Banner Elk's famed Woolly Worm Festival celebrates 41st year

Update: Due to inclement weather and wind damage, activities on Sunday have been canceled. 

If racing a woolly worm isn’t on your bucket list, maybe it should be.

Why would you want to race a woolly worm? The winning worm will be designated the official weather prognosticator, plus you'll receive $1,000.

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You see, in 1978, a magazine editor in Banner Elk, North Carolina, wanted to publish a forecast based on the legend that the 13 fur bands on a woolly bear caterpillar predicted the severity of the 13 weeks of winter. Brown bands indicate mild weather, while black bands indicate cold, snowy conditions.

What the editor didn’t realize, however, was the fact that every worm has different color patterns, so the Woolly Worm Festival was born.

The famed festival will celebrate its 41st year this weekend.

Races will be held on Saturday and Sunday. The winning worm on Saturday will have the honor of forecasting the winter weather in North Carolina’s High Country. The champion on Sunday will win $500.

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“Last year we had someone drive all the way from Indianapolis, Indiana, to race their worm,” Kathy Boone, the festival’s chairperson, said in a release.

If you’d like to race a woolly worm, you can bring your own or purchase one from the local PTO for a small fee. The races take place in heats, with worms racing up vertical strings on the main stage, inching their way to the finish line. Winners from each heat qualify for the semifinals, with semifinal winners facing off in the finals.

“We’ll have over 2,500 worms raced on a typical weekend and we collect them afterwards and put them back in the wild,” Boone said.

The festival also includes craft vendors, plus a variety of live entertainment and food.

Hours are Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees who want to race a worm on Saturday should register before 1 p.m.

Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-12. Kids 5 and younger are admitted free.

For more festival information, visit woollyworm.com.

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