Regardless if you’re looking to fully immerse yourself in a location that exudes that quintessential fall feeling, or you’re hoping to explore somewhere new in beautiful weather, you can’t deny that traveling during the fall season is simply the best. We’ve listed some very diverse festivals and events scheduled during the fall season. From good old-fashioned harvest festivals to spooky events, and even culturally significant festivals that showcase the region’s art, cuisine, and music, the following host cities and areas are worth planning a trip to!
The National Apple Harvest Festival in Biglerville, Pennsylvania
October 5-6 and 12-13, 2024
Website
Some people might automatically think of pumpkins when they think of fall, but in this case, it’s all about the apples. In its 60th year, the National Apple Harvest Festival always takes place the first and second full weekends in October, so keep that in mind if you can’t catch this year’s festivities. Held in Biglerville, PA, a small borough 15 minutes away from historic, Gettysburg, and is home to the National Apple Museum, this festival welcomes visitors from across the state and beyond.
With more than 300 arts and crafts vendors scheduled for this year’s event, activities that kids will absolutely love (we’re talking hay rides, magic and puppet shows, petting zoo, pony rides, games, and more), as well as live entertainment that ranges from music to Native American dancers, and even chainsaw carving. Those with an affinity for all things vintage will love the antique cars, cider presses, farm equipment, and more. Foodies will definitely want to arrive hungry, since not only will there be some delicious barbecue and overall comfort food, but you’ll be able to feast on apple everything, starting with apple butter and jellies, to candy apples, apple pancakes, and of course, apple cider.
Attend the festival for the entirety of either weekend, or, explore more of the region during your getaway. As previously mentioned, Gettysburg, PA, is only a short drive away and has plenty to do in addition to visiting the historic battlefield and museum. History buffs will be in heaven, but don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate the beautiful fall foliage starting to pop during that time of year! Take a scenic drive, or explore on foot on one of the many trails in Gettysburg National Military Park.
America’s Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio
September 19-22, 2024
Website
If you’re looking for the largest and best Oktoberfest in the country, look no further than Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2023, 808,300 festival guests joined in on the fun, making that a record number of attendees since this Oktoberfest was first held in 1976. This location will be at Sawyer Point & Yeatman’s Cove, a popular park that hosts many annual events right on the Ohio River. Expect a lineup of festive live entertainment, and of course, many food vendors that offer delicious German food.
So why Cincinnati? If you’re not familiar with the city, you may not make the connection between its strong German heritage and hosting the largest Oktoberfest in the United States. Cincinnati welcomed many German immigrants starting in the 1830s, and today, you can explore its German district, Over-the-Rhine. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, explore this neighborhood for delicious restaurants and breweries, great shopping, and performances at either the Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Ensemble Theatre, or Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Haunted Happenings in Salem, Massachusetts
Entire Month of October
Calendar
One of the most visited locations in the United States during fall, Salem, Massachusetts sees many visitors specifically looking to spend their Halloween in America’s Witch City. While Halloween night is the most festive time to visit if you’re looking to embrace the spookiness in the city that’s famous for the witch trials held in 1692, Haunted Happenings includes a full list of parties, tours, attractions, and more throughout the entire month of October.
The Haunted Happenings website is a great source to figure out which events will be best for your group, as there’s a huge range. For example, families will love the cute-not-spooky Magical Transformations that allows your child to transform into a witch or wizard at the Good Witch of Salem for a day. Another special event is the Salem Psychic Fair and Witches’ Market at Witch City Mall. Open every day from 10am-10pm, visitors can get tarot card readings, crystal ball scrying, meet with clairvoyants and mediums, and more. And then there are events that are one-night only like the Salem Witches’ Halloween Ball, Haunted Speakeasy, and more. When we say that the calendar is completely packed, we mean it!
Fall is definitely a spooky time in Salem, and October attracts visitors looking to get a more thrilling experience. Maybe you’re not super into Halloween and want to learn more about this historic city’s past. Avoid large crowds by visiting at the beginning and end of fall, and you’ll still find walking tours and other landmarks and activities you can do on your own to keep the creepy at a minimum and simply enjoy Massachusetts during Autumn while learning about Salem’s past.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 5-13, 2024
Website
Ok, let’s be honest. Hot air balloons are probably not indicative of the fall season for most of us, but for Albuquerque, fall does mean balloons! Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta is one of the most-visited festivals in the country, and for nine days in October, the skies fill up with colorful and specialty-shaped balloons, making this festival a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The largest balloon festival in the world, the Balloon Fiesta is held in the Rio Grande Valley during its most beautiful time of the year. Temperate weather allows for cooler mornings with the days warming by the hour, making it not only enjoyable for visitors to Albuquerque, but for the perfect conditions for ballooning! The park where launches take place is 365 acres and can accommodate more than 500 balloons. The festival includes events during the day as well as after the sun goes down that feature light and fireworks shows.
Food, Music, and Art Festivals in New Orleans, Louisiana
September-November
“Top Fall Festivals and Events in New Orleans”, by Lauren Saizan (neworleans.com)
Alright, we admit it: we couldn’t pick one festival over another in NOLA’s extremely packed fall calendar. It didn’t seem right. If you look at the link provided above to the city’s favorite fall festivals and events, you’ll want to pack your bags immediately. Now, we certainly don’t want to recreate their list, but we wanted to make sure you were aware that there’s a seemingly endless list of food, music, cultural, and art festivals that span the entire fall season. If you’ve read our travel guide for New Orleans, you know that fall is one of the best times to visit the city, and the lineup of festivals and events is one of the main reasons why!
Got a major sweet tooth? Plan to attend the Beignet Festival on November 16th at the City Park Festival Grounds to indulge in some of the city’s classic sweet treats. Also, another shoutout to you foodies: the Tremé Creole Gumbo Fest, Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, and the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, are all centered around the city’s iconic (and tasty) fare. While any festival or event in New Orleans wouldn’t be complete without live music, there are some music-specific festivals like NOLAxNOLA, NOLA Funk Fest, and the NOLA Zydeco Fest. And we haven’t even scratched the surface with what we’ve already mentioned.
