For me, it doesn’t feel like fall until I do four things: 1) Buy and plant orange and yellow mums, 2) Decorate the yard with pumpkins, 3) Rake leaves for a few hours (yes, the 90+ trees in our yard require a heck-of-a-lot of raking, so I start early) and 4) Attend a fall festival in the Susquehanna River Valley.

Fortunately, the Susquehanna River Valley has a lot of festivals to offer – celebrating the arts, wine and beer, agricultural harvests, and local history. Let’s just consider the festivals in October alone: Mifflinburg’s Oktoberfest (Oct 2-3), Aaronsburg’s Dutch Fall Festival (Oct 3-4), Knoebels Covered Bridge & Arts Festival (Oct 9-11), Shade Mountain Winery’s Harvest Festival (Oct 10-11), Lewisburg’s Woolly Worm Festival (Oct 10) and Hunters Valley Winery’s Fall Open House and Craft Fair (Oct 24-25) all immediately come to mind. And there are many, many more!

My personal faves? Mifflinburg’s Oktoberfest, the Covered Bridge & Arts Festival at Knoebels, and Shade Mountain’s Harvest Fest. Here are some of the highlights:

Oktoberfest (Oct 2-3): While this is traditionally a celebration of German beer, Mifflinburg’s version has more to offer kids and families. Let me be clear: this festival does not revolve around drinking copious amounts of beer. Kids and adults can enjoy marionette shows, live music and entertainment, and all kinds of American and German food. There are even a few vendors and educational displays, including a beer stein exhibit.

Covered Bridge & Arts Festival at Knoebels (October 9-11): For me, this is the best of both worlds, because certain parts of Knoebels remain open (like some of the food stands and rides) but the real focus is on the arts and crafts (and FOOD) within the festival itself. The event also includes guided tours of local covered bridges if you sign-up in advance. This is a particularly beautiful area to view fall foliage or take a bike ride, too.

Shade Mountain Winery Harvest Fest (Oct 10-11): I adore Shade Mountain Winery – because they make high-quality, locally-produced wines, at a fair price. And, they’re extremely customer service-oriented. You need a wine suggestion or a unique label made for a special occasion? Just ask – the owner or one of the owner’s family members is likely doing the wine tasting that day! They host a variety of events throughout the year, but their biggest is probably the fall harvest festival. It features grape stomping (yes, you can actually stomp grapes until your toes turn purple), a pig roast, live music, carriage rides, and tours by the winemakers. And, it happens to be located in one of the prettiest areas of Snyder County. The vineyards go for miles and miles, and are set nicely against the backdrop of Jack’s Mountain. It really is quite lovely!

I hope I’ve piqued your interest in one of the many fall festivals in the Susquehanna River Valley. Fall is definitely one of the best times to plan a visit – local B&Bs, hotels, and cottages provide a cozy and affordable escape, the fall foliage and scenic vistas will take your breath away, and the festivals will keep you, and your family, entertained from dusk to dawn. Enjoy!