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.

Pirates, Dragons, Rubber Ducks, Pups, BBQ, Apple Pie, and Seafood: Top New England Fall Events for Sept 3-9, 2014

This is it--the moment you've been waiting for: Fall has arrived in New England!

Okay, please don't get technical on us. We know that Sept 22nd is the official day but we can all agree that once Labor Day is in the proverbial books, we all have turned the corner on summer. 

Before we know it, the leaves will start to turn--some already are--and all of New England's glory will be on full display.

Here are New England Fall Events' Top Ten Reasons to Be Happy Summer is Over in New England. And if we missed your favorite reason, go ahead and tell us your additions in the comments section!

Lost in the Wizard of Oz maze in RI.

Over the long weekend, the weather could not have been more perfect for some classic fall activities—and that’s exactly how New England Fall Events spent the time. 


We followed the yellow brick road through Escobar Farm’s charming Wizard of Oz-themed corn maze in Portsmouth, RI. 

Read about our adventure getting lost in Oz and discover what you can expect at Escobar's terrific outdoor activity here. As always, we list our family tips if your little ones are in tow.

DeMeritt Hill Farm in Lee, NH

We road-tripped up to Lee, NH for a visit to DeMeritt Hill Farm where we were treated to a breathtakingly scenic hayride, carrot cake, the creamiest of chocolate confections, and picked the tastiest Zestar! apples that you ever did bite into. Take a moment to read why early-season apple picking at DeMeritt is a peaceful, crowd-free affair worth your time and attention. Dog lovers will be happy that you can bring along your furry friend!

While we're talking carrot cake, we love this New England twist on a classic carrot cake using our beloved New England resource--maple syrup!

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

Hayrides are just one of many fun
fall activities at Verrill Farm Day

Fall activities and events are really kicking into high gear this weekend with many distinctive events competing for our attention. 

We’ll always list our top event picks below but we also encourage you to visit your state’s Fall and Activities guide or Food and Harvest Festival Guide for many more wonderful, worthwhile events and food festivals.

Here are our recommended activities for September 3-9th:

Eastport Pirate Festival - FREE
Eastport, ME   Click for event details.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 5^th-7^th, 2014

Rhode Island Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival - FREE
Pawtucket, RI
Saturday, Sept 6^th, 2014 Click for event details.

Farm Day, BBQ, and Apple Pie Contest at Verrill Farm- FREE
Concord, MA
Saturday, Sept 6^th, 2014 Click for event details.

Read why New England Fall Events calls Verrill Farm Day a perfect fall family event.

Hampton Beach Seafood Festival

Hampton, NH    Click for event details.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Sept 5th-7th, 2014

Brass City Brew Fest

Waterbury, CT   Click for event details.

Saturday, Sept. 6th, 2014

River Ruckus and Rubber Duck Regatta - FREE
Haverhill, MA   Click for event details.
Saturday, Sept 6^th, 2014 

Norwalk Oyster Festival

Norwalk, CT   Click forevent details.

Saturday, Sept 6^th, 2014

Harvest Festival Weekend at Pietree Orchard - FREE

Sweden, ME   Click for event details.

Saturday and Sunday, September 6th and 7th, 2014

Galilee Seafood Festival - FREE

Narragansett, RI   Click for event details.

Saturday and Sunday, September 6th and 7th, 2014

Pet Rock Festival- Pet-lover's pick of the weekend!
Sturbridge, MA   Click for event details.
Sunday, Sept. 7^th, 2014

Vermont State Fair
Rutland, VT   Click for event details.

Now through Sunday, Sept. 7^th, 2014

Apple Festival, 5K Trail Run, and Kids Fun Run at Scott's Yankee Farmer

East Lyme, CT   Click for event details.Sunday, Sept.7^th, 2014

Full Moon Hike at Niquette Bay State Park VT
Colchester, VT  Click for event details.
Monday, Sept 8th, 2014

Itching for a road trip? Circle these wonderful events coming up later this month:

Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival
Provincetown, MA  Click for festival details.
Thursday-Sunday, Sept 25-28th, 2014
New England is fortunate to host an annual festival as special and acclaimed as this one! 
We know that a trip to beloved and charming P-Town can take a little extra planning so here's your official heads up to buy your festival pass and line up your housing if you plan to stay the weekend. New England Fall Events will be there at the festival this season and we hope you will join us! If you do, seek us out and say hello!

