The first day of fall was last weekend and already the season is off to a promising start. In addition to vibrant colors, the new season also ushers in a new set of events to look forward to. Chief among those are fall festivals.
From crafts to apple cider to children’s activities, these festivals truly have it all for a family friendly outing.
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Friday Fall Festival in Hanover
4-6:30 p.m.
Storrs Pond Recreation Area, 59 Oak Hill Drive.
Games, crafts, food, face painting and entertainment. Hosted by Hanover Parks and Recreation. Free. 603-640-3305.
SaturdayFall Festival in Pike
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Upper Valley Stewardship Center, 2719 Mt. Moosilauke Highway.
A day of family activities, including pony rides, horse-drawn wagon tours, a ropes course with a zip line, farm displays, live animals and interactive exhibits. Other events include cider making, pumpkin carving, birdhouse building and games. Free lunch will be served from noon to 1 p.m., with apple crisp and ice cream for dessert. Free coffee and cold drinks will be available all day. Free. 603-348-0833.
Pumpkin and Apple
Celebration in Woodstock
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-50 p.m.
Billings Farm & Museum, 69 Old River Road.
Hands-on programs highlight these two essential fall crops, including apple tasting, cider pressing, pumpkin bowling, apples-on-a-string, making pumpkin and apple ice cream, and cooking apple butter, along with wagon rides. $4-$16. 802-457-2355.
Sunday19th Century Apple and Cheese
Harvest Festival in Strafford
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Justin Morrill State Historic Site, 214 Morrill Memorial Highway.
The Justin Morrill State Historic Site hosts a harvest festival, featuring face-painting and live music by Out on a Limb. Meet live farm animals of the kind that Justin Morrill would have had on his small 19th-century farm. Other activities include cider-making in an antique press; tastings of heirloom apples, artisan Vermont cheeses, Vermont ice cream and homemade apple pie; period games; hiking and Valley Quest. The historic site includes gardens, exhibits, an icehouse, ice pond and a historic home decorated with gingerbread designs. $10 for adults, $5 for under 15 (includes lunch). 802-765-4288.
Oct. 6Apple Festival and Craft Show in Springfield, Vt.
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Riverside Middle School, 13 Fairground Road.
More than 60 vendors, including crafters from all over Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
Includes pony rides, apple cider making, a farmers market, kids’ races and a pie-eating contest. Organized by the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. Free admission. 802-885-2779.
Harvest Weekend in
Woodstock
Oct. 6 and 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Billings Farm & Museum, 69 Old River Road.
A traditional Vermont harvest celebration, with a husking bee and barn dance, cider pressing, root vegetable harvest, “putting food by” and more. Hot spiced cider and doughnuts available. $4-$6. 802-457-2355.
Anything Apple Harvest
Fest in Tunbridge
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tunbridge Town Hall, 279 Route 110.
Soup and sandwiches, apple foods for eat-in and takeout, a silent auction of goods and services, apple pie judging and lawn activities. Proceeds benefit the Tunbridge Church Parish House restoration fund. Free admission. 802-889-5528.
Autumn Moon Festival in Windsor
4-9 p.m.
Main Street, downtown.
Food and craft vendors, kid zone, Cirque de Light fire dancers, a caricature artist, face painting, Dylan Tenney magic show, live music by About Gladys, a beer garden and an educational program by the Discovery Wildlife Center (more information at weecocenter.com).
The evening ends with a fireworks display. 50/50 raffle and prize tickets are on sale now. Visit facebook.com/autumnmoonfestival/ for details. Free admission. 802-674-5156.
Oct. 7Pumpkin Festival in Thetford
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center, 225 Pavilion Road.
Wagon rides, cider pressing, pumpkin picking, live music, storytelling, kids’ activities, face painting, birds of prey demonstrations by VINS and local food concessions.
Visit cedarcirclefarm.org/pumpkin-festival for a schedule of events. Rain or shine. No pets. Carpooling encouraged. $10-$15 for parking. 802-785-4737.
Oct. 13Fall Festival in Charlestown
Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, 7 a.m.
Various locations around Charlestown.
Kids activities, face painting, craft fair, a cornhole tournament, music, games, pie eating contest, hay rides and more. Parking is available on Main Street. Charlestown Rotary hosts a breakfast at Charlestown Town Hall on Summer Street at 7 a.m. ($8 per person). A disc golf tournament takes place at 10 a.m. at Patch Park on Douglas Street, off Route 11. Register that day or preregister at the town office. The fee is $10 a person. Concessions will be available.
From 10 a.m. to noon, the Charlestown Area PTA hosts a pumpkin carving and decorating event. The PTA will supply the pumpkins (while supplies last); bring carving utensils and decorating materials.
At 7 p.m., the River Theater Company presents The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the Fort at No. 4. Visit the website for details and tickets: fortat4.org. The festival is hosted by the Charlestown Recreation Department. 603-680-0312.
Fall Festival in Vershire
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Vershire Town Center, Vershire Center Road.
Soups with wood-fired breads, press-your-own apple cider, apple pie and fall centerpiece contests, raffles, a community yard sale and Vershire Library’s fall book sale. Free admission. 802-685-4448.
Oct. 14Cider Festival in Enfield
Noon-4 p.m.
Enfield Shaker Museum, 447 Route 4A.
Includes a variety of New England-crafted artisanal, hard and natural ciders, locally harvested apples, home-baked apple pies, artisan cheeses, live music, pop-up farmer’s market, children’s activities, food trucks, museum tours and cider pressing. $5-$25. 603-632-4346.
October Festival in
West Fairlee
10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
New Horizons Animal Sanctuary of Vermont, 1478 Blood Brook Road.
Raffles, local vendors, pumpkin carving, games for kids, a petting zoo, trail rides, yoga, face painting, food and more. Proceeds benefit New Horizons Animal Sanctuary. 802-291-1327.
Oct. 26White River Fall Festival in White River Junction
6-8:30 p.m.
Riverbank Church, 259 Holiday Drive.
Trunk-or-treat, pony rides, bounce houses, face painting, an outdoor movie and more. Food available for purchase. Free. 603-359-6063.