Pirates in CT, Cranberry Day, Pet Weekend, Sunset Kayaking, Pumpkins Aglow, Scavenger Hunts and More: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Sept 28-Oct 4

The grand staircase mural at the
Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, CT

The weekend weather couldn't have been dreamed up any better than we've had in recent weeks! Honestly, Mother Nature has been very very good to us lately and we hope that she will continue to bestow this crisp, cool, sunny weather as long as possible!

New England Fall Events has been taking full advantage of every moment of the season with the many outdoor festivals and events that we've circled on our calendar. We reminded yet again how lucky we are to enjoy celebrate this time of year and how much is right at our fingertips.

More PYO Apples varieties! And (some) Honey Crisps

Apple Picking at George Hill Orchards

Every day brings updates of more apple varieties ready for pick-your-own harvesting. There are a number of farms that have opted out of PYO this year and even a few farms that didn't have any luck with their apple crop. It may take a little extra digging to find exactly which varieties are picking at a given orchard but we have links to contact info for every PYO orchard in New England so don't be afraid to get in touch with them.

Although some New Englanders have been picking the ever popular Honey Crisps this past week, they are nearing the end of that variety soon. The good news is there are PLENTY of other varieties to look for at this time of year!

Look for McIntosh, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Jonagolds to top the list at most places. Some orchards such as Easy Pickins in CT have Macoun, Macs, Cortland and even still have PYO raspberries and (limited) fall blueberries! Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell, MA has you covered with apples, mums, pumpkins, donuts and everything else you think of when it turns to fall. 

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. As picking conditions and crop availability is fluid, always check with the farm before heading out.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun.
With the number of fun and charming events and festivals going every weekend it keeps getting harder to whittle down our Top Picks to just a handful. Thankfully, these are just a few of the many terrific events listed on every New England state’s Fall & Activities guide and Food & Harvest Festival Guide.

Here are our recommended activities for September 28-October 4, 2016

The Big E
West Springfield, MA     Click for details
Wednesday through Tuesday, September 28th-October 2nd, 2016
Plan ahead with New England Fall Events' essential "Complete Guide to The Big E"

Sunset Kayak at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
Edgartown, MA        Click for details
Wednesday, September 28th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events.

Art In the Orchard at Park Hill Orchard
Easthampton, MA        Click for details
Wednesday through Sunday, September 28 - October 23, 2016

Linden Place Museum Scavenger Hunt
Bristol, RI        Click for details
Wednesday through Saturday, September 28 - October 1st

Peacham VT Fall Foliage Festival 
Peacham, VT        Click for details
Thursday, September 29th, 2016

Stargazing Night  at Frosty Drew Observatory
Charlestown, RI        Click for details
Friday, September 30th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events.

Topsfield Fair
Topsfield, MA        Click for details
Friday through Tuesday September 30th - October 4th, 2016

Moonlight Tours of the Mansion at the Gore Place
Waltham, MA        Click for details
Friday, September 30th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events.

RocktoberFest Vermont
Morrisville, VT        Click for details
Saturday, October 1st, 2016

Nature's Open House - Fairy House Tour

Farmington, CT        Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd, 2016

Maine Fall Foliage Kayak Tour
Freeport, ME        Click for details
Saturday, October 2nd, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events.

King Richard's Renaissance Faire
Carver, MA        Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd, 2016
Read about our visit to KRF and find faire-going tips in
"King Richard's Renaissance Faire Offers Costumed Charm and Good Cheer"

Cape Cod Cranberry Day
East Sandwich, MA        Click for details
Saturday, October 1st, 2016

Exeter Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival 
Exeter, NH        Click for details
Saturday, October 1st, 2016

Taking the Mystery Out of Mushrooming
Smithfield, RI        Click for details
Saturday, October 1st, 2016

Pet Weekend at the CT Renaissance Faire
North Haven, CT         Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd, 2016
Click for more Dog-friendly Fall Events.
Click for Dog-friendly Apple Orchards.

Pumpkins Aglow at Edaville USA
Carver, MA         Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd, 2016

Mystic CT Pirate Invasion
Mystic, CT         Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd, 2016

Day of the Dead Scavenger Hunt and Party in the Pines
Taunton, MA         Click for details
Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

Halloween Party for Individuals with Autism and their Families
Warren, RI         Click for details
Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival
Tunbridge, VT          Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd, 2016

Trot for Special Tots 5K Race & 1-mile Fun Run/Walk
Andover, MA          Click for details
Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

NH Food Truck Festival
Portsmouth, NH          Click for details
Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

East Hill Farm's Oktoberfest Dinner with Oompah Music
Troy, NH         Click for details
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events

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.
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.

