Antlers and Acorns: The Boone Songwriters Festival

Antlers and Acorns fills downtown Boone with intimate songwriter performances September 24-26, 2026, spreading sets across venues like rooftop bars, coffee shops, breweries, and small stages along King Street. Most performances start between 6-10 p.m. nightly, with some daytime acoustic sessions on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Admission remains free for all shows, though some venues operate on a first-come basis while others offer reserved seating for purchase. The festival typically features 30-40 songwriters across folk, Americana, country, and indie genres, many sharing the stories behind their songs between performances. Download the festival schedule in advance and map your route, as popular venues fill 30-45 minutes before showtime.

This festival attracts music lovers who prefer listening-room intimacy over large concerts, couples planning date-night itineraries around multiple sets, and songwriters themselves who come to network and hear peers perform. The small-venue format puts you close enough to catch facial expressions and guitar techniques, creating a connection between performers and audience that larger festivals can’t match. Most sets run 45-60 minutes, giving you time to catch three or four different artists in a single evening if you hop between venues. Between shows, King Street’s restaurants and bars stay busy with festival-goers comparing notes on standout performances and planning their next stop.

Late September in Boone brings peak early-fall conditions, with daytime temperatures in the upper 60s and evenings cooling to the mid-40s. Pack layers for comfortable outdoor walking between venues, and bring a jacket for rooftop performances where mountain breezes pick up after sunset.

The festival coincides with early leaf color in the High Country, making daytime hikes especially rewarding before evening music begins. If rain interrupts outdoor sets, most performances move to covered patios or indoor spaces, with real-time updates posted on the festival’s social media channels. Downtown parking fills by 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, so arrive early or plan to walk from your accommodation.

Stay within a 10-minute walk of King Street to maximize your festival experience and catch late-night jam sessions that continue after official programming ends around 11 p.m. Watauga Lake sits 30 minutes away, offering morning paddling or fishing in golden early-fall light before you return to Boone for afternoon sound checks. Price Lake on the Blue Ridge Parkway provides an even closer option at 15 minutes, perfect for shoreline walks among changing leaves. Browse lakeside and mountain rentals on Lake.com to build a September weekend that pairs intimate songwriting with quiet water mornings and peak autumn color.