Woolly Worm Festival

Far from being a normal festival, the Woolly Worm Festival became a tradition rooted in Lee County’s culture. The woolly worm is believed to forecast the weather for the coming winter season. A woolly worm’s body has 13 segments-each corresponding to a week in winter. If a segment is light brown, that means the week will be mild. If a segment is black, that means a harsh, cold week. The worm acted as a weather predictor for many old time farmers who would harvest crop and cut firewood in preparation for the upcoming winter.