Costume Contests, Pumpkin Festivals, Local Halloween Fun for Kids and Adults, and Much More: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Oct 27-Nov 3, 2015

One of the biggest family celebrations of the year is nearly here--Halloween! As we round the corner towards the end of October, there are plentiful fall activities to catch your eye. We're a a bit sad to see our favorite season passing us by so quickly but we plan to make the most of it while we can.

We love Halloween as much as you do and there is no better place that captures the look and atmosphere of this holiday than our beloved New England. It shouldn't come as a surprise that our region hosts many different Halloween events for kids and adults alike. This week you'll see an abundance of Halloween fun and the hardest part just may be deciding between so many great options!

Never too late to pick pumpkins at a local patch!

As you know by now, New England Fall Events makes it a snap to find a local pumpkin patch for carving your jack-o-lanterns this week! Add the various community pumpkin carving contests and pumpkin displays and you will certainly need to stock up on more than a few.

We have state-by-state guides and maps to all your local farms featuring pumpkin patches and PYO pumpkins.
Here are New England Fall Events' Pumpkin Patch Guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Still time to find you costume for Halloween events, costume parties, and masquerade fun! Visit our sister site for all your local Costume and Halloween Stores needs

We are always happy to tip people off to our sister website Halloween New England which is host to guides for finding your state's Costume and Halloween stores. We have lists of locally owned, year-round, as well as many seasonal pop up stores. 

Here are Costume and Halloween Store guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The Discovery Museums is a hotbed of  Halloween fun for kids all week long!

Open year-round, there are no shortage of events happening at The Discovery Museums in Acton, MA all week long leading up to Halloween!

Here's a sample of their kid-focused Halloween-themed events this week: 

Tuesday, Oct 27th: "Make a MESS: Spooky Science"
Thursday, Oct 29th: "Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Science"
Friday, Oct 30th: "Backyard and Beyond: Last Minute Nature Halloween Costumes"
Saturday, Oct 31st: "Wild and Spooky Animals in Your Neighborhood".

Save the date: "ASD Friendly Afternoon" at the Discovery Museums Tuesday November 3rd, 2015 

Plus, New England Fall Events has posted a fresh contest this week to WIN a pair of passes to The Discovery Museums in Acton, MA where play and discovery take center stage! Contest ends Nov 1st, no limit entry. Enter the contest at www.NewEnglandFallEvents.com

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

If you're like us at this time of year, you are regularly pulling your car over to take a few snapshots of those unexpected foliage surprises you stumble upon while running your daily errands or coming and going from work.
This week Jeff Foliage offers up some tried and true tips for capturing those gorgeous scenic vistas or quaint New England leaf tunnels during this time of year:

"I’m not saying that following these implicitly will get you in a major magazine but you should come home with better quality photographs of New England’s fall foliage. These tips work 365 days a year 24/7… ..." Click here to read Jeff's Foliage Photography Tips

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

It's all Halloween, all the time this weekend! No matter your age, get in the spirit of the season with family events, Halloween festivals, costume parades, costume contests, adult Halloween activities, and more.  Here are our Weekend's Top Picks (as always, you'll find even more online). 

Here are our recommended activities for October 27- November 3rd, 2015:

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

Make a MESS: Spooky Science at The Discovery Museums
Acton, MA       Click for details
Tuesday, October 27th, 2015

Art in the Orchard at Park Hill Orchard
Easthampton, MA       Click for details
Wednesday through Saturday, October 28-31st, 2015

Wee Faerie Village presents Whimsical Kingdoms
Old Lyme, CT       Click for details
Wednesday October 28 - November 1st, 2015

Halloween Gingerbread House Workshop for Adults
Middlefield, CT       Click for details
Thursday, October 29th, 2015

Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Science at The Discovery Museums
Acton, MA       Click for details
Thursday, October 29th, 2015

Haunted Hall Crawl & Costume Ball
New Haven, CT       Click for details
Thursday, October 29, 2015

Plainfield Pumpkin People
Plainfield , NH       Click for details
Thursday-Saturday, October 29-31st, 2015

Howl-o-Ween at the Beardsley Zoo
Bridgeport, CT       Click for details
Friday and Saturday, October 30th & 31st, 2015

Wadsworth Mansion Haunted Halloween Bash
Middletown, CT       Click for details
Friday, October 30th, 2015

Full Moon Toddy Hike
Sheffield, MA       Click for details
Friday, October 30th, 2015

Backyard and Beyond: Last Minute Nature Halloween Costumes at The Discovery Museums
Acton, MA       Click for details
Friday, October 30th, 2015

Pumpkins Aglow at Edaville USA
Carver, MA       Click for details
Friday, October 30th, 2015

Ghost Stories in the Gore Mansion
Waltham, MA       Click for details
Friday, October 30th, 2015

Ghosts on the Banke at the Strawberry Banke Museum
Portsmouth, NH      Click for details
Friday and Saturday, October 30th & 31st, 2015

Halloween Gingerbread House Workshop at Lyman Orchards
Middlefield, CT       Click for details
Saturday, October 31st, 2015

The Perfect Pumpkin Party
Bristol, RI       Click for details
Saturday, October 31st, 2015

Pumpkins On The Point - FREE
Old Saybrook , CT       Click for details
Saturday, October 31st,  2015

Halloween Kids Fest at Tony Andrew’s Farm
East Falmouth, MA       Click for details
Saturday, October 31st 2015

Dog Walker’s Weekend at Mike's Maze
Sunderland, MA       Click for details
Sunday, November 1st, 2015

Wagon Ride Weekends at Billings Farm & Museum
Woodstock, VT       Click for details
Sunday, November 1st, 2015

ASD Friendly Afternoon at The Discovery Museums
Acton, MA       Click for details
Tuesday, November 3rd, 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.

