Best Fall Festival in Every State for Autumn Lovers

If fall is your favorite season, you’re gearing up to savor every second of the upcoming months.

Luckily for fall lovers everywhere, every state has its own unique fall festival, each worth visiting.

Whether planning a retirement road trip this fall or looking for a budget-friendly adventure to save money on travel , consider stopping by one or more of these stateside fall spectaculars.

1. Alabama: Alabama Pecan Festival (Mobile)

For more than 30 years, Mobile has celebrated this favorite fall nut in style.

While the fair rides, pecan queen pageant, and live music are all essential aspects of this celebration, the real star is (naturally) the pecans, including the pecan pies.

2. Alaska: Unalaska Blueberry Bash (Unalaska)

On the last Sunday in September, the small island town of Unalaska celebrates the best of the year’s blueberry crop at this annual event.

Free samples go beyond just blueberry jam to include blueberry vinegar, blueberry cheesecake, blueberry tarts, and blueberry salsa.

3. Arizona: Arizona Fall Fest (Phoenix)

With temperatures that average around 60 degrees, November is the perfect time to enjoy Arizona outdoors.

At Phoenix’s annual fall festival, you’ll find 200 local vendors and dozens of food trucks. Admission is free for humans and four-legged family members: The festival is extremely dog-friendly.

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4. Arkansas: Arkansas Apple Festival (Lincoln)

Scenic Arkansas’ fall colors are on full display the first weekend of October when Lincoln celebrates its annual Apple Festival. Free apple slices are on offer at the festival corner.

5. California: Corning Olive Festival (Corning)

Olives have been a cornerstone of Corning’s economy for over a century. At this October celebration, you’ll find plenty of appetizing olives, assorted olive oils, and food from local vendors.

6. Colorado: Tarantula Fest (La Junta)

Even if you’re not a spider fan, this charming festival is worth a trip: With a spider-themed parade, cutely costumed dogs, and food trucks galore, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

7. Connecticut: Fall Fair (New Canaan)

Connecticut in the fall is a riot of colors, and this festival put on by the New Canaan Nature Center will help you see and appreciate them in a new way.

The festival’s carnival rides, maze, and zip lines should appeal to kids and fun-loving adults, while pumpkin decorating and a spooky stroll will charm Halloween enthusiasts.

8. Delaware: Sea Witch Festival (Dewey Beach)

Celebrate fall on the coast at Dewey Beach’s annual Sea Witch Festival. Puzzle lovers can try their hand at solving a series of clues that point them toward the Sea Witch’s hiding spot.

Don your Halloween gear early to participate in a costume contest, and take the kids trick-or-treating at a nearby state park.

9. Florida: Pensacola Seafood Festival (Pensacola)

Fall looks a little different in balmy Florida, but it’s still the season of harvest celebrations — including Florida’s bountiful seafood harvest.

Along with smaller food trucks and carts, local Gulf-to-table vendors will serve up appetizer-sized portions of their signature Gulf Coast dishes.

10. Georgia: Yellow Daisy Festival (Stone Mountain)

Stone Mountain Park is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind park any time of the year, but in September, the park transforms into a hub for over 400 vendors showcasing all types of local wares.

Antiquers will love the Vintage Village, where vintage and farmhouse-chic goods are on display.

11. Hawaii: Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (Kailua-Kona)

For the first ten days of November, the town of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii transforms into a celebration of all things coffee.

Visitors can attend coffee tastings, tour the region’s historic coffee farms, and cheer on competitors in the latte art throw-down.

12. Idaho: Trailing of the Sheep Festival (Wood River Valley)

Sheep ranching has shaped Idaho’s history, culture, and landscape for hundreds of years.

The annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival aims to preserve and celebrate this history by replicating the annual sheep migration along the main street of Ketchum, Idaho.

13. Illinois: Apple 'n Pork Festival (Clinton)

This annual festival was established in 1969 and commemorates the region’s agricultural history.

Foodies will savor sweet apple pie with savory-sweet pork dishes of all kinds, while history buffs will enjoy exploring the C.H. Moore Homestead, where the festival takes place.

14. Indiana: Morgan County Fall Foliage Festival (Martinsville)

Fall’s hallmark reds, yellows, and oranges are on full display every October in picturesque Morgan County, Indiana.

Along with observing the town’s gorgeous foliage, visitors can participate in the festival’s 5K race/walk, fall-themed parade, car show, and competitive cornhole tournament.

15. Iowa: Anamosa Pumpkinfest (Anamosa)

The self-proclaimed pumpkin capital of Iowa puts its pumpkins front and center during the annual Pumpkinfest.

Along with more traditional fall activities like pumpkin carving and a pumpkin weigh-off, the festival has a boomerang equipment rodeo, where contestants show off their heavy equipment operating skills.

16. Kansas: Fall Festival of Arts, Crafts, and Music (Lee’s Summit)

If you’re interested in ringing in the fall in historic fashion, Jackson County’s annual fall festival replicates prairie harvest celebrations from the 1800s.

