🧭 Hundred-Mile Happenings: Persimmon Picking in Cookeville, a Veterans Day Lunch in South Pittsburg, Chattanooga's Oldest Turkey Trot, Two Christmas Concerts at Crossville's Palace Theatre and Christmas in Dixie in Fort Payne

Or: Gather Persimmons and Pecans, Thank a Veteran Over Lunch, Walk Off the Turkey Before Dinner, Swing to a Big Band, Celebrate the Band ALABAMA at Christmas and Hear a Guitar Wizard Play the Carols — Six New Day Trips Within About 100 Miles of Dunlap

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Good day, neighbor. Here’s batch number fifty-two of Hundred-Mile Happenings, our running list of unusual, family-friendly outings within about 100 miles of Dunlap. Same promise as always: when, where, how far, what it costs and who’ll love it, in plain words. And no repeats. Every one of these is new to the list.

This round runs from the nut harvest to the Christmas carols. On Saturday morning, Nov. 7, the Cookeville Food Forest invites families to gather persimmons, walnuts and pecans. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, Marion County holds a ceremony and lunch at the American Legion Hall in South Pittsburg, and veterans eat free. On Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 26, Chattanooga’s oldest holiday race, the Fitness Central Turkey Trot, welcomes walkers, kids and leashed dogs. Crossville’s historic Palace Theatre gives us two Christmas concerts: Melissa Ellis’ Big Band Christmas on Friday, Dec. 4, and Jacob Johnson’s (Almost) Acoustic Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 17. And in between, on Saturday, Dec. 5, Fort Payne throws Christmas in Dixie for fans of the band ALABAMA.

⏱️ Your 30-second trip list

• Sat., Nov. 7, 9–11:30 a.m. (Central — our time): Persimmon, Walnut & Pecan Foraging Day, Cookeville Food Forest pavilion, Cookeville. Cost not posted; check before you go.
• Wed., Nov. 11, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (Central — our time): Marion County Veterans Day Ceremony, American Legion Hall, South Pittsburg. Lunch follows; free for veterans and those serving.
• Thu., Nov. 26, 8 a.m. Eastern (7 a.m. our time): Fitness Central Turkey Trot, 6170 Lee Hwy., Chattanooga. Register ahead or that morning.
• Fri., Dec. 4, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Melissa Ellis & Her Jazz Orchestra: A Big Band Christmas, Palace Theatre, Crossville. Tickets through the box office.
• Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. (Central — our time): Christmas in Dixie, ALABAMA Fan Club & Museum, Fort Payne, Ala. Tickets required; kids 10 and under free for daytime fun.
• Thu., Dec. 17, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Jacob Johnson’s (Almost) Acoustic Christmas, Palace Theatre, Crossville.

🕰️ The one thing to remember: only the Turkey Trot is on Eastern time. Chattanooga is one hour ahead, so subtract an hour: the 8 a.m. Kiddie-K is 7 a.m. OUR time. Cookeville, South Pittsburg, Crossville and Fort Payne are all Central, same as Dunlap, so their times are our times. And remember: daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Set the clocks back an hour Saturday night, Oct. 31. After that it’s dark by about 5 p.m., so the Crossville concerts mean a night drive home. Bring a driver who’s comfortable after dark.

🌰 Gather Persimmons, Walnuts and Pecans at the Cookeville Food Forest’s Foraging Day

Here’s a gentle, old-timey way to spend a fall Saturday. The Cookeville Food Forest is a public grove of fruit- and nut-bearing trees, and on the first Saturday in November it holds a Persimmon, Walnut & Pecan Foraging Day. You’ll learn to identify the native trees, hear about their seasons, and gather ripe persimmons, freshly fallen walnuts and pecans to take home. If you like gadgets, you can also help the volunteers “tag” trees in the free iNaturalist phone app, so the forest gets mapped as you go. The organizers call it part foraging adventure, part citizen science.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 7, 2026, 9–11:30 a.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: Cookeville Food Forest pavilion, C C Camp Road, Cookeville, TN 38501. No street number was posted; check your map before you go. Contact: TNFoodForest@gmail.com.
• How far: About 80–90 miles, roughly 1½–1¾ hours, by way of Spencer and Sparta on Tenn. 111. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Not posted on the event page. Check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Grandparents who remember picking up walnuts in the yard, kids who like a treasure hunt, gardeners and anybody who’s ever wondered what a ripe persimmon tastes like.
• Good to know: Bring water, gloves and a container for your harvest, and dress for the weather. Supervised kids are welcome. It starts early, so leave the Valley by about 7:15 a.m.