Boo at the Zoo, Halloween Events, Foliage Fun, Storybook Hayrides, and more: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Oct 21-27

Corn Maze at Riverview Farm, CT

As we sail past the mid-point of October, you'll notice that many local fall events turn their focus on the almighty pumpkin and towards Halloween festivities for kids and adults alike.

Even though cooler temps have bathed New England over the last week, many farms are still hosting their corn mazes and hayrides through the end of the month. So grab an extra pair of mittens if you need to or wrap up in a scarf and head out to savor the last foliage-filled weeks of fall.

As always, New England Fall Events has a number of wonderful fall events happening this weekend but you'll soon notice that the harvest fun will wind down quickly once Halloween arrives so get out there while you still have many choices!

Why pick one pumpkin when you can
go home with a wagon full of them?

Pick your Perfect Pumpkin at a Local Pumpkin Patch!

New England Fall Events makes it easy to find a local pumpkin patch for choosing a pumpkin with your favorite color, personality, and shape. It doesn't matter whether you plan to carve them, turn them into floral pumpkin centerpieces, paint them, decorate your front steps with them, or bake up your grandma's classic pumpkin pie, there are no shortage of wonderful pumpkins at this time of year so please 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.

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

Find local costume stores on our sister site

Our sister website Halloween New England has guides for finding your state's Costume and Halloween stores--locally owned, year-round, and pop up stores. 
For adults who are throwing a Halloween event or who have RSVP'd to a costume party, if DIY costumes aren't your forte, you'll be happy to know that several year-round, locally owned costume stores also rent adult costumes! You'll find who rents costumes in our features list on the right-side of each individual store page on Halloween New England.
Here are Costume and Halloween Store guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Where Has New England Fall Events Been Lately?

It was a road-trip weekend for us as we made it an overnight adventure in Connecticut just so we could fit in everything that caught our eye!
On Saturday we stopped in at the Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival for some live music, rides, crafts, apple pie, cider, and over 150 local vendors.

Antique tractors at Riverview Farms, CT

From there it was an easy jaunt to visit postcard-pretty Riverview Farms in South Glastonbury, CT which was in full swing! We were thrilled to partake in their corn maze, petting zoo, and warm apple fritters! We loved their interactive tractor display, pumpkin bounce house, and the foliage we took in during their hayride was just lovely.

Sunday we made a stop in at Lyman Orchards for some breakfast at the Apple Barrel where we stocked up on some local cheese, homemade pumpkin pie, and the sweetest apple cider we've ever tasted.

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

This week Jeff Foliage says "I don't know about all of you but I'm plum worn out! I've driven 4,256 miles this season so far, and as it winds down, my miles get shorter as I'm now driving much less distance. The beautiful fall colors took a big hit from the freezing temps on Sunday night and… ..." 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 October 21- 27th, 2015:

Harvest on the Harbor

Portland, ME       Click for details

Wednesday, October 21st - Sunday, October 25th, 2015

Charlie the Butler Ghost Party with Mentalist Rory Raven

Cranston, RI       Click for details

Friday, October 23rd, 2015

Boo at the Zoo Family Overnight
at the Jack-o'-Lantern Spectacular

Roger Williams Park and Zoo

Providence, RI       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Halloween Town

Madison, NH       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015 

Blackstone Valley Fall Foliage Train Ride and Shopping Excursion

RT from Woonsocket, RI to Putnam, CT       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Boston Vegetarian Food Festival

Boston, MA       Click for details

Saturday and Sunday, October 24th & 25th, 2015

Halloween Festival at the Ben & Jerry's Factory - FREE

Waterbury, VT       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Full Moon Hike at Hilltop Orchards 

Richmond, MA      Click for details

Saturday, October 26th, 2015

Great Pumpkin Festival and Foliage Train Ride

Putnam, CT       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Day of the Dead Costume Contest 

at the CT Renaissance Faire

North Haven, CT       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Spooky Woodstock

Woodstock, VT       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Howl-o-Ween at the Beardsley Zoo

Bridgeport, CT       Click for details

Saturday and Sunday, October 24th & 25th, 2015

Storybook Hayrides at Applecrest Farm Orchards

Hampton Falls, NH       Click for details

Saturday and Sunday, October 24th & 25th, 2015

Tom Sawyer's Trick or Treat

Hartford, CT       Click for details

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

Halloween Wagon Rides at the Gore Mansion

Waltham, MA       Click for details

Sunday, October 25th 2015

Kids Halloween Costume Contest and Royal Parade

at the CT Renaissance Faire

North Haven, CT       Click for details

Sunday, October 25th, 2015

Shelburne Museum Trick-or-Treating Haunted Happenings 

Shelburne, VT       Click for details

Sunday, October 25th, 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.

