Scarecrow Festival, Pumpkins on the Pier, Ghostport, Star Party, and more: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Oct 14-20

As we head arrive mid-month, it's a glorious time for fall events while the weather is nice and the New England foliage a feast for the eyes. There is no better time for a day-trip to explore a different area of your state or a neighboring one. Take back roads, not the highway, and soak up the fall color while you can.

As always, New England Fall Events has a number of super fun events this weekend to give you just the excuse to hit the road!

New England Apple Season - Varieties Galore!

No matter which orchard you choose, there are so many varieties to choose from right now. The pickings are great at apple orchards large and small. As always, New England Fall Events has your complete guides, features, maps, and contact details for your local or destination-area New England PYO apple orchards.
Here are your quick links to our apple picking guides: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Visit our sister site for all your Local Costume and Halloween Stores

Our sister website Halloween New England has a complete list of locally-owned costume stores as well as a number of pop-up seasonal stores.
Many costume stores are small-business owners who have been serving your community for years by providing costumes for every occasion beyond Halloween. We often forget that costume stores aren't just for Halloween--people require costumes for school plays, seasonal fairs, meet-and-greets, princess parties, holiday parties, and many other special occasions. They understand the full range of quality, durability, budget and more so they are worth seeking out for costumes that are unusual, special, or will last.
Locally owned costume stores may even offer costume rentals which is a nice service you wouldn't typically see offered with pop up and seasonal-only Halloween stores.

Here are your state-by-state Costume and Halloween store guides for Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Pumpkin Patches are Popping Up Everywhere!

We love the color orange and it is a delight to see orange everywhere and anywhere we go at this time of year!

Visit your local pumpkin patch where you can pick up your squash of choice, color, and shape. We make it easy to support your local small farms with PYO Pumpkins.

Here are  New England Fall Events' Pumpkin Patch Guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Fall Foliage Train Ride Contest
We're thrilled to share news of our newest contest to WIN a pair of tickets to the Blackstone Valley Fall Foliage Train Ride and Shopping Excursion to Putnam, CT on Saturday, October 24th. Hop on the foliage train in Woonsocket, RI and soak up the southern New England foliage on your ride to Putnam, CT where you'll enjoy their pumpkin festival, craft show, activities, tours, boutiques, antiques, and more. Spend a day in picturesque Putnam before catching your return train to RI later that afternoon. Enter our contest on New England Fall Events for to win these special tickets valued at $98.

Two of our Favorites-- The Wallingford Scarecrow Festival and Pumpkins on the Pier-- are coming up this weekend!

Two of our very favorite October events are coming up this weekend--both in Connecticut and both truly worth your time!
Saturday, October 17th is the date for the Wallingford CT Scarecrow Festival and the Pumpkins on the Pier in Milford, CT Both are super family-friendly festivals and are free to attend.
Most of the "extras" like games and crafts do cost extra but are extremely affordable and are contributing towards a fundraiser.

If you attend the Wallingford Scarecrow Festival, make sure you make a beeline to the Make-Your-Own-Scarecrow station where for only $10 you will have access to everything you need--a scarecrow stake, "head", endless clothes and accessories to make your scarecrow special and unique (all included!). We can't tell you how much we loved coming home with our very own scarecrow and to have it standing guard on our yard for the rest of the fall season. You'll find food trucks, vendors, hayrides, pumpkin patch, pumpkin and fall-themed games, crafts, moon bounce and much more. Read about our visit to the Wallingford Scarecrow Festival complete with family tips!

Pumpkins on the Pier features pumpkin displays (some carved, some decorated/painted) showcased by local families, small businesses and others. The displays are featured all along the Walnut Beach pier so you can walk on the pier over the water to see the dozens of funny and clever pumpkin displays.
The pier is well-fenced and you can feel safe walking your children out to see the pumpkin displays.
Back on the beach, away from the water, there are dozens of games, pumpkin carving, pumpkin activities, games, a pumpkin patch costume contests, and more activities under the giant pavilion or on the stage. Read about what you can expect from the Pumpkins on the Pier Festival (plus family tips).

New England Foliage Report from our favorite foliage tracker Jeff-Foliage:

This week Jeff Foliage says "Columbus Day Weekend ends glorious but is the foliage over? I had been planning to get back up to Stowe and Smuggler's Notch for some time now. I have been waiting for words from anyone saying the fall colors had "Really" arrived but all was quiet. My worry is always that the foliage will be over before I have a chance to visit..." Click here to read Jeff's full report.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun

We're reaching the peak of the fall event season so take advantage while you can! After this weekend, you'll start to see more Halloween-focused activities and fewer farm festivals and outdoor harvest fun. Here's our Weekend's Top Picks (as always, you'll find even more online). 

Here are our recommended activities for Oct 14-Oct 20:

Harvest on the Harbor
Portland, ME     Click for details
Wednesday, October 21st - Sunday, October 25th, 2015

Ikebana Show at Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Boylston, MA     Click for details
Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 16th-18th, 2015

Star Party at the Northern Skies Observatory 
Peacham, VT     Click for details
Friday, October 16th, 2015

Annual Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival
Glastonbury, CT     Click for details
Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 16th-18th, 2015

Goffstown Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta
Goffstown, NH     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 17th & 18th, 2015

Wallingford Scarecrow Festival - FREE
Wallingford, CT     Click for details
Saturday, October 17th, 2015 (rain date Oct 24th)
Read why New England Fall Events names this Scarecrow Festival a top event of the season!

Ballard Park Halloween Movie Night
Newport, RI     Click for details
Saturday, October 17th, 2015

Pumpkins on the Pier Festival - FREE
Milford, CT     Click for details
Saturday, October 17th, 2015 (rain date Oct. 18th)
Read why Pumpkins on the Pier is one of New England Fall Events' favorite festivals!

Ghostport
Bucksport, ME     Click for details

Saturday, October 17th, 2015

Nashua Gate City Fall Festival - FREE
Nashua, NH     Click for details
Saturday, October 17th, 2015

Fairies and Pirates Costume Contest (for kids age 11 and younger) at King Richard's Faire
Carver, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 17th, 2015  (Rain date: Sunday, October 18th)
Never been to King Richard's Faire? Read our piece on what to expect and the fun you're in for!

Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular at Roger William Zoo
Providence, RI     Click for details
Nightly, now through November 1st, 2015

Salem Harvest Fest - Beer, Wine, Mead Festival
Salem, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 17, 2015

Wellfleet OysterFest
Wellfleet, MA     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 17 & 18th, 2015

Halloween Storybook Hayrides at DeMeritt Hill Farm
Lee, NH     Click for details

Saturday and Sunday, October 17th and 18th, 2015
Read about New England Fall Events' visit to DeMeritt Hill Farm.

Newburyport's Great Pumpkin Lighting & Stroll - FREE
Newburyport, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 17, 2015

Time Travelers Weekend at the CT Renaissance Faire
North Haven, CT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 17th and 18th, 2015

Annual Fall Princess Ball
Kingston, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 17th, 2015

Somerville Local First Harvest Festival - FREE
Somerville, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 17, 2015

Rhode Island Model Train Show
Pawtucket, RI     Click for details
Sunday, October 18, 2015

Ballet Spooktacular
Old Saybrook, CT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 17th & Oct 18th, 2015

Heading out for some fall fun this weekend? 
Need help mapping out where to go? New England Fall Events’ state page maps are handy for scrolling and spotting farms near home or near your road-trip destination.
Find Orchard and fall attraction maps for Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine,
Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Remember, always call ahead before heading out to PYO as some farms will adjust their hours for weather or they close to allow more time for fruit to ripen.