Cranberry Fest, Pumpkin Boat Races, Apple Days, Foliage Fun, Cheese Festival, and more: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Oct 7-13

When New England Fall Events takes a peek at the events calendar and we see all the delicious, quirky, memorable, and traditional events and festivals lined up, we know all this local outdoor goodness is just what our site was truly made for!

Like you, we're fans of the season too and we never want to pass up a single moment to celebrate our beautiful region, this special season, and the people, communities, artists, and farms who bring us so many ways to appreciate the slow life and savor autumn's bounty.

Peak PYO Apple Season is Upon Us--Get Picking!!!

Smolak Farms' Antique Apple Orchard

It's all apples all the time these days! Apple Festivals, Apple Days, apple pies, applesauce, and apple picking!
Look for McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun and Liberty apples are still hanging around in southern New England while Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Gala, Pink Beauties, Creston, early-Fuji, Empire, Jonamacs, and Primas are the show-offs right now.

If you're curious about "antique" apples you might check out Smolak Farms' antique apple orchard or pop by Old Sturbridge Village this weekend for their Apple Days Festival which offers heirloom apple tastings and you can try your hand apple picking in their orchard with a long "fruit picker" for fun!

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.

Pumpkins are Everywhere - Find a Local Pumpkin Patch!

Fun in the Pumpkin Patch

Nothing makes us happier than seeing MORE orange everywhere! No matter where you turn you will see piles of gorgeous pumpkins of every size, shape, and personality.

Your local pumpkin patch is likely to be in full swing too! Support your local small farms and pop by their pumpkin patch to load up on pumpkins for your home, pumpkins for your front steps, pumpkins for your centerpiece, pumpkins for your flower vase, pumpkins for your pie, pumpkins for carving, pumpkins for toasting seeds---shall we go on?

Here are  New England Fall Events' Pumpkin Patch Guides for CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT.

Corn Mazes are Wonderful Outdoor Fun for Families

Wojcik Farm Corn Maze

If you haven't treated yourself to a corn maze yet this fall we ask, what are you waiting for?

We're always surprised by how many New Englanders have never enjoyed a corn maze so if that sounds like you, please don't wait another year to explore one!

Most corn mazes have a different themed design every year and many will incorporate statues, surprises, characters, signs, and props that support that year's theme--imagine coming across the Tin Man while inside a Wizard of Oz theme corn maze. Not only do the goodies or puzzles inside the maze fit the theme but the paths through the giant cornfield will create a picture as seen with a birds-eye view.

Escobar Farm Corn Maze Map

You might be given a map to carry with that overhead maze pattern to help you guide your way or you may just wing it as most people seem to enjoy. Some mazes will have puzzles to solve, clues to find, raffles you can enter when you discover hidden boxes within the maze, and more. It's common that there will be a tall bridge somewhere within the maze where you can pause to get a view of the whole maze from a different vantage point and soak up the scenic moment.

Kids and adults alike will have fun and if you call ahead to a farm, you can often get an idea how long it might take to go through. Some, like Sterling, MA Davis MegaMaze could take up  to 3 hours to get through whereas local farms like Portsmouth, RI's Escobar Farm has two smaller, adjacent corn mazes so you can complete one and decide if you'd like to re-enter to complete the second (perfect if you have little ones and aren't sure what you're in for).

Nessralla Farm Corn Maze

This year RI's Escobar Farm features a "Pawtucket Red Sox" design and Mike's Maze in central MA has a full Alice in Wonderland theme. Nessralla Farm in Halifax, MA has a "Frozen" Corn Maze design featuring Anna and Elsa cut out plus some Olaf hay bales out front. Riverview Farms in CT has you covered with all kinds of fun at their corn maze including additional farm activities like a petting zoo and an ice cream shop!

