I apologize for my delay in getting this post up. Traditionally, I offer this information in early September, but I’ve had a doozy of a time lately, to say the least. A few folks have asked me if I have the information for this year, so here you go!
Despite the rough couple of months I’ve had, I can still appreciate the beauty of Western North Carolina during this time of year. With apple orchards galore, corn mazes, mountain views, and stunning fall foliage everywhere, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
Below is a roundup of 2016 fall festivals, trunk-or-treats, apple orchards, corn mazes, and other events. Please comment and let me know if I have forgotten anything, and I will add it to the list.
Justus Orchard U-Pick Pumpkins and Apples:
Address: 187 Garren Rd., Hendersonville, NC, 28792
Dates: Mid-August through early November
Hours: 8:30 am-6 pm daily
Cost: Various prices depending on size of pumpkin or amount of apples
Summary: U-pick apples, blueberries and pumpkins. Fun for all ages with traditional fall activities.
Grandad’s Apples n’ Such:
Address: 2951 Chimney Rock Rd., Hendersonville, NC, 28792
Dates: August through early November
Hours: 9 am-5 pm daily
Cost: Various costs depending on what you buy
Summary: Enjoy a 70 acre family farm with a 5 acre corn maze, cow train rides, apples, pumpkins, family photo stations, goats, and more.
Sky Top Orchard:
Address: 3403 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, NC, 28731
Dates: August 1-December 1, 2015
Hours: 9 am-6 pm daily
Cost: various costs depending on what you buy
Summary: Panoramic mountain views, orchard ponds with ducks and geese, ‘barnyard’ area with sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys and more, a bamboo forest to explore, picnic areas and, of course, a mountaintop of fragrant apple and fruit trees, pumpkins, and festive atmosphere.
Perry’s Berry’s:
Address: 1136 Browning View Rd., Morganton, NC, 28655
Dates: September 26-October 31, 2015
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:30am-2pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am-6pm
Cost: $7/person, 2 and under are free (some activities are an additional cost)
Summary: Hay rides, farm animals, playground, corn hole, hay maze, pumpkins, and fall crafts.
Eliada Home’s Annual Corn Maze “Fields of Fun”:
Address: 2 Compton Dr., Asheville, NC, 28806.
Dates: September 16-October 31, 2015
Hours: Wednesday & Thursday (9am-3pm), Friday & Saturday (9am-8pm), Sunday (10am-6pm) Closed Monday & Tuesday
Cost: $15 for adults 16 and over, $10 for children ages 4-15, children 3 and under are free, specialized rates for groups of 20 or more. If your group has 20 or more, email cornmaze@eliada.org or call (828) 254-5356 ext. 300.
Summary: 12 acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, storybook trails, spider web climb, corn box, giant tube slides, and more. All proceeds go to Eliada Children’s Home.
Hickory Nut Gap Farm:
Address: 57 Sugar Hollow Rd., Fairview, NC, 28730
Dates: September and October (apple picking & fall activities in Sept./pumpkin patch & fall activities in Oct.)
Hours: Open daily 9-6pm and Saturdays 9-9pm
Cost: Prices vary depending on the day of the week and selected activities. Visit the website for more info about cost.
Summary: Corn maze, farm animals, culvert slides, pumpkin patch, apple picking, hay rides/kiddie cart, horse rides, and more. Tickets for hay rides and horse rides can be purchased at the general admission area.
Hey Day Fall Family Festival at WNC Nature Center:
Address: 75 Gashes Creek Rd.
Dates: Saturday, October 8, 2016
Hours: 10am-4pm
Cost: Adults ($10.95/Asheville City residents $7.95), youth ($6.95/Asheville City residents $5.95), seniors ($9.95/Asheville City residents $6.95), 2 and under are free. ‘Friends of the Nature Center’ are free.
Summary: This is the 39th year of this fun-filled family event. Games, pumpkin painting, arts and crafts, educational animal programs, live music, local food vendors, clogging teams, and a wide variety of exciting wildlife. Raffle with the opportunity to win great prizes.
Corn Mountain MAiZE:
Address: 4168 Pisgah Dr., Canton, NC 28716
Dates: September 19-end of October
Hours: Wednesday-Friday 4-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 1-9pm
Cost: $8/person, 3 and under free (hayrides are an additional $2)
Summary: Corn maze, mini-mazes, haunted mazes, pumpkin patch, corn box, camp fires, hay rides. Check or cash only.
First United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch:
Address: 566 South Haywood St., Waynesville, NC, 28786
Dates: Starts toward the end of September and runs through the entire fall season (until all pumpkins are sold)
Hours: Someone is typically there to sell from 8am to 5pm.
Cost: $.50 on up (depending on the size of the pumpkin
Summary: This pumpkin patch, located in downtown Waynesville, is a fun event for the entire town. 3,000 pumpkins were delivered for the 13th year of this small town event.
PEANUTS Pumpkin Patch Express:
Address: 226 Everett St., Bryson City, NC, 28713
Dates: Friday, Saturday, and Sundays October 3-31, 2015
Hours: Departs Fridays at 3:30, departs Saturdays at 12 pm and 3:30, departs Sundays at 12 pm and 3:30
Cost: Coach Class or Open Air Gondola: Adult tickets are $56, children (ages 2-12) $32 and infants ride complimentary in Coach Class seating. Crown Class: Adult tickets are $68, children (ages 2-12) