5 Fall Activities That Will Leaf You Smiling
With the autumn equinox behind us, it’s time to usher in the new season with fun activities meant to celebrate this glorious season. Whether you prefer sitting by a roaring fire or going on a leaf-peeping adventure, fall is the time to do it!
Here are our picks for the best fall activities, plus smattering festivals and holidays:
Visit a pumpkin patch
Nothing says “fall” quite like a pumpkin patch. A member of the squash family and native to North America, pumpkins have been consumed for thousands of years. Commonly used as decoration, pumpkins are also a nourishing fruit (yes, pumpkins are a fruit), that are an excellent source of Vitamin A. Visit a pumpkin patch and pick out the perfect pumpkin for Halloween, eating or both!
Do a fall-themed craft
As the weather begins to turn cool and crisp, you’ll want to spend more time indoors. Make staying in fun with a craft! Turn pinecones into a beautiful fall centerpiece, make a homemade Halloween costume, carve a pumpkin or make a wreath from multi-colored leaves. Let your imagination run wild.
Go apple picking
Apple harvest is in full swing, so now is the perfect time to visit an orchard and pick your own delicious apples. There are over 2,500 different kinds of apples grown in the U.S., so you’ll have no problem finding an orchard near you. Pick as many as you like to eat on their own, baked into apple pie or cooked into applesauce.
See fall foliage
While long summer days may be behind us, fall is still a wonderful time to enjoy the great outdoors. Go on a fall foliage adventure to see incredible leaves changing color. If you have a little more time, rent a cabin and spend the weekend in nature and doing all things fall-related. If you’re lucky enough to live near a national park, go on a hike to soak in all the beauty.
Want to go to some fall festivals? Check out some of these popular ones that happen yearly:
Oktoberfest: held every fall from mid-September to early October, is a joyful celebration of beer and Bavarian culture. While the main festivities are held in Munich, plenty of cities and towns in the U.S. hold their own Oktoberfest celebrations. Find a local brewery near you or gather friends and family for beer and brats at your home. The Cincinnati Oktoberfest, with more than 575,000 people attendees each year, is the largest in the U.S.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: If soaring over the Rio Grande Valley in a hot air balloon sounds like your idea of heaven, this festival is for you. Held every October, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta draws visitors for spectacular hot air balloon rides, music, chainsaw carving, fireworks, and camping.
Autumn at the Arboretum: Where else can you see 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash arranged in a whimsical fashion? This festival, held every year at the Dallas Arboretum, makes a run for America’s favorite pumpkin festival with its magical displays. This year, the theme is “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
Trailing Of The Sheep Festival: Celebrate all things sheep at the Trailing Of The Sheep Festival, held every year in the Wood River Valley in Idaho. The festival seeks to preserve Idaho’s long sheep-herding history, and the main event is the Big Sheep Parade in which 1,500 sheep trail down Main Street in Ketchum. The festival also includes cooking and knitting demos, live music, folk dancing, and sheepdog trials.
Don’t forget to mark down these fall holidays in your calendar:
Rosh Hashanah Sept. 29 - Oct. 1
Rosh Hashanah, known as the Jewish New Year, is a time for personal renewal and atonement. Hear the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn, before sitting down for a feast. On the Rosh Hashanah table, you will find dishes like brisket and tzimmes, a stew of carrots and dried fruit, and apples and honey, meant to symbolize the sweetness of the New Year.
Halloween Oct. 31
Halloween is the time to don your wackiest costume or stock up candy to giving out to trick-or-treaters. Since no kid or adult will appreciate carrots in their trick-or-treat bag, go easy on yourself this one day and indulge!
Thanksgiving Nov. 28
Gather friends and family for a Thanksgiving feast they won’t forget. Dust off your old cookbooks and bookmark old favorites or find new ones. Prep ahead as much as you can so you can spend Thanksgiving Day enjoying time with family or catching the big game. Holidays shouldn’t be stressful, so don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
What is your favorite fall activity? Let us know!
