Trip Ideas Fall Vacations The Best Fall Festival in Every State From Connecticut to California, here's where to celebrate fall across the U.S. By Emily Cappiello Emily Cappiello Emily Cappiello is a travel, food, and beverage writer covering the intersection of delicious bites, sips, and travel adventures. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Departures, Vinepair, Martha Stewart Living, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 9, 2023 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Jillian Dara is a freelance writer, editor, and fact checker for more than a dozen publications in the lifestyle genre. Travel + Leisure Fact Checking Process Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: John Greim/Getty Images Fall is a season of festivals: harvest festivals, Oktoberfests, lumberjack festivals (yes, there are a few), wine festivals, and more. Autumn brings the joy of cider drinking, apple pie eating, costume donning, and pumpkin decorating — all of which are welcome and encouraged at the many fall festivals around the country. No matter where you are in the U.S., you'll likely be near one of these celebrations. Plan out your season of fun with this list of the best fall festival in all 50 states (plus D.C.). 21 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in the United States 01 of 51 Alabama Courtesy of Cullman Oktoberfest Alabama hosts a variety of fun fall activities from Mobile to Birmingham. For a week's worth of festivities, check out the Cullman Oktoberfest, an annual event in the city since 1982. The festival always has German-style craft beers made by Alabama brewers like Straight to Ale Brewing. You can also partake in German dinners, candle-lit walking tours, carriage rides, and the crowning of Miss Oktoberfest. The festival is topped off with wiener dog races, a 5K and 10K run, and a bratwurst eating contest. 02 of 51 Alaska Mim McConnell Once the capital of Russian America, the charming city of Sitka celebrates fall with the Alaska Day Festival, commemorating the transfer of Alaska from Russian claim to the United States. The event includes a parade, a tea party, pipe band performances, Alaska Native dancing, an Alaska Day Ball, and more. 03 of 51 Arizona Arizona has numerous Oktoberfest-themed events, but a highlight for culinary enthusiasts is the Arizona Fall Fest in November. More than 200 local food and drink vendors come together to showcase the best of Arizona's flavors during this one-day event in Phoenix's Margaret T. Hance Park. All the deliciousness is best washed down with any of the local beers, wines, and spirits available to sample. The pet-friendly festival also has a kid zone with crafts and games, so you can bring the entire family. 04 of 51 Arkansas Courtesy of Arkansas Tourism Timberfest has been held since 1984 in Sheridan, Arkansas, a city encircled by forest. As its name suggests, the festival celebrates the woodland setting with tree-related events such as the Pinewood Derby and lumberjack competitions. There are games and activities for children of all ages, arts and crafts, a 5K run, a parade, a cornhole competition, and more. 05 of 51 California Ana Rocio Garcia Franco/Getty Images Avocado lovers flock to California's Carpinteria Valley in October for the three-day Avofest – not just to get a taste of the fleshy fruit but also to enjoy one of the largest free music festivals in the state. More than 60 musical acts keep the tunes flowing across four stages, while juried competitions crown the winners of the best guacamole and the largest avocado. 06 of 51 Colorado While beer-centered Oktoberfests take over the rest of the U.S. (and the world) during fall, Colorado celebrates a different kind of alcohol. The Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival, dubbed "Still on the Hill," features a Grand Tasting where guests can try dozens of spirits. Other events include a distillery tour, live music, and a bloody mary brunch. The 21 Best U.S. Cities for Fall Travel — for Oktoberfest, Seasonal Feasts, and More 07 of 51 Connecticut Salima Senyavskaya/Getty Images Like garlic? You'd better because (almost) everything at the Connecticut Garlic and Harvest Festival tastes like it. The town of Bethlehem likely exudes a pungent smell when this celebration takes over the fairgrounds each October. Eat as much garlic dip, cheese, pizza — even fried garlic and garlic-flavored ice cream — as you want while learning how to grow and cook with the herb. 08 of 51 Delaware National Geographic Creative/Alamy If you thought sea witches existed only in movies, think again. Every October, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, hosts the Sea Witch Festival, a coastal approach to your typical Halloween affair. Feel free to come dressed in costume yourself. The festival's main event is a witch-themed parade, but there are also often beach games, artisan vendors, and trick-or-treating for the kids. 09 of 51 Florida As one of Walt Disney World's most popular events, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is perfect for anyone planning an autumn trip to the Florida theme park. The event has been running since 1995 but has gotten longer each year, with the festivities now beginning in July and running until mid-November. Guests can taste their way around six continents at global marketplaces with themes that range from Alpine cuisine to India, partake in tasty scavenger hunts, and enjoy live music. Those visiting Disney World in October can also join Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit to track down character-inspired decorated pumpkins for spooky prizes. 