Festivals and Events
Sam Mazza’s Harvest Festival
This harvest festival located at Sam Mazza’s has family fun for all! This year they have TWO dates to choose from: Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 12. Pony rides, petting zoo, pumpkin painting, fall games and the corn maze, plus delicious food and treats.
Stowe Oktoberfest
This event on Saturday, October 4 is held in Stowe’s Jackson area. The Bavarian Festival has German food, pumpkin and face painting, fun music and activities for all!
Harvest Weekend at Billings Farm and Museum
This event on Saturday, October 11 and Sunday, October 12 is held at Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock, VT. There is a husking bee at noon followed by a traditional barn dance from 1-4pm. There are hands on kid’s activities such as helping to press cider, preserve apples, make butter and ice cream, as well as 19th century games, shelling corn and beans, and more!
Charlotte Tractor Parade
This event on October 12 is fun for all! The parade has over 200 tractors from all over Vermont, along with local music, animals, rope making, free games for children and farmer’s market. The event runs from 11-5pm.
Trunk or Treating at North Beach in Burlington
This event on Saturday, October 18 is sure to be fun! Grab the family and head to North Beach, hitch a hayride down to the campground area, and then do some trunk or treating. This event is from 1-4pm.
Maze by Moonlight at Fort Ticonderoga
This event on Saturday, October 18 from 7-10pm at Fort Ticonderoga allows you to explore the 6 acre corn maze using your flashlight! There is a fun game where you search for hidden stations in the maze to complete a challenge.
Haunted Forest
This Halloween tradition is located in the woods of Catamount Family Center in Williston. It combines Halloween, community and theater! Shows start on Thursday, October 23rd and go through Saturday, October 25.
Fall Pumpkin Fest at Maple Street Park
This fun fall festival on Saturday, October 25 is held at Maple Street Park. There will be delicious food, music, fun pumpkin crafts, story telling by the fire, and a pumpkin lighting ceremony at 6pm. The event starts at 4:30pm.
Haunted Happenings at Shelburne Museum
This fun event at Shelburne Museum allows your kids to do some trick or treating around the Museum grounds. Get them dressed up in their costumes and bring a bag to do some candy collecting! This event is on October 26 from 10-1pm.
Night Before Halloween Family Party at University Mall
This event is on Thursday, October 30 at University Mall. This event is intended for ages 2-12 and starts at 4:30 with fun family activities and then trick or treating from store to store. The event ends at 7pm.
Apple Picking
Shelburne Orchards
This beautiful orchard sits right on Lake Champlain in Shelburne. Besides apple picking, they have some of the most delicious cider donuts I’ve ever tasted plus a fun play area for kids with a rope swing.
Chapin Orchards
This orchard in Essex is fun for the whole family. I love that they have wagons that you can use for picking apples (great if you have little ones with you), and this orchard also has wonderful views with the mountains as your backdrop. They are open 7 days a week from 9:30-5:30 and have fun wagon rides on the weekends.
Allenholm Farm
This orchard in South Hero is great for families with small children. They have a fun farm/play yard area where you can feed the animals. They also have a store full of treats, including delicious maple creemees in the summer and cider donuts in the fall.
Hackett’s Orchard
Another orchard in South Hero, this one has amazing cider donuts and apple pies! You can pick your own apples, play on their playground, and shop their farm stand. They also have a tractor that takes you out to the orchard- super fun for kids!
Adam’s Orchard
This apple orchard located in Williston has the beautiful green mountains in their backyard. They have a great market where you can find all kinds of Vermont products as well as pick your own apples. It is open daily from 10-5pm.
Corn Mazes
Sam Mazza’s Corn Maze
This is a must visit for fall! They have a great 3.2 mile corn maze that will thoroughly entertain the kiddos. You can pick up some yummy baked goods before you begin the maze to increase your stamina and endurance.
Percy’s Corn Maze
This is a great corn maze for older children, as the corn is very high and the maze can be somewhat complex. It takes an average of 45 minutes to complete and there are 2 options; easy and challenging. It is open daily from 11-5pm and is located in Stowe.
Great Vermont Maze
If you’re looking for a good maze to get lost in, how about one of the Top 10 Maze Attractions in America? Located on a dairy farm in North Danville (think almost to St.Johnsbury), the maze is completely new every year and this is their 16th year! Along with the maze you can enjoy the barnyard animals, their haunted attraction, and yummy fall food. Check out their website for more details, they even have a coupon for admission.
Isham Family Farm Corn and Sunflower Maze
This corn and sunflower maze will provide some fun as your family gets lost together! Isham Farm is located in Williston and has other fun activities such as pick your own pumpkins and hayrides.
Pumpkin Patches
Sam Mazza’s Pumpkin Patch
Sam Mazza’s have wagons that take you out to their pumpkin patch where you can pick your own pumpkins. This is a great annual fall activity that the family will love!
Isham Family Farm
Isham Farm has over 2 acres of pumpkins that can be picked. Pumpkins are sold according to size, not weight, and they often have hayrides available for pumpkin pickers.
Leaf Peeping
Smuggler’s Notch Drive
One of our favorite drives is Route 108 through Smuggler’s Notch. This drive during fall is like none other and will leave you speechless at times. We will often make this a whole day trip including a few stops in Waterbury/Stowe and then heading down Route 108.
Hiking Mt. Philo
This hike any time of year is beautiful, but especially during fall. The sweeping views offer some great leaf peeping, and Mt. Philo is a great, easy hike for families and kids of all ages.
Day Trips
Cold Hollow Cider Mill
This is a great, family friendly stop and a must during fall. Munch on some delicious cider donuts or apple treats, drink some delicious apple cider, see how apple cider is made, and snap some fun family photos in their wooden signs. Fun for all!
Stowe Bike Path
The bike path in Stowe is great fun in summer, but wonderful in the fall. Grab the family and your bikes and head to Stowe for the day. Bike the path that winds it’s way through Stowe, enjoy the beautiful views, and maybe even enjoy a picnic lunch in one of those beautiful spots!
