Find something for everyone at 16 festivals this weekend

Estefanie Ibarra and Eduardo Romero perform during the 2017 CultureFest. The two were representing the Coalition of Latino Leaders.
Estefanie Ibarra and Eduardo Romero perform during the 2017 CultureFest. The two were representing the Coalition of Latino Leaders.

There is a good variety of themes to the festivals opening this weekend, with 16 events from which to choose.

If you're in the mood to raise a stein to oompah-pah bands, check out Rocktoberfest in Rock City or Oktoberfest in Ooltewah's Cambridge Square.

If you enjoy admiring the handwork and creativity of craftsmen, then either Gatlinburg's Craftsmen's Fair or the excellent John C. Campbell Folk School Festival make a good day-trip; Morris Hill Baptist Church's Market and Quilt Show is a venue closer to home.

photo Alma Marroquin performs the dance "Las Floreras del Boqueron" as she represents El Salvador at the 2017 CultureFest.

The 19th annual CultureFest takes place Sunday at Chattanooga Market. It's a sensory overload with the brilliant colors of international flags during the Parade of Flags, the aromas of food samples, toe-tapping live music and beautiful costumes of the represented nations.

This celebration of Chattanooga's ethnic diversity will also offer activities such as origami, yoga, henna hand-painting, chopstick lessons, calligraphy, bocce and international board games.

Make memories with your children - and possibly start a family tradition - by attending the Autumn Children's Festival in the Tennessee Riverpark on Saturday and Sunday. It's all about kids here, with carnival games, photo-ops with princesses and superheroes, a petting zoo, inflatables, pumpkin painting, face painting and rides on a miniature train.

You'll find all these activities laid out in a big circle on a Riverpark field. There's no admission to enter, but there is a fee for each game or activity. Tickets for these range from 50 cents to $3. All proceeds benefit The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga.

And, finally, if you're looking for hair-raising fun for boys and ghouls before Halloween, take a drive to Lake Winnepesaukah in Rossville. Lake WinnepeSpookah starts Friday night, continuing each Friday and Saturday through October.

The park will be filled with costumed characters, there are hourly light shows on the lake, haunted train rides, a new Monster Parade and, of course, the favorite "Thriller" parade through the park.

This year's theme is Die Ridge Medical Center, home of Dr. Payne and his patients. The fairgrounds have been transformed into the "feargrounds," with four new haunts that include The Clown School and The Monster Haunt.

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.

Festivals this weekend

OCT. 4-21

» Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair: Convention Center, 234 Historic Nature Trail, traffic light No. 8 on Gatlinburg Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tenn., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, $7 ages 13 and older. www.craftsmenfair.com

OCT. 5-27

» WinnepeSpookah: Lake Winnepesaukah, 1730 Lakeview Drive, Rossville, Ga., 6-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 5-10 p.m. Oct. 25 only; $27 plus tax ages 3-59, $19 plus tax ages 1-2 or 60 and up. Halloween fun in amusement park. lakewinnie.com

OCT. 6-28

» Rocktoberfest: Rock City, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, $22.95 adults, $12.95 ages 3-12; celebration of German music and food, with polka lessons, specialty beer and costumed characters. www.seerockcitycom/rocktoberfest

OCT. 5-7

» Autumn Children's Festival: Tennessee Riverpark, 4301 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday, free admission, tickets for activities 50 cents to $3; children's carnival to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. 423-778-4300

» Bake & Craft Sale: Cloud Springs Baptist Church Activities Building, 210 Cloud Springs Road, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, benefiting Golden Agers group. 706-866-0164.

» Bluff Park Art Show: Bluff Park Community Center, 517 Cloudland Drive, Hoover, Ala., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CDT Saturday, free; 150 artists. www.bluffparkartassociation.org

» Boaz Harvest Festival: Downtown Boaz, Ala., Alabama Highway 168, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. CDT Friday-Saturday, free; 54th year for street fair with 400 vendors, children's area, contests and classic car show. http://alabama.travel/upcoming-events/boaz-harvest-festival

» Craft Fair: First United Methodist Church, 11625 Highway 28, Whitwell, Tenn., 8 a.m.-3 p.m. CDT Saturday, free, crafts and bake sale, $5 lunches. 423-779-6677

» Culturefest: Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1829 Carter St., Chattanooga, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, free; art, food, music and dance representing Chattanooga's cultural diversity. www.chattanooga.events/calendar

» Fall Fest at the Hermitage: The Hermitage, 4580 Rachel's Lane, Nashville, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday (all times Central), free; art, music and history at the home of Andrew Jackson. www.fallfestatthehermitage.com

» Fall Festival: Kristopher's Kingdom, 475 Black Track Road, Graysville, Tenn., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, free, sponsored by Graysville Parks and Recreation. 423-775-9242

» Folk School Festival: John C. Campbell Folk School, 4590 Brasstown Road, Brasstown, N.C., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, $5 adults, $3 ages 12-17; 250 crafts booths, 30 demonstrating craftsmen, music. www.folkschool.org

» Great Locomotive Chase Festival: Adairsville downtown square, 116 Public Square, Adairsville, Ga., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday, $3 ages 7 and older on Friday and Saturday, free on Sunday; carnival rides, craft and food vendors. www.cartersvilleevents.org

» Morris Hill Craft Market and Quilt Show: Morris Hill Baptist Church gym, 1804 Morris Hill Road, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, free, 38 vendors in indoor fundraiser. 423-596-5134

» National Storytelling Festival: Downtown Jonesborough, Tenn., 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday, variety of single-event or package ticket prices. www.storytellingcenter.net

» Oktoberfest in Ooltewah: Cambridge Square, 9453 Bradmore Lane, Ooltewah, noon-5 p.m. Saturday, free; German music and vendors selling German food, beer and other products. www.chattanooga.events/organizer/oktoberfest-in-ooltewah

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