Woolly Worm Festival facts for kids

The Woolly Worm Festival is a super fun event that happens every October in Banner Elk and Avery County, North Carolina. Since 1978, people have gathered to celebrate the amazing woolly worm, also known as the "woolly bear." This little creature is actually a caterpillar, which is the young form of the Isabella tiger moth. The festival's main event is an exciting caterpillar race!

Meet the Woolly Worm

The Isabella tiger moth belongs to a big family called Arctiinae, which has about 11,000 different kinds of moths and butterflies all over the world. Before winter arrives, the woolly worm eats lots of plants. Then, it makes a special kind of "antifreeze" inside its body! This helps protect it from super cold temperatures, even as low as -90 degrees Fahrenheit. When winter comes, these caterpillars find safe, dark places like under logs, rocks, or boards. They stay "frozen" there until they wake up in May.

Can Woolly Worms Predict Winter?

People who organize the North Carolina Woolly Worm Festival believe that the colors on the worm's thirteen body stripes can predict how harsh the coming winter will be. For example, some say more black means a colder winter. Even though not everyone agrees, festival fans trust the woolly worm. They say it's right about 80-85 percent of the time!

The Woolly Worm Festival Fun

Each year, about 15,000 to 20,000 people come to this mountain celebration. The festival has even been featured in the famous Farmers' Almanac and the Kiwanis International Magazine.

A Master of Ceremonies (M.C.) leads the festival each year. With help from the festival's mascot, Merriweather, the M.C. makes sure everyone follows the rules, especially for the caterpillar race. About 1200 worms compete in more than 50 races, called "heats." In each heat, 20 worms race 42 inches up a string. The string is attached to a cardboard backboard on a flatbed trailer. People can cheer and whistle to encourage their worms! Races happen all day, leading up to the big final race around 4:00 p.m. The winning worm is announced as the official weather forecaster. Its owner also wins a money prize! After paying for the festival, the money helps support community projects and charities.

See also

• Woollybear Festival, a similar festival held every year in Vermilion, Ohio