Fall Festival Season, Part 1
Fall gets top billing in New England when it comes to tourism. But all the cliches – they’re true. When the foliage turns bright colors and the wind gets the slight edge that portends colder days, this place truly comes alive with a mood that feels like equal parts poetry, nostalgia, and joy. It can be tough to pack in enough enjoyment of the October turn, so here are a few picks to get you started (expect a part 2!).
If you need a warmup to the season proper, September has you covered with two fairs, one each in Hampshire and Franklin Counties. The Three County Fair happens in Northampton in early September. A few days later, the Franklin County Fair opens up shop in Greenfield. Both feature all those rural delights and random carnivalesque activities (demolition derbies, anyone?) and comestibles that make county fairs fun.
In the wake of those two big events, the mother lode of fall fun begins. There are so many entertaining and New Englandy quaint events going on it’s tough to catalogue them all. This is the season of pumpkin rolls, soapbox derbies, and crafts festivals. It’s also the season of some large-scale events well worth catching.
In late September, things get moving with the Northampton Jazz Festival, which fills venues all over town (indoors and out) with the sounds of jazz for a couple of festive days. The 2023 installment celebrates musician Max Roach.
Not long after, you may detect a savory scent from up in Franklin County. That’s because the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival is going down. There’s plenty of garlic – it shows up in any and everything, from expected choices to ice cream – but there’s a stage for music, and a couple more for spoken word and family-centric events. There’s plenty to do for the young set, and a large array of booths purveying local arts and crafts.
At the very end of September and beginning of October, the calendar heats up as temps cool down, and there are near-endless events to attend. The single-town fairs offer pleasant afternoons out without quite so much overwhelm and traffic. Most have vendors, food, and music. Among them, you’ll find the Conway Festival of the Hills and the Ashfield Fall Festival. Apple picking is in full swing (there are many choices, but popular ones include Park Hill and Apex Orchards), and the fruit-centric fun continues with Franklin County Cider Days, which generally happens after peak foliage, and is nice way to extend the season. It happens at orchards and venues all over the area.
It’s also, of course, the Halloween season. And any place that’s been inhabited as long as New England has is bound to host some spooky events. A good place to get your haunt on is Fear on the Farm in South Hadley, which delivers the frights with haunted hayrides, and two walk-throughs.
In part 2, we’ll uncover more fall and fright-filled events.
