🍗 75¢ Wings Tonight, a Car Meet and Free Mountain Bluegrass Saturday, and Spookah After Dark

Or: Sauce Flight in Pikeville Till 8, Classic Trucks and a BBQ Truck at the Fairgrounds, a Free Pie-and-Picnic Jam on Whitwell Mountain, Ratboys Next Thursday and a 38° Saturday Night That Says Bring the Hoodie

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Thursday, October 15, 2026

Thursday check-in for Valley Gen Z. Yesterday we pinned the Bundt truck at Firefly, Steam Decks at Game Shack and It’s Loaded in Dunlap. Those are one-line reminders now. Here’s what’s actually new for Thu., Oct. 15 – Thu., Oct. 22:

Morgan Brothers BBQ in Pikeville has 75¢ wings until 8 tonight. Saturday brings the 2nd Annual Dylan & Thomas Car/Truck Meet at the Bledsoe County Fairgrounds, with Morgan Brothers’ truck parked on site. Earlier that day there’s a free pie-and-picnic morning on Whitwell Mountain with live bluegrass. If you want scares, Lake Winnie’s Spookah runs Friday and Saturday nights. And Ratboys just landed on The Signal’s calendar for next Thursday.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Tonight (Thu.) until 8 p.m. CT: 75¢ wings at Morgan Brothers BBQ, 38408 US-127, Pikeville. Call (423) 447-6423.
• Tonight, 6 p.m. CT: Crossroads Bluegrass Gospel at Cagle Community Center. The post didn’t list a cost, so call ahead.
• Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. CT: “Pie, Picnic and Play” at Camp Chet, 5050 Pocket Rd., Whitwell. Free, with New Grass Express playing 10–noon.
• Sat., Oct. 17, 2–6 p.m. CT: Dylan & Thomas Car/Truck Meet at the Bledsoe County Fairgrounds, Pikeville. No admission fee was listed. Morgan Brothers BBQ truck will be there.
• Fri. & Sat. nights: Spookah at Lake Winnie, 6–11 p.m. ET (5–10 p.m. CT).
• Weather pin: NWS has Fri. gusts up to 25 mph, Fri. night ~45, Sat. ~60 and Sat. night ~38. Wear layers to everything outdoors.

🍗 Tonight: 75¢ Wings in Pikeville Until 8

Morgan Brothers BBQ on US 127 runs 75¢ wings all day Thursdays until 8 p.m., according to today’s Dunlap.Today post. Pikeville is on Central time, same as Dunlap. If you’re reading this after work, you still have a window.

The five signature sauces are Regular BBQ, Hot BBQ, Vinegar BBQ, Mustard-Based Gold and Alabama White. Beyond those, the post lists Buffalo, House Hot, Mango Habañero, Teriyaki, Nashville Hot, Red Chili, Garlic Parmesan and Kickin Bourbon.

Address: 38408 US-127, Pikeville. Phone: (423) 447-6423.

What it means for you: This is the cheapest group-dinner math on the list. Split a big order across a few sauces and rank them in the group chat. Call first if you’re rolling in close to 8. And if Saturday’s car meet sounds good, the same crew is bringing its truck to the fairgrounds.

👉 Read more (Morgan Brothers wing day)

🚗 Saturday: Dylan & Thomas Car/Truck Meet + BBQ Truck at the Fairgrounds

The 2nd Annual Dylan & Thomas Car/Truck Meet is Sat., Oct. 17, 2–6 p.m. CT at the Bledsoe County Fairgrounds in Pikeville. You’ll find classic cars and custom trucks with judging and placement trophies. There’s also a bounce house, silent auction, cake walk, horseshoes and food vendors. Morgan Brothers BBQ is bringing its food truck.

Got a classic car or truck? Bring it by 2 p.m. to enter. Spectators can show up anytime 2–6. The announcement didn’t mention an admission fee. Bring some cash anyway for food, the cake walk and the auction.

The meet raises money for Dylan and Thomas, two young people from Bledsoe County, so your BBQ money and cake-walk dollars go to a good cause.

What it means for you: It’s a Saturday afternoon of car-meet energy and BBQ with no admission fee listed, about a half-hour up 127 from Dunlap. It’s also a good warm-up before Saturday night gets cold. NWS has a high around 60 with north gusts up to 25 mph, so bring a jacket.

