on our weekend away, but not a bad way to spend a nice mountain day (a bit windy, but not bad). We’ll take a rest on the couch before venturing out for dinner, just after the images of worm-shaped cakes leave my mind (pics will follow soon).
As long as there was not freash squeezed wolly juice made out of the losers of the race, I am quite cool with the festival.
I was in Boone just a couple weeks ago with a friend when we were reminded of the Wooley Worm Festival. We’d meant to return for the race, but never got away! I wish we’d gone now!
Never doubt the power of the wooly worm!
The Wooly Worm Festival was so awesome my family and I just had to go. GO CHEESE PUFF!!! (thats are wooly worms name)