Gaines Farm in Vermont hosts a 7-acre dinosaur theme and with its location just 1.5 miles over the Massachusetts border, Gaines is a snap to get to whether you live in central MA, Connecticut or Vermont. Maine's "Pumpkin Land" corn maze at Harvest Hill Farms is host to a "Farm Scene Investigation" or "FSI" to solve the mystery of where Farmer Joe disappeared to for a fun twist. We have a full list of New England Corn Mazes at our website so you can easily search by state.

Where have New England Fall Events Been Lately?

Day of the Dead Scavenger Hunt

We had a wonderful weekend visiting Halifax MA's Nessralla Farm where they were in full swing with a pumpkin patch, a Frozen-themed corn maze, and bouncy houses and Bridgewater MA's CN Smith Farm had an orchard just busting with apples. Cranston, RI's Confreda Farm was busy running their nighttime haunted hayride and corn maze called Scary Acres.
We spent all day Sunday adventuring through southeastern MA at the day-long Day of the Dead Scavenger Hunt in Taunton, MA where we explored the history of the infamous Bridgewater Triangle and checked off a crazy list of scavenger hunt items and activities such as trying our hands at archery, eating a hot pepper, or finding a string of garlic. It was a blast and we can't wait to do it all again next year! 

Where is New England Fall Events Headed this Weekend?

Giant Puppets at Night Fall Hartford

With so much going on over the long weekend we're keeping all our options open to see how we can fit as much in as possible.
We've definitely circled Hartford's Night Fall for this Saturday and if our schedule aligns just right you'll find us at the Topsfield Fair too!
With the Halloween season underway we're also getting into the spirit of more nighttime and Halloween-focused events so we'll be checking out local flashlight corn mazes and a couple ghost tours while we can! Our sister website Halloween New England has all your guides to nighttime events, attractions, haunted houses, night hayrides, Salem attractions, costumes, and Halloween fun.

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

This week Jeff Foliage says "What we're seeing so far is seasonal temps and sunny days but the fall colors are slowly appearing across Northern New England....."  Click here to read Jeff's full report.

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

The long weekend will offer you no shortage of fantastic local events. If you're headed out of town to another New England state, New England Fall Events makes it super easy to see what's happening in your getaway area.

This is one of the biggest fall events weekends of the year so please don't pass up the opportunity to support your local farms, seasonal attractions, and community festivals of every size and shape. We've narrowed down our long weekend's Top Picks (and you'll find even more online). 

Here are our recommended activities for Oct 7-Oct 13:

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

Wee Faerie Village presents Whimsical Kingdoms
Old Lyme, CT     Click for details
Tuesday through Saturday, now through November 1st 2015

Topsfield Fair
Topsfield, MA     Click for details
Now through October 12th, 2015

Night Fall Hartford
Hartford, CT     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

Damariscotta PumpkinFest and Regatta
Damariscotta, ME     Click for details
Friday, October 9th - Monday, October 12th, 2015

HONK! 2015 Festival of Activist Street Bands
Somerville, MA     Click for details
Friday October 9th - Sunday, October 11th, 2015

Pumpkin Weigh-Off at Frerichs Farm
Warren, RI     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

New Hampshire Fall Festival
Portsmouth NH     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

Fall Festival at Dog Mountain
St. Johnsbury, VT     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

Annual North American Wife Carrying Championship
Newry, ME     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

Prescott Park Chili Cook-Off
Portsmouth, NH     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

Woodstock Foliage Walk
Woodstock, VT     Click for details
Saturday, October 10th, 2015

Annual Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival
Bethlehem, CT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 10 & 11th, 2015

Woonsocket Autumnfest

Woonsocket, RI     Click for details
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, October 10-12th, 2015

Cranberry Harvest Celebration
Wareham, MA     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 10th & 11th, 2015

Milford NH Pumpkin Festival - FREE
Milford, NH     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 10th & 11th, 2015

Southington Apple Harvest Festival - FREE
Southington, CT     Click for details
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 9-11th, 2015

Apple Days Festival at Old Sturbridge Village
Sturbridge, MA     Click for details
Saturday, Sunday, Monday, October 10th -12th, 2015