Wild Mushroom Festival
Mystic, CT  Click for event details
Sunday, 28th, 2014

If you fancy yourself a mushroom lover, you will not want to miss this insanely delicious and educational fungi festival.
Read about this festival in our piece "Fit for Foodies - Wild Mushroom Festival" where you can learn about what to expect, see photos, and find out our festival-goer and family tips for getting the most out of your trip. 

New England Fall Events picked many
Zestar! apples in NH last weekend

Heading out apple picking this weekend? New England Fall Events has done all the research for and compiled guide, features, maps, and contact info for your local or vacation-area New England PYO apple orchards. Here are your quick links to the apple picking guides:

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

For the more visually-driven folks, New England Fall Events allows you to scroll and spot farm locations on the interactive state maps too. 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.

Getting Lost in Oz – New England Fall Events Follows the Yellow Brick Road in Portsmouth, RI

Lost in the Wizard of Oz Corn Maze

It’s no secret that I have an abysmal sense of direction. I credit this unfortunate trait to growing up in New England, where roads twist, turn, and appear to have no reason to their patterning. It would seem that someone like me has no business being in a corn maze where the cornstalks are too high to spot a landmark but I’m here to tell you—if I can do it, you can do it—and it’s just pure fall fun.

In New England, most corn mazes open up around Labor Day as the corn needs to grow tall enough to make a true maze of the experience. Some farms offer a mid-summer sunflower maze but those have pretty much wrapped up by the time the fall corn mazes are ready to roll.

A perfect New England day at
Escobar Farm's corn maze

Corn mazes are a fascinating and wholly temporary fall attraction.  Every season new corn is planted and with it comes a new maze —different themes, highlights, and pathways. One of the treats of a corn maze is seeing the birds-eye view of a particular maze, an aerial photograph of the maze pattern cut through the cornfield—the one chance to capture a season’s maze for posterity.

Recently, New England Fall Events had the pleasure of a pretty little drive down to Escobar Farm in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The expanse of the cornfield was on full, glorious display—glossy green corn stalks set against an impossibly blue sky. It was an outstandingly lovely day in southern New England.

Check in at the barn at the maze
entrance for your map to Oz

We checked in at the quaint red barn at the entrance and we were handed a map of the maze. Escobar Farm has hosted corn mazes every year, often with a Rhode Island theme. Last year’s theme highlighted Portsmouth’s 375th anniversary; other years they have honored the Providence Bruins, the state bird Rhode Island Red chicken, and Aquidneck Island (which is the name of the island where Portsmouth is situated).

In 2014, Escobar Farm has chosen to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz with a maze that carves their cornfield into the Emerald City, the yellow brick road, and the Dorothy, Toto, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow characters. It’s particularly interesting that Escobar’s maze is designed to be two distinct mazes which visually mesh into a single The Wizard of Oz image. This is a very attractive feature because you’ll have the choice to go through one maze (half the cornfield) or to do both for a longer experience. Families with kids will enjoy the option in the event that their little ones are only up for half the maze.

Escobar Farm's Wizard of Oz maze
celebrates the film's 75th Anniversary 

Never one to do anything halfway, we were game for the entire maze. With the maze map in hand, we dutifully followed every nook and corner to find our way through identifying when we were in the bottom of the letter B or walking through the arm of the tin man. We climbed up the bridge for a scenic view of the scenic farm property and we stumbled across other maze-goers getting mixed up and doubling-back.

Escobar Farm has gone the extra mile to incorporate Wizard of Oz goodies throughout the maze—we loved the little screen-printed Oz flags and Yellow Brick Road signs nestled in the most unexpected places. We found characters such as the toy-sized Cowardly Lion planted in the tall stalks. After all, “there is no place like home” so it was only fitting that we were greeted by the ruby slipper stone indicating as much at the very end.

