The 7 Best Fall Festivals & Halloween Events in America
There’s nothing quite like that bittersweet transition between summer and autumn. While we’re sorry to see the lazy days of summer fall behind us, there’s a uniquely nostalgic feeling that comes with the onset of fall and the incredible autumnal celebrations that come with the changing of the season.
Whether you celebrate fall at a small local event, you’re planning a fall festival of your own, or you travel to one of the major falls festivals in the United States, there is no shortage of fall festivity to choose from. Depending on where you live in the country, you might already be familiar with some of these fantastic fall events:
Salem, Massachusetts
The hometown of the famous witch-trial legacy hosts the Festival of the Dead. 500,000 visitors descend on Salem each October for the event that also includes The Annual Psychic Fair and Witchcraft Expo. Festivities culminate in the heralded Salem Witches’ Halloween Ball at Hawthorne Hotel. Hundreds of ghost seekers gather to “summon the spirits” of Halloween. The macabre activities make Salem’s Festival of the Dead a one-of-a-kind experience.
2. NEBRASKA CITY APPLEJACK FESTIVAL
Nebraska City, Nebraska
If apples are your thing, the Nebraska City AppleJack Festival celebrates the city’s apple harvest. Visit local orchards to pick your own apples, enjoy an abundance of apple treats, and hit up the AppleJam Carnival. Don’t forget the pie-baking contest!
Sleepy Hollow, New York
This is the famed ground of Washington Irving’s timeless legend of the Headless Horseman. The Sleepy Hollow Halloween festival is a month-long event. The New York town is taken over by haunted hayrides, street fairs, parades, and live music. You can take a guided lantern tour through the dark, haunted Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. It’s also Washington Irving’s final resting place and there’s even a crypt for vampire Barnabas Collins. If spooky is your thing, you’ll love this festival!
4. SUN VALLEY HARVEST FESTIVAL
Sun Valley, Idaho
This event is also known as “Foodie Heaven,” and for good reason. The Sun Valley Harvest Festival is all about the best of Sun Valley food and wine featuring celebrity chefs, regional farmers, tastings, and food related activities. There is also a Restaurant Walk to showcase local restaurants, regional fare, and of course wine.
5. THE LOUISVILLE ZOO HALLOWEEN PARTY
Louisville, Kentucky
Did you know that the event deemed the “World’s Largest Halloween Party” takes place at Kentucky’s Louisville Zoo? The zoo is transformed for the annual Halloween party and unlike some other Halloween events, this one is family friendly and more charming than frightening. Kids can trick-or-treat alongside the zoo animals, there are famous film characters present for photographs, and the Headless Horseman makes an annual appearance every year.
6. CRANBERRY HARVEST CELEBRATION
Wareham, Massachusetts
Fall isn’t just about apple and pumpkins, it’s about cranberries too! Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts cranberry growers gather each year for the Cranberry Harvest Celebration in Wareham. In addition to the festivities, visitors can buy fresh cranberries and freeze them to use while making their Thanksgiving feast.
Los Angeles, California
If a street party is more your style, head to Santa Monica Boulevard for the West Hollywood Carnaval, the world’s largest Halloween street party. 500,000 people fill the streets in creative costumes and the popular “Queen of the Carnaval” includes the annual reigning of a celebrity queen. There are six stages with 50+ music acts not to mention the events at each of the trendy bars and clubs that line the street.
When running your own fall festival or Halloween event, you’ll need tickets for a variety of uses. From Halloween themed tickets for entry to a local Haunted House, raffle or roll tickets, wristbands for age verification and DIY Halloween posters, Worldwide Ticketcraft offers the full gamut of event products to meet your festival needs. No matter what type or size of event you’re planning, from small budget DIY plans to large-scale festivals, you’ll find the items you’ll need to ensure that your event goes smoothly.
Fall is a wonderful time to come together with friends and family and enjoy the harvest and the changing of the season. Whether it’s spooky Halloween, the changing of the colors, or the tasty fall foods, enjoy your autumn and make the most of your local fall events.
EventD8 