6 Indiana Fall Festival Events Not to Be Missed!
Ok Mama’s, I have a confession. Fall is my FAVORITE season, but not for the pumpkin spice lattes. Nope, I am a lover of the Indiana fall festival scene.
Since I love them so much, I decided that I wanted to share a few of the most popular in the state with you, my amazing readers.
Why?
Because I want you to have every opportunity to get to know and love them as much as I do!
From historical reenactments to some of the best food you will ever experience, these festivals have it all! Plus, they choose to share it with you just as the leaves are turning, and the weather is cooling.
Perfection, right?
So just for you, here is my Indiana fall festival list of the best festivals in the state that I think you need to experience.
Feast of the Hunter’s Moon
Want to witness history come to life? Then you need to be sure to check out the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon held at the original Fort Ouiatenon.
Taking place just outside of West Lafayette, IN, sights, smells, and one-of-a-kind experiences will quickly transport you back to the 1700s during this historical reenactment festival. Canoes will be launched, battles will be held, and turkey legs will be roasted all for your enjoyment.
Your kids will love the hands-on activities and crafts found throughout the festival grounds. From tomahawk throwing to candle dipping, they can totally get their pioneer on in a way you have never seen before.
You on the other hand will love the unique shopping and tantalizing food experiences available at this festival. From furs and forges, to kettle corn and old-fashioned root beer. Feast of the Hunter’s Moon has a little bit of everything at this Indiana fall festival.
This year’s festival will take place October 5th and 6th, and tickets can be purchased here.
Crazy Mom Talk
While this Indiana fall festival festival is totally amazing, if your only means of transporting your little’s is their feet, you may want to rethink it. This festival is BIG and sometimes muddy. Therefore, a good jogging stroller or a baby/toddler carrier is a must for little legs.
Also, be mindful of the shoes that you wear to this event. The paths here are not paved or graveled. Instead, they are worn footpaths through grassy fields that are traveled by thousands during the event. Your new suede boots or white tennies probably would not survive this trip.
Covered Bridge Festival
If you are a lover of all things fall, the Covered Bridge Festival is totally for you!
Having lived in Indiana for over 20 years now, Covered Bridge is one of my favorite times of the year. This week-long Indiana fall festival (taking place in 2019 from October 11th-20th) is a county-wide celebration of fall.
Small, rural towns in Parke County, Indiana are brought to life for this nationally recognized festival. Aside from days worth of shopping, one can find multiple covered bridges, an old school house, a grist mill, the Mansfield Roller Mill, cabins, and more open for the public to explore.
While I love the history, the shopping and FOOD is what brings me back year after year.
Across the multiple small towns featured, you will find everything from flea market goodies to antiques and crafters set up and ready to greet you. I have spotted chainsaw art, paintings, spray paint art, needlework, and more over the years I have attended. Every year there is something different, and every year I fall in love with the festival again.
As far as food goes, there are some people I know who attend the festival for nothing but the food courts.
While you will find your run-of-the-mill fair food here, you are also in for some special treats. Pumpkin ice cream, homemade chicken and noodles, and specialty coffees are served up in multiple locations. Also, since there is a heavy presence of Amish culture in Parke County, you will find all kinds of Amish-made baked goods, jams, and jellies being sold. This is one Indiana fall festival everyone should experience at least once.
Crazy Mom Talk
Great news mama! This festival has no entry fee. You will however want to have $5-$10 available in your budget for parking for each location you plan to visit.
While most of the paths at this festival are graveled, you will also want to be sure to bring a jogging type stroller over the one you take to the mall. Regular strollers are doable here but will be a giant headache by the end of the day.
Bringing a large tote bag, with you to carry all of your spoils is a must for this festival. Heck, we bring a cart or a wagon when we go because, without one, your whole body will hate you by the end of the day.
Also, dress in layers for this event. While you may start the day chilly in the 50’s, after hours of walking and a heat spike taking you to the 70’s, you will die in straight long sleeves. Likewise, make sure you bring your hat and gloves. Otherwise, you will be buying the price-gauged ones the vendors are selling because they are smarter than you. (And now have all your money. Trust me, we have done this one too.)
Attica Heritage Days
This two day Indiana fall festival will bring you back to the banks of the Wabash in small down Attica, IN, where I grew up.
In an effort to keep people of all walks of life educated on the heritage of the area, Attica Heritage Days features activities for the whole family.
Live music and entertainment is featured throughout the day. Also for your entertainment, a Pickleball tournament is held in the town park for everyone to enjoy. If you are there at the right time, your kiddos can even help to build a Wigwam from raw materials!
Included in the festival are local craft and direct sales vendors, and even a kids’ zone for your kids to play at! Food vendors also will be on-site to tantalize your taste buds. Also, make sure you don’t miss out on the tractor show!
If you are sticking around in the area overnight, be sure to check out the Attica Heritage Days parade which will march down Perry Street in Attica at 2pm on the 22nd. Your kids will have more candy than they can eat, and you will get the joy of an old-fashioned parade, not just seeing one on TV.
Crazy Mom Talk
This Indiana fall festival is a smaller in size in comparison to some of the others. This means less walking for you. Also, regular strollers can be utilized in this environment much easier.
Looking for a place to stay during the festival? You are going to need to seek out accommodations in one of the larger surrounding cities. Lafayette, IN, and Crawfordsville, IN are both within 30 minutes and boast several hotel chains to accommodate your crew.
Johnny Appleseed Festival
Another great way to step back into history this fall is with the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne, IN. This Indiana fall festival, held on September 21st and 22nd for 2019, voids their vendors of modern day conveniences to reenact an 1800’s lifestyle for a weekend.
For this festival, expect to find open-fire cooks, as well as dress, surrounding you as you and your family explore all that there is to see. This Indiana fall festival is held in commemoration of the great John Chapman. Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) dedicated years of his life to planting apple orchards across the Fort Wayne Area. Therefore, much of the food you will find at this Indiana festival will be true to the time period that Chapman lived during.
Vendors present at this festival are also required to stay true to the time period. Goods, crafts, and demonstrators alike are all presented for your entertainment. The festival has had vendors represented from 42 different states in the last couple of years!
Along with the vendors, your children can experience pioneer life for themselves in the children’s area. Games, crafts, and rides all grace this area allowing your child to become immersed in the experience. Likewise, the whole family can witness historical reenactments as found in the festival’s brochure. Musket firing, medical procedures, and time period toys can all be seen by those willing to seek them out.
Crazy Mom Talk
If you are looking to save a couple of bucks when attending this festival, know that you can park for FREE in one of several locations around town. Shuttle services are running to and from the festival from designated lots, which will save you the walk alongside the dough.
The Johnny Appleseed Festival does not require a general entry ticket to get in. This means, if you play your cards right, your entire family can experience the history of the time period for no more than the cost of food and souvenirs. Learning weekend anyone?
As this festival has grown over the last 43 years, it has reached crowds of over 300,000 visitors during its two-day time frame. With that many people in such a large area, keeping your kids with you is super important. While a jogging stroller could be accommodated with some skill in this area, a baby carrier is probably going to be the way to go.
Seymour Oktoberest
Just a few hours south of Indianapolis, you will find the captivating Seymour Oktoberfest. This Indiana fall festival is determined to share the German Heritage with all of its visitors. Mama’s, it hosts something for everyone!
Biergarten. It is the first thing you think of when you hear the term “Oktoberfest”, right? But what if I told you that there are so many other activities occurring at this festival that you may not even care to see the Biergarten. (I mean, your kids can’t play there, so without a sitter, you NEED something else to do!)
From Hot Air Balloon and a carnival to food, art, and crafts, there is something for everyone in your party here! During all three days of the festival, held October 3rd-5th, one can also find live performances from singers, dancers, and musicians promised to entertain. On Saturday the 4th, at 1:30 pm, a parade that boosts to be one of Indiana’s largest events marches through the city!
Still needing something more? Be sure to check out the festival schedule here to find out about the contests and 5K run also going on!
Crazy Mom Talk
As this event is held throughout the streets of the town, a regular stroller should be more than sufficient for this festival. This means you need to practice your one-handed stroller pushing so that you have a free hand to shove this amazing food in your face.
Again, while this event hosts a Biergarten (which of course means drinking) it is labeled and advertised to be a family-friendly event. In 2000, the event was even recognized as a “Local Legacy” by the Library of Congress, meaning that the festival celebrates the communities roots. Please, please, please, do not let the presence of alcohol keep you from enjoying this event with your family. (Honestly, that would be a lot like skipping out on that restaurant you have heard so much about because they serve beer and your kids are with you. I don’t see you doing that, so don’t cast this amazing festival to the side either mama!)
Nappanee Apple Festival
Are you a lover of all things apple? Then you are not going to want to miss the Nappanee Apple Festival, just south of South Bend in Nappanee, IN!
Held September 19th-22nd in 2019, this Indiana fall festival kicks off with Indiana’s largest apple pie, clocking in at a whopping 7 foot! Aside from the pie, you will find apple fritters, apple bread, apple butter, and more alongside all kinds of freshly picked apples waiting for you.
Looking for a bit more than apples? The Nappanee Apple Festival also brings in entertainment from all walks of life. For your kiddos, there is the Grandpa Cratchet Puppet Show in addition to Silly Safari’s who are putting on live shows several times throughout the event. For you, there is live music and dancing to take you out of your element and allow you to let loose.
Also going on during the festival, there is a carnival for the kids, antique tractor shows, comedy shows, and more! This is in addition to the baking contests and vast array of vendors at the festival. You can find all of this info and more at the event webpage, here.
Crazy Mom Talk
The admission to this festival is FREE, though be mindful that the Carnival, Helicopter Rides, etc. will cost you. If you are looking for a cheap family outing, however, there is plenty that you can see at this festival without spending a dollar. (Though be sure to bring your dollars, because with all of the apple goodies here, you are going to want them!)
On Saturday, September 22nd, the festival hosts a parade that begins with an airplane flyover. If your kiddos are not akin to loud noises, be mindful that this occurs at approximately 10:30am. Likewise, if your babies love airplanes, be sure to be looking to the skys at this time!
A stroller (just about any will do for this festival) is probably a must for this event. Some of the festivals is a bit spread out depending on what you are looking for, and you will be thankful by the end of the night for the wheels that are carrying your child, as opposed to your back.
An extra special perk to this festival, is the Wings and Wheels show. This is held at the Nappanee Airport just 3 miles east of downtown, on Saturday of the event. If your child is a first-time flyer, they can fly for FREE (ages 8-18) with parental consent during this event. How cool is that?
Indiana Fall Festivals are totally my thing. While I know I did not mention every one of them going on in this great state, hopefully this will give you and your family a place to start.
Have you and your kiddos been to any of these festivals? Which one are you most excited to check out this year? Let me know in the comments!
