06 Sep The Best Fall Festivals in PA

Fall Festivals in PA

Fall makes vacation destinations beautiful, and Pennsylvania is no exception. The north eastern state, close to New England and bordering New York, experiences a vivid transformation as the cool winds of winter sweep summer away. That transformation is quite colorful, with foliage that takes on shades of red, orange, and goldfinch yellow. It’s a gorgeous season, but a fleeting one, so it’s best to take full advantage of it while you can. To help you do that, we’ve compiled a list, in no particular order, of the best fall festivals in PA, and we’ve made sure to include both traditional and more unique options!

Bedford Fall Foliage Festival

The Bedford Fall Foliage Festival in Bedford, Pennsylvania is one of the best fall festivals, with many entertainment, shopping, and activity options. Many bands gather to perform live, including Blue Shades, a bluegrass band, and The Crew of the Half Moon, who refer to themselves as “a rock-and-roll gypsy circus”. You can also watch Glitter Dot & Dapper, a magic show starring clowns. If you’re in the mood to peruse local artists’ goods, explore the many vendors’ tables. Bel Monili is a purveyor of recycled vintage jewelry, many including delicate metal honeybees and whimsical floral designs, while Poplar Hollow Studio offers hand-painted gourds with character. You can enjoy an antique car parade, and kids can participate in many fun activities, including scarecrow and teddy bear making, pony rides, and face painting!

Paws in the Park

This unusual fall festival in Erie, Pennsylvania is an annual celebration of therapy dogs, put on by Therapy Dogs United. The organization visits schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and more with therapy dogs, which are shown to have health benefits for those who interact with them. The event is a fun take on fall festivals for animal lovers and guests can bring their own dogs as long as they’re leashed and well-behaved. Of course, it wouldn’t be a fall festival without delicious food and live music, so there’s plenty of both. Delicious treats for your dog will also be available, making it a fantastic event for humans and furry friends alike seeking fall festivals in PA!

The National Apple Harvest Festival

The National Apple Harvest Festival in Biglerville, Pennsylvania is one of the best fall festivals if you’re looking for traditional fall festivals in PA adults and children can enjoy. This festival has been put on annually for over 50 years, and offers an exciting array of food, shopping, and entertainment. Apple pancakes, donuts, cider—even apple guacamole and salsa!—and more await your tastebuds. If you’d prefer to eat apples fresh off the tree, then enjoy an orchard tour. When you’ve eaten enough apples to last a lifetime (or until next year!), learn about another culture by watching a Native American dance performance, watch chainsaw carving artists work their magic, visit the kids craft corner, and much, much more.

The Glow: A Jack o’Lantern Experience

If you’re looking for fall festivals in PA with a spooky, but totally kid-friendly, atmosphere, attend The Glow! If you love Halloween and want to experience it more than once a year, then this is one of the best fall festivals for you. The Glow is a trail surrounded by many jack o’lanterns expertly carved by talented artists. Different parts of the trail feature different jack o’lantern themes, with carved pumpkins ranging from creepy, to cute, to beautiful, and everything in between. You can also watch artists carve pumpkins and enjoy seasonal food and drinks. Head to Philadelphia, PA for this exciting nighttime festival!

PotatoFest

Celebrate spuds with one of the best fall festivals. This festival in Ebensburg, PA features lots of live music and plenty of fun for the kids, including a “Bounce & Slide and Extreme Dance Dome”, a unicyclist for children and adults to watch, and more. There’s also shopping for the whole family, with vendors selling everything from African art to homemade jams and salsa. The event features everyone’s favorite starchy vegetable—the potato—in a wonderful variety of scrumptious delights, including, but not limited to, potato soup, potato candy, pierogies, and of course, fries! Other food options include crepes, gyros, pastries, apple dumplings, and more. To wash it all down, there’s old fashioned soda and bubble tea for the kids, and a special treat for adults—wine tasting!

Whether you’re looking for a traditional fall festival or something out of the ordinary, we’re sure you’ll find what you’re looking for in this list of best fall festivals in PA. You could even go to more than one! If you want to do so, and you’re from out-of-state, we recommend checking out our inventory of Pennsylvania resort rentals.

Fall is a season of transformation, so why not transform your fall into an incredible vacation with one or more of these fall festivals in PA? We’re convinced these are the best fall festivals, and we think you’re just one bite of candy apple away from being convinced too!