🧭 Hundred-Mile Happenings: BBQ Smoke in Huntsville, Free Jazz at the Choo Choo and Pancakes With Lumberjacks

Or: A Whitwell Church Fall Fest, a Sunday Bluegrass Market, Halloween Trunk-or-Treat and a Brand-New Book Festival — Eight New Day Trips Within About 100 Miles of Dunlap

Howdy, neighbor. Here’s batch number ten of Hundred-Mile Happenings, our running list of unusual, family-friendly outings within about 100 miles of Dunlap. As always, we lay it out plain: when, where, how far, what it costs and who’ll love it. And as always, no repeats. Every one of these is new to the list.

This round stretches from a close-to-home church festival in Whitwell to smoked BBQ in Huntsville’s MidCity, a free Sunday of jazz at the Choo Choo, bluegrass at the Market, a waterfall hike at dusk, Halloween night trunk-or-treat in Chattanooga, free pancakes with axe games in Cookeville and Huntsville’s brand-new Great Big Book Festival.

⏱️ Your 30-second trip list

• Fri.–Sat., Oct. 16–17: WhistleStop BBQ Festival, MidCity District, Huntsville. $10 advance / $15 gate (kids 12 & under free).
• Sun., Oct. 18, 5–6 p.m. Central: Autumn Evening Hike, Cummins Falls State Park. From $5.
• Sat., Oct. 24, 3–5 p.m. Central: Daus Baptist Church Fall Festival, Whitwell. Free food and games.
• Sun., Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Eastern: Cha Jazz Fest, Chattanooga Choo Choo. Free; afterparty at Wanderlinger.
• Sun., Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern: Chattanooga Bluegrass at the Market, First Horizon Pavilion. Free.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 4:30–7:30 p.m. Eastern: Midtown Connect Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat. Free.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Central: Flapjacks & Lumberjacks Fall Fun Fest, Cookeville. Free pancakes.
• Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Central: Great Big Book Festival, Downtown Huntsville Public Library. Free programming (keynote ticketed).

🕰️ The one thing to remember: the time line. Chattanooga (Jazz Fest, the Market and Midtown trunk-or-treat) is on Eastern Time, one hour ahead of us. So a 4:30 p.m. start there is 3:30 p.m. our time. Whitwell, Cummins Falls, Cookeville and Huntsville, Alabama are on Central Time, same as Dunlap. And remember, clocks fall back on Sunday, Nov. 1.

🍖 WhistleStop BBQ Returns to MidCity

North Alabama’s long-running WhistleStop BBQ Festival — a tradition since 2001 — is back in Huntsville’s MidCity District for food, live local music and family fun. Sample and judge People’s Choice wings Friday evening and pulled pork Saturday afternoon, cheer the awards, bounce in the Pigpen and shop Sizzle Alley. Presented by the Apollo Coalition.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Fri., Oct. 16 (gates about 4 p.m. Central; wings tasting 6–7:30 p.m.) and Sat., Oct. 17 (gates about 11 a.m. Central; pulled-pork tasting 2–4 p.m.; awards 5 p.m.). Confirm exact gate hours before you go.
• Where: MidCity District festival lot / 925 Makers Way area, Huntsville, AL. midcitydistrict.com/whistlestopfestival.
• How far: About 95 miles, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes.
• Cost: $10 advance / $15 at the gate per day; weekend pass $15 advance / $25 gate. Kids 12 and under free. Parking free.
• Who’ll love it: BBQ fans, music listeners with chairs and blankets, and families who want a bounce house alongside the smoke.
• Good to know: Tastings are while supplies last. Music lineup includes Travis Bowlin, Milltowne, The Brooklines (Fri.) and The Grasstronauts, Josh Allison, Lana White & the Heights, Buck’d UP (Sat.). Huntsville is Central Time, same as home.