👉 Read more (Cookeville Food Forest — Persimmon, Walnut & Pecan Foraging Day)

🇺🇸 Honor Our Veterans, Then Share a Free Lunch, at Marion County’s Veterans Day Ceremony in South Pittsburg

This one’s just down the road. Marion County invites everyone to its Veterans Day Ceremony at the American Legion Hall in South Pittsburg, to recognize the men and women who have served. The county says State Sen. Todd Gardenhire, County Mayor David Jackson and mayors from across Marion County are expected to attend. After the program, lunch is served, and every veteran and everyone currently serving eats free.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Wed., Nov. 11, 2026 (Veterans Day), 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., with lunch after. Central Time — our time.
• Where: American Legion Hall, 300 Elm Ave., South Pittsburg, TN 37380. Marion County offices: (423) 942-2552.
• How far: About 35–40 miles, roughly 45 minutes, by way of Jasper and U.S. 72. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: The ceremony is open to the community. Lunch is free for veterans and service members; the county didn’t post whether guests pay, so check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Veterans and their families, grandkids who want to say thank you in person, and neighbors who like a hometown ceremony.
• Good to know: It’s a midday weekday event, so you’ll drive in daylight both ways. While you’re in South Pittsburg, you’re close to the cast-iron skillet country Lodge made famous.

👉 Read more (Marion County — Veterans Day Ceremony in South Pittsburg)

🦃 Walk Off the Turkey Before Dinner at Chattanooga’s Oldest Thanksgiving Race

The Fitness Central Turkey Trot is Chattanooga’s longest-standing Thanksgiving road race, back for its 36th running. You don’t have to be a runner. There’s a 3-mile family walk and jog that isn’t timed, where strollers and leashed dogs are welcome, plus a Kiddie-K (about six-tenths of a mile) for children 12 and under, with medals for every kid. The serious folks run a certified 4-mile race. Part of every walk and 4-mile entry benefits Survivor Fitness, a nonprofit that helps cancer survivors through exercise.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Thu., Nov. 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving). Kiddie-K at 8 a.m., family walk/jog at 8:15 a.m., 4-mile race at 8:30 a.m., all Eastern Time. Subtract an hour: the kids start at 7 a.m. OUR time.
• Where: Fitness Central, 6170 Lee Hwy., Chattanooga, TN 37421. The walk goes down Brainerd Road to Jubilee Drive and back.
• How far: About 50–60 miles, roughly 1–1¼ hours, by way of Hwy. 111, U.S. 27 and Hwy. 153. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: When we checked, entry was $43 for the 4-mile race and $30 for the 3-mile walk/jog, and prices go up as race day nears. The Kiddie-K price is on the registration page. Families or groups of five or more can email the club for a discount code.
• Who’ll love it: Families with holiday company, dog walkers, kids with energy to burn and anybody who wants to earn that second slice of pie.
• Good to know: Packet pickup and sign-up are Wed., Nov. 25, at Fitness Central, and race-morning check-in opens at 7 a.m. Eastern. That means leaving the Valley around 5:30 a.m. our time, in the dark, so bring a co-pilot and a thermos.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Track Club — Fitness Central Turkey Trot 2026)

🎷 Swing Into the Season With Melissa Ellis’ Big Band Christmas at Crossville’s Palace Theatre

Crossville’s Palace Theatre opened as a movie house in 1938, closed in 1978, was nearly torn down in 1999, and was saved and restored into one of the prettiest little stages on the Plateau. On the first Friday in December, Melissa Ellis & Her Jazz Orchestra bring A Big Band Christmas: a full band with a blazing horn section playing timeless Christmas songs in swinging style. The show says it’s meant to feel “nostalgic, joyful, and BIG,” and $5 of every ticket benefits Kids on the Rise, a local cause.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Fri., Dec. 4, 2026, 7 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: The Historic Palace Theatre, 72 S. Main St., Crossville, TN 38555. Box office: (931) 484-6133.
• How far: About 55–65 miles, roughly 1¼ hours, by way of Pikeville and U.S. 127 north. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Ticket prices vary by seller, and resale sites list them higher. Call the Palace box office for the real price and check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Folks who grew up on Glenn Miller and Bing, couples looking for a dressed-up night out, and anybody who loves a horn section.
• Good to know: The show invites you to “come dressed for Christmas.” For wheelchair and companion seats, call the box office. It’s a night drive home on U.S. 127, so bring a co-pilot.

