The 8 Best Fall Festivals In Northern California For 2023 Will Put You In The Autumnal Spirit
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Kate Freeman
Author
Welcome in fall by attending one (or more!) of the many fall festivals taking place in the next several months in Northern California. The 2023 line-up of harvest and fall festivals is pretty impressive! No matter where you live in Northern California, chances are there is at least one fall festival not far from you. At these fall-themed festivals you can count on seeing scarecrows, pumpkin patches, and other autumn scenes. So charge into this beautiful season by attending some of the best fall festivals in Northern California!
Amador Flower Farm, 22001 Shenandoah School Rd, Plymouth, CA 95669, USA
The Amador Flower Farm hosts many events, but one of the prettiest is Fall Fun Days Festival. Taking place on September 23-24, this autumn festival on a flower farm will have a hay bale maze, farm animals, a pumpkin patch, and free tram rides. And since it’s a flower farm, any gardeners in your group can watch demonstrations by plant experts and purchase some fall bulbs to plant at home.
Oakhurst Community Park, 49044 Civic Cir, Oakhurst, CA 93644, USA
If you're in the Central Valley and searching, "fall festivals near me," you might have heard about this one! Enjoy three days of fall fun on Oct 6-8 at Oakhurst Community Park. This small town festival is a big event for locals. At the Oakhurst Fall Festival, visitors can enjoy music, shop local vendors, and enjoy food, plus wine and beer from local establishments. This three day event also has amusement park rides, face painting, and plenty of fun activities and games for the whole family.
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Fortuna, CA, USA
Everyone in Fortuna comes out for this big fall festival and it’s just so much fun! It seems as if the entire town of Fortuna gets involved in this festival, which takes place on October 7. The Fortuna Apple Harvest Festival starts at 10 a.m. with activities such as apple tasting and continues all day and evening. Eat caramel apples, listen to live music, shop the massive street fair, and enjoy so much good food. End the day at the festival’s themed skate night, starting at 6:30 p.m. Book a VRBO in Fortuna, or the nearby Ferndale, so you can enjoy the festival well into the evening without having to journey far to get home.
Dublin Heritage Park & Museums, 6600 Donlon Way, Dublin, CA 94568, USA
This one-day festival is where you want to be for a day of good old-fashioned family fun. The Harvest Fair takes place on October 7 at Dublin Heritage Park & Museums. For those looking for fall events near San Francisco, this festival is not far. There will be so many activities to partake in: gold panning, wagon rides, petting zoo, pumpkin golf, pumpkin ring toss, hay bale maze, butter churning, and more!
Manteca, CA, USA
This year will be the 38th year of this annual pumpkin festival. The Manteca Pumpkin Fair is presented by the Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis. This fall festival near Stockton takes place October 7-8, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free and this event supports local nonprofit groups.
Elk Grove Park, 6727 Laguna Park Dr, Elk Grove, CA 95758, USA
The city of Elk Grove has a lot of fun festivals throughout the year, but this one might take the cake. The Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival, taking place October 7-8, is a massive event with carnival rides, three stages of entertainment, a pumpkin patch, food truck vendors, and of course, the giant pumpkin contest. Definitely check out the massive pumpkins at this fest– last year’s winner was a whopping 1,886.5 pounds! Admission is free and parking is $10. This fall festival near Sacramento is one you don't want to miss!
Half Moon Bay, CA, USA
Half Moon Bay is home to the original giant pumpkin festival. Growers have been bringing their giant pumpkins to this charming beach town for years to compete in this nationwide competition, which takes place before the festival. The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, on October 14-15, will have a costume contest, a pie eating contest, and plenty of other contests and games to enjoy. Of course, the giant pumpkins will be on display for festival-goers to view. Visitors can also enjoy lots of food and drink, entertainment, local art, and more. Enjoy everything autumn at this popular fall festival near San Francisco.
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Ukiah, CA 95482, USA
Experience Ukiah’s PumpkinFest on October 14-15. PumpkinFest will feature the winners from the giant pumpkin contest that is held on October 13. In addition to the giant pumpkins, you can really get into the fall spirit at the haunted house or in “scarecrow city”. Enjoy rides, tournaments, contests, plus a food court and beer and wine garden.
There are so many small-town fall-themed events this year:
- The 44th Annual Durham Harvest Festival on September 17
- Fall Fiesta at the Children’s Museum of Stockton on September 23
- The 9th Annual Apple Harvest Festival in McCloud on October 14.
- Root’s Harvest Festival in Roseville on October 22.
Plan some time to enjoy fall at one of these best fall festivals in Northern California and really make the most of the season!
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