Alabama
Boaz October Harvest Festival, Boaz
The Boaz October Harvest Festival celebrates all things autumn against a backdrop of food vendors and antique cars in historic downtown Boaz. Don’t miss the annual MoonPie-eating contest.
Alaska
Fall Family Fun, Palmer
The Last Frontier’s most iconic animal (reindeer!) is in the spotlight each year at the Reindeer Farm’s fall fest. Festivities include a hay bale maze and potato launching. Pick a pumpkin right out of the patch, too.
Arizona
The Arizona Harvest Fest & Open Air Market, Chandler
Each year, this Phoenix ‘burb hosts a bustling farmers market at its fall fest, but you’ll also find a pie-eating contest (Inspired to bake a pie? Here are 50 pie recipes.), vendors selling products for home cooks, and a cakewalk, too.
Arkansas
Fall Festival Tradin’ Days, Van Buren
Cute and quaint Van Buren hosts its annual fall fest on Historic Main Street, with antique vendors, a flea market and live music complementing local foods for sale. Be sure not to miss these commonly overlooked thrift store items that are worth tons of cash.
California
Lemon Festival, Goleta
Love lemons? Then you’ll want to head to Goleta for the California Lemon Festival, with lemon pie and locally brewed lemonade for sale. For lemon lovers who aren’t local to the area, don’t miss these irresistible lemon desserts.
Colorado
Mountain Harvest Festival, Paonia
From free farm and winery tours to music by Western Slope artists—and even a vegan potluck—this delightful small town puts on a big show for its Mountain Harvest Festival.
Connecticut
Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival, Bethlehem
Learning to cook with garlic and buying bulbs from food vendors are just two activities at the annual Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival. A garlic-infused food court includes garlic ice cream and other delicacies. (Psst! Attention, all garlic lovers: We’ve got the best recipes for you.)
Delaware
Harvest Moon Festival, Greenville
Coverdale Farm Preserve and the Delaware Nature Society celebrate sustainability at the annual Harvest Moon Festival, rounded out with food trucks selling autumn-ripe cuisine and pumpkin patches to explore.
Florida
Harvest Fest, Ocala
Apple butter, grilled ears of corn and other fall foods join live music (on two stages) at Harvest Fest in downtown Ocala. Get in the mood for fall with our best dinners, sides, dessert and more to celebrate the season.
Georgia
Fall Fest, Dallas
High Country goes haute with a mix of performing artists, bluegrass and DJs joining local food and craft vendors at this fall festival, sponsored by the Paulding Fine Arts Association.
Hawaii
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Kona District, Hawaii
The fall means coffee harvest along the west coast of the Big Island. Farm tours, art exhibits, barista demonstrations and a coffee farmers marketplace are just a few of the activities each year at this festival. Psst! Did you know Taste of Home has its own line of coffee? Try our signature roasts.
Idaho
Fall Harvest Festival, Boise
Check out stunning flowers and sample fall foods at the same time at Fall Harvest Festival, hosted at the Idaho Botanical Garden. Choose your own pumpkin to take home from the upper vegetable garden.
Illinois
Harvest Day, Chicago
This one-day festival at Garfield Park Conservatory on Chicago’s West Side features tastings of Chicago-made honey, tips on harvesting organic fruits and vegetables, and lessons on composting.
Indiana
Nut Club Fall Festival, Evansville
One of the country’s largest street festivals, Nut Club Fall Festival typically features 120-some food booths. In years past, offerings have included street food delicacies like apple cider slushies, deep-fried Nutella turnovers and Pronto Pups. Can’t make the trip? Try these food truck copycat recipes instead.
Iowa
Kalona Fall Festival, Kalona
Immerse yourself in this Mennonite community’s annual Kalona Fall Festival. Food served at the fest includes apple fritters (see our copycat recipe here), biscuits and gravy, and ice cream.
Kansas
Spinach Festival, Lenexa
Once considered the world capital for these leafy greens, Lenexa still celebrates that crown, with festival activities like constructing the world’s largest spinach salad as well as cooking demos. Do your spinach dishes need a makeover? Consult these recipes.
Kentucky
Trigg County Country Ham Festival, Cadiz
OK, so we know ham doesn’t quite fit the bill of fresh fall produce, but we couldn’t help but mentioning this down-home country fest. Each year, partygoers flock to the event for carnival rides, pig racing, and slice after slice of Trigg County country ham. Mmm...ham.