👉 Read more (TheaterMania — Melissa Ellis Big Band Christmas)

🎶 Celebrate “Christmas in Dixie” With the Band ALABAMA’s Hometown in Fort Payne

Fort Payne is the hometown of the band ALABAMA, and one of their best-loved songs is “Christmas in Dixie,” which even mentions Fort Payne by name. So it’s fitting that the town is throwing Christmas in Dixie: ALABAMA Legacy Event. The ALABAMA Fan Club & Museum kicks off the day with holiday activities, food vendors, festive photo spots, an Alabama Family Q&A, a cornhole tournament and open-house tours. That evening, the party moves to the Back 40 Ballroom at Vintage 1889 for a private viewing of “My Home’s in Alabama” and a musical celebration of ALABAMA’s Christmas classics.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Dec. 5, 2026, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: ALABAMA Fan Club & Museum, 101 Glenn Blvd. SW, Fort Payne, AL 35967. Organizer: (256) 845-1646.
• How far: About 85–95 miles, roughly 1¾ hours, by way of Jasper, I-24 and I-59 south. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Tickets are required, with Daytime and All-Day VIP options, and children 10 and under are free for daytime activities. Prices weren’t posted on the pages we checked, and the organizers say tickets are limited, so check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: ALABAMA fans of every age, country music lovers, families who want a full Saturday of Christmas fun, and anybody who sings along to “Mountain Music.”
• Good to know: The daytime part makes an easy round trip in daylight. If you stay for the evening show, you’ll drive home after dark, so bring a co-pilot. The Fan Club & Museum is right off Glenn Boulevard in town.

👉 Read more (Visit Lookout Mountain — Christmas in Dixie: ALABAMA Legacy Event)

🎸 Hear a Guitar Wizard Play the Carols at Jacob Johnson’s (Almost) Acoustic Christmas in Crossville

If big brass isn’t your style, come back to the Palace two weeks later for something cozier. Award-winning songwriter Jacob Johnson brings his “highly caffeinated” acoustic guitar style, warm singing and quick humor to (Almost) Acoustic Christmas. He’s performed or collaborated with guitar greats like Tommy Emmanuel, Phil Keaggy and Victor Wooten, and he mixes Christmas classics, clever new arrangements and his own songs. The theater says it “feels like gathering around the fireplace with friends.”

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Thu., Dec. 17, 2026, 7 p.m. Central Time — our time.
• Where: The Historic Palace Theatre, Main Street, Crossville. The theater’s own page gives 72 S. Main St.; the city’s event page lists a different Main Street address, so check before you go. Box office: (931) 484-6133.
• How far: About 55–65 miles, roughly 1¼ hours, by way of Pikeville and U.S. 127 north. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Not posted on the city’s page. Call the box office and check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Guitar players and pickers, folks who like a little humor with their carols, and anybody who’d rather have a quiet, warm Christmas evening than a big crowd.
• Good to know: For wheelchair and companion seats, call the box office. It’s a weeknight with a night drive home, so bring a co-pilot.

👉 Read more (City of Crossville — Jacob Johnson’s (Almost) Acoustic Christmas 2026)

✅ Remember These Dates

• Sat. night, Oct. 31: Set the clocks back one hour. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 9–11:30 a.m. (Central — our time): Persimmon, Walnut & Pecan Foraging Day, Cookeville.
• Wed., Nov. 11, 11:30 a.m. (Central — our time): Marion County Veterans Day Ceremony and lunch, South Pittsburg. Veterans eat free.
• Thu., Nov. 26, 7 a.m. our time (8 Eastern): Fitness Central Turkey Trot starts, Chattanooga.
• Fri., Dec. 4, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Melissa Ellis’ Big Band Christmas, Palace Theatre, Crossville.
• Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. (Central — our time): Christmas in Dixie, Fort Payne.
• Thu., Dec. 17, 7 p.m. (Central — our time): Jacob Johnson’s (Almost) Acoustic Christmas, Palace Theatre, Crossville.

