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THE BRUCE BEAT - October 2026

Oct 1
6 min read

by Scott Bruce




The Long Game

I’ll be honest: it’s not exactly an easy time to be in real estate.

Buyers are still dealing with higher prices and higher monthly payments, sellers are having to be more realistic about pricing, and for those of us working in the industry, the slower market has certainly made things more challenging. I could probably write another paragraph about inventory, interest rates and affordability, but at this point, I think we all know the story.

What I find more interesting is what happens next.

Real estate has always been a cyclical business. Markets change. Interest rates change. Buyer confidence changes. And eventually, the conditions that make today’s market difficult will change, too.

That’s one of the reasons I’m still excited to be doing this.

I genuinely enjoy helping people navigate one of the biggest financial decisions they’ll make. I enjoy meeting new people, looking at houses, negotiating deals, and perhaps most importantly, being the person someone can call when they have a question and don’t know where to start.

So while I certainly wouldn’t complain if the market decided to make my job a little easier, I’m not going anywhere. I want to keep learning, keep building relationships and keep helping people who are ready to make a move—even when the market isn’t perfect.


Because eventually, things will change.

And when they do, I want to be here.

And I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some great people along the way. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s actually like to work with me, I’ve put a few of their experiences on my website. You can read what they had to say here:






4 Ways to Enjoy October

Fall is my favorite time of year—the cooler weather, football season and all the outdoor events make it hard to beat. There’s not much I enjoy more than live music, especially bluegrass, whether it’s outside under a beautiful fall sky or inside a great venue. That’s a big reason I love CaveFest and 3 Sisters (which I love even more because it’s free!).


These are four events in the Chattanooga area that I’m most excited about this October, so I thought I’d share a little of the history behind each one in hopes of painting a picture of why you should get out and enjoy one or two of them this year! 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival October 2 & 3 Ross’s Landing, Chattanooga

The 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival has been a Chattanooga tradition since 2007, when it was created to honor the musical legacy of local businessman and bluegrass fiddler Fletcher Bright. The festival is named for Bright’s three daughters and remains a free, two-day event on the Chattanooga waterfront. Bright was a major figure in Chattanooga's bluegrass community, and the festival has featured some of the biggest names in bluegrass over the years. This year’s lineup includes Sam Bush and The Travelin’ McCourys, among many others!

 

Ketner’s Mill Fair October 3 & 4 Whitwell, Tennessee

The history of Ketner’s Mill goes back more than 200 years. David Ketner established a grist mill on the site in 1824, and the brick mill that stands today was built by his son Alexander in the late 1800s. The property eventually included a water-powered sawmill and wool-carding operation. After restoration efforts in the 1970s, the mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. That same year, the Ketner’s Mill Country Arts & Crafts Fair was established by Frank W. McDonald and Clyde Ketner as a way to help preserve the historic mill. Nearly 50 years later, the fair has become one of East Tennessee's longstanding fall traditions, with more than 150 artisans, food vendors, live music, demonstrations and activities for families. A few things that make it unique: the historic mill in operation, mule-powered sorghum molasses demonstrations, wagon rides, canoe rides on the Sequatchie River, and live bluegrass, country and gospel music.

October 10 & 11

The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee

The Caverns held the first CaveFest in 2022, creating a festival built around something that is pretty hard to duplicate anywhere else: live music both above ground and inside a cave. The inaugural festival featured Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Infamous Stringdusters and Yonder Mountain String Band.

Now in its fifth year, CaveFest combines Americana, bluegrass and roots music with camping, cave tours, underground jams, workshops and other activities. There are also some pretty cool special sets this year, including a John Prine 80th Birthday Celebration and a Bristol Sessions 100th Anniversary Celebration. This year’s lineup includes Gillian Welch & David Rawlings and Peter Rowan & Sam Grisman Project, among many others!  

IBMA World of Bluegrass October 20–24

Downtown Chattanooga

Chattanooga hosted the IBMA World of Bluegrass event for the first time in 2025, and IBMA is returning October 20–24.

IBMA stands for the International Bluegrass Music Association, and World of Bluegrass is much more than a music festival. The five-day event brings together musicians, industry professionals and fans for a business conference, showcases, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards and the public-facing Bluegrass Live! festival. And there's a nice Chattanooga connection: the free outdoor portion, Pickin' in the Park, will take place at Miller Park and Miller Plaza October 23–24, featuring local talent, college bands, Kids on Bluegrass, food and arts and crafts.Some artists that will be appearing this year include Sierra Ferrell and Leftover Salmon, among many others!




 

Make Some October Plans


From live music in our local venues and big area music festivals to comedy, races, fall festivals, and Halloween events, there’s no shortage of things to do around the Chattanooga area this month. I’ve rounded up a few of the events I’m most excited about, so take a look and find something fun to put on your October calendar.


Sunday 10/18 – Rodrigo y Gabriela @ The Caverns Sunday 10/18 – Joshua Ray Walker w/ Cecilia Castleman @ Songbirds Tuesday 10/20 & Wednesday 10/21 – Billy Strings @ Tivoli Theatre


OTHER EVENTS

Saturday 10/3 – Signal Mountain Nursery Fall Festival Saturday 10/3 & Sunday 10/4 – Ketner’s Mill Fair

Wednesday 10/14 – Saturday 10/18 – Lookout Comedy Festival @ The Comedy Catch

Saturday 10/17 – Spooky Sprint @ Tennessee River Park Saturday 10/17 & Sunday 10/18 – Chattanooga Oktoberfest @ First Horizon Pavilion Saturday 10/24 – Leanne Morgan @ McKenzie Arena




Also, I create a Spotify playlist each month with most of the musicians that you see listed above—just to give you a little sample of what to expect when you get out and enjoy these concerts! THE BRUCE BEAT - October 2026 Playlist




 
 
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