10 of 51 Georgia Courtesy of Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau More than 150 scarecrows line the streets of Alpharetta, Georgia, during the annual Scarecrow Harvest. And these are no average scarecrows; past designs by local schools, businesses, nonprofits, and neighborhoods have included Minions, unicorns, and Frida Kahlo. In addition to admiring the creativity of these straw-made masterpieces — and, of course, voting for your favorite — you can also play a little cornhole, take a hayride, and dance through the streets to country music. 14 Fall Road Trips for Stunning Scenery Around the U.S. 11 of 51 Hawaii Eugene Tanner Photography/Courtesy of Aloha Festivals Fall sets the scene for Hawaii's annual Aloha Festivals (formerly Aloha Week): free festivals and cultural celebrations all over the state. The grand finale is Honolulu's Floral Parade, a colorful procession of horseback riders, floats covered with Hawaiian flowers, and traditional music. Since its inception in 1946, the event has aimed “to foster the Aloha Spirit through the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture and the celebration of the diverse customs and traditions of Hawai‘i.” 12 of 51 Idaho Jennifer_Sharp/Getty Images One of the country's more unique fall happenings — and so quintessentially Idaho — is the Trailing of the Sheep Festival, during which 1,500 sheep are herded down Ketchum's Main Street. The tradition started in 1996 as a small community gathering and has since grown into nearly a week of farm-to-table dinners, cooking and food demonstrations, wool workshops, a folklife fair, sheepdog trials, and a parade. 13 of 51 Illinois Fall is a spooky season, and the small town of Centralia has been celebrating with a Halloween parade and festival for close to 100 years. Featured events include a chili cook-off and pumpkin carving contest. Community members (including pets) are encouraged to dress up and join the parade. Those with the best costumes are given awards at the end. 14 of 51 Indiana Courtesy of Visit Indiana If Indiana’s Festival of Turning Leaves doesn’t scream fall, what does? Sure, New England gets most of the credit for its incredible leaf-peeping opportunities, but don't count out the colors of the good old Midwest. Thorntown celebrates the season of change with a plethora of activities and events, including a cornhole tournament, live music, and a classic car show. 15 of 51 Iowa BojiPhoto/Getty Images If you've never heard of a scenic drive festival, allow Iowa to explain: each October, the historic villages of Van Buren County hold flea markets, craft demonstrations, food markets, wine tastings, parades, cornhole tournaments, live music, fun runs, car shows, and you-name-it along a route lined with colorful Iowa foliage. To get the full two-day experience, visitors should take their time on the route, perhaps by spending a night or two at a charming bed-and-breakfast. 16 of 51 Kansas Rose Hill's annual fall festival is everything you want in an autumnal gathering and more — think turtle races and a fishing derby to break up the otherwise predictable bill of carnival rides, parades, chili cook-offs, fun runs, and car shows (these, too, are included). Don't miss the medallion hunt, a community-wide treasure hunt for a button just five inches in diameter. 17 of 51 Kentucky Steffi Victorioso/iStockphoto/Getty Images Winner, winner, chicken dinner. London, Kentucky, home of the original KFC restaurant, celebrates the life of its founder, Colonel Sanders, with a World Chicken Festival every September. The event invites guests to dress like the iconic character for a lookalike contest, participate in the annual egg drop, and — if not too stuffed with fried chicken — run in a 5K race. One of the highlights is seeing the world’s largest stainless steel skillet, which can cook 600 quarters of chicken at once. 18 of 51 Louisiana Philip Gould/Getty Images Launched in 1937 to recognize the importance of rice farming in the region, the International Rice Festival is celebrated in Crowley, Louisiana. This event includes rice and gravy cooking contests, musical acts on the Supreme Rice Soundstage, fiddle performances, a car show, a 5K run, and more. 19 of 51 Maine Courtesy of Damariscotta Pumpkin Fest & Regatta The Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta celebrates Damariscotta's waterfront location and history of shipbuilding with pumpkin boats. Participants plop into gutted gourds and take to the river for some seasonal fun. Pumpkinfest also features decorated — really decorated; not the type you carve at home — pumpkins displayed around town, buskers, and a giant pumpkin parade. 