A Favorite Family Tradition…

I have always loved how people from Europe call a vacation or get away being “on holiday”. Well, my family officially went “on holiday” this weekend. I know, we just had Fall Break and a two week one at that but tradition overrides getting back on schedule.

Where were we? Don’t you wish you knew the luxurious trip we went on?! I am certain you will be JEALOUS! The trip of a lifetime –

We were in North Carolina at the …

wait for it…

the 42nd ANNUAL WOOLLY WORM FESTIVAL!

Yes, my friends you read that right. The trip worth taking off work, missing a day of school and laying out of gymnastics practice – is just 2.5 hours away in historic Banner Elk, NC.

The Woolly Worm Festival takes place the 3rd weekend of October in the quaint mountain town of Banner Elk right near North Carolina’s largest ski resorts; Sugar and Beech. All the proceeds from this festival go back to the community to enhance the local schools, children’s programs and tourism in Avery County. The locals and now thousands of tourists set aside the third weekend in October to celebrate the coming snow season with this festival. Here, they determine which worm will have the honor of predicting the severity of the coming winter. This honor is earned by winning heat after heat of hard-fought races up a three-foot string.

The Woolly Bear catepillar has 13 brown and black segments, which the late Charles Von Canon explained to the small crowd huddled together in the sub-freezing temperatures at the first Woolly Worm Festival correspond to the 13 weeks of winter. The lighter brown a segment is, the milder that week of winter will be. The darker black a segment is, the colder and snowier the corresponding week will be.

The first festival was no major success, especially if you look at shear numbers of attendees. But when the tv station in Bristol sent a cameraman to report on it. This report ended up being broadcast nationwide by NBC. After this coverage, they had the heart to keep the Festival going and it has grown each year. First from television coverage then from word of mouth from enthusiasts like us. The Solomons for sure help inform and educate people on this sweet little event. Last year’s festival attracted approximately 20,000 fans, over 150 vendors and around 1,000 race entries. I call that a success.

Is it about the event? The thrill of paying to park, paying to purchase a worm you can find on the ground and naming said worm then waiting until your heat of 25 racers to race your worm up a string. Did I make that sound glamorous? Or is it the amazing craft vendors or the thousands of extra calories earned from eating the food vendors? Did we stop our normal world and drive to play in the kids zone full of all the bouncy items you can imagine or to jump and flip on the bungee or climb a rock wall? Maybe it is to hear the bluegrass music or see the adorable dance group or cloggers?

NOPE! It is none of that?

As intriguing and entertaining as all that is – lol – none of these are the reasons we continue attending after 8 years. When we attended our first Woolly Worm our kids were young enough to be amazed by this entire atmosphere. They have grown up a lot but it is not about being too big. Kids of ALL ages (like even 45) race a worm right alongside the kids.

We go because it is FUN! Good simple FUN!

We go because it is time TOGETHER! Away from our schedule, away from busy life, away from teenage world or caring what anyone thinks.

This is family time – memories – TRADITION! As silly as it is, we look forward to this every year. We have our different memories from each year. All of us cherish this time and look forward to getting away together and hanging out just US! This just made me think of a show… THIS IS US! Anybody ever heard of that…in the messy, in the silly, in each tradition…this is US!

What does your family have and cherish as traditions?

Every time we come we also play hours and hours of Monopoly! Anyone else? It is our favorite game as a family unless we have a deck of cards.

What is your favorite game?

We also eat a huge breakfast that usually includes loads of bacon and for sure biscuits and gravy and maybe an omellette the size of your head to go along with it all.

What is your family’s favorite breakfast or a family recipe everyone looks forward to and expects on certain occassions?

Think through these and others. Every family is different. Every family has their things. I just encourage you to be intentional and pick 2-3 things that are repetitive. A couple of things that every year you do the same. It could be as simple as Friday night movie night where you do it your way with pallets on the floor and your favorite snack to share. It could be getting ice cream as a family to celebrate the first day of school or summer break beginning.

I love making memories with my people. I love new adventures but there is something to be said for the traditions! Please comment and let me know one tradition you do with your family. What dish do you make every Christmas? How do you celebrate Easter? Where do you go on vacation? Is there something you say every morning or a special night time routine?

If you will share with me, I will share with you the next 5 days, five of our favorite traditions or routines we have and we enjoy as a family that make us who we are. I might just be inspired by you and steal one of your ideas to implement into our family.

Traditions build a sense of belonging and allow us to enjoy quality time as a family. These times or routines bring comfort and security. They reinforce a place and a sense of belonging. It is something to look forward to and a means in which to create special bonds and foster relationships.

I will end with 3 reasons for you to consider attending the Woolly Worm in the future:

First, no person is more likely to have a winning worm than any other. You can not beg, blow or clap hard enough to change your worms mind about climbing that string or not. No age has an advantage. Nor is a person with experience any more likely to win.

Second, selecting a name for your worm is such a great way to learn more about how creative (or not) your family can be. Some of our past favorites: Millie, Lightning McQueen, Bob, Patsy Climb, and Winner Chicken Dinner. Our only winning worm was Cole’s worm named Mr. Jim in 2015. He was super excited with his cash prize and spent it all right at the festival and through some coersing even shared some with his siblings.

Finally, there is no other experience in life that can produce the absurd euphoria that comes from cheering for a caterpillar to climb a string!! It is so indisputably ridiculous that it is completely liberating! We truly just enjoy the simple clean fun of something so silly. It is for a good cause, right! And we can blame it on the kids. LOL!

Ok, your turn! I want to hear about your traditions…big or small. NONE are insignificant. They are yours and that is what makes them special!

Thanks for participating and for that I love you 1,000 elephants!

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Your Rooted and Restless Friend,

Tara

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