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THE BRUCE BEAT - September 2026

Sep 1
7 min read

by Scott Bruce




Your Journey Starts Here

Kids are back in school, summer vacations are over, and things seem to have settled down a bit. That makes September a pretty great time to start your new home search.

It’s not quite as cool as we’d like it to be here in the Tennessee Valley, but at least we should soon be past those God-awful high temperatures we saw in July and August. And the families who wanted to make a move before the school year started have either already done it—or decided to wait.

So, the market is in your favor. There is plenty of inventory to choose from, and plenty of time to find the right home. All you need to do is reach out to me and let’s get the conversation started.

I’m here to guide you through the entire process, answer your questions, and make sure you never feel like you’re navigating it alone.

Except…“process” sounds a little scary and intimidating, doesn’t it?

So let’s call it your “journey” instead. That sounds much more exciting.

And I promise to do my part to keep it that way.

As for the tough questions for listing agents, figuring out what paperwork needs to be completed and when, negotiating the details, and all of the other stuff that can make buying a home feel overwhelming—leave that part to me.

You focus on finding the right home.

I’ll handle the process.

And together, we’ll make the journey fun.

 





Chattanooga Area Fall Festival Guide: September & October 2026


Fall is one of my favorite times of year in the Chattanooga area, and September and October are packed with festivals, fairs, markets, food, music, and plenty of reasons to get outside. Here’s a roundup of some of the best fall festivals happening around the area over the next couple of months—so grab your calendar and start making plans! SEPTEMBER 2026


The Ultimate Fall Fest September 5 | Ringgold, GA Kick off fall with food trucks, local vendors, live music, a kids' zone, bounce houses, face painting, a cake walk and a pumpkin art contest.

Labor Day at the Post September 7 | Fort Oglethorpe, GA A huge, free Labor Day celebration with live music, a classic car show, food trucks, local vendors, a kids' zone and petting zoo, headlined by Lauren Alaina and Mark Wills.

Fried Green Tomato Festival September 12 | Niota, TN

The annual festival celebrates Niota's famous fried green tomatoes with local food, crafts, music, entertainment and family activities.

International Cowpea Festival & Cook-Off September 12 | Charleston, TN

A wonderfully quirky local tradition featuring a cowpea cook-off, live music, food, crafts, children's activities and plenty of small-town Southern charm.

Fall Market at Cambridge Square September 12 | Ooltewah, TN A seasonal market at Cambridge Square featuring local vendors, food, live music and plenty of fall shopping.


Fall Market at the Mall September 12–13 | Cleveland, TN More than 150 craft and commercial vendors, food trucks, a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables and other family activities fill the weekend at Bradley Square Mall.

September 18–20 | Dalton, GA Dalton's annual celebration of fine art and crafts features an artist market, gallery exhibits, food, live music, children's activities and sculpture.

East Ridge Fall Festival September 19–20 | East Ridge, TN This free two-day celebration brings more than 150 vendors, food, live music, inflatables, pony rides, face painting, crafts and games to Camp Jordan.

September 25 | Chattanooga, TN

A great local fall event featuring native plants, seasonal gardening, pollinator education and the opportunity to shop directly from regional growers.

September 25–27 | East Ridge, TN Three days of tacos, food trucks, live entertainment, artisan vendors, a kids' zone, petting zoo and even Lucha Libre wrestling at Camp Jordan.

Ocoee Valley Farms Fall Festival & River Maze September 26–November 1 | Benton, TN A full fall-farm experience with a pumpkin patch, corn maze, more than 25 activities, food and plenty of family fun.


Mayfield Farm Park Fall Festival September 26–November 8 | Athens, TN

Pick pumpkins, explore three corn mazes, enjoy the Silo Light Show and choose from more than 40 family-friendly farm activities.


Chattanooga Market Fall Festival September 27 | Chattanooga, TN

Apples, cider, pumpkins, seasonal produce, handmade goods, flowers, live music and all the sights and smells of autumn.

OCTOBER 2026

October 2–3 | Chattanooga, TN

One of Chattanooga's signature fall festivals brings traditional and contemporary bluegrass to Ross's Landing for a free weekend of music.


October 3–4 | Whitwell, TN

Step back in time with two days of Appalachian arts and crafts, Southern food, live music, farm animals and demonstrations by local artisans.


