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.