This Week's Guide · November 2 - 8, 2026
This week in the High Country
This week's guide covers Monday, November 2 through Sunday, November 8, 2026 in Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, Boone, Blowing Rock, and the surrounding Avery and Watauga counties. Halloween's specials wrapped over the weekend: the Ghost Train made its final runs on October 30-31 and the season's last trunk-or-treats are done, so the region settles into its quiet bridge week between fall festivals and ski season. The best of it is free: gallery night in Boone on Friday, winery concerts in Banner Elk, the farmers market, and the kids' jam. Every listing below is labeled either "tickets required" or "believed to be free," every ticket link goes to the official venue or ticketing platform, and events that run weekly carry over in the recurring list at the bottom. This guide is updated weekly and replaces last week's dated listings.
Published October 30, 2026. Prices and dates confirmed with official sources; confirm before you drive.
This Weekend
November 6-8: First Friday, Fairy Tales, and Football
The weekend stacks gallery night in Boone on Friday, a Sondheim musical across three days, two winery concerts in Banner Elk, a patriotic reenactment at Hickory Ridge, and an App State home game on Saturday. The farmers market keeps its November run going, too.
- Believed to be free
Friday · Nov 6 · 5:00-8:00 p.m.
First Friday Art Crawl
King Street, downtown Boone
The monthly gallery crawl along King Street: gallery receptions, art vendors, live music, and wine tastings at participating shops. The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts opens the App State Department of Art Faculty Biennial that evening with free gallery admission and drop-in artmaking. Free, no ticket needed; pick up a map at any participating gallery.
Explore Boone listing - Tickets required
Thursday, Friday & Sunday · Nov 5, 6 & 8 · 7:00 p.m. (Sunday per box office)
Into the Woods
Appalachian Theatre, 559 West King Street, Boone
The Appalachian State Musical Theatre Club performs Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's fairy-tale mashup, in which Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and a childless baker and his wife all get their wish in one famously tricky forest. Thursday and Friday at 7:00 p.m., plus a Sunday performance; grab tickets ahead on the theatre's official site.
Theatre tickets - Believed to be free
Saturday · Nov 7 · 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Watauga County Farmers' Market
591 Horn in the West Drive, Boone
The mountains' biggest year-round market keeps its November run going: produce, eggs, crafts, local food, and live music. Free to browse; bring cash and bags. Saturdays continue through November 28.
Market site - Tickets required
Saturday · Nov 7 · 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Veterans Day Celebration at Hickory Ridge
Hickory Ridge History Museum, Daniel Boone Park, 591 Horn in the West Drive, Boone
The Southern Appalachian Historical Association marks Veterans Day with a reenactment of the December 1780 Change of Command ceremony, plus a Continental Army camp, living-history demonstrations, self-guided museum tours, and patriotic heritage booths. Family-friendly; $5 admission at the gate and free for veterans.
Horn in the West events - Believed to be free
Saturday · Nov 7 · 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Alexander Nicoll at Banner Elk Winery
Banner Elk Winery & Villa, Banner Elk
Free late-afternoon live music on the winery deck with mountain views over Banner Elk. Wine and snacks by the glass or bottle; the music is free to enjoy.
Town events calendar - Tickets required
Saturday · Nov 7 · Kickoff TBA
App State Football vs. Georgia State, Heroes Day
Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone
The Mountaineers host Georgia State in a Sun Belt Conference matchup billed as Heroes Day at The Rock. It is the biggest single draw in Boone that weekend: buy tickets through the official athletics site, expect festive crowds, and leave extra time for traffic and parking.
Official schedule & tickets - Believed to be free
Friday & Saturday · Nov 6-7 · From about 6:00 p.m.
Live Music at Banner Elk Cafe & Tavern
Banner Elk Cafe & Tavern, 324 Shawneehaw Avenue, Banner Elk
The tavern's standing weekend music nights pair a cozy dining room with live acoustic sets. No cover; ordering dinner or a drink is the norm, so call ahead for a table. The specific performers post on the town calendar as the dates near.