👉 Read more (car/truck meet) · Morgan Brothers truck at the meet

🪕 Free Live Bluegrass: Whitwell Mountain Saturday + Cagle Tonight

Miners Memorial Park is starting a free fall event series. The first one is “Pie, Picnic and Play” on Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. CT at Camp Chet, 5050 Pocket Road, Whitwell.

• Live music: New Grass Express, 10 a.m.–noon.
• Pie tasting competition: Voting is 11 a.m.–1 p.m., and the winner gets a prize. You can enter a homemade pie.
• Hay rides, kids’ activities and locally made BBQ.
• Admission and all activities are free. Food proceeds go to the Whitwell Mountain Volunteer Fire Department.

Tonight, closer to home: Crossroads Bluegrass Gospel plays Cagle Community Center at 6 p.m. (Thu., Oct. 15). The post didn’t list a cost, so call ahead or ask at the door.

What it means for you: You can hear live music without paying for a ticket or driving to Chattanooga. On Saturday, go to Whitwell Mountain for bluegrass and pie in the morning, head up 127 for the car meet in the afternoon, and be home before the 38° night.

👉 Read more (Pie, Picnic and Play) · Crossroads Bluegrass Gospel

🎃 Fright by Night: Spookah, Ruby Falls Ghost Walk + Apple Festival Hours

Lake Winnie’s Spookah in Rossville, Ga., is on every Friday and Saturday through Oct. 31, 6–11 p.m. Eastern (5–10 p.m. CT). Tonight is also a Spookah night, 6–10 p.m. ET (5–9 CT). Gates open at 6 ET and the three haunted houses and Fear Grounds open at 7 ET. There’s also an hourly parade, magic shows, night rides and a Hay Maze after dark. Ticket prices weren’t checked for this edition, so look at lakewinnie.com or call (706) 866-5681.

Ruby Falls Lantern Tour: Ghost Walk Edition has Sun., Oct. 18 and Thu., Oct. 22 in this window, per Ruby Falls’ official page. Tickets are $42.95, ages 12 and up, and sold online only in advance. It’s about 2 hours of walking with 50 stairs. Start times weren’t on the official page, so check when you book. Ruby Falls is Eastern time.

Chattanooga Apple Festival at Camp Jordan in East Ridge has hours on the organizer’s official page now: Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. ET (9–4 CT) and Sun., Oct. 18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. ET (9–3 CT). It’s outdoor-only, with vendors, a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables and a car show. Admission wasn’t listed, so call (423) 650-1388 before you go.

What it means for you: Spookah is the big Friday/Saturday group-night pick. Do the math backward: 6 p.m. gates there is 5 p.m. here. The ghost walk is the smaller, quieter date-night option. Both are outdoors-adjacent on a cold weekend, so wear real layers.

👉 Read more (Lake Winnie Spookah) · Ruby Falls Ghost Walk · Apple Festival details

🎮 Cheap Eats + Horror Games on Cherry Street

The Game Shack (185 Cherry St., (423) 949-4263) is stocking horror games for the season: Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil 4, The Evil Within, The Outlast Trials, Resident Evil, Dead Space, Fatal Frame and The Last of Us, on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. You can buy, sell or trade, and there’s a café to hang out in. Call for stock and prices.

Cheap eats this week:

• Dunlap Pizza King, new Lunch Upgrade: Mon.–Fri., 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Order any lunch entrée, add the all-you-can-eat salad bar for $3.99 and get a free fountain drink. Dine-in only, no sharing and no to-go boxes. The Friday special is House Calzone or Chicken Fajita for $10.99 each.
• Cagle Mountain Restaurant Taco Thursday: Taco salad $13.99 from 10:30 a.m. (5734 SR 8, 423-949-5063 ext. 1). That’s today. Call on closing time.
• It’s Loaded was in Dunlap today until 6. Next Thursday it’s in Jasper @ CVS, Thu., Oct. 22, 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. CT. Pyro Pies is still on for Dunlap @ Mountain Valley Bank, Mon., Oct. 19, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. CT.
• Sweet stuff: Grayson’s Bake Shop is new at the Dunlap Farmers Market (Harris Park, Sat. 9 a.m.–1 p.m.), with cookies, cake-sicles and pumpkin roll. Just Frosted’s Cookie Cooler is in Lusk Fri.–Sat. Bakery cookies are $4 and sugar cookies $3, it’s honor system, and pickup runs 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Message them for the address.