Performers bring the era to life in authentic costumes while visitors enjoy period-accurate games.

17. Kentucky: Cow Days (Greensburg)

Don’t be fooled by the name: Cows aren’t the only attraction at this Central Kentucky fall festival.

Along with the farm animal petting zoo, visitors can play their way through a competitive, PDGA-sanctioned disc golf tournament while enjoying the sunny fall weather.

18. Louisiana: Beignet Fest (New Orleans)

On November 16, NOLA celebrates one of its best-known, tastiest local treats. Along with traditional sweet beignets, vendors hawk cheese, seafood, and other savory beignet dishes.

All festival proceeds go toward nonprofits that work with local kids.

19. Maine: Blue Hill Fair (Blue Hill)

Blue Hill’s yearly fair started in the late 1800s and features exhibits of local growers’ crops, including fruits, vegetables, canned goods, flowers, and more. Parking is free, as is admission for all kids under 12.

20. Maryland: Autumn Glory Festival (Oakland)

There’s no place like Maryland to experience fall’s brilliant explosion of colors. Cheer for the festival’s parade and enjoy sweet treats between road trips along Maryland’s scenic backways.

21. Massachusetts: Applefest at Wachusett Mountain (Princeton)

Princeton’s Applefest has all the hallmarks of a traditional New England fall fair, from apple pies to handmade local goods.

But its biggest selling point is its ski lift ride to the summit of Wachusett Mountain, which gives you a unique birds-eye view of the fall splendor.

22. Michigan: Plymouth Fall Festival (Plymouth)

Plymouth’s fall festival started as a city picnic in 1956. Since then, it’s grown to include carnival rides, a pancake breakfast, bingo, and a pet show with categories for the longest ears, the most colorful pet, and the pet with the best trick.

23. Minnesota: Moose Madness Family Festival (Grand Marais)

The weekend of October 18 and 19, take your kids on a scavenger hunt through Grand Marais to uncover fun facts about moose.

You’ll also earn Moose Bucks, which can be redeemed for $1 each at local businesses the week after the festival ends.

24. Mississippi: Wing Dang Doodle Festival (Forest)

Whether you prefer them grilled or fried, baked or barbecued, the Wing Dang Doodle Festival is the perfect place to showcase your chicken-wing cooking skills.

The winners get a $1,000 cash prize but win or lose, you’re sure to enjoy the live blues music and range of local arts and crafts.

25. Missouri: Dogtober Fest (Blue Springs)

If the only match for your love of fall is your love of dogs, the Dogtober Fest is for you. Entry is free with a dog food donation for the local shelter.

Your four-legged friend can show off their frisbee-catching skills and compete for best tail-wagger while you shop at the pet supply booths.

26. Montana: Bridger Raptor Festival (Bozeman)

Since at least 1991, Bozeman has been the site of the country’s largest Golden Eagle migration.

See these predators in their natural habitat, attend a free talk from an animal expert, or enjoy the fall colors on your own two feet on one of the region’s many nature walks.

27. Nebraska: Harvest Moon Fall Festival (Chadron)

Whether you want to try your hand at goat roping or browse lovingly crafted patchwork scarecrows, the Harvest Moon festival can deliver exactly what you wish for.

A bouncy house for the kids rounds out the experience for the whole family.

28. Nevada: Nevada Day Weekend (Carson City)

The country’s biggest statehood celebration includes epic hot air balloon launches and a massive parade.

A variety of events can bring out your competitive nature, from a beard-growing contest to a single-jack rock drill competition.

29. New Hampshire: Winchester Pickle Festival (Winchester)

Over 5,000 people flock to this regional pickle fest each year. Admission and parking are completely free, as are the pickles.

Last year, at the corner of Main Street and Route 119, the Patriot Pickle Company gave out free pickles all day.

30. New Jersey: Oktoberfest (Hamilton Township)

For many people, Oktoberfest embodies the spirit of the season. With hay rides, corn mazes, a pumpkin patch, and plenty of food vendors (including cider and ale), Hamilton Township creates the perfect fall atmosphere.

31. New Mexico: Balloon Fiesta (Albuquerque)

From October 5 through 13, Albuquerque’s skies fill with colorful hot air balloons. Between balloon launches, you can enjoy chainsaw competitions and drone shows from the ground.

The international event is hugely popular — Albuquerque hosted nearly 1 million attendees in 2023 — so make your travel plans ahead of time.

32. New York: AppleUmpkin Festival (Wyoming)

The village of Wyoming in New York State still has charmingly gaslit streets. At the AppleUmpkin festival, you can stroll beneath the warm glow and enjoy crafts and food from local vendors.

33. North Carolina: Woolly Worm Festival (Banner Elk)

You’ve heard of gophers predicting the start of spring — but how about a Woolly Bear Caterpillar predicting winter weather?

This North Carolina town throws a yearly festival celebrating its resident fuzzy caterpillars, who compete in a series of races to determine which one wins the honor of predicting the upcoming season’s severity.

