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 festivities of food and fun. And while most autumn events are open to all ages, some have special features just for kids. Below are ten upcoming fall family festivals in the Pocono Mountains.
Mount Pocono HarvestFest
Mount Pocono Vol. Fire Co. Carnival Grounds
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2017
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Fall festival season kicks off with Mount Pocono HarvestFest on September 23, 2017! Experience vendors, activities and 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. Don't forget your raincoat; this event is rain or shine!
The Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival
Country Junction – World’s Largest General Store
Dates: Saturday, September 30 to Sunday, October 29, 2017
Times: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends; Noon 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 29, 2017. This annual event is fun for all ages, but it’s especially enjoyable for families with small children. Highlights include pumpkin picking, hayrides and mazes, a free petting zoo, bounce houses, carnival rides and games. Enjoy great food and shopping in the “World’s Largest General Store”, or try your luck in the escape room! Some activities are available on weekends only.
Fall Family Fun Day
Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC)
Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $5/car
Celebrate the fall season with PEEC! Experience a fun filled day packed with 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.
HarvestFest at the Monroe Farmers’ Market
Monroe Farmers Market
Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017
Time: 8 a.m. to Noon
Cost: Free
New this year, HarvestFest delights in the peak season and the year's harvest at the Monroe Farmers’ Market! The entire family, especially the kids, will enjoy live music, free face painting and balloon animals, costume contests, an apple pie baking contest, and more.
Autumn Timber Festival
Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8, 2017
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 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 7-8, 2017
Times: Varies
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.
Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Weekends
Downtown Jim Thorpe
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays, October 7-8, 14-15, & 21-22, 2017
Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Downtown Jim Thorpe turns on the charm during annual Fall Foliage Weekends in October. There's something for the whole family to enjoy! Children's activities and local deals at shops and eateries are just the start. 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.
Quiet Valley’s Harvest Festival
Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8, 2017
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.
Hawley Harvest Hoedown
Downtown Hawley Partnership
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017
Time: 10 a.m.
Cost: Free
This annual autumn event is family focused with great shopping, food, entertainment and fun-filled fall activities. While at Hawley Harvest Hoedown, take a ride on US Route 6. Route 6 travels through Hawley and boasts supreme foliage views. National Geographic called the historic highway "one of America's most scenic drives."
Pocono Food Truck Festival & Art on the Mountain
Shawnee Mountain Ski Area
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 14-15, 2017
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 unique food trucks from the tri-state area to the base of Shawnee Mountain. Menu items range from classic concessions to funky food fusions. View the lineup for more information. The Pocono Food Truck Festival operates in conjunction with Art on the Mountain, during which 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 fall fun 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!
