🧭 Hundred-Mile Happenings: A Free Art Festival Beside Cleveland’s “Dye Creek,” a Fire Department Fall Festival With Chili and a Cake Walk Near Fort Payne, a Honey Show in Rock Spring, a Free Sea Shanty Sing in Chattanooga, an All-You-Can-Eat Fly-In Breakfast at the Dayton Airport and Reindeer Games in Trenton

Or: Stroll Past Local Art by a Creek That Turned Kids Colors, Win a Cake at the Fire Hall, Taste Blue-Ribbon Honey, Sing River Songs With Strangers, Eat Pancakes While Small Planes Land and Light a Hometown Christmas Tree — Six New Outings Within About 100 Miles of Dunlap

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Saturday, October 24, 2026

Howdy, neighbor. Pour the coffee and grab a pencil. Here’s batch number sixty-eight 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 batch fills up the Saturdays of November. On Saturday, Nov. 7, you’ve got two choices: the free Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival at Cleveland’s historic Old Woolen Mill, or the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Fall Festival near Fort Payne, with soup, chili and a cake walk. On Saturday, Nov. 14, the Northwest Georgia Beekeepers hold their fall conference and honey show in Rock Spring. On Monday night, Nov. 16, anybody can sing sea shanties for free in downtown Chattanooga. And on Thanksgiving Saturday, Nov. 28, there’s an all-you-can-eat Fly-In, Drive-In Breakfast at Dayton’s airport in the morning and Reindeer Games and a tree lighting in Trenton, Ga., in the afternoon.

⏱️ Your 30-second trip list

• Sat., Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m.–4 p.m. OUR time): Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival, Old Woolen Mill, Cleveland, TN. Free.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (Central — our time): Pine Ridge VFD Fall Festival, 502 County Road 88, Fort Payne, AL. $10 for soup or chili, dessert and a drink.
• Sat., Nov. 14, 8:45 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern (7:45 a.m.–3 p.m. OUR time): Beekeeping Conference & Honey Show, Walker County Civic Center, Rock Spring, GA. $40 (plus $1 online fee).
• Mon., Nov. 16, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Eastern (5:30–7:30 p.m. OUR time): Sea Shanty Sing, TailGate Brewery, Chattanooga. Free.
• Sat., Nov. 28, 7:30–11 a.m. Eastern (6:30–10 a.m. OUR time): Fly-In, Drive-In Breakfast, Mark Anton Airport, Dayton, TN. Price not listed: check before you go.
• Sat., Nov. 28, 4–6 p.m. Eastern (3–5 p.m. OUR time): Reindeer Games & Tree Lighting, Veterans Memorial Park, Trenton, GA. Cost not listed: check before you go.

🕰️ The one thing to remember: Only Fort Payne is on CENTRAL time like us. Cleveland, Rock Spring, Chattanooga, Dayton and Trenton are all EASTERN, one hour ahead. For those five, subtract an hour. And remember, daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, before any of these. Set the clocks back one hour on Halloween night. The one-hour difference between us and Chattanooga stays the same.

🎨 Stroll Past Local Art Beside the Creek That Turned Children Colors at the Free Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival

Here’s a story you’ll want to tell in the car. A little waterway runs right through Cleveland’s historic Old Woolen Mill and out its south end. It isn’t on any map under that name, but folks call it “Dye Creek,” because back when the mill dyed wool, local children who played in it came home “the color of the day.” Now that creek gives its name to a free fine arts festival celebrating local artists, in the mill’s outdoor courtyard.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 7, 2026, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. OUR time).
• Where: Old Woolen Mill, 445 Church St. SE, Cleveland, TN, in the outdoor courtyard at the south end of the mill, behind the Castaway Stage. Follow the signs.
• How far: About 60 miles, roughly 1 hour 25 minutes. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Free to enter. Bring money if you’d like to take home some art.
• Who’ll love it: Art lovers, history buffs, Christmas shoppers looking for something handmade and anybody who likes an old building with a story.
• Good to know: Visit Cleveland says other things are going on at the mill that same day, including Hetzel Art, ArtHouse Project and the Grit & Grace Market. It’s an outdoor courtyard, so check the weather and bring a jacket.

👉 Read more (Visit Cleveland TN — Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival)

🍲 Grab a Bowl of Chili and Take a Turn at the Cake Walk at the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Fall Festival

Remember cake walks? You walk the circle while the music plays, and when it stops, you might just win a whole cake. The Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department near Fort Payne is keeping that old tradition alive at its fall festival, along with soup and chili, popcorn, door prizes, a 50/50 drawing, an auction and games for the children. Every dollar helps the volunteers who answer the calls out there.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 7, 2026, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central (our time).
• Where: 502 County Road 88, Fort Payne, AL (DeKalb County).
• How far: About 80 to 85 miles, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes. Approximate; county roads can be slow, so check your map app.
• Cost: $10 gets you soup or chili, dessert and a drink. Costs for the cake walk, 50/50 and auction weren’t listed; bring a little cash.
• Who’ll love it: Grandparents, young families, anybody with a sweet tooth and folks who like supporting a country fire hall.
• Good to know: Admission to the grounds wasn’t mentioned, so check before you go. Fort Payne is on our time, so no clock math needed.

