Snow flurries greeted visitors to the 32nd annual Wooly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, but the crowd bundled up to enjoy the event in spite of near-freezing weather.

First races got underway shortly before 10am Saturday, with the ultimate winning woolly worm predicting the winter weather and warming the pockets of the owner with a $1000 prize.  If the weather at the Woolly Worm Festival was any predictor, the area could be in for a cold winter season.

The festival runs through late Sunday afternoon and is a major fund-raiser for Avery area civic organizations and charities. MIX102.3 is broadcasting Saturday's festivities all day.