As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, you will be hard pressed to find a more beautiful place on the planet than Lake Keowee South Carolina. After the heat and humidity that South Carolina’s summers have to offer, the fall season is a much welcomed and anticipated. Residents of Lake Keowee look forward to the cool crisp breezes, apple and pumpkin harvests and the fall festivals.
Autumn in the upstate is generally earlier than the rest of South Carolina, typically showing its colors starting the second week thru the fourth week in October. Some year’s enjoyment of the colorful foliage lasts longer; 2005 was a very mild fall and the leaves were still stunning thru the first week in November.
From Lake Keowee to the mountains you can drive the 130 mile scenic hwy 11, finding the most amazing reds, yellows and oranges that nature has to offer. There are beautiful views to be seen around Lake Keowee and the surrounding mountains, which have become a huge magnet for onlookers each October. To celebrate the upstate offers plenty of fall festivals.
A few of Upstate’s Fall Festivals:
Greenville’s 24th Annual Fall for Greenville Oct 13th-15th
Started in 1982, as an opportunity for local restaurants to showcase there culinary arts, this festival has become a place for 200,000 residents and guests to feast on mountains of spectacular food; more than 40 restaurants participate. Planned events include 4 stages with a lineup of country music, gospel and bluegrass, a cycling classic, an ice carving completion, a trivia contest, and a chili cook-off.
This festival’s location has been expanded to five million square feet, including the city’s new falls Park; for more information visit www.greenvilleevents.com or call 864-467-5780.
Pumpkintown’s 28th Annual Pumpkin Festival Oct 14th
Go back in time to the Oolenoy Valley with the Pickens’s fall festival. The Pumpkin festival consists of pumpkins, arts, crafts, BBQ chicken lunch, Festival Quilt drawing, Country Bluegrass music, Clogging, and a greased pole climb. Free entrance and parking!
The festival is located off Hwy 135 in Pumpkintown, South Carolina. For more info and schedule of events call 864-898-0261 or visit their website.
Walhalla’s German Heritage Festival, 28th Annual Oktoberfest (Oct 20th-22nd)
On the third week of October every year, Walhalla, tucked into the foothills of the mountains in the northwest corner of South Carolina, celebrates its heritage thru an annual festival.
A little about Walhalla’s Heritage: December 24, 1849, Trustees of the German Colization Society of Charleston, Christopher F Sheeba, John A Wagner, Claus Bullwinkel, John C. Henckel and Jacob Schoroder bought 17,859 acres of land, purchased for only $27,000 from Reverend Joseph Grisham of West Union. Grisham was one of the largest land proprietors of the upcountry at that time. Not long after Pioneer settlers arrived and Walhalla became known as a German Colony.
Located at Sertoma Field, on Hwy 183 in Walhalla; Oktoberfest consists of carnival rides, crafts, German Polkas, Authentic German Music, Bands, Dancers, Food Booths, 10K/5K /1Mile Runs. Over 500,000 people have celebrated Oktoberfest. For more information and schedule call 864-638-2727 or visit their website.
Historic Downtown Seneca’s 1st Annual Steam Fling Festival Oct 27-28
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Seneca Chamber of commerce, as well as the revitalization of downtown at the 1st annual festival. Events planned are live entertainment, fireworks, food and beverage vendors, children’s amusements, sports competitions, art show, shopping and fun. The festival is located in historic down town Seneca. For more information call 864-467-5780 or visit their website.