👉 Read more (WhistleStop at MidCity) · Alabama Travel listing

🍁 One Mile to the Falls at Dusk

Cummins Falls State Park offers a short, staff-led Autumn Evening Hike — about a mile to the top of the falls to catch fall color, hear a little park history and notice native plants and wildlife. Sturdy shoes and water are required; the mood is unwind-and-look, not race-to-the-bottom.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sun., Oct. 18, 5–6 p.m. Central (our time). Meet at the Visitor Center.
• Where: Cummins Falls State Park, 390 Cummins Falls Lane, Cookeville / Jackson County area.
• How far: About 70 miles, roughly 1 hour 25 minutes.
• Cost: From about $5 per attendee (donation tiers available). Register through Tennessee State Parks; one participant minimum or they cancel.
• Who’ll love it: Leaf-peepers who prefer a guided hour to a crowded overlook, families with decent walkers and anyone collecting small park programs.
• Good to know: Host: gracie.fields@tn.gov, (931) 268-7223. Inclement weather can scrub it — check before you go. This hike stays at the top of the falls; gorge access has separate rules and often needs a permit.

👉 Read more (Autumn Evening Hike)

🎃 Free Food, Hayrides and Chili Votes in Whitwell

Right down the valley road, Daus Baptist Church opens its annual fall festival to the whole community — face painting, hayrides, games, free food, a chili cook-off you can vote on and a fall photo backdrop. No ticket, no fuss, and close enough that Grandma can ride along without packing an overnight bag.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Oct. 24, 3–5 p.m. Central.
• Where: Daus Baptist Church, 2686 West Valley Road, Whitwell.
• How far: About 15 miles, roughly 25 minutes.
• Cost: Free admission and free food.
• Who’ll love it: Valley families, grandparents, chili tasters and anyone who wants a short Saturday outing without leaving Sequatchie County’s backyard.
• Good to know: Same afternoon as Dunlap UMC’s Great Pumpkin Festival (also 3–5 p.m.) — pick one porch or race between them if you’re ambitious. Details via local coverage on Dunlap.Today; call the church if you need last-minute confirmation.

👉 Read more (Daus Baptist Fall Festival)

🎷 Free Jazz All Day at the Choo Choo

Year two of Cha Jazz Fest turns the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo into a daylong celebration of the city’s local jazz scene — then keeps the groove going with an open-jam afterparty at Wanderlinger. Free admission, Sunday hours, and a chance to hear hometown players without a festival wristband.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sun., Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m.–6 p.m. our time). Afterparty at Wanderlinger 7:30–9:30 p.m. Eastern (6:30–8:30 p.m. our time).
• Where: Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market Street, Chattanooga. Afterparty: Wanderlinger Brewing Co. (confirm address on the fest site).
• How far: About 30 miles, roughly 45 minutes.
• Cost: Free festival admission (food and drinks on you).
• Who’ll love it: Jazz fans, date-night couples, and music folks who want a full Sunday without buying a multi-day pass.
• Good to know: Eastern Time. Same Sunday as Chattanooga Bluegrass at the Market — you can catch Market bluegrass midday and still land at the Choo Choo, or flip it. Check chajazzfest.com for the stage lineup closer to the date.

👉 Read more (2026 Cha Jazz Fest)

🪕 Bluegrass, Produce and a Sunday Funday Stage

The Chattanooga Market tags a bluegrass-and-country Sunday: live strings on the Sunday Funday Stage (including Redbud Bluegrass Band), peak-season produce, local eats and cold brews under the First Horizon Pavilion roof. Free to walk in; pay-lot parking on campus.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sun., Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m.–3 p.m. our time).
• Where: First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd, Chattanooga.
• How far: About 30 miles, roughly 45 minutes.
• Cost: Free admission. Budget for market shopping and food.
• Who’ll love it: Banjo fans, farmers-market shoppers and families who want music without a ticket line.
• Good to know: Pets aren’t allowed indoors (dog park nearby). Pairs naturally with Cha Jazz Fest the same day if you want strings at lunch and jazz into the evening.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Bluegrass)