Escobar Farm’s corn maze is a joyful way to spend an hour or so. Each maze takes about 30-40 minutes which makes it easy after completing the first maze to decide if you are up for the second.
Starting Labor Day Weekend, Escobar Farm’s corn maze is open during the daytime hours on the weekends and they have a cow train for the kids, a hayride, and when pumpkins are ready, a PYO pumpkin area too. The staff couldn’t possibly be friendlier and the farm is postcard pretty.

Corn mazes are a great way to enjoy an hour or two in the fall—it’s a super fun idea for a fall birthday party (especially if you make it a Wizard of Oz themed party!) as it appeals to kids, teenagers, families, and couples.

A lovely ruby slipper stone greeted us to
mark a successful trip through the maze

The cost of admission for the corn maze is $8 for ages 12 and up. $6 for ages 5-11y, and children 4y and under are free.

The corn maze will be open through November 2nd and as it gets later in the season, the maze will surely get busy. Go in September and early October to beat the crowds!

Escobar Farm will be hosting a Harry Potter Day on September 20th , a Pumpkin Festival on September 27th,  and a Halloween Costume Party on October 25th so there is plenty of fun to be had in Portsmouth this fall.
Note: each event has a designated rain-date.


Tips for visiting Escobar Farm Corn Maze

• There are picnic tables for those who opt to pack a lunch but the farm also sells light concessions like animal crackers, popcorn, candy, drinks.
• Escobar Farm has plenty of parking in the field in front of the maze.
• Escobar Farm’s corn maze is a pet-friendly maze but dogs must be leashed at all times and don’t even think of not cleaning up after your pooch. If you need a baggie for cleaning up, ask the folks at the check-in barn who can supply you with one before you head in.
• The maze is ADA accessible, including the port-o-johns.
• There were port-o-johns available at the maze entrance.
• It’s a stroller-friendly maze. We recommend packing a sturdier stroller rather your light-weight umbrella one.
• The double maze is a great option—you can decide after going through the first maze whether you’re up for the second (but we think you won’t pass on the extra fun!).
• Wizard of Oz-themed items hidden within the maze keep kids (and adults) engaged in the theme and the experience.
• You can follow the map or you can prolong the fun by attempting to find your way through without any navigation help.

PYO Apples, Nectarines, Scavenger Hunts, Garlic, and Bluegrass: New England Fall Events for August 27-31

Hello New Englanders!

We caught a glimpse of the apples
coming along at Carlson Orchards

We’re thrilled to share that even more New England apple orchards are opening up for PYO apple picking this weekend! Early-season apples are what you’ll find - Paula Reds, Ginger Golds, Early Macs, and Zestar top the list.  

Always check with the farm the day-of to see if they are picking as many will begin selling pre-picked before PYO opens up (as you will likely find in southern New England).

When it comes to early picking, Maine’s PYO apples are furthest underway—consider Doles Orchard, Treworgy Family Orchard, and Lakeview Orchard if you live in Maine or are heading up for the long weekend. 

Many New England farms are still
hosting PYO peaches in their orchards

Last weekend after our outing at the Pig n’ Pepper Fest in Westford, MA we couldn’t resist popping by Carlson Orchards in Harvard, MA on the way back. Carlson was still picking peaches and nectarines and they were excited to share that their apple picking kicks off this weekend.

We made a tasty nectarine crisp (recipe posted at the end) and have been swimming in this sweet late-summer fruit all week long—we love having this “problem”.

If you love berries, many local farms are still offering PYO blueberries, raspberries, and soon you’ll find blackberries and the peaches at Carlson Orchards looked spectacular.

We love this welcoming barn sign!

As always, New England Fall Events makes it a snap to find your local or vacation-area orchards. Here are your quick links to the apple picking guides:

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

New England Fall Events allows you to track farm locations on the interactive state maps too… 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.

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

White Church in Fall Foliage
Randolph, NH

Will September set us up for success or failure in our fall foliage search? In the last month or so I've written several articles about everything from, how to make plans in case of rain to what might happen if we get a colder than average September. So far this August we've seen cooler than average temperatures and a decent amount of rain. There's been talk of polar vortexes and even snow in September! 

