10/02/2026
🍂 THIS WEEKEND AROUND PICKWICK | OCTOBER 2–4
Okay, Pickwick — THIS is a weekend.
Yard sales. Chili. Pumpkins. Live music. A major music festival. And enough going on that you may actually have to make choices.
Here’s your Pickwick Insider weekend cheat sheet:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
🛍️ TRASH & TREASURE ALONG THE TENN-TOM — IUKA & TISHOMINGO COUNTY
This isn’t one yard sale. It’s 50+ miles of them.
The annual Trash & Treasure runs Friday and Saturday along Hwy. 25 from the Tennessee state line south through Tishomingo County, with the route also extending along Hwy. 72 toward Burnsville. Organizers say the event traditionally draws thousands of treasure hunters.
🌶️ FARMERS MARKET + CHILI COOK-OFF — DOWNTOWN IUKA
Head to Jay Bird Park beginning at 4 p.m. The Chili Cook-Off runs 4–7 p.m. Buy a $5 armband, taste the entries and help choose the winner.
🎶 FIRST FRIDAYS — DOWNTOWN FLORENCE
From 5:30–8:30 p.m., downtown Florence fills with local vendors, food trucks and live music. If you’re already heading that direction for ShoalsFest, this would make a pretty good Friday-night warm-up.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
🎃 FAMILY FALL PUMPKIN PAINTING — J.P. COLEMAN
J P Coleman State Park hosts its annual pumpkin-painting afternoon from 2–4 p.m. Pumpkins, paint and supplies are provided — you provide the imagination.
🎵 COME TO THE RIVER — PICKWICK LANDING
One of the weekend’s biggest events is right here at Pickwick Landing State Park.
Big Daddy Weave, Consumed by Fire and Stephen McWhirter perform Saturday at the Circle/Beach area. Gates open at 1 p.m., with food vendors and family activities. Admission is $20; children 12 and under are free, and organizers say no one will be turned away because they cannot pay. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets.
🎸 SHOALSFEST — FLORENCE
If you’re up for the short drive, this is the big one.
ShoalsFest returns Saturday and Sunday to McFarland Park on the Tennessee River.
Saturday’s lineup includes Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Drive-By Truckers, S.G. Goodman and Steve Trash.
Sunday brings Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Jeff Tweedy, Willow Avalon and Steve Trash.
Gates open at 3 p.m. each day.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
🥾 TREKKING THE TRAILS — TISHOMINGO STATE PARK
Need something quieter after all that?
Tishomingo State Park is hosting Trekking the Trails from 2–4 p.m. Sunday. Check in at the park office for that week’s trail and parking directions.
So what’s it going to be?
🛍️ Treasure hunting
🌶️ Chili tasting
🎃 Pumpkin painting
🎶 Live music
🎸 ShoalsFest
🥾 Or disappearing into the woods for a couple of hours?
And we’re still looking for the little stuff. If your restaurant, marina, church, bar, band or community group has live music, a fall sale, fundraiser, fish fry, market or other event this weekend, drop the confirmed time and location in the comments.
We’ll help spread the word.
Save this post. Share it with your weekend crew. And tell us where you’re headed.
— The Pickwick Insider