👉 Read more (WEIS Radio — Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Plans November 7 Fall Festival)

🍯 Taste the Best Honey in Northwest Georgia at the Beekeepers’ Fall Conference & Honey Show

Did you know honey gets judged, just like pies and pumpkins at the fair? At the Northwest Georgia Beekeepers Association’s Fall Conference & Honey Show, beekeepers enter their best jars for cash prizes and bragging rights. The day also brings a lineup of speakers, door prizes and beekeeping supply vendors. The club says it’s “a can’t-miss event for beginners and seasoned beekeepers alike,” so this is a good one if you’ve always wondered about keeping a hive.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 14, 2026, 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern (7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. OUR time).
• Where: Walker County Civic Center, 10052 U.S. 27, Rock Spring, GA (at the Walker County Ag Center, between Chattanooga and LaFayette).
• How far: About 50 miles, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: $40 general admission, plus a $1 fee when you buy online.
• Who’ll love it: Gardeners, farm families, would-be beekeepers, homeschoolers and anybody who loves a spoonful of good honey.
• Good to know: Speakers include Adam Hickman of Foxhound Bee Company, a certified Master Beekeeper who served as a “bee wrangler” for a movie. Want to enter your own honey? The club posts honey show rules on its website. Whether the honey show is open to look at without a conference ticket wasn’t listed; check before you go.

👉 Read more (Northwest Georgia Beekeepers Association — Fall Conference & Honey Show)

⚓ Sing Sea Shanties and River Songs for Free in Downtown Chattanooga

You don’t need a boat or a good voice for this one. Once a month, Chattanooga’s River City Shanty Sessions gather to sing sea shanties and songs of the river, with a few Irish tunes thrown in. Songbooks are provided, and organizers say “no talent necessary.” This month they’ll also tell the true story of Mary Patten, a 19-year-old who took command of a clipper ship in 1856 when her captain husband fell ill, and sailed it safely from New York to San Francisco.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Mon., Nov. 16, 2026, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern (5:30 to 7:30 p.m. OUR time). The group usually meets the third Monday of each month.
• Where: TailGate Brewery, 1464 Market St., Chattanooga, TN, on the second deck (upstairs).
• How far: About 31 miles, roughly 1 hour. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Free and open to the public. Food and drinks are for sale.
• Who’ll love it: Singers, history lovers, folks with a soft spot for old ballads and anybody who needs a cheerful Monday night.
• Good to know: It’s held at a brewery, but organizers say all ages are welcome. Questions: shantyman Keith Fawcett, keithsails@gmail.com. Upstairs access wasn’t described; check before you go if stairs are a concern.

👉 Read more (WUTC community calendar — River City Shanty Sessions)

✈️ Eat All the Breakfast You Want While Small Planes Land at the Dayton Fly-In, Drive-In Breakfast

Here’s an early-riser’s dream. The Civil Air Patrol squadron at Dayton’s Mark Anton Municipal Airport hosts an all-you-can-eat breakfast on the fourth Saturday of every month. Pilots fly in from around the region, and the rest of us just drive in. Sit with a plate and a cup of coffee and watch the little planes come and go. It’s held rain or shine.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 28, 2026 (Thanksgiving weekend), 7:30 to 11 a.m. Eastern (6:30 to 10 a.m. OUR time). Then again the fourth Saturday of each month.
• Where: Mark Anton Municipal Airport, 350 Walter Squire Rd., Dayton, TN (off New Union Road).
• How far: About 41 miles, roughly 1 hour 5 minutes over Walden Ridge. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Not listed. Check before you go, and bring cash just in case.
• Who’ll love it: Early birds, grandkids who love airplanes, retired pilots and anybody who never turns down pancakes.
• Good to know: The tourism calendar’s time box shows odd hours (2:30–6 a.m.), but its description says 7:30 to 11 a.m. Go by the description, and check before you go. Leave Dunlap by about 5:45 a.m. our time to get there right at the start.