✅ Trip-planning checklist

• ✅ Write the time zone on the fridge note: only Chattanooga’s Turkey Trot is Eastern — subtract an hour. Cookeville, South Pittsburg, Crossville and Fort Payne are Central — our time.
• ✅ Fall back Saturday night, Oct. 31. After that, it’s dark around 5 p.m.
• ✅ Veterans: bring your ID or service card to South Pittsburg for the free lunch, just in case.
• ✅ For foraging, pack gloves, water and a bag or bucket.
• ✅ For the Turkey Trot, register early; prices go up closer to Thanksgiving. Leashes for the dogs.
• ✅ Call ahead on details that weren’t posted: the foraging day cost, the Palace Theatre ticket prices and Christmas in Dixie ticket prices.
• ✅ For night drives home from Crossville or Fort Payne, bring a co-pilot and a full tank.
• ✅ Fill up and grab a snack before you leave the Valley. Find local stops on Dunlap.Directory.

Remember: check the clock, check the weather, and pick the outing that fits your crew. A good day trip gets you home tired and happy, not worn out.

— Dunlap.Today

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Are these events already on earlier Hundred-Mile Happenings lists?

No. We keep a covered-events list and skip anything we’ve already featured. All six are new for article #52. We’ve featured other events at some of the same places, like Gene Watson at the Palace Theatre, Crossville’s Veterans Parade and Canyon Fest near Fort Payne, but these are separate events.

Which ones are free?

The Marion County Veterans Day Ceremony is open to the community, and lunch is free for veterans and those serving. Christmas in Dixie is free for children 10 and under during the daytime. The foraging day, the Palace Theatre concerts and adult Christmas in Dixie tickets didn’t list a price on the pages we checked, so check before you go. The Turkey Trot has an entry fee.

Which ones are best for young kids?

The foraging day, where supervised kids are welcome; the Turkey Trot’s Kiddie-K, with a medal for every child; and the daytime fun at Christmas in Dixie.

Which ones are easiest if I don’t walk far?

The two Palace Theatre concerts are sit-down evenings, and the Veterans Day ceremony and lunch are indoors. Christmas in Dixie has a lot of standing and strolling. The foraging day means walking under the trees, and the Turkey Trot is 3 or 4 miles on foot, though you can always just cheer at the finish.

Eastern or Central: which clock do I set?

Dunlap and Sequatchie County are on Central. Cookeville, South Pittsburg, Crossville and Fort Payne are Central too. Chattanooga is Eastern, one hour ahead, so subtract an hour from the Turkey Trot’s posted times.

How do you pick these events?

We look for one-of-a-kind, family-friendly outings within about 100 miles of Dunlap, and we check each one against the organizer’s own page or a trusted listing whenever we can. When a detail isn’t posted, we say so. We keep a list so we never repeat an event. If you know a hidden gem, tell us at Dunlap.Today.

🔗 Other Resources

• Cookeville Food Forest — Persimmon, Walnut & Pecan Foraging Day
• Marion County — Veterans Day Ceremony in South Pittsburg
• Chattanooga Track Club — Fitness Central Turkey Trot 2026
• Chattanooga Track Club — Turkey Trot registration and prices
• TheaterMania — Melissa Ellis Big Band Christmas
• The Historic Palace Theatre, Crossville — box office and hours
• Visit Lookout Mountain — Christmas in Dixie: ALABAMA Legacy Event
• Christmas in Dixie 2026 — tickets
• City of Crossville — Jacob Johnson’s (Almost) Acoustic Christmas 2026
• National Weather Service Morristown: Valley forecast
• Dunlap.Directory: Local businesses for gas, food and supplies

🍂 Slow Down and Go See Something

You don’t need a big vacation to make a memory. A bucket of pecans under a November sky, a thank-you lunch with a veteran, a Thanksgiving-morning walk with the dog, a horn section playing “Jingle Bells,” a hometown party for a hometown band and a guitar ringing out the carols are all within a drive of the Valley. Grab a buddy, check the clock and the weather, and go.

Keep exploring, keep it easy and keep reading. Read Dunlap.Today for more Hundred-Mile Happenings, and find the Valley businesses that’ll fuel your trip on Dunlap.Directory.