Louisiana
Louisiana Pecan Festival, Colfax
Locally harvested pecans are in the spotlight during this festival, which annually crowns a Pecan Queen. Even if you’re not in the pecan royal family, you can still taste and buy pecans in the country store or pecan house.
Maine
Maine Harvest Festival, Bangor
This indoor festival focuses on small producers and their harvest bounty, from apples to potatoes. Past events have included a two-crusted apple-pie baking contest. Yum!
Maryland
Hops & Harvest Festival, Columbia
Brewing beer is huge in Maryland, and the annual Hops & Harvest Festival celebrates just that. Regional bacon, BBQ, crepes and food from local creameries are also featured in this boozy foodie event.
Massachusetts
Cranberry Harvest Celebration, Plymouth
Cranberry production in Massachusetts is as linked to the state’s history as whaling and crabbing are. Tour a cranberry bog at the Cranberry Harvest Celebration and see how cranberries are harvested. Inspired to bake with cranberries? Browse these ideas.
Michigan
Harvest & Wine Festival, New Buffalo
Along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, craft beer, ciders and wines thrive. Learn how to pair these with local treats like caramel apples (check out this recipe), Amish-made cheeses, and locally made honey and jams at the festival.
Minnesota
Twin Cities Harvest Festival, Brooklyn Park
Minnesota’s largest corn maze and a corn pit (filled with corn kernels) are stars of the Twin Cities Harvest Festival in the ‘burb of Brooklyn Park. Chow down on caramel apples and apple cider, too.
Mississippi
Harvest Festival, Jackson
For history and agriculture fans, this fest features live historic demos of some of Mississippi’s most lucrative industries, including sugar cane and cotton, while the General Store will sell snacks with local roots. The Harvest Festival is hosted at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum.
Missouri
Harvest Festival, St. Louis
This city along the Mississippi River is home to Harvest Festival at Laumeier Sculpture Park, organized by local food magazine Sauce. A farmers market, restaurants and bakers make sure you don’t leave hungry.
Montana
Kootenai Harvest Fest, Libby
Farm-to-fork is a large focus of this harvest celebration, including grass-fed beef burgers (learn some tricks on making perfect burgers) and loads of other seasonal foods sold by vendors.
Nebraska
The Plattsmouth Harvest Festival, Plattsmouth
Corn is this region’s most-loved product, and that’s just one of the items you can eat at the Plattsmouth Harvest Festival. Love corn? Enter the fest’s famed corn-eating contest.
Nevada
Fall Festival, Pahrump
Carnival rides and the rodeo are big draws, but foodies will want to head to the Fall Festival at Pahrump, just a little more than an hour west of Vegas, for the barbecue. The event is sponsored by the local chamber of commerce.
New Hampshire
Apple Harvest Day, Dover
Since 1985, this small New Hampshire city has hosted Apple Harvest Day, with 400-some crafters and bakers selling items either inspired by or made with apples.
New Jersey
Hopewell Harvest Fair, Hopewell
Think of Hopewell Harvest Fair as one big farmers market, linking growers and consumers while offering fun activities like baking and homegrown-vegetable contests.
New Mexico
Harvest Festival at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Santa Fe
Kick-off fall at this Spanish-influenced fest. The event takes place at a 200-acre living history farm with original colonial buildings still standing. Apart from history, you and your family can enjoy pumpkin picking, cooking demonstrations (read: homemade tortillas) and mule-drawn wagons. End your day with hot chocolate and biscochitos, or make your own at home.
New York
Saratoga Harvest Fest, Saratoga Springs
Each autumn, New Yorkers flock to the Saratoga Harvest Fest. You won’t leave thirsty, thanks to locally pressed apple cider and other drinks with local connections. Here’s what to do with extra apple cider.
North Carolina
North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival, Whiteville
Every year in early November, North Carolina goes nuts over pecans—and this festival celebrates the state’s annual pecan harvest. If you don’t enjoy eating the nuts plain, there will be plenty of pecan ice cream and pecan pies to go around. Try our best pecan pie recipes while you’re at it.
North Dakota
Potato Bowl USA, Grand Forks
A huge sector of North Dakota’s agriculture is potatoes. At Potato Bowl USA, there are potato-eating contests, baked potato bars and more. Over four tons of french fries were served in 2017! Speaking of fries: Here’s how to make crispy french fries in your oven.
