Autumn Newsletter 2026

You’ve entered into prime season for being out and about in New Bern. We are trading our heavily air-conditioned living rooms for coffee from street side cafe tables, wine on friend’s front porches, and dog walks that linger on the sidewalk as we catch up with neighbors we haven’t seen all summer. By Autumn’s equinox, New Bern has opened up all the windows and we are living our lives fully outside for the next two months. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, here are some of my favorite ways to lean into autumn in New Bern. . 

In light of The New Bern Rotary Club celebrating their annual Oktoberfest at the end of September, keep the “Prost!” energy going with a hot salted pretzel and beer cheese from Brewery 99. It’s a good afternoon snack after you’ve been touring around downtown on foot, from the trolly, or inside Tryon. For me though, it hits just right on a Sunday when I’ve been working in the yard, the dirt and potting soil are cleaned up and I have soup in the crockpot that won’t be done for a few more hours. I head to 99 to devour that salty, carby goodness and maybe have one of their alcohol free IPA’s. Just right for slowing down my afternoon and holding me over ‘till the soup’s ready at home. 

Speaking of Tryon Palace, I love to go on free weekends. The paths meander along leading you through an alley of statues lining the left and right side. With my friend’s kids (or my husband) we play a game there I call “Body Double”. One person stands in front of a statue, and their partner "sculpts" them, moving their hands, head and body into the same positions as the statue behind them. At the last “Garden Lover’s Weekend” where the grounds are open for free, there also happened to be a fencing tournament happening to our surprise (and enjoyment)! The next free weekend is Oct 9-11, running in conjunction with MumFest. Look for info on Fall Garden Lover’s Weekend for details. 

MumFest is of course, an agenda all on its own. I may have a different perspective on MumFest, but I would actually recommend that weekend particularly for locals and frequent visitors to New Bern to come downtown. If you’ve lived here for a while, it’s easy to get a little nose blind about how exciting our downtown is. You may feel like you’ve done it all or that there’s nothing new to see, but MumFest brings in so many fresh vendors (over 250 booths) and activities (dog shows, BMX bike tricks, etc) and importantly this year, a play area for the tiny kids. MumFest began before my time, but didn’t it originally start as more of a “locals” weekend to celebrate Fall in New Bern? If it did, I can certainly see why.

If you’ve never been to New Bern and want to avoid the crowds on your first visit, consider arriving during the week leading up to, or following, MumFest. Why? Well, for you everything here IS already new! With fewer crowds you’re able to chat with the shop owners, stroll Craven Street at a more leisurely pace, and take in all of our historic charm and quaintness. A lot of people do want to be here for the actual mums that decorate town for the festival weekend, but the city typically starts installing them a week before and leaves them up for days after. For first time visitors it might be less hectic to navigate town without the festival induced street closures, but being here before or after means you’re generally able to still enjoy the towers of chrysanthemums at Union Point Park. Those are just my thoughts, of course we’re happy to have you anytime!

The third weekend in October, New Bern Historical Society hosts their annual “Ghost Walk”. Particularly, I recommend this weekend for our surrounding ENC family to come visit New Bern. If you’re in Raleigh, Greenville, Jacksonville, or Top Sail and want to feel like you've channeled the spirits of Fort Sumter without going all the way to Charleston, try out the vibes of Ghost Walk with a stay at the Benjamin Ellis House or The Harvey. To clarify – this is not a haunted tour. “Ghost Walk” is an annual play of sorts, delivered as a self guided walking tour. Stories of New Bernians from the past are told by costumed volunteers from the front porches of various historic houses. It’s non-spooky educational entertainment that supports the society.

And for the locals? Add some festivity of the season to a random weekday evening by playing I SPY on Johnson, Metcalf, or King Streets. It’s a traditional date night for my husband and I, but also fun for kids. Park near the public library or Cedar Grove Cemetery, and follow the side walks through the neighborhood keeping an eye out for witches, ghosts, and monsters hiding in plain sight! The homeowners around here really lean into the Halloween spirit and we can meander for a solid hour or two saying “I spy… a dead zombie in the landscaping. I spy… a mermaid skeleton hanging from the roof. I spy…” etc. If we get a little peckish, a stop into The Old Pinnix is quite convenient. A warm Rueben on Rye toast with tangy sauerkraut followed by the spicy sweetness of a ginger licorice hot tea keeps our weekday date night going as the playfulness of hunting monsters winds down. 

The day after Halloween offload the bulk candy, and get yourself a real treat at Mayte’s Patisserie. Known as “Dia de los Muertos”, November 1st-2nd is celebrated in Mexican culture as a time to remember those who have passed on. Sometimes incorrectly dubbed a “Mexican Halloween”, this holiday might align more closely to an American Memorial Day. It’s a time when families go to the cemetery and clean up the headstones of their loved ones, building “ofrendas” or altars of items that remind them of the departed. Yellow flowers are used in the cemetery as a symbolic “lighted path” for their ancestors to follow when spirits make their way back from the other side for one night a year. Visit Mayte’s for a real Lavazza espresso while admiring the decorated “sugar skulls” that adorn the cafe this time of year. Most importantly, observe the altar she has displayed and consider incorporating your own act of remembrance for Dia de los Muertos. A quiet walk of reflection along the oyster shell pathways through Cedar Grove Cemetery seems appropriate that week.

When in doubt, get out and about! New Bern never fails to surprise those who are willing to engage. If you’re not sure where to begin, then might I suggest none other than…Bear Feet Street Tours. I’m The Bear Feet, walking these historical streets everyday and I’d love to take you along with me.