Your Northern Colorado guide to all things fall: Pumpkin patches, festivals and more

Fall is almost upon us.

School is back in session, Oktoberfests and pumpkin patches are gearing up, and all signs point to another great season of fall foliage viewing across the state.

Here's what to know as you plan ahead for fall fun in Fort Collins and beyond:

Raise a stein to Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest — a weekslong festival celebrating Bavarian culture and beer — kicks off in mid-September, and Northern Colorado breweries and communities are getting in on the fun with Oktoberfest celebrations of their own. The following Oktoberfest celebrations are planned through September:

Aug. 31 and Sept. 1: Odell Oktoberfest

Sept. 13-14: Loveland Oktoberfest

Sept. 14: Spargetoberfest

Sept. 21: A Windsor Oktoberfest

Sept. 21: Mythmaker Oktoberfest

Sept. 21-22: Oktoberfest at Zwei Brewing

For more details, check out the Coloradoan's full Oktoberfest roundup.

Start plotting your fall colors drive

With warm temperatures and below-average precipitation likely in store for Colorado this September through November, the season is "setting up about perfect for aspen viewing," Colorado State Forest Service entomologist Dan West told the Coloradoan on Aug. 27.

While it's still too early to give exact dates for peak aspen viewing this year, here are West's approximate dates:

• Third week of September: Northern mountains, including Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Rocky Mountain National Park and the area around Steamboat Springs.
• Late September to early October: Interstate 70 corridor, including Vail, as well as Salida and Colorado Springs areas.
• Second week of October: Southern Colorado, including San Juan Mountains and Rio Grande River areas.

Check out Coloradoan reporter Miles Blumhardt's full report on aspen viewing predictions here.

Peruse these Northern Colorado pumpkin patches

Adam's Apple Orchard & Country Store , 42135 Weld County Road 43, Ault

The Bartels Pumpkin Patch , 3424 E. Douglas Road, Fort Collins

Fritzler Farm Park , 20861 County Road 33, LaSalle

Jack Lantern's corn maze and pumpkin patch , 2318 S. County Road 5, Fort Collins

Osborn Farm , 1230 S. Boise Ave., Loveland

Something From the Farm , 8020 S. Timberline Road, Fort Collins

Spooky's Pumpkin Patch , 2601 S. College Ave.

Tigges Farm , 12404 Weld County Road 64½, Greeley

You can read more about them in our guide to local pumpkin patches , which also includes information about apple picking.

Fall events to plan for in Fort Collins

Oct. 5: Tour de Corgi

Oct. 6: Halloween goat yoga at Foothills mall

Oct. 12 : Fort Collins Nursery's Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Fall Jamboree

Oct. 17-20: Pumpkins on Parade at the Gardens on Spring Creek

Oct. 25-27: Treatsylvania

Take in a show with these October performing arts events

Oct. 23: Halloween Pops concert at The Lincoln Center

Oct. 25-27: "Hadestown" at The Lincoln Center

Oct. 31: CSU's Halloween Organ Extravaganza

Craving a Pumpkin Spice Latte? Here's when coffee shops start rolling out their fall menus

Fall festivals in Northern Colorado

Aug. 31 to Sept. 2: Windsor Harvest Festival

Sept. 21-22: Estes Park's Autumn Gold Festival

Sept. 28: The Timnath Fall Festival

Sept. 28-29: Estes Park Elk Fest

Oct. 12: Loveland's Downtown Pumpkin Festival

Coloradoan reporter Miles Blumhardt contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Your Northern Colorado guide to all things fall: Pumpkin patches, festivals and more