The 43rd Mountain Glory Festival was set for Saturday, October 10, on Main Street in Marion. Its listing promised live music, family activities, more than 150 vendors and a free shuttle. On the morning of Friday, October 2, the City of Marion canceled it because of the weather expected from Hurricane Isaias. No makeup date is coming. The rest of McDowell County's fall still has plenty on it, but the events are much younger than Mountain Glory. The biggest remaining market is in its first year. Two of the other October Saturdays are second-year events. Many of them land in Old Fort, on a downtown street that only reopened to traffic after the paving crews left.
So October 2026 looks different from the usual Main Street Saturday. It's spread across two towns and six dates, and most of it is run by small organizers.
Why there's no second try at Mountain Glory
The McDowell News reported the city's statement that it "made the difficult decision to cancel the annual festival out of an abundance of caution," with the safety of residents, visitors, vendors and volunteers as its top priority. According to that same McDowell News report, Marion Business Association Event Coordinator Lisa Arrage said the festival can't be rescheduled. "Unfortunately, because it is fall festival season, most vendors are booked for other dates," she said.
That one reason explains how the rest of the season is built. A street festival this size needs the same free Saturday from more than 150 vendors. In October, the craft and food sellers who would fill Main Street are already booked at other towns' events. The calendar that's left is made of smaller pieces. Each one needs fewer people to line up, and none of them tries to be the county's one big day.
As of this writing, the official festival website still advertises October 10 and says the festival "IS BACK." If out-of-town family send you that page, the McDowell News story is the one to forward back.
Old Fort's rebuilt street gets its first busy weekends
Several of the remaining events are in Old Fort. That matters because downtown Old Fort itself has just changed. The McDowell News reported that crews finished repaving Catawba Avenue one Friday morning, and the street reopened to traffic that afternoon. The repaving is part of the town's downtown streetscape project. The plan adds crosswalks, bump-outs, pedestrian signals, ADA improvements, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities meant to better protect people on foot from traffic. It also brings new streetlights.
It isn't quite finished. The town said permanent pavement striping, tree planting and other finishing work were still to come. It expects landscaping and final cleanup to be done by the end of October, and crews may need more temporary closures to get there. Businesses along Catawba Avenue stayed open through construction, with traffic rerouted around the work.
Put that next to the calendar. The last of the streetscape work is planned for the same weeks as the Euda Wine party, the Harvest Festival and the Boo Bash. For anyone driving to Old Fort on an October Saturday, a short closure on Catawba Avenue is still possible.
The rest of the season, date by date
Saturday, October 17: a fly-in in Marion, a harvest party in Old Fort
Shiflet Field, 2654 Airport Rd. in Marion, holds its second annual Fly-In from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's a free fly-in and drive-in with vendors, live music and food.
That afternoon, Euda Wine at 164 Commerce Street in Old Fort hosts its Harvest Party from 1 to 5 p.m. Euda's event page lists wine tastings, games, live music from Moon Draper, and Cuban food from Jolly Badger. A $35 ticket covers a plate and wine. This is Euda's second annual Harvest Party. The fly-in ends at 2 and the party starts at 1, so you can fit both into one day if you leave the airfield a bit early.
Friday, October 23: downtown Marion's official Halloween
The City of Marion's Downtown Halloween runs from 4 to 7 p.m. It's put on with the Barefoot Baby Foundation and the McDowell Chamber of Commerce. Trick-or-treating at participating Main Street businesses runs from 4 to 5:30. From 5 to 7, the Marion Tailgate Market at 67 W. Henderson St. hosts a free Halloween Pizza & Dance Party. Expect pizza while it lasts, face painting from Golden Services, a DJ from JV Audio, magic bubbles, games and contests. The organizers say they'll post the list of participating businesses on the event page as the date gets closer.
Saturday, October 24: Old Fort's first Harvest Festival
The 1st Annual Old Fort Harvest Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 139 Catawba Ave. Its listing calls it a juried handmade market of Appalachian makers, artists, crafters and food artisans. It also lists pumpkins, candy apples, hot cider, seasonal treats and live music. Vendor applications closed September 1.
Of everything left this fall, this is the closest thing to a Mountain Glory day. It's a daytime craft and food market on a downtown street. It's also the event with the fewest public details. The Destination McDowell listing doesn't name the organizer, and nothing posted since the storm reconfirms it. Check the Facebook event linked from that listing before you go.
Saturday, October 31: two Halloweens, one in each town
The morning belongs to Marion. A Halloween Indoor Market and Yard Sale with Trunk or Treat runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 29 Logan St., with vendors handing out treats to kids. The listing sends vendor questions to The Box Factory.
The evening belongs to Old Fort. The Old Fort Boo Bash runs from 4 to 8:30 p.m. The youngest and more sensitive trick-or-treaters get a quieter start from 4 to 5. After that come street trick-or-treating, music, movies and free food. The listing doesn't give a street address, so check the details closer to the day. Either way, this will likely be the first Halloween that families trick-or-treat on Old Fort's new crosswalks and under its new streetlights.
Saturday, November 7: Dia de Muertos in downtown Marion
Discover Marion lists Dia de Muertos in downtown Marion from noon to 6 p.m. Expect a dog costume contest, free carnival activities, live music, food and craft vendors. Destination McDowell lists the dog costume contest separately from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Its main festival entry gives a much shorter time window than Discover Marion's, so check the hours before you plan around the late afternoon.
The Catawba Avenue stops that are open festival or not
A festival day brings people to downtown Old Fort. Here's what you'll find on Catawba Avenue any regular week.
- Mountain Gateway Museum, temporarily at 78-C Catawba Avenue while its 24 Water Street site is under construction. It's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the exhibits and most programs is free, though some special exhibits and programs charge a fee.
- Appalachian Mountain Brewery Outpost at 78 A Catawba Ave., listed for beer, spirits and food.
- Old Fort Yoga at 45 Catawba Ave., which offers daily community classes, workshops and events.
- Old Fort Bike Shop at 276 Catawba Avenue, open Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Euda Wine, around the corner at 164 Commerce Street.
The museum's temporary storefront is the easiest one to pair with a festival. It sits on the same avenue as the Harvest Festival address and is open Saturdays until 5, an hour after the market ends.
Mountain Glory has run 43 times, and the events covering for it this year have run once or twice. If this fall's calendar has you wondering how Old Fort's rebuilt downtown affects what nearby homes are worth, Harper Realty can walk you through it. Request a free home valuation and we'll talk it over in person, from someone who follows McDowell County year-round.