What it means for you: On a budget? A $3.99 salad-bar upgrade covers lunch, $10.99 covers a Friday calzone, and the farmers market covers dessert. Then browse horror titles on Cherry Street before spooky season peaks.

👉 Read more (Game Shack horror season) · Pizza King lunch upgrade · It’s Loaded · Grayson’s Bake Shop

🎸 Music Over the Mountain: Ratboys Next Thursday

All times below are Eastern. Subtract one hour for Dunlap time.

• NEW — Thu., Oct. 22: Ratboys, “When the Sun Explodes Tour 2026” at The Signal. Doors 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT). Tickets are through the venue site.
• Fri., Oct. 16: The Banshees w/ Cheyenne Medders at Songbirds, 7 p.m. ET (6 CT). It’s the same night as homecoming.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Threads: Footnotes at Barking Legs, 8–10 p.m. ET.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Joshua Ray Walker w/ Cecilia Castleman at Songbirds, 7 p.m. ET (6 CT).
• Tue.–Wed., Oct. 20–21: IBMA Bluegrass Ramble. Songbirds lists sets 6:30–10 p.m. ET both nights. Oz Noy Trio plays Barking Legs Wed. 7:30 p.m. ET.

Just past this window: IBMA Bluegrass Live! at The Signal (Michael Cleveland & Friends + Leftover Salmon Fri., Oct. 23; Della Mae + Sierra Ferrell Sat., Oct. 24). Seed Theatre’s Rocky Horror at Barking Legs starts Fri., Oct. 23. Bluegrass legend Sam Bush plays McMinnville’s Park Theater Fri., Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. Central.

What it means for you: A Thursday indie show at The Signal means leaving Dunlap by about 5 p.m. CT for 6 p.m. CT doors. Carpool and plan to rideshare, since Choo Choo-area parking fills up. We didn’t find a verified Dunlap bar-band listing this week, so we didn’t make one up.

👉 Read more (The Signal calendar) · Songbirds · Barking Legs

🧥 Weather Beat: Last Warm Night, Then Hoodie Season

The NWS Dunlap forecast was updated late Thursday afternoon. Tonight is clear and about 63. Friday reaches about 79 early, then drops toward the 60s, with west gusts up to 25 mph. Friday night is about 45 with north gusts to 30. Saturday is about 60. Saturday night is about 38, the coldest so far. Sunday night is about 39.

Burn permit season started today, but skip the bonfire on windy Friday and Saturday.

What it means for you: For homecoming Friday (parade ~9:30 a.m., kickoff 7 p.m.), bring a hoodie that blocks wind. For Spookah, the car meet or anything after dark Saturday, bring a real jacket.

👉 Read more (NWS Dunlap forecast)

🗺️ Week-Ahead Hangout Map (Thu., Oct. 15 – Thu., Oct. 22)

• Thu., Oct. 15 (tonight): 75¢ wings at Morgan Brothers, Pikeville, until 8 CT · Crossroads Bluegrass Gospel at Cagle, 6 CT · Spookah 6–10 ET (5–9 CT) · Lady Indians district final at home (check time/result) · Taco Thursday at Cagle Mountain.
• Fri., Oct. 16: Homecoming (parade ~9:30 a.m., call ahead; kickoff 7 p.m.) · Nothing Bundt Cakes truck at Firefly on Rankin, 11–5 · Pizza King $10.99 Friday special · Banshees at Songbirds 7 ET · Spookah 5–10 CT · gusty, night ~45.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Farmers Market 9–1 (Grayson’s Bake Shop) · Days of Yesteryear 8 a.m. gates, free · Pie, Picnic and Play on Whitwell Mountain 10–2, free · Apple Festival 9–4 CT · Car/Truck Meet in Pikeville 2–6 · Threads at Barking Legs 8 ET · Spookah 5–10 CT · Cookie Cooler in Lusk · night ~38.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Days of Yesteryear day two · Apple Festival 9–3 CT · Ruby Falls Ghost Walk (book ahead) · Joshua Ray Walker at Songbirds 7 ET.
• Mon., Oct. 19: Pyro Pies in Dunlap, 11–6 CT.
• Tue., Oct. 20: IBMA Bluegrass Ramble night one (Songbirds sets 6:30 ET) · Pizza King $3.99 lunch upgrade continues weekdays.
• Wed., Oct. 21: Ramble night two · Oz Noy Trio at Barking Legs 7:30 ET.
• Thu., Oct. 22: It’s Loaded in Jasper @ CVS, 11:30–6 CT · Ruby Falls Ghost Walk · Ratboys at The Signal, doors 7 ET (6 CT).