34. North Dakota: Uffda Day (Rutland)

During this one-day Scandinavian celebration, visitors can treat themselves to Northern European fare like lefse (flatbread), sandbakkels (sugar cookies), and rømmegrøt (porridge).

After you’ve had your fill of tasty treats, set up your chair along the parade route to enjoy floats, marching bands, and classic cars.

35. Ohio: Applebutter Fest (Grand Rapids)

Making apple butter used to be a fall community event. The town of Grand Rapids replicates the experience during “The Big Stir,” where residents get together to make fresh apple butter by hand over the course of three days.

You’re welcome to help churn the butter or simply enjoy the fruits of the harvest at the festival.

36. Oklahoma: Robbers Cave Fall Festival (Wilburton)

Wilburton’s fall festival is sponsored by AARP, which goes out of its way to ensure visitors of all ages and abilities can participate in events.

The car show features up to 500 classic cars while local vendors serve fresh, handmade root beer, caramel apples, and hearty baked potatoes.

37. Oregon: Fall Lincoln City Kite Festival (Lincoln City)

For two days, the air above the beach at Lincoln City fills with colorful kites. If you don’t already have a kite you want to fly, take part in the free kite-making workshop to get involved.

38. Pennsylvania: National Harvest Apple Festival (Biglerville)

For 60 years, Biglerville has celebrated the fall apple harvest with plenty of apple cider, barrels of freshly harvested apples, caramel apples, apple pies — and every other apple treat you can imagine.

Admission is $10 for the general public, $9 for seniors, and free for kids under 12.

39. Rhode Island: Autumnfest (Woonsocket)

Small Rhode Island doesn’t skimp on big fall celebrations. Autumnfest lasts several days and features a parade, amusement park rides, ample concessions, and a main stage with live performances.

40. South Carolina: Harvest Hoe-Down Festival (Aynor)

With a pageant, a parade, live entertainment, and an arts and crafts corridor, Aynor knows how to host a hoe-down.

Live music is provided by local singers, including middle school choirs and elementary school talent show awardees.

41. South Dakota: Harvest Halloween (Yankton)

Are Halloween spooks your favorite part of fall? Yankton’s Harvest Halloween blends a traditional harvest celebration with ghostly pirate ships, spiderwebbed skeletons, and other haunted sights.

42. Tennessee: International Cowpea Festival and Cook-Off (Charleston)

Charleston gives this flavorful bean the attention it deserves with an invitational cook-off.

While only select locals are invited to cook, anyone who buys a souvenir spoon can taste-test and vote on the best dish.

43. Texas: Dia de los Muertos (Corpus Christi)

The city of Corpus Christi goes all out to celebrate the Day of the Dead.

View the ofrenda downtown, where community members honor their deceased loved ones, vote on the best pinata designed by local students, and enjoy the beautiful face paint on display.

44. Utah: Scarecrow Festival (Lehi)

Located just south of Salt Lake City, Lehi’s Thanksgiving Point is an expansive campus with multiple gardens and museums.

Each October, it hosts a week-long scarecrow festival, which showcases unique, hand-made scarecrows lovingly created by members of the community.

45. Vermont: Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival (Stowe)

At this unique fall celebration, teams collaborate to design contraptions that can throw pumpkins the farthest.

In between launches, enjoy the chili cook-off, indulge in food truck fare, or follow the giant robot meandering around the field.

46. Virginia: Fall Arts & Crafts Show (Occoquan)

Fall is the ideal time for local crafters to showcase their handmade arts and crafts.

Once you’ve been inspired by viewing creations at hundreds of booths, swing by a demonstration to learn how to start crafting for yourself.

47. Washington: Tacoma Moon Festival (Tacoma)

Each year, Tacoma celebrates the city’s diverse immigrant background at a scenic park along the waterfront.

After the live Chinese opera performances, the festival ends with a lantern parade headed by the year’s Moon Princess.

48. West Virginia: Bridge Day (Fayetteville)

One day a year, you can gather to watch BASE jumpers dive off a wooden bridge into a beautiful gorge during Fayetteville’s Bridge Day.

The extreme sports show, which takes place at the New River Gorge Bridge, is West Virginia’s biggest one-day festival.

49. Wisconsin: Warrens Cranberry Festival (Warrens)

Cranberries can get lost in the shuffle of fall flavors, but Warrens makes sure it retains its rightful place as a fall harvest star.

Every morning of this three-day festival, you can take a guided walking tour through a local cranberry marsh to learn how the crop is grown and harvested.

50. Wyoming: Rendezvous Royale (Cody)

Celebrate Wyoming’s cowboy-inspired art scene at this five-day art fair. If you don’t want to participate in the art auction, attend a seminar or two to learn how to start sketching, painting, and drawing.

Bottom line

Chillier nights, changing leaves, and fall harvest foods are all hallmarks of a traditional American autumn, and it’s easy to enjoy all of the above at any of the fantastic fall fairs on our list.

If you’re planning to travel, don’t forget to book a motel ahead of time to lock in early-bird rates and use one of the top travel credit cards to earn travel rewards.

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