Fall Foliage Festival 
Waterville Valley, NH     Click for details
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, October 10th -12th, 2015

Wild Bill's Halloween Festival
Middletown, CT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 10 & 11th, 2015

Annual Pumpkin Festival at Cedar Circle Farm
East Thetford VT     Click for details
Sunday, October 11th, 2015

Massachusetts Cheese Festival
Boston, MA     Click for details
Sunday, October 11th, 2015

New England Cornhole Championship
Newry, ME     Click for details
Sunday, October 11th, 2015

Newburyport's Fall Harvest Festival
Newburyport, MA     Click for details
Sunday and Monday,  October 11 & 12th, 2015

An Evening With David Sedaris
Providence, RI     Click for details
Monday, October 12, 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, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 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.

Quick-and-Easy Guide to PYO Apple Orchards across New England

An abundance of apples - More varieties ripen every week!

Are you headed apple picking this weekend? 

Looking to break out of your stand-by and try a new place? 

Need an excuse for a road trip? 

Can't wait to get started now that apple picking season is in full swing?

New England Fall Events has you covered with our state-by-state guides, our individual farm pages, lists of farm features, maps, directions and more!

Your Quick and Easy Guide to Apple Picking in New England:
(click on the link below for your state's guide)

Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in Massachusetts

Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in Connecticut

Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in Rhode Island

Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in New Hampshire

Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in Vermont

Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards in Maine

Remember, we have state guides for Hayrides, Corn Mazes, and Pumpkin Patches too if you’re looking to expand your farm visit beyond apples!

Your Guide to Pet-Friendly Apple Orchards and Corn Mazes in New England

Calling all pet lovers! Are you looking to share your favorite fall traditions with your furry pal?

It isn't always easy to find New England Farms that are pet-friendly in their orchards and mazes so New England Fall Events has done the work to create a guide for the farms where your dog will be welcomed.

A few things to know—most orchards and corn mazes are not able to accommodate dogs so you should start with the assumption that most will not (which is why our pet-friendly guide will be precious to you!).

Dogs are welcome in the orchard at Drew Farm, Westford, MA

Some places are dedicated to the dogs...well, at least one is. If you can, swing through Vermont this Columbus Day weekend for the annual special Fall Dog Party at Dog Mountain in October you and your pup will be treated to a truly one-of-a-kind place.

There are a variety of reasons why a farm may not allow dogs. Most farmers and farm staff are pet lovers themselves but certain towns may actually have laws prohibiting dogs on an orchard and this can vary from town to town. Don't hold it against the farm--many are required to comply.

Some pick-your-own orchards may have permitted this in the past but sadly the privilege was abused by a few, er, bad apples.   As orchards are frequented by hundreds of families in any given fall weekend, some farms opt out of being dog-friendly in case young children are fearful, even of your friendly Fifi.

As pet-friendly orchards and mazes are VERY rare, if you do plan to bring your furry friend along with you, please exercise great consideration, awareness, and etiquette so that these handful of orchards will be able to continue their open door policy towards dogs. 

Pet Friendly Orchard Etiquette

• Leashed - Your dog must be on leash at all times. As tempting as it is to allow your dog some freedom in the orchard, this is a non-negotiable point for every orchard we spoke to.

• Behavior – All farms were quick to mention that dogs must be well-behaved around adults, other dogs, and especially children.

• Vaccinated – Your dog must be fully vaccinated.

• Clean up – The fastest way to ruin this oh-so-delicate pet-friendly arrangement is not cleaning up after your dog after he does his business. Don’t even think about it. If someone sees dog poop they will surely complain and you will earn the fury of your fellow dog-owners for putting the open-pet policy in jeopardy with your irresponsible care--yikes! Be prepared and bring what you need to clean up after your dog.

• Be respectful or you will be asked to leave – All farms were very clear that there are times where a dog may be asked to leave (perhaps just to the car if the weather is cool enough). They are dog lovers too but they also have the responsibility to make sure the orchard is safe and comfortable for everyone. Please cooperate and do your part to be a mindful dog owner so that farms can continue to offer this option.