🍬 Free Trunk-or-Treat on Actual Halloween Night

For the first time, Midtown Connect’s Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat lands on Saturday, Oct. 31 — real Halloween night. It’s billed as Chattanooga’s largest free trunk-or-treat: candy trunks, city vehicles (EPB, Public Works, EMS and more), a CARTA candy bus and activities for kids. Safe, free and built for families.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Oct. 31, 4:30–7:30 p.m. Eastern (3:30–6:30 p.m. our time).
• Where: Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga / Midtown Connect, 5704 Marlin Road, Chattanooga.
• How far: About 40 miles, roughly 55 minutes.
• Cost: Free.
• Who’ll love it: Families with costume kids, grandparents who want candy without dark street corners and anyone skipping the jump-scare haunts.
• Good to know: Eastern Time — leave Dunlap by about 2:45 p.m. Central if you want a cushion. Bring a bag and layers; October evenings cool down. midtownfallfestival.com.

👉 Read more (Midtown Connect Fall Festival)

🥞 Free Pancakes and Lumberjack Games in Cookeville

Flapjacks & Lumberjacks Fall Fun Fest at Cookeville Church of the Nazarene is exactly what it sounds like: free pancakes, then axe throwing, Nerf axe throwing, a soft caber toss, hayrides, face painting, inflatables and craft vendors. Grab your flannel.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Central.
• Where: Cookeville Church of the Nazarene, 360 S. Old Kentucky Road, Cookeville.
• How far: About 80 miles, roughly 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Cost: Free entry and free pancakes; vendor crafts and some activities are pay-as-you-go — check at the gate.
• Who’ll love it: Kids who want to “throw axes” safely, pancake loyalists and families building a quirky Upper Cumberland Saturday.
• Good to know: Same Nov. 7 as Scottsboro BBQ (already on our list), Chilimauga and Huntsville’s Great Big Book Festival — pick one big outing, not four. Confirm details closer to the date on the church’s event listings.

👉 Read more (Flapjacks & Lumberjacks listing)

📚 Huntsville’s Brand-New Great Big Book Festival

The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library launches its inaugural Great Big Book Festival — a full day of free author panels, workshops, bookish vendors and signings downtown, plus a ticketed keynote with bestselling author Ariel Lawhon (The Pirate Queen). Perfect for readers who want a day trip that isn’t another pumpkin patch.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Central.
• Where: Downtown Huntsville Public Library, 915 Monroe St. SW, Huntsville, AL.
• How far: About 100 miles, roughly 2 hours.
• Cost: Free festival programming. Keynote is ticketed — the 3 p.m. slot was listed as sold out at last check; a 12:30 p.m. ticketed option may still be available. Confirm at hmcpl.org/GBBF.
• Who’ll love it: Book clubs, aspiring writers, kids who love author days and anyone who’d rather stack novels than candy.
• Good to know: After clocks fall back Nov. 1, Central still matches Dunlap. Email GBBF@hmcpl.org with questions. Same day as Flapjacks in Cookeville and Scottsboro BBQ — choose your adventure.

👉 Read more (Great Big Book Festival)

🗓️ Put These on the Fridge

• Fri.–Sat., Oct. 16–17: WhistleStop BBQ in MidCity Huntsville.
• Sun., Oct. 18, 5 p.m.: Cummins Falls Autumn Evening Hike — register ahead.
• Sat., Oct. 24, 3–5 p.m.: Daus Baptist Fall Festival in Whitwell (or Dunlap’s Great Pumpkin Festival).
• Sun., Oct. 25: Free Cha Jazz Fest and/or Chattanooga Bluegrass at the Market.
• Sat., Oct. 31, 4:30 p.m. Eastern: Midtown Connect trunk-or-treat (3:30 p.m. our time).
• Sun., Nov. 1: Clocks fall back one hour.
• Sat., Nov. 7: Flapjacks & Lumberjacks in Cookeville and/or Great Big Book Festival in Huntsville (also Scottsboro BBQ from our last list).

