In the Pocono Mountains, we love festivals almost as much as we love fall foliage. So when the time comes to combine the two, everyone is in on the action. Fall festivals fill the weekends from late September through October.
Fall activities range from celebrations of harvest and history to feasts of food and seasonal brews. And while most autumn events are open to all ages, some have special features just for kids. Here are ten family-friendly fall festivals coming soon to the Pocono Mountains.
Mount Pocono HarvestFest
Mount Pocono Vol. Fire Co. Carnival Grounds
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2016
Time: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free!
Fall festival season begins with Mount Pocono HarvestFest on September 24, 2016. The fair's new location permits more vendors, more activities and more fun for the whole family. Bring the kids to the carnival grounds for a full day of autumn amusements. Expect interactive exhibits, crafts, local food, and entertainment courtesy of the Sherman Theater.
The Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival
Country Junction – World’s Largest General Store
Dates: Saturday, September 24 to Sunday, October 30, 2016
Times: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
Cost: $10/person; free for children under 2
“The largest pumpkin festival in the Pocono Mountains” is open daily through October 30, 2016. This annual event is fun for all ages, but it’s especially enjoyable for families with small children. Highlights include pumpkin picking, hay rides and mazes, a free petting zoo, bounce houses, carnival rides and games, great food and shopping in the “World’s Largest General Store.” Some activities are available on weekends only.
Harvest Festival
Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC)
Date: Saturday, October 1, 2016
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $5/car
Another great choice for families with small children, PEEC’s sixth annual Harvest Festival features arts and crafts, hands-on learning stations, conservation exhibits, old-time activities, local food, music and other fun amid fall foliage in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Hawley Harvest Hoedown
Downtown Hawley
Date: Saturday, October 1, 2016
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free!
Take a scenic drive to the Northern Pocono Mountains for the annual Hawley Harvest Hoedown. This autumn event is family focused with great shopping, food, entertainment and fun-filled fall activities. When you go, ride US Route 6 for supreme foliage views. National Geographic called the historic highway "one of America's most scenic drives." Learn More
Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Weekends
Downtown Jim Thorpe
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays, October 1-2, 8-9, & 15-16, 2016
Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free!
Downtown Jim Thorpe turns on the charm during annual Fall Foliage Weekends in October. The town-wide celebrations boast a little bit of everything with events ranging from train excursions to haunted jail tours and craft fairs to headline concerts. Jim Thorpe's Fall Foliage Weekends are on PennLive’s list of 28 Things to See or Do in Pennsylvania Before You Die.
Oktoberfest
Blue Mountain Resort
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, 2016
Times: Noon to 8 p.m.
Cost: $5/person
All ages can enjoy this traditional Oktoberfest celebration at Blue Mountain Resort. Even pets are welcome! The weekend features live polka music, artisan vendors, children’s activities, Bavarian-style food, and a variety of Oktoberfest brews. Extras (fees apply) include scenic chairlift rides, archery, bounce amusements and a pumpkin picking and painting activity. Fireworks fly at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Autumn Timber Festival
Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 8-9, 2016
Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Advance: $12/adult; $10/child. Gate: $15/adult; $12/child. Free for children 4 and under
Brilliant fall foliage sets the stage for two days of autumn action at Shawnee Mountain. This annual festival features daring demos by lumberjacks, blacksmiths, chainsaw carvers and canines plus live music, food and craft vendors, scenic chairlift rides and children’s activities. A special kids’ area houses pony rides, magic shows, fortune telling, juggling, pig races and more fun for little ones. Fees apply to certain activities.
Harvest and Heritage Days
Downtown Honesdale
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 8-9, 2016
Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free!
Head to Honesdale for a weekend of wholesome harvest fun. Enjoy hayrides, pumpkin painting, demonstrations and tours as well as entertainment, competitions and lots of opportunities to shop downtown. Honesdale’s Stourbridge Line runs scenic train excursions to Hawley and Lackawaxen during the festival—a memorable way to see the trees! Schedules vary by day. Fees may apply.
Quiet Valley’s Harvest Festival
Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 8-9, 2016
Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $10/adult; $5/child 3-12
Give the kids a glimpse of the past during the Harvest Festival at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm. Costumed re-enactors portray farm skills and crafts like spinning, weaving, blacksmithing and yarn dyeing. They cook in the outdoor brick oven, share stories in the one-room schoolhouse and drive horse-drawn wagons around the farm. Additional activities include pumpkin decorating, pony rides and a Civil War encampment. There will be food and folk music for all to enjoy.
Pocono Food Truck Festival & Art on the Mountain
Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 15-16, 2016
Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Advance: $8/adult; $6.50/child. Gate: $10/adult; $8/child. Free for children 4 and under
Expect food, fun and foliage views at the Pocono Food Truck Festival. This annual event brings 20 food trucks from the tri-state area to the base of Shawnee Mountain. Menu items range from classic concessions to funky fusion foods. View the lineup for more information. The Pocono Food Truck Festival operates in conjunction with Art on the Mountain, during which over 65 local artists and crafters display their creations. It’s one price for both events plus entertainment by Porter & Sayles. Bring your appetite!
Wondering what the leaves will look like during your festival of choice? Check the Fall Foliage Forecast! Updated weekly, our Fall Foliage Forecast compiles information from local foresters to track and predict changes across the Pocono Mountains’ three color zones. You can also see the trees through our Live Cameras. Our feeds stream 24/7 from attractions across the four counties.
For help planning your autumn escape, visit our Fall in the Pocono Mountains page. There, you’ll find tools like 25 Ways to View Fall Foliage, events, special offers and more.
