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From Sheep to Potatoes
A Virtual Tour of Fall Festivals Around the Country By Margaret Littman
Everyone is busy in autumn. Fall means back to school for kids and time to harvest the crops for farmers, and the word "vacation" becomes just a distant summer memory. But because hotels, campgrounds and airplanes are emptier than they are during summer's peak, the fall can be a good time to travel with shorter lines, cooler temperatures and a few bargains (as long as you avoid that Thanksgiving week).
Whether you can afford to tack on a few extra family vacation days to the Columbus Day or Veteran's Day holidays, or you're just looking for a local day trip to see some fall foliage and drink some apple cider, we've got the festival for you. Take our virtual trip around the country and see what fall festivities many of them free await you and your family.
That's right, Ketchum, Idaho, the neighboring village to ski resort Sun Valley, holds a three-day festival timed when sheepherders traditionally move (or "trail") their flocks out of their summer pastures. Sheep poetry and music, cooking workshops and a traditional Basque ball, in addition to the walking of 1,700 sheep, are all part of the weekend's events held in the mountain village.
The festival runs October 8 to 10, 2004, in Ketchum, Idaho (a three-hour drive from Boise) and is free. Call 800-634-3347, or log on to their Web site for more information.
Gilmer County began growing apples at the beginning of the 20th century as a way to reduce the dependence on the cotton crop for this North Georgia county. When drought and the boll weevil ruined cotton crops and local economies in the 1920s, Gilmer suffered less thanks to the apples. Today Gilmer County produces more apples than any other county in the state of Georgia. Don't forget to bring a basket or bag to cart home your own apples for pies, applesauce and snacks.