In 1936, the town of Carrollton hosted its first ever Pilgrimage. At this time, the Pilgrimage consisted solely of a home tour. Much later in 2000, the Carroll County Development Association was founded.
The goal of the association is to “promote the civil, economic, and social prosperity of the people of Carroll County through education.”
In 2008 the association partnered with the Antiquities Society to bring about the Pilgrimage and Pioneer Day Festival celebrated today. Friday Oct. 4, 2024 and Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, Carrollton will host its 16th annual Pilgrimage and Pioneer Day Festival.
Starting Friday, October 4, Carrollton Town Hall in the “Ye Old Water Dept.” building (on the corner of Lexington and Washington streets) will act as the Headquarters of the festival through October 5. The Town Hall as well as many other Pilgrimage sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Starting Friday at 9 a.m. Pilgrimage Home Tour tickets will go on sale at Town Hall. Tickets will be available both days and will be $25 for adults and $10 for children 18 and under. During this tour, historic homes, churches, and buildings will be open to the public.
Saturday, October 5 at 9 a.m. Pioneer Day festivities will begin, extending well into the afternoon with the final musical performance taking place at 1 p.m. Attendance at the festival is completely free and everyone is invited to enjoy music, food, and sights at the heart of Carrollton, the famous Courthouse grounds. Vendor stalls will be set up all around the Courthouse for visitors and community members to explore.
Carrollton Mayor Pam Lee enthusiastically welcomed guests, saying, “This is a lively, wholesome, family event - a great time to enjoy fabulous live music, tour rarely-open historic properties, and stroll our historic streets with classic cars on display. More than fifty festival vendors and exhibitors will offer arts, crafts, exhibits, and fantastic food for sale. Come relax or play old-fashioned games with friends and family.”
With the theme “The Games We Played”, Carroll invites you to step into a historic place where, as their tagline states, “The Past is Present.”