Our Spicy Chili Chow Down at Mike's Maze

Gorgeous harvest of spicy peppers

by Deb Wojcicki / New England Fall Events

On a warm September afternoon, New England Fall Events had the pleasure of stopping in at Chilifest! at Mike's Maze in Sunderland, Massachusetts.

Mike's Maze's Chilifest this year will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 16th & 17th, 2016. Click for event details.

Presented by The Kitchen Garden "The Valley's Hottest Vegetable Farm" and Mike's Maze at Warner Farm, this two-day festival is a tribute to the mighty capsicum in all of its fiery glory and a celebration of fall in Western Massachusetts. This family-friendly festival is rife with live music, cooking demonstrations, food, games and a corn maze!

Beautiful giant vat of chili for tasting

We happened to be there on Chili Cookoff Saturday and started our quest at the tasting tent (of course). Eight mighty competitors served up some of their finest home-brewed concoctions, including Chillimatic, Hope & Olive, Mama's Best Vegan Chili, Dylan's Dynamite Chili, Ghost Dad, Magpie Chili, Heru & Eden's Rockin Chili and Chili 2.

Hungry festival goers indulged in a blind taste test and were encouraged to vote for their favorite medley via toothpick ballot. Seeing how we are, we tried each of the impressive offerings which ranged from beef to turkey to veggie and enjoyed them all.  The winner received a cast iron chili pot filled with The Kitchen Garden's home grown Sriracha sauce. Sunday was the Hot Sauce Competition, which we are certain was equally titillating. Competition is open to the public - will you take home the prize in 2016?

Next up was a cooking demonstration by Dan Whalen, author of Stuffed, The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook. In the shade of the spacious chili-tasting tent, Dan regaled us with amusing anecdotes and created something that heretofore had not occurred to us - grilled jalapenos stuffed with hot dogs and cheese. Brilliant! 

Samples of chili for tasting and judging

Afterwards, we wandered the festival and tried Chocolate Sriracha Swirl ice cream at Bart's Homemade, which was a surprisingly tasty combination. There were also chili peppers, local beer and spicy foods to enjoy. That said, if you're not into the whole "when in Rome" thing, there were tamer, but no less delicious, food choices available as well.

And in the unlikely event that we weren't inspired by any of the dishes served at the festival, The Kitchen Garden set up a gorgeous farm stand loaded with colorful peppers (hot and sweet), tomatillos, garlic, onions, tomatoes and their own Sriracha sauce. They'd even fire-roast your peppers for you.

Rocketing potatoes is great fall fun!

For the little ones, Chilifest weekend was full of fun, with an oversized chess board, hula hoops, a mini-maze (made out of hay bales - too cute), Dave's Derby - a pedal-powered speedway, a giant sand box with tractor tires to climb through, chili & veggie tattoos and even decorate-your-own Chilifest tee-shirts. For older kids, and for those of us who refuse to grow up, there was also a potato cannon. Yes, because there's nothing that says fun like projectile tubers. We may have loitered at the cannon a bit longer than we originally intended, but no one seemed to mind.

The piece-de-resistance, the jewel in the crown, the masterpiece of the season is of course Mike's Maze. This eight-acre corn maze is legendary in the Pioneer Valley and rightfully so. This year the maze is open weekends and holidays September 12th through November 8th, 2015. 

Alice in Sunderland is the maze theme

The 2015 design was called "Alice in Sunderland," a whimsical maze shaped like a keyhole that depicts Alice, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and other characters from the Lewis Carroll adventure story. Team trivia and little surprises await those who are curious enough to take on the maze. You can also visit the maze at night, where you have nothing but a flashlight to guide you. Past maze designs include Mona Lisa, King Tut and Satchmo! Louis Armstrong, among others.  As Halloween is fast approaching, they also have Haunted Maze events and Zombie Night Patrol - a little something for everyone.

Next year, be sure to get your own spice on at Chilifest! 2016. In the meantime, check out Mike's Maze at Warner Farm - you still have a few weekends left to enjoy the fun!

Tips for Your Visit to Chilifest at Mike's Maze

Ample free parking is in a field right next to the festival so expect no more than a leisurely one- to two-minute walk; no shuttles no worries. 

Tickets are available in advance or at the door. Advance tickets are sold at a discount and can be bought online. The ticket line at the door was pretty long when we got to the festival, but it moved quickly.

Wear comfortable shoes - you will be parking in a mowed field and the festival is set up in an adjacent field. The ground is relatively level, but it's still a field.

Comfort stations are provided in the form of porta-potties which were located peripherally to the festival. We didn't see any lines, so there appear to have an adequate number of them.

Cover is provided under the large food tent where the demonstrations and chili tasting are held. There are lots of chairs so you can sit and enjoy your chili and listen to the chefs. There are also picnic tables at the Warner Farm snack shed next to the maze.

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.

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.