✅ Your Easy Day-Trip Checklist

• ✅ Check the clock. Chattanooga Jazz Fest, the Market and Midtown trunk-or-treat are one hour ahead. Whitwell, Cummins Falls, Cookeville and Huntsville match home (Central).
• ✅ Register the Cummins Falls hike and confirm WhistleStop gate hours before you drive.
• ✅ Leave early for Halloween trunk-or-treat — 4:30 p.m. Eastern is 3:30 p.m. Central.
• ✅ Bring a chair or blanket for WhistleStop’s MainStage and layers for evening events.
• ✅ Pack cash and a card for tastings, market finds and food trucks.
• ✅ Wear good walking shoes for MidCity, the Choo Choo grounds and downtown Huntsville.
• ✅ Shop local on the way out. Grab breakfast or gas from a Valley business. Find one on Dunlap.Directory.
• ✅ Snap a photo of this page so the dates and time zones ride along with you.

Practical rule: Pick one trip, write it on the calendar tonight with the time zone beside it, and tell somebody you’re taking them along. A plan with a date and a buddy actually happens.

— Dunlap.Today

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these trips is closest to Dunlap?

Daus Baptist in Whitwell is about 15 miles. Cha Jazz Fest and Chattanooga Bluegrass are about 30 miles. Midtown trunk-or-treat is about 40. Cummins Falls is about 70, Cookeville about 80, MidCity Huntsville about 95 and downtown Huntsville about 100 — at the edge of our hundred-mile line.

Which ones are free or nearly free?

Daus Baptist, Cha Jazz Fest, Chattanooga Bluegrass, Midtown trunk-or-treat, Flapjacks & Lumberjacks and most Great Big Book Festival programming are free. Cummins Falls starts around $5. WhistleStop is $10–$15 per day (kids 12 and under free).

Which ones are on Eastern Time?

All three Chattanooga stops: Cha Jazz Fest, Chattanooga Bluegrass at the Market and Midtown Connect trunk-or-treat. Whitwell, Cummins Falls, Cookeville and Huntsville are on Central Time, same as Dunlap.

Which are best for little kids?

Daus Baptist (hayrides, games, free food), Midtown trunk-or-treat, Flapjacks & Lumberjacks (pancakes and soft lumberjack games) and WhistleStop’s Pigpen. The book festival suits reader kids and teens; the evening hike suits steadier walkers.

Can I do more than one in a day?

Yes. A natural pair: Chattanooga Bluegrass midday and Cha Jazz Fest into the evening on Oct. 25. On Nov. 7, pick Flapjacks, the Book Festival or Scottsboro BBQ — don’t try all three. Oct. 24 you can choose Whitwell or stay in Dunlap for pumpkins.

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 whenever we can. We keep a list so we never repeat an event. If you know a hidden gem, tell us at Dunlap.Today.

🔗 Other Resources

• WhistleStop BBQ Festival (MidCity)
• Cummins Falls: Autumn Evening Hike
• Daus Baptist Fall Festival (Dunlap.Today)
• 2026 Cha Jazz Fest
• Chattanooga Market: Bluegrass Sunday
• Midtown Connect Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat
• Flapjacks & Lumberjacks Fall Fun Fest
• Great Big Book Festival (HMCPL)
• Tennessee State Parks event calendar
• Choose Chattanooga: Events calendar
• National Weather Service Morristown: Valley forecast
• Dunlap.Directory: Local businesses for gas, food and supplies

🍂 Slow Down and Go See Something

You don’t have to invent a big vacation to make an October memory. From free pancakes and lumberjack games to jazz at the Choo Choo and candy on Halloween night, every outing on this list is within about two hours of home — and a few are under half an hour. Grab a buddy, check the clock and the sky, 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.