What are we going to get? Find out the answer here.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for Labor Day Weekend Fun
With the long weekend fast approaching, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of fabulous outdoor activities to help you transition out of summer and into everyone’s favorite season. Here are our recommended activities for Labor Day Weekend:

New England Trail Family Ramble: Scavenger Hunt – FREE
Meriden, CT  Details
Saturday, August 30, 2014

Vermont Garlic and Herb Festival 
Bennington, VT  Details
Saturday and Sunday, August 30-31st, 2014

Labor Day Weekend Festival at Emery Farm 
Durham, NH  Details
Saturday, August 30th, 2014

Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Pairing Class
Haight-Brown Vineyards in Litchfield, CT  Details
Saturday and Sunday  August 30th-31st, 2014

North Branch Bluegrass Festival
Bridgewater, VT   Details
Wednesday-Sunday August 27th - August 31st, 2014

Portland Brew Festival
Portland, ME  Details
Friday and Saturday August 29th – 30th

King Richard's Renaissance Faire
Carver, MA  Details
Saturdays and Sundays - August 30th - October 19th, 2014

Where is New England Fall Events Headed this Weekend?

Escobar Farm's Corn Maze Celebrates
The Wizard of Oz's 75th Anniversary

New England Fall Events will be swinging by Escobar Farm in Portsmouth, RI to experience the Wizard of Oz anniversary corn maze for ourselves! 

Find maze details, prices, hours, special events, and links to directions here. You can save $2 when you print the coupon from Escobar’s page on New England Fall Events.

We hope to see you there too!

Say-Goodbye-to-Summer Nectarine Crisp Recipe
Makes 8 servings.

6 Cups sliced nectarines
1/2 Cup (for fruit) and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (for topping)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼  tsp. salt (for fruit) and ¼ tsp. salt (for topping)
3/4 Cup flour
1/2 Cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ Cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 Tbsp butter (divided into 3 Tbsp cold butter and 3 Tbsp melted butter)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with butter.

Fruit:
Mix together nectarines, ½ cup of brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Transfer into prepared baking dish.

Crumb Topping:
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add 3 Tbsp of cold butter into the flour mixture and pinch crumble together using your fingers until the butter is distributed evenly into crumbs. Sprinkle crumb topping over the fruit and drizzle melted butter over the topping.

Bake for 30 minutes, until fruit is bubbling and topping is crispy and brown. Cool before serving.

Early Apples, Wizard of Oz Maze, Frozen Fun, and Foliage: New England Fall Events for August 22-24

Carlson Orchard, Harvard, MA

Hello New Englanders!

It's the middle of August and apple picking has finally kicked off as well! We know that peaches and raspberries are mostly stealing the PYO show right now but in no time at all it will feel like fall has arrived!

If Paula Reds, Ginger Golds, and Zestar are the apples of your eye then you are in luck because a handful of New England farms are already offering pick-your-own-apples. These crispy, juicy, sometimes tart early season apples are great for eating fresh.

Check out:
Shelburne Orchards and Chapin Orchards in VT both start up next weekend but Easy Pickins in CT, DeMerritt Hill Farm in NH, and Tougas Farm in MA are already serving up some early-season PYO.

Interactive state maps to help you plan

Remember, New England Fall Events has apple picking guides for every state in our region to help you make your plans this fall. You can track farm locations on the interactive state maps too!

Here are your quick links to the apple picking guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

And while we're at it, here are your shortcuts to the maps for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

It's the 75th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz and we can't wait to get down to Portsmouth, RI's own Escobar Farm Corn Maze which has designed their maze this year to celebrate everyone's most treasured movie. Escobar's Corn Maze opens this weekend and they'll be open daily until Labor Day (at which point they shift to a weekend schedule). Find maze details, prices, hours, special events, and links to directions here. Even better, save $2 when you print the coupon from their page on New England Fall Events!

The Sunflower Maze is still going on at Lyman Orchards in CT--they've extended through Aug 28th so swing by soon!