The following farms were personally verified as being pet-friendly at the time of publishing. Some are always pet friendly; others have designated days only. Please note the difference and don’t be afraid to call ahead if you’re unsure.

Pet-Friendly New Hampshire

DeMeritt Hill Farm          
66 Lee Rd.  Lee NH
(Click for farm info)

Pet-Friendly Massachusetts

Clearview Farm
4 Kendall Hill Rd. Sterling, MA
(Click for farm info)

Drew Farm                        
31 Tadmuck Rd. Westford MA  
(Click for farm info)

Fairmount Fruit Farm    

887 Lincoln St. Franklin MA      
(Click for farm info)

Long Hill Orchard           
520 Main St./Rte 113 West Newbury MA
(Click for farm info)  

Nashoba Valley Winery & Orchard 
100 Wattaquadoc Hill Rd. Bolton MA
(Click for farm info)
Your leashed pooch can even chill on the porch while you are inside enjoying a glass of wine!

Monthly Twilight Hikes at Sholan Farms
1125 Pleasant St. Leominster, MA
(Click for Twilight Hike info)
Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome to tag along on these monthly Friday night hikes.

Pet-Friendly Rhode Island

Escobar Farm and Corn Maze
255 Middle Rd. Portsmouth RI
(Click for farm info)

Pet-Friendly Connecticut

Treat Farm                    
361 Old Tavern Rd. Orange, CT
(Click for farm info)

Pet-Friendly Vermont

Percy Farm Corn Maze  
Route 108 Stowe VT                         
(Click for maze info)

Mad Tom Orchard
2615 Mad Tom Rd.
East Dorset, VT
(Click for farm info)

Offering Designated Pet-Friendly Corn Maze Events

Marini Farm Corn Maze 
259 Linebrook Rd. Ipswich MA      
Hosts a pet-friendly corn maze weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Sept 10th and 11th, 2016.
(Click for event info)

Ten Reasons to Be Happy Summer is Over in New England

We know it can be hard to let go of the lazy days of summer and Labor Day weekend acts as a bridge that gently guides us from one season to the next. 

New England Fall Events is here to give you ten wonderful reasons to joyfully say farewell to summer and get excited about the arrival of fall!

Ten Reasons to Be Happy Summer is Over

or, Why Nothing Compares to Fall in New England

Apple Picking—need we elaborate?

Hayrides—nothing beats bumping around on a horse-drawn hayride, preferably with a fat, juicy apple in your hand. It's scenic, it's perfect, it's classic.

Cider Donuts—I double dog dare you to come up with a scent better than freshly made cider donuts wafting across the orchard.

Orange—it probably comes as no surprise that it is our favorite color too. Orange leaves, orange pumpkins, orange clothes in the stores, orange mums on your front steps. Just like you, we have an orange room in our house too—it’s the perfect shade of orange.

Foliage—Whether you are a dedicated leaf-peeper or just driving around your community, New England Fall Events has teamed up with Jeff Foliage to keep you in the loop.  

Jack-o’-Lanterns and Pumpkin Festivals— Quite simply, they’re magical, enchanting, and feature lots and lots of orange.

Football—New England Fall Events is a guide “for New Englanders by a New Englander” so if you think you’ll catch us wearing kelly green before the Super Bowl or cheering on anyone other than our beloved New England Patriots, you are in the wrong place, my friend.

Corn Mazes – Can’t have a corn maze in summer because the corn isn't tall enough. Only in fall can we enjoy “getting lost”. Daytime mazes, nighttime mazes, problem-solving mazes, we love them all.

Leaf Piles—no matter the age, there is no better way to feel like a kid again than jumping in a heap of crunchy (orange!) leaves. 

Wine—Okay, many of us enjoy wine year-round but fall is harvesting season for local vineyards. Lots of fun tasting weekends and harvesting events are on the agenda across our region. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. Exhibit C.

What are your favorite fall events, traditions, sights, and smells that make you happy that fall is finally here?