✅ Your Gen Z Music / Food / Hangouts Checklist

• ✅ Wing run tonight? Call Morgan Brothers (423) 447-6423 and get there before 8.
• ✅ Saturday plan: Whitwell Mountain bluegrass (free, 10–noon), then the Pikeville car meet (2–6).
• ✅ Bring cash for the cake walk, food vendors and silent auction.
• ✅ Check Spookah prices on lakewinnie.com, and remember 6 p.m. ET = 5 p.m. our time.
• ✅ Book the Ruby Falls Ghost Walk online if you want Sun. or Thu. ($42.95, ages 12+).
• ✅ Ratboys next Thursday: buy tickets on The Signal’s site and set a 5 p.m. CT departure alarm.
• ✅ Pack a hoodie for Friday’s wind and a jacket for Saturday night’s ~38.
• ✅ Bookmark Dunlap.Today for the next hangout skim.

Practical rule: One cheap eat, one free music hang, one after-dark plan. Convert every Chattanooga or Georgia time to CT before you send it to the group chat.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Hangout Glossary

• Wing night: A set day when wings are priced per piece, so a big order stays cheap.
• Car/truck meet: An informal show where owners park classic or custom rides for people to look at. Judged meets give out trophies.
• New grass / bluegrass: Acoustic string-band music (banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass). “Newgrass” mixes in modern sounds.
• Haunt / Fear Grounds: Haunted-house attractions, plus outdoor areas where costumed actors roam and jump-scare.
• Doors vs. show: “Doors” is when they let you in. The set usually starts later.
• ET vs. CT: Chattanooga, East Ridge and Rossville, Ga., are Eastern, one hour ahead of Dunlap, Pikeville and Whitwell.
• Call ahead: Confirm hours, stock, cost or tickets by phone before you burn gas.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

When does the 75¢ wing deal end tonight?

Morgan Brothers BBQ in Pikeville runs 75¢ wings all day Thursdays until 8 p.m. Central, per today’s Dunlap.Today post. It’s at 38408 US-127. Call (423) 447-6423.

Does the Pikeville car meet cost anything?

The announcement didn’t mention an admission fee. The meet is Sat., Oct. 17, 2–6 p.m. at the Bledsoe County Fairgrounds. Bring cash for food vendors, the cake walk and the silent auction. Show cars should arrive by 2 p.m.

Is the Whitwell Mountain event really free?

Yes. Admission and all activities at “Pie, Picnic and Play” are free, per the organizers. It’s Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Camp Chet, 5050 Pocket Road. Food proceeds go to the Whitwell Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, so plan to buy some BBQ.

What time is Spookah in our time?

Lake Winnie lists Friday and Saturday nights as 6–11 p.m. Eastern, which is 5–10 p.m. Central. Haunts open at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT). Check lakewinnie.com for ticket prices.

What are the Apple Festival hours?

Touch The Sky Events lists Sat., Oct. 17, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at Camp Jordan in East Ridge. That’s Eastern time, so 9–4 and 9–3 in Dunlap. Admission wasn’t listed, so call (423) 650-1388.

When is Ratboys?

Thursday, Oct. 22, at The Signal in Chattanooga. Doors are at 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Central). Tickets are through thesignaltn.com.

🔗 Other Resources

• Lake Winnie Spookah
• Ruby Falls events
• Chattanooga Apple Festival (Touch The Sky Events)
• The Signal
• Songbirds Venue calendar
• Barking Legs Theater
• It’s Loaded food truck · Pyro Pies
• Dunlap Farmers Market
• NWS point forecast for Dunlap
• Dunlap.Today · Dunlap.Directory

🌄 Keep the Hangout Map Fresh

Trucks move, venues add shows and Eastern times sneak up on you. For the next music, food and hangout skim covering Dunlap, Pikeville, Whitwell, Jasper and nearby Chattanooga, read Dunlap.Today. Pin this one in the group chat before Saturday night gets cold.