Town events calendar - Believed to be free
Sunday · Nov 8 · 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Gary McCullough at Banner Elk Winery
Banner Elk Winery & Villa, Banner Elk
Another free afternoon of music on the winery deck to close the weekend, and a good excuse for a drive up the mountain before ski season brings the crowds.
Town events calendar
Earlier in the Week
November 2-5: Ukulele, Alpacas, and Old-Time Thursday
The run-up to the weekend is quieter and cheaper: a world-class ukulele player at the Appalachian Theatre on Tuesday, alpaca tours any day at Apple Hill Farm, the town's kids' jam on Wednesday, and the Old-Time Jam circle under the Jones House portico on Thursday.
- Tickets required
Tuesday · Nov 3 · 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Jake Shimabukuro
Appalachian Theatre, 559 West King Street, Boone
The Hawaii-born ukulele virtuoso, presented with Mast General Store, plays the restored 1938 movie palace in the middle of Boone. Tickets through the theatre's official box office.
Theatre tickets - Tickets required
Daily this week · Nov 2-8 · See the farm site
Alpaca Farm Tours at Apple Hill Farm
400 Apple Hill Road, Banner Elk
A working alpaca farm at the foot of Beech Mountain where you walk the pastures with the herd and meet the rest of the barnyard. Tours run daily through fall and require advance tickets bought online; the farm's Christmas Celebration season typically begins mid-November, so confirm the week's tour schedule on the farm site.
Farm visit page - Believed to be free
Wednesday · Nov 4 · 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Jones House Kids JAM
Jones House Cultural Center, 604 West King Street, Boone
The town's free weekly music jam for young players: bring an instrument or let one be handed to you, and everyone joins the circle together. A sweet after-school stop before dinner in downtown Boone.
Jones House events - Believed to be free
Thursday · Nov 5 · 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Jones House Old-Time Jam
604 West King Street, Boone
The weekly old-time jam stays free and open to everyone: bring an acoustic instrument and join the circle, or just sit and listen. Music starts a little after 7:00 p.m. and runs toward 10:00 p.m., every Thursday all year.
Town of Boone
Still Running
Recurring events that continue this week
These events are not one-off dates: they run weekly through the fall season, so they carry over from October into the first week of November.
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Watauga County Farmers' Market
Every Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at 591 Horn in the West Drive, Boone, through November 28. Free to browse.
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Jones House Old-Time Jam
Every Thursday, 7-10 p.m. at 604 West King Street, Boone. Free and open to all players and listeners; runs every week of the year.
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Jones House Kids JAM
Every Wednesday, 4-5 p.m. at the Jones House Cultural Center, Boone. Free and family-friendly.
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Banner Elk Winery weekend music
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1-5 p.m. on the winery deck. Free to enjoy; performers rotate weekly (Alexander Nicoll on Nov 7, Gary McCullough on Nov 8).
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Banner Elk Cafe & Tavern music nights
Fridays and Saturdays from about 6 p.m., no cover. Specific performers post on the Banner Elk town calendar.
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Apple Hill Farm guided alpaca tours
Year-round with advance tickets; tours run daily through fall, and the farm's Christmas Celebration typically begins mid-November. Book online at applehillfarmnc.com and confirm the week's tour days.
Season watch
Tweetsie Railroad's regular daytime season closes Sunday, November 1, and Tweetsie Christmas opens Friday, November 27. Beech Mountain Resort targets its winter opening day for Saturday, November 21, with a preseason rail jam on November 14, and Blowing Rock's Christmas in the Park and town lighting kick off November 27. This week is the calm before all of it.
Confirm Before You Drive
Lineups, times, and ticket prices move, especially at the smaller venues. Every link above goes to the official source, and this guide is replaced weekly as new dates are confirmed.
Plan Around It
Stay close to the action
The Heart of Beech Retreat is minutes from the winery concerts in Banner Elk, the galleries and theater of downtown Boone, and the quiet trails that make early November a sweet time on the mountain.