Frozen Movie Weekend in Acushnet, MA

We know how many of you have pint-sized Frozen fanatics living with you so we know you'll never forgive us if we didn't let you know about the Frozen Movie Weekend at The Silverbrook Farm in Acushnet, MA. It's more of a night than a "weekend" so be sure to show up this Saturday, August 23rd. The event begins with the Elsa and Anna meet & greet and the famous Silverbrook Twilight Hayrides which lead up to a movie screening of Frozen at 8:15pm. It's hard to beat the super-affordable admission price of $5 per person! Read up on the Frozen Weekend event details  and visit The Silverbrook Farm page for directions, contact info and more.


Lastly, we're thrilled to announce that New England Fall Events will be working with New England's foremost foliage tracker, prolific blogger, and exceptionally talented photographer Jeff-Foliage to bring you leaf-peeping updates all season long. Jeff's devotion and passion for photography, foliage, and love of New England shines through in his work and we're very happy to connect our autumn-loving readers to his great work all season long. Read up on his latest post with tips on how he plans his fall foliage vacation.

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.

New England Fall Events: The Everything-You-Need Guide to the Best Fall Activities, Festivals, and Events

With the fall season just around the corner, we have been working round the clock to prepare New England Fall Events with the most up-to-date, comprehensive information about New England farms, orchards, seasonal attractions, festivals, and family fun. Along with our companion website Halloween New England, we have you covered for anything and everything you want to do from September to November in our beautiful, beloved region. 

This fall, New Englanders have much to look forward to. Here are some of the highlights you can expect from New England Fall Events:

More. When it comes to planning your fall fun, having all the information you need in one place is essential. That's what we do best. 

CT Apple Picking Guide on
New England Fall Events

Easy. It's a snap to find what you are searching for on New England Fall Events. You already know where you plan to have fun (state) you have your heart set on what you want to do (apple picking) and in two clicks you have all the PYO apple orchards where you can spend a gorgeous Saturday in October right at your fingertips. 

Useful. Every single farm and orchard on New England Fall Events has a unique page with a list of activities and features about their farm along with a map, contact info, and a website, if they have one. You can easily make your plans by using the map and directions in one click right from their farm page.

Maps. Click on the state where you plan to spend your time and you find a map with all the farms and fall attractions available in every New England state. Click on the dot and you've got a link to their farm or orchard page on our website where you can find more info. 

New England Fall Events'
Interactive Attraction Map

Plan well. If you're autumn lovers and road-trippers like us, you spend your September and October fitting in as many fall traditions and seasonal activities as you can during this special time of year. There's just one all-too-short season to squeeze everything in so we understand that it's essential to be able to plan carefully and smartly. We are your planning solution for fitting in a hayride, a pumpkin patch, and a food festival all in one day. Our state attraction maps are the key to helping you know which activities are within driving distance and which you can reasonably accomplish in one afternoon.  

Inspiration. Starting in September we'll send out weekly updates to make sure you know about fall events and special activities coming up for the weekend. Regardless of whether you are a planner or a spontaneous type, we've got your back. Our regular blog posts will give you an inside, on-site experience of different events, festivals, and outings complete with pointers for planning your visit plus extra tips for families. Remember to add your email to the handy "follow us by email" box on the right-hand side of the blog so you won't miss a single What's Coming Up this Weekend planning guide. We'll come right to your inbox...and we promise to never bother you or sell your information.

Sample Farm Page for
Smolak Farms - N. Andover, MA

Focus. New England Fall Events is website highlighting mostly daytime activities. Night owls and thrill seekers will appreciate our companion site Halloween New England. There you will find similarly useful guides and maps to New England night/haunted corn mazes, night/haunted hayrides, haunted houses and trails, ghost tours, Salem attractions, costumes, and Halloween events. Halloween New England is less family-focused yet it's an invaluable tool for families planning which events and tours are suitable for their kids or teens and which attractions are simply held at night and are non-scary. 

Shop Local, Stay Local. When you use New England Fall Events, you are making a conscious choice to support local family farms, small businesses, and enjoy seasonal activities that are the lifeblood of our communities. By choosing your pumpkin from a local farm, by creating new traditions of annual apple picking, or by spending an hour or two in a corn maze, you are helping to sustain your neighbors and community farms.

We always welcome your thoughts and feedback about New England Fall Events. Stay tuned for more updates and weekly recommendations as we round into fall!