The population was 1,307 at the 2010 census and an estimated 1,206 in 2018. It was named for Samuel Beatty, a pioneer settler. The city was formally established by the state assembly as 'Beatty' in 1851 and incorporated in 1872. The winning worm earns a trophy and bragging rights for its business.Beattyville is a home rule class city in, and the county seat of, Lee County, Kentucky, United States.

Woolly Worm and Merryweather leading the fun! On Sunday at 1:00 is the Corporate Woolly Worm Wace. The fun starts Saturday morning at 9am and the woolly worm races begin shortly after with Mr. Who wouldn’t love a nice piece of jewelry or pottery under the Christmas tree? Admission tickets can be purchased online at so there is no need to stand in line as there is a limited number of races, it is important to register to race your worm as soon as you arrive at the festival! Remember, the winning Woolly Worm on Saturday earns the esteemed honor of predicting the High Country’s winter weather and receives a huge pot of $$$ – $1000 to be exact! If you can’t make it to the festival on Saturday – don’t worry – we begin the fun again on Sunday from 9am until 4pm. Purchase great handcrafted wares from our juried artists, ranging from fun items to those for decorating your house with amazing furniture. What a great time to think of the holidays. VISA and Mastercard are accepted for festival admission. We regret that Doggie Daycare will not be available. Pets are not allowed, other than Woolly Worms.There is ample parking, but the free parking is on a first come first serve basis and non-profit organizations are authorized to charge parking fees for overflow parking. There is an admission cost to get into the festival because all proceeds are given back to our community to enhance our schools, children’s programs, and to promote businesses and tourism in Avery County. We think it’s the perfect time to share some tips that will make your experience a good one while at the festival and getting to the festival. The 45th Annual Woolly Worm Festival takes place the 3rd weekend of October, falling on the 15th and 16th in 2022, in the quaint mountain town of Banner Elk North Carolina.

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