20 of 51 Maryland Bob Balestri/Getty Images If you want to bring fall fun to the beach, head to Ocean City's famous boardwalk for Sunfest, a four-day extravaganza of arts, music, and food. The event features two stages for live music, more than 200 exhibiting artists and artisans, a beach maze, a pumpkin race, and costume parades with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. 21 of 51 Massachusetts Courtesy of The Big E Held in West Springfield, The Big E — short for the Eastern States Exposition — is the biggest agricultural event in the Northeast and one of the largest fairs in the U.S., welcoming about 1.5 million people each year. It features a circus, a Mardi Gras-style parade, agricultural competitions, arts and crafts, food contests, and big-name musical acts at the Big E Arena, to name a few events. 22 of 51 Michigan Ekardiff/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0 Michigan's Fall Fest offers a chance to immerse yourself in simpler times at Olde World Canterbury Village, a designated historical landmark near the banks of Lake Orion. The theme park-like setting is ideal for indulging in donuts and fresh cider from Yates Cider Mill or partaking in pumpkin bowling and tic-tac-toe. And don't forget to dress up the kids and dogs for their respective costume contests. 23 of 51 Minnesota Myotus/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is a six-week-long affair held only on weekends from the end of August to early October. You can expect all the fixings of a typical renaissance fair — turkey legs, mead, themed weekends, artisan demos, magic shows, jousting, and more. The festival, held in Shakopee, is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S., drawing more than 300,000 visitors annually. 24 of 51 Mississippi Rory Doyle/Courtesy of Cleveland, Mississippi Tourism Thousands in the Mississippi Delta gather at Cleveland's Octoberfest for live music, an artistic showcase, kids' activities, and, ultimately, barbecue. The event is a Memphis Barbecue Network-sanctioned event and features a BBQ cooking competition, so you can bet you'll be getting a belly full at this quintessentially Southern event. 25 of 51 Missouri Bob Linder/Courtesy of Silver Dollar City Attractions Branson, Missouri, is home to the 61-acre amusement park Silver Dollar City, and Silver Dollar City is home to the annual National Harvest Festival. Artists and crafters come from all over to showcase and sell their goods. At night, thousands of pumpkins are illuminated during the Pumpkins In The City event, creating quite the spectacle. Despite the jack-o'-lanterns, the park ensures visitors this is a "non-frightful" event fit for the whole family. 26 of 51 Montana The Montana Brewers Fall Rendezvous, put on by the Montana Brewers Association, is your quintessential beer fest set to blues, folk, and bluegrass music. Held in Caras Park, Missoula, the one-day event is a chance to try unlimited samples from Montana brewers, and go home at the end of the day with a collectible glass as your souvenir. 27 of 51 Nebraska Courtesy of Nebraska Tourism The Nebraska City-based AppleJack Festival attracts up to 80,000 people every year. Taking place over two weekends, the festival revolves around all things apple — apple pie, apple cider, caramel apples, apple fritters … you get the picture. There’s also a parade, a classic car show, live music, water barrel fighting (it's a Midwestern thing), a flea market, and a carnival. 20 Best Places to Go Apple Picking in the U.S. 28 of 51 Nevada Courtesy of RiSE Lantern Festival The RiSE Lantern Festival, which takes place in the Mojave Desert, is designed to elevate hope as we collectively move into the holiday gathering season. It's one of the world's largest sky lantern releases, and watching thousands of flames ascend into the night sky is quite a powerful scene. The festival partners with Leave No Trace to use biodegradable lanterns with a short burn and flight time. The event also features wellness programming such as yoga, meditation, breath work, and sound bathing. 