👉 Read more (Rhea County Tourism — Fly-In, Drive-In Breakfast)

🦌 Play Reindeer Games and Watch the Tree Light Up in Trenton

Close out Thanksgiving weekend with a small-town tradition just over the Georgia line. Downtown Trenton’s Veterans Memorial Park hosts Reindeer Games and a Christmas tree lighting, and the Alliance for Dade’s listing also mentions the Salvation Army Band. It’s the kind of evening where you bump into neighbors and the kids get to burn off some turkey.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 28, 2026, 4 to 6 p.m. Eastern (3 to 5 p.m. OUR time).
• Where: Veterans Memorial Park, Highway 11, Trenton, GA (Dade County).
• How far: About 48 miles, roughly 1 hour 5 minutes. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Not listed. Community tree lightings are usually free, but check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Young families, grandparents and anybody who wants to start the Christmas season early.
• Good to know: The listing doesn’t say what the Reindeer Games are, so check the Alliance for Dade page for details. Make it a full day: the Dayton breakfast in the morning, then Trenton in the afternoon. Bring a coat; it gets dark early after the time change.

👉 Read more (Alliance for Dade — Reindeer Games & Tree Lighting)

✅ 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, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. OUR time (11–5 Eastern): Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival, Old Woolen Mill, Cleveland. Free.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (Central — our time): Pine Ridge VFD Fall Festival, Fort Payne. $10 food plate; cake walk.
• Sat., Nov. 14, 7:45 a.m.–3 p.m. OUR time (8:45–4 Eastern): Beekeeping Conference & Honey Show, Rock Spring, Ga. $40.
• Mon., Nov. 16, 5:30–7:30 p.m. OUR time (6:30–8:30 Eastern): Sea Shanty Sing, TailGate Brewery, Chattanooga. Free.
• Sat., Nov. 28, 6:30–10 a.m. OUR time (7:30–11 Eastern): Fly-In, Drive-In Breakfast, Mark Anton Airport, Dayton.
• Sat., Nov. 28, 3–5 p.m. OUR time (4–6 Eastern): Reindeer Games & Tree Lighting, Trenton, Ga.

✅ Trip-planning checklist

• ✅ Write the time zone on the fridge note: Fort Payne is Central — our time. Cleveland, Rock Spring, Chattanooga, Dayton and Trenton are Eastern — subtract an hour.
• ✅ Nov. 7 is a pick-one Saturday: Cleveland’s art festival or the Fort Payne fire hall festival. They’re in opposite directions.
• ✅ Nov. 28 stacks up nicely: breakfast at the Dayton airport in the morning, then Reindeer Games in Trenton in the afternoon.
• ✅ Call ahead on details that weren’t posted: the fly-in breakfast price, the Trenton event cost and the Pine Ridge cake walk and auction details.
• ✅ Buy your honey show ticket ahead of time on the beekeepers’ website.
• ✅ Bring cash for the fire department festival, the breakfast and any art you fall in love with.
• ✅ Check the event page the morning you go in case plans change.
• ✅ Fill up and grab a biscuit 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 of these outings are new for article #68. We’ve covered other events in some of the same towns, like Cleveland’s Christmas on the Square, Canyon Fest near Fort Payne, Dayton’s Holiday Stroll and Trenton’s Satur-Dade Market, but these are separate events.

Which ones are free?

The Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival and the sea shanty sing are free. The Pine Ridge festival plate is $10 for soup or chili, dessert and a drink. The honey show conference is $40. Prices for the Dayton breakfast and the Trenton Reindeer Games weren’t listed, so check before you go.

Which ones are best for young kids?

The Pine Ridge festival has games for children and a cake walk. The Trenton Reindeer Games and tree lighting are made for families. Kids who love airplanes will enjoy the Dayton fly-in breakfast.

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

The fly-in breakfast is a sit-down meal. The honey show is indoors at a civic center. The Dye Creek festival and the Pine Ridge festival are outdoors, but easy to take at your own pace. The shanty sing is upstairs, so ask about access if stairs are hard for you.

Eastern or Central: which clock do I set?

Dunlap and Sequatchie County are on Central. So is Fort Payne, Ala. Cleveland, Chattanooga and Dayton, Tenn., and Rock Spring and Trenton, Ga., are on Eastern time, one hour ahead. Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 1, before all of these events.

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, the local tourism calendar or local news 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

• Visit Cleveland TN — Dye Creek Fine Arts Festival at the Old Woolen Mill
• WEIS Radio — Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Fall Festival
• Northwest Georgia Beekeepers Association — Fall Conference & Honey Show tickets
• WUTC community calendar — River City Shanty Sessions
• Rhea County Tourism — Fly-In, Drive-In Breakfast
• Alliance for Dade — Reindeer Games & Tree Lighting
• 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 trip to make a good memory. Art beside an old mill creek, a bowl of chili and a cake walk with the volunteer firemen, a jar of prize-winning honey, a roomful of folks singing river songs, pancakes by the runway and a hometown tree lighting are all within a drive of home. 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.