October 3–4 | Dalton, GA More than 200 vendors, food, pickle-themed everything, a petting zoo, pony rides, games and contests make this one of the region's more unusual fall festivals.

October 10–11 | Pelham, TN

The Caverns hosts a one-of-a-kind weekend of music above and below ground, along with camping, cave tours, food trucks, vendors, workshops and kids' activities.

Prater's Mill Country Fair October 10–11 | Dalton, GA One of the area's great fall traditions, featuring nearly 200 artists and craftspeople, Appalachian music, food and demonstrations at the historic mill.

Candy Corn Cauldron Fall Market October 10–11 | East Ridge, TN A Halloween-themed fall market with more than 140 vendors, trick-or-treating, inflatables and photo opportunities with the Sanderson Sisters.

Chattanooga Oktoberfest October 17–18 | Chattanooga, TN

A free, family-friendly German celebration with Oompah music, German food, beer, contests, shopping and plenty of chicken dancing.

Cleveland Apple Festival October 17–18 | Cleveland, TN A classic downtown fall festival featuring apples, crafts, food, entertainment and family activities around the Bradley County Courthouse Square.


October 17–18 | East Ridge, TN More than 180 vendors, apple-themed foods, children's activities, entertainment, a petting zoo and pony rides fill Camp Jordan for this free fall festival.

IBMA World of Bluegrass October 20–24 | Downtown Chattanooga

Bluegrass takes over downtown for five days with concerts, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, the Bluegrass Ramble and the free Pickin’ in the Park celebration on October 24.

Autumn Harvest Market at Cambridge Square October 24 | Ooltewah, TN A fall Saturday at Cambridge Square with food trucks and more than 50 vendors offering handmade goods, seasonal finds, local shopping, and live music.


October 25 | Chattanooga Choo Choo A free one-day festival celebrating Chattanooga’s local jazz, blues, R&B and funk scene, with live music, food, vendors, dancing and family activities. PumpkinFest October 30–31 | Dayton, TN Dayton celebrates the 20th annual PumpkinFest with pumpkin decorating, costume and pie-eating contests, a petting zoo, food, crafts and downtown shopping.


October 31 | Chattanooga, TN

A free Halloween-night celebration featuring more than 30 decorated trunks, candy, city vehicles, kids' activities and free CARTA transportation.




 

September is Stacked!

I can already tell that September is going to be a tough month for decision-making! Fall festivals are starting to pop up, some great comedy shows are coming to town, the Lookouts wrap up their first regular season at Erlanger Park with a six-game homestand, and the concert lineup this month is bonkers—Houndmouth, Phantogram, Greensky Bluegrass, Pokey LaFarge, Jamey Johnson, Jason Scott & The High Heat, Flatland Cavalry, Caamp, Clay Street Unit...and those are just a few!

Overall, the folks responsible for bringing top-notch events to our area really outdid themselves this September. So you know what that means—we need to lace up our shoes and get out there to support them! It’s almost impossible to attend them all, but they’ve certainly given us plenty to choose from this month.

CONCERTS Thursday 9/3 – Chatham Rabbits @ Songbirds

Friday 9/4 – Sunday 9/6 – Murder by Death @ The Caverns

Wednesday 9/9 – Jake Blount @ The Woodshop

Friday 9/11 – Joe Kaplow @ The Woodshop

Sunday 9/13 – Goldpine @ The Woodshop

Monday 9/14 – Ron Pope @ Songbirds

Thursday 9/17 – Phantogram @ The Caverns

Friday 9/18 – Houndmouth @ The Signal

Saturday 9/19 – Jay Buchanan @ Songbirds

Tuesday 9/22 – Fai Laci @ Songbirds

Friday 9/25 – Project Pat @ The Signal

Saturday 9/26 – Vickie Vaughn @ Songbirds

Saturday 9/26 – Pokey LaFarge @ The Caverns

Tuesday 9/29 – Caamp @ Memorial Auditorium

COMEDY Thursday 9/3 & Friday 9/4 – Chris Porter @ The Comedy Catch


 

OTHER EVENTS



CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS - AUGUST HOME GAMES



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 - September 2026 Playlist




 
 
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