29 of 51 New Hampshire John Greim/Getty Images The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival is not for the faint of heart. Taking place in Laconia, New Hampshire, the annual fall celebration features pumpkin displays including a 34-foot tower of pumpkins, plus rides, games, live music, food and beverages, and haunted attractions. Evenings bring a zombie walk, jack-o'-lantern lighting, and Halloween movie screenings at Main Street's Colonial Theatre. The Best Places to See Fall Foliage in New Hampshire 30 of 51 New Jersey Every year, Heaven Hill Farm in Vernon holds a Great Pumpkin Festival with an extensive — and eclectic — event lineup. Included is a stunt dog show, themed corn maze, duck and pig races, gem mining, apple cider donut making, apple cannons, wine tasting, a spider web crawl, and carnival rides, all made even more appealing with funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos. 31 of 51 New Mexico Bennie Bos/Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta One of the most whimsical fall festivals in the U.S. is undoubtedly the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Imagine 600 colorful balloons ascending at once over the city, then floating over the New Mexico desert. Apart from the awe-inspiring mass ascension, the event includes live music, flying competitions, and a car show. The simplicity and beauty of hot-air balloons lit up at dusk is not to be overlooked. 32 of 51 New York SurFeRGiRL30/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 2.0 New York sets the mood for Halloween with a dual-location Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze. Taking place at a historic manse in the Hudson Valley and a living history museum on Long Island, the immersive light shows feature thousands of hand-carved, illuminated pumpkins, all making up elaborate art installations like the Statue of Liberty, animated windmills, and walk-through tunnels. Long Island's event runs for about six weeks, and Hudson Valley's runs for nine weeks. 33 of 51 North Carolina Courtesy of the North Carolina Gourd Society In the fall, Raleigh hosts the North Carolina Gourd Arts and Crafts Festival at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. Every year is a different theme, such as “Under The Sea" or "Just My Imagination." In addition to craft competitions — in which all the items are gourd-inspired or made from actual gourds — there are crafting classes and a craft supply market. 34 of 51 North Dakota U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Stephanie Morris/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain At North America's largest Scandinavian festival, Norsk Høstfest, you can expect enough old-world Nordic fare to induce a food coma in addition to traditional storytelling, dancing, and musical acts. You'll see lots of Viking attire and an international marketplace where Swedish clogs, Norwegian sweaters, stoneware pottery, and Ekelund linens beg to be bought for Christmas presents. 35 of 51 Ohio Courtesy of Destination Mansfield Every October, the town of Westerville lights up with more than 1,000 glowing pumpkins. The Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow is a community-wide festival featuring gourd-centric exhibits (including some not-so-spooky ones) in Heritage Park. Other attractions include axe throwing, LED mini golf, mazes, and more. A rotating selection of food trucks will offer pumpkin-themed delights, so you'll want to come with an appetite. 36 of 51 Oklahoma Courtesy of Tulsa Oktoberfest The Tulsa Oktoberfest, running since 1979, is often deemed one of the top Oktoberfest celebrations in the country. Expect an authentic Bavarian celebration, the grand finale of the city's German week, including 200 taps of beer, local German bands, and on-theme goodies like bratwurst and wiener schnitzel. Highlights include the annual Dachshund Dash, bier barrel races, and stein carrying and holding contests. 37 of 51 Oregon beachgrampa/Getty Images The beach at the D River State Recreation Site in Lincoln City, Oregon, is reliably windy, making it the perfect venue for a kite festival. Held in October, the Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival features giant kites depicting whales, octopuses, and other enchanting symbols, plus rokkaku kites, a type of Japanese fighter kite whose six-sided design makes it incredibly fast and maneuverable. In addition to a parade and flying performances, there are also kite-making demonstrations. 38 of 51 Pennsylvania Alex Potemkin/Getty Images Jim Thorpe, the gateway to the Poconos, is often called "the Switzerland of America" because of its Swiss-inspired architecture and mountain scenery. The Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival offers a chance to immerse yourself in the European flair of this Pennsylvania hamlet. The free event, taking place over four weekends, features ghost tours, leaf-peeping train rides, live music, and carriage rides. 39 of 51 Rhode Island Stephanie Ewens/Courtesy of Ocean State Oyster Festival Head to the Ocean State Oyster Fest in Providence for a last taste of summer while transitioning into the cooler months. Celebrating a fine Rhode Island specialty and craft beer, this festival serves up locally and sustainably sourced oysters from an array of RI-based growers alongside live music. 