Tomatoes, Weirdos, Moose Festival, Mad Hatter Tea, Field to Fork Dinner, Mini Makers, Food Trucks, and more: New England Fall Events Top Picks for August 24th-30th, 2016

Hello New Englanders!

September is knocking on our door and as autumn-lovers, we say, yes please! It's hard not to wake up feeling refreshed after a good night of sleeping with the windows open--don't you agree?

Blueberries, Raspberries, Tomatoes, and (Early) Apples

If you are a fruit-lover, you'll be happy to read that many places are currently offering PYO raspberries but only a handful still are picking PYO blueberries. We can't get enough and love to freeze bagfuls to tie us over through the New England winter when we just crave a taste of late-summer.

Though many folks are gobbling up the tomato harvest while we are in the peak of it, we admit we're also thrilled to see more New England apple orchards opening up for PYO apple picking with each and every day--hooray!

It's just the beginning of apple season so the early varieties you'll find right now include Ginger Golds, Paula Reds, Jersey Macs, Pristines, and  Zestar. Northern New England farms like Maine's McDougal Orchards are already picking apples while others such as Vermont's Shelburne Orchards start PYO this weekend. 

It's always good practice to check with the farm the day-of to see if they are picking--especially since some orchards will begin selling pre-picked before pick-your-own fully ripens. 

New England Fall Events' Guide to local PYO Apple Orchards makes it easy to find contact info, maps, directions, and farm features for planning a memorable and visit. Here are links to our state apple picking guides: Connecticut, Maine,Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

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

The Fall Event Season is Only Just Getting Started!

We can't resist pointing out that the delicious and delightful Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival in Granby, MA is coming up this Saturday too! New England Fall Events stopped by for a visit last year and what a feast for the eyes and taste buds. Read about our visit: "Red Fire Farm Delivers a Colorful and Tasty Festival for All"

As August wraps up, check out several local Balloon Festivals vying for your attention this month. This week it's the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest--a multi-day affair--and the Hot-Air Balloon Festival and Crafts Show in Plainville, CT.

Great news! We recently updated our ever popular Guide to Dog-Friendly Events in New England to reflect 2016 events this fall. If you have a beloved pooch or two that you would love to share the season with, please check out dozens of wonderful, worthwhile dog-friendly events.

Check out our Fall Guide to Moonlight and Sunset Events happening across New England this season.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for August 24th-August 30th, 2016

With the long weekend still a week away, you’ll be happy to know that there still are plenty of fabulous outdoor activities to help you ease out of summer and into our beloved autumn.

From Field to Fork - A Late-Summer Crop Dinner at Verrill Farm
Concord, MA    Click for details.
Wednesday, August 24th, 2016

Sunset River Kayak
Harwich, MA   Click for details
Wednesday, August 24th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events

Night Hike at Wells Reserve
Wells ME    Click for details

Wednesday, August 24th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events

Crown of Maine Balloon Fest
Presque Isle, ME    Click for details
Thursday August 25th - Sunday, August 28th, 2016

North Country Moose Festival
Colebrook, NH and Canaan, VT   Click for details
Friday and Saturday, August 26th & 27th, 2016

Hot Air Balloon Festival and Crafts Show
Plainville, CT      Details

Friday through Sunday, August 26th-28th, 2016

Tomato Festival at Red Fire Farm
Granby, MA  Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016
Read about our visit: "Red Fire Farm Delivers a Colorful and Tasty Festival for All"

WeirdoFest
Plainfield, VT    Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Stockbridge, MA   Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Taking the Mystery Out of Mushrooming
Exeter, RI   Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Dover Mini Maker Faire
Dover, NH    Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Paws for a Cause - FREE
Freeport, ME    Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016
Click for more dog-friendly fall events.

Cape Cod Food Truck Festival
East Falmouth, MA    Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Brew at the Zoo
Providence, RI   Click for details.
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Wells Maine Annual Chili-Fest
Wells, ME   Click for details.
Saturday, August 27th 2016

Starry Night: Planets, Stars and More with Arunah Hill
Windsor, MA     Click for details
Saturday, August 27th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events

Plymouth Waterfront Festival - FREE
Plymouth, MA   Click for details.
Saturday, August 27th, 2016

Dog Days at the Maple Street Pool
Essex Junction, VT    Click for details
Sunday, August 28th, 2016
Click for more dog-friendly fall events.

Let Freedom Ring Tour at Canterbury Shaker Village
Canterbury NH      Click for details
Sunday, August 28th, 2016

Annual Mozart Festival
Woodstock, VT       Click for details
Sunday, August 28th, 2016

BBQ Pulled Pork Competition at Alyson's Orchard
Walpole, NH    Click for details
Sunday, August 28th, 2016

Remember, always double check with fall event hosts before heading out in case the events are adjusted for weather.