Ohio
Fall Fun Days, Grove City
What better place to celebrate harvest than on a farm? Circle S Farms Fall Fun Days typically run the entire month of October. Enjoy apple cider, yummy baked treats and a fresh-picked pumpkin from the gigantic patch.
Oklahoma
Pumpkin Festival, Cogar
Hosted at Old Oak Farms, the annual Pumpkin Festival focuses on, naturally, pumpkins growing on the property but also features food prepared by local vendors. Snag a sugar pumpkin and make these recipes.
Oregon
Hood River Valley Harvest Fest, Hood River
Jam out at Hood River Valley Harvest Fest. The event is both a music festival and a farmers market, where food vendors sell Hood River favorites such as smoked salmon, apples and pears. Yum!
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Apple & Cheese Festival, Canton
Apples and cheese are two beloved products of upstate Pennsylvania; they come together at this annual event, held at the Manley-Bohlayer Farm. The combination is clearly delicious.
Rhode Island
Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival, Newport
Seafood is abundant in Rhode Island, and this festival has a wide variety including clam chowder, lobster rolls, stuffed quahogs and fish tacos. Colorful tents and live music make this a treat for eyes and ears, too. Add it as a stop to your East Coast foodie road trip.
South Carolina
North Charleston Harvest Festival, North Charleston
This block party and street festival typically features a pop-up pumpkin patch as well as food vendors serving delish plates with autumnal ingredients. There are costume contests for adults, children and pets, and street-wide trick-or-treating for the kids.
South Dakota
Harvest Festival, near Sioux Falls
Hosted by Country Apple, the Harvest Festival includes giant pumpkins to marvel at and pick-your-own apples, caramel apples, apple brats and apple pies to buy. Psst! Learn why you should never shake an apple tree.
Tennessee
Unicoi County Apple Festival, Erwin
Shining a spotlight on the region’s apple harvest, this festival marks 42 years in 2019. Here, you’ll find food courts starring—you guessed it—apples. Our fav pick? Homemade apple butter.
Texas
Texas Rice Festival, Winnie
Texas’ claim to fame as a rice capital is proudly defended at the Texas Rice Festival, featuring a rice-cooking contest and other events celebrating the rice harvest. Ease into fall with these amazing ways to love whole grains.
Utah
Harvest Festival, Lehi
With weigh-offs to find the largest pumpkin—as well as gourds, watermelons and tomatoes—there are lots of interactive activities at this harvest festival on the main plaza of the Thanksgiving Point Institute’s educational grounds.
Vermont
Harvest Festival, Shelburne
Shelburne Farms’ Harvest Festival features farm-fresh food grown on-site (including Vermont maple products) along with kid-friendly entertainment and live music.
Virginia
Heritage Harvest Festival, Charlottesville
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is a hotbed of history, including American agriculture. Bring your gang to the Heritage Harvest Festival and partake in workshops covering culinary topics such as sushi and the spices of Appalachia.
Washington
Cranberrian Fair, Ilwaco
Washington is a large source of berries—cranberries included. The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum hosts this local fair to celebrate this tiny red fruit. The fest features cranberry bog tours and cranberry crafts, and the sky’s the limit when it comes to cranberry desserts. (Here’s our favorite!)
West Virginia
Clay County Golden Delicious Festival, Clay
Celebrate West Virginia’s crop of apples at this namesake festival. The fest is said to be held on the site of the first Golden Delicious apple tree. An apple pie eating contest is one of the festival’s big events—gear up for the competition with these recipes.
Wisconsin
Fall Heritage Festival, Mount Horeb
This small town just west of Madison celebrates its Norwegian heritage at its annual Fall Heritage Festival. Arts and crafts vendors set up along Mount Horeb’s Trollway, aka Main Street, which is lined with life-size troll carvings. A full Norwegian-style breakfast is another highlight.
Wyoming
Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, Jackson Hole
Don’t let the festival name fool you: There’s food here, too, that’s inspired by the state’s cowboy traditions and heightened by Jackson Hole’s vibrant food scene. Want more Wyoming? Try a favorite state dessert.
The post The Best Harvest Festival in Every State appeared first on Taste of Home.
Emma Kumer