40 of 51 South Carolina Courtesy of City of Florence Held in November, South Carolina’s Pecan Festival draws more than 50,000 visitors to eat and honor the state's favorite snack in Florence, a hub of the pecan-producing region. Visitors can expect live entertainment, food and craft vendors, carnival rides, a car show, competitions, cook-offs, a Run Like a Nut 5K/10K/half marathon, and a bike ride. 41 of 51 South Dakota Mitchell Riner/Courtesy of 1880 Train Oktoberfests are standard across the U.S., but have you ever heard of one being held on an antique train? That's what you'll find in Hill City, from which the Oktoberfest Express departs for Keystone. Passengers drink, dance to polka music, and indulge in German foods on the two-hour journey. They're also free to pregame for the trip on the 1880 Train lawn for two and a half hours before departure. 42 of 51 Tennessee Courtesy of Unicoi County Chamber of Commerce The Unicoi County Apple Festival in Erwin is a repeat winner of the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association’s Pinnacle Award. More than 110,000 visitors attend annually for two days of apple pie eating, cornhole tournaments, an apple dumpling contest, and two entertainment stages featuring live music. You will not leave hungry. 43 of 51 Texas The Washington Post/Contributor/Getty Images Big Tex is the official greeter, icon, and main event of the State Fair of Texas. He's a 55-foot-tall, waving cowboy (the world's tallest), welcoming Dallas fairgoers year after year. While in his presence, you might be inclined to try fairground snacks like deep-fried honey, a pickle wrapped in a Fruit Roll-Up, fried chicken between two funnel cakes, or fried beer. 44 of 51 Utah Courtesy of Visit Ogden Ogden's Harvest Moon Celebration bids farewell to summer with seasonal brews, music by local artists, a beer garden, and some unexpected acts (think stilt walkers and wandering musicians). Ogden is a charming mountain town that claims to be one of Utah's oldest settlements. This festival pays homage to its rich history and the quirky culture Ogden is known for today. 45 of 51 Vermont Greg Prior/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Cottagecore admirers will find a haven in Danville's Autumn on the Green, a celebration of all things rural and cozy against the backdrop of Vermont's famously vivid fall foliage. Local artists, crafters, and collectors showcase and sell their woodworking, handwoven rugs, homespun yarn, antiques, body products, candles, and more. Come to shop or indulge in the comfort food (burgers, stews, and whoopie pies included). How to Have the Perfect New England Fall Getaway, According to a Local 46 of 51 Virginia Courtesy of Graves Mountain Lodge The Graves Mountain Resort Apple Harvest Festival in the village of Syria features bluegrass music, arts and crafts vendors, food, hayrides, farm animals, and apple butter making. During the festival, you can even pick your own apples from the orchard. Graves Mountain serves its very own hard cider and apple wine for the over-21 set. 47 of 51 Washington Danita Delimont/Alamy The Pacific Northwest's own little Germany — the Bavarian-inspired town of Leavenworth, Washington — hosts the annual Autumn Leaf Festival, featuring a leaf display and scavenger hunt, dance performances, a youth circus, and a grand parade past its European-style chalets. With colorful fall foliage and pleasant weather for mountain biking, hiking, or zip lining, autumn is a particularly enchanting time to visit Leavenworth. 48 of 51 Washington, D.C. Courtesy of Neighborhood Restaurant Group The Snallygaster D.C. beer festival features more than 350 brews on draft from 175-plus American and international producers. The beer no doubt helps to wash down D.C.'s best food truck fare intermixed with the countless beer tents. Between bites and sips, you can dance to live music and DJ sets or partake in family-friendly activities. 49 of 51 West Virginia Carolyn Hutchins/iStockphoto/Getty Images Originally held to help local farmers raise and sell pumpkins, the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton has grown since 1986 to a grand event that attracts some 40,000 people. Farmers compete for the title of the largest pumpkin, and bakers vie for the award of best pumpkin treats. Pageants, a parade, living history demonstrations, chainsaw carving, and apple butter churning make the weekend unique. West Virginia Has Amazing Fall Foliage — Here Are the Best Places to See It 50 of 51 Wisconsin Courtesy of Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau The Bayfield Apple Festival has been a tradition honoring the region's bountiful apple harvest and rich agricultural heritage since 1962. Held on the shore of Lake Superior, this event has all the makings of a traditional apple festival — pie contests, a craft fair, a farmers market, and so forth — but with some creative happenings like the apple peeling contest. Enter if you think you have what it takes. 51 of 51 Wyoming Drink beer for a good cause at Casper's Oktoberfest, a typical Bavarian-inspired beer fest with local brews from about 15 regional breweries, along with music, dancing, and brats aplenty. Part of the proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Wyoming, so you shouldn't feel guilty about having another round. Or two. 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