Fall Festivals
By MARILYN SOLTIS
Autumn
foliage and cool breezes bring out the best in seasonal festivals. From
art to food to the hauntings of Halloween, county residents present
their wares in some traditional and some unexpected ways.
INDIANA
BROWN COUNTY, IN
Sept. & Oct.
The
Brown County Art Colony was founded in 1907 and was one of six major
art colonies established in the US at the turn of the century. Now, more
than 250 artists call Brown County home. Autumn foliage is breathtaking
and the season is a good time to explore eclectic boutiques and
galleries, or to bike, zip line, fish, canoe—even go gem mining or try
some paintball.
LAWRENCE COUNTY, IN
PERSIMMON FESTIVAL
Sept. 21-28
Persimmons
grow abundantly through Lawrence County, in fact this year the county
will celebrate their 67th Persimmon Festival. The orange-colored
plum-size fruit has a flavor similar to pumpkin. The persimmon pudding
contest is a headliner event.
PARKE COUNTY, IN
COVERED BRIDGE FESTIVAL
Oct. 11-20
Parke
County is the covered bridge capital of the world with 30 historic
covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places. Each
October the county celebrates the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival.
ILLINOIS
BLACKHAWK WATERWAYS, IL
Sept. 1 - Oct. 31
TRAIL OF TERROR
Visit
the Trail of Terror and experience haunted happenings, fall festivals
and events, as well as wineries and pumpkin patches during the two month
event.
GALENA, IL
Oct. 12-13
GALENA COUNTRY FAIR
Shop
more than 150 vendors in picturesque Grant Park overlooking historic
Galena. Vendors offer original, handmade arts, crafts and fine arts.
Enjoy farmer’s markets, baked goods, great food and live
entertainment.
PEORIA, IL
25th ANNUAL BLUES FESTIVAL
August 30 & 31
The Budweiser Illinois Blues Festival of
Naperville, IL
Sept. 21
INDIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL
Enjoy
delicious ethnic vegetarian food and traditional Raas Dance from the
exotic ancient land of Vedic, India and experience diverse heritage and
customs right in Naperville!
GENEVA, IL
Sept. 6-8
FESTIVAL OF THE VINE
Savor
Geneva during Festival of the Vine, an autumn harvest celebration
revolving around food and wine. Geneva has a number of fine restaurants
showcased at the “Flavor Fare.” For more than 30 years, restaurants have
set up under one huge tent offering three of their favorite signature
items. To accompany your food, unique wines from around the world will
be available for purchase. Enjoy versatile local and Chicagoland musical
and dance entertainers. Other events include home and culinary tips on
the Harvest Stage, an arts and crafts show, flower market,
complimentary trolley and horse-drawn carriage rides plus great shopping
in the historic downtown.
QUAD CITIES, IL
NIABI ZOO
Through Labor Day
The
Quad Cities offer wonderful riverboat rides on the Mississippi with
musical celebration thoughout the year. The Niabi Zoo, in Coal Valley,
is home to more than 900 animals representing 160 different spesscies.
MICHIGAN
MACKINAC ISLAND, MI
Oct. 25-26
HALLOWEEN WEEKEND
Rich
with history, this small Victorian era island is accessible by ferry
and island transport is only via horse and buggy, bicycle or foot.
Halloween Weekend celebrates the souls of the blessed dead in both the
Celtic Samhain and Halloween traditions.
MARQUETTE COUNTY, MI
Mid Sept. - Mid Oct.
Visit
the Marquette County website to see various foliage tours all mapped
out for you according to the changing of the leaves. See the fall colors
from their best vantage point, whether it’s a vista, bridge, lake or
country road.
PETOSKEY, MI
Sept. - Oct.
The
beauty of the green fields, beaches and forests of Northern Michigan
attracts many artists. Downtown Petoskey features galleries and artists
co-ops amidst its plentiful shopping. There is a new SOBO arts community
in neighboring Boyne City. Visit Pond Hill Farm for Farm to Table
dinners, hay rides, barn dances and wine tasting, farm animals, pumpkin
painting, fish feeding at the Trout Pond and much more!
SAUGATUCK, MI
Sept. 7
ART & ALL THAT JAZZ &
DOUGLAS WINE STROLL
Stroll
around the many art galleries, enjoy wine tasting and dance to live
music. Dine in nearby Douglas’s fine restaurants.269-857-1438.
WISCONSIN
ASHLAND, WI
Sept. - Oct.
Take
a spooky BAYFIELD TOUR like Twilight in the Cemetery or carry a lantern
during the evening Ghost Walk and learn about "dearly departed spirits"
and UFO sightings over Lake Superior. Enjoy the many amazing murals,
too.
LACROSSE, WI
Sept. 27- Oct. 6
Oktoberfest USA
Celebrates
53 years of family activities including the Maple Leaf parade, carnival
rides, and national entertainers as well as local and regional country,
pop, blues and rock groups.
ELKHART LAKE, WI
Sept. 6-8, and 16 - 22
ROAD AMERICA
Road America in Elkhart Lake brings
hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts
to this exciting destination. History buffs
will also enjoy the railroad depot museum,
Wade House and horse-drawn carriage rides.
MARSHFIELD, WI
Sept. 14 & 15
MAPLE FALL FEST – Over 120 handmade craft vendors, baking contest, petting zoo and all of the pancakes you can eat.
MILWAUKEE, WI
Sept. 6, 7, 8
INDIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL, GREAT LAKES, GREAT NATIONS – the largest festival of its kind celebrating all things
Native American.
DOOR COUNTY, WI
Sept. 21
HARVEST
FESTIVAL & HARVEST MOON CELEBRATION – Held annually on the third
Saturday in September in Sturgeon Bay, the festival features a craft
show, car show, food booths, music and entertainment, plus a variety of
children’s activities along with the Harvest Moon celebration.
Sept. 28
ANNUAL
AUTUMN FEST – Held annually on the fourth Saturday in Sept. in Baileys
Harbor since 1980. Arts & crafts, entertainment, food booths, music
and entertainment.
Oct. 12-13
FALL
FUN FEST & CIDER PRESSING PARTY – Activities on Washington Island
and the Farm Museum including games for the children, horse-drawn wagon
rides and more. Bring your own apples and press them on the antique
cider press to make your own cider.
PUMPKIN
PATCH FESTIVAL – Held in the village of Egg Harbor, the family fun
includes an arts & crafts fair, scarecrow and pumpkin displays and
other activities throughout the village all weekend.
Oct. 18-20
SISTER
BAY FALL FESTIVAL – This Granddaddy of Door County festivals was
started in 1945. A huge parade is held on Saturday, with a juried art
& crafts fair, food booths, children’s activities and live
entertainment both days, including the infamous ping pong ball drop with
chancess to win prizes.
Oct. 26
DOOR
COUNTY FALL 50 RUN - From Gills Rock in northern Door County to
Sturgeon Bay, the 50-mile run offers a challenge to both solo and teams
of two to five runners. The course follows the peninsula’s scenic
western shoreline and ends with a finish- line party at Sunset Park in
Sturgeon Bay.
Published: September 03, 2013
Issue: Fall 2013 Issue
The Demise of the Toboggan Run
Even if the snow does fall this season, there's no use anxiously anticipating a ride down a toboggan run. All toboggan slides in Cook County are closed indefinitely.
