Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2024 - 42

WIKIMEDIA | ZACH SHARPE
ABOVE: Niota, Tennessee, is known for fried green tomatoes and its 1854 depot.
LEFT: Westminster, South Carolina, welcomes the Bigfoot Festival in October.
SOUTH CAROLINA BIG FOOT FESTIVAL
delicious treats at local vendor booths
and food trucks-including perfectly
fried green tomatoes. Take a ride up to
the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center for
free maps and tips for the best fall foliage
spots.
Local dining: Sugar Shack serves burgers
and sandwiches, fries, plate lunches
and an all-day breakfast. For a quick and
delicious barbeque sandwich, loaded potato
or nachos, visit the 2 Dudes BBQ
food truck (online orders for pickup
available).
Lodging options: The Tennessee Country
Campground & RV Park welcomes trailers
and tents at their family-owned site
with full hookups, showers and laundry
facilities.
Deer Run Retreat (Ten Mile). Escape
to the woods at this private, secluded, petfriendly
cabin that sleeps four and has
Internet, laundry, kitchen and patio with
outdoor grill.
Note: Niota is home to Tennessee's oldest
standing extant depot built in 1854 for
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
Railway. cityofniota.org
42 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
SOUTH CAROLINA
WESTMINSTER: South Carolina Bigfoot
Festival (Oct. 11 - 12). This young festival
is quickly becoming one of the most
fun family events in the Upstate. The
town welcomes everyone, believers and
skeptics of the large mysterious primate,
to come hear tales, listen to expert speakers
and participate in Bigfoot-themed
contests. Food and souvenir vendors line
Main Street, and musical performances
abound. Just outside of town, the 400
acres at Chau Ram County Park offer
trails and an accessible waterfall surrounded
by the colors of autumn.
Local dining: Travel a quiet mountain
road to Brasstown Creek Gathering
Place BBQ for scrumptious pork, chicken,
beef or ribs and two sides (open Fridays
and Saturdays).
The Overlook at Chickasaw Point is
open to the public Thursday through Saturday
for full lunches and dinners overlooking
the golf course.
Lodging options: Located beside
the
Chauga River is Adawehi Tipi - heated
and air-conditioned with indoor toilet,
outside shower, mini fridge, decks and
firepit (sleeps five).
Longnose Waterfall View rental
home. Located on more than 90 acres,
this 1,200-square-foot home is filled with
amenities, lots of windows and views.
Note: This is the perfect season to visit
Oconee County, " one of the strongest
apple-producing regions in the country. "
scbigfootfestival.com
GREER: Albino Skunk Music Festival
(Oct.
3 - 5). Join fellow music
lovers at this festival that was initially a
private event 30 years ago and is now a
popular public gathering. Set on beautiful
grounds, dozens of bands perform,
craft beer artisans offer their creations,
food vendors cook tasty delights, handmade
crafts are available for purchase,
the kids have a playground and there is
even a drive-in movie. You might even
see white skunks (with black stripes) on
the grounds-the festival's namesake.
For fall colors reflected in the lakes, visit
Paris Mountain State Park located 10
miles east of town.
Local dining: Head to Greer Station
(historic district of the city) for hickory-smoked
ribs, sauce-mopped chicken
and more at
Company.
The Great Bay Oyster House offers
fresh seafood expertly prepared at their
family-owned restaurant.
Lodging options: Stay on site at the festival's
RV and primitive tent camping
facilities within walking distance of all
the venues. Or select from a wide variety
of accommodations such as B&Bs,
hotels (historic and chain), cabins and
luxurious destinations like the Grand
Bohemian Lodge on the banks of the
Reedy River just 25 minutes away in
Greenville.
Note: Canned peaches and tomatoes
from Greer first made their
way to grocery store
the
country around a century
albinoskunk.com
shelves across
ago.
the Blue Ridge Brewing
CITY OF NIOTA FACEBOOK
http://www.scbigfootfestival.com http://www.cityofniota.org http://www.albinoskunk.com http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2024

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