09/13/2026
On October 17th, the North Carolina Liver Mush Festival gets underway as one of the tastiest and most memorable events of the year here in the state! The 41st annual Mush, Music & Mutts festival takes over Uptown Shelby from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free admission, more than 130 food, drink, and craft vendors, live music, kids activities, and plenty for pets too. Liver mush has been part of western North Carolina food tradition for generations, made with at least 30% pork liver along with cornmeal and seasonings. You can try it in biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, donuts, smashburgers, and other creative dishes, while plenty of non-liver-mush food is available too. Music fills several stages with bluegrass, Americana, roots rock, brass, and more. The RollOver Pet Zone brings a pet parade, costume contest, K9 demos, trick shows, paw painting, and Musical Sit. Families can head to the free Land of Rhythm Kids Zone for pumpkin painting, balloon animals, putt-putt, and fitness games. There is also a liver mush eating contest, recipe contest, livestream cook-off, local shopping, and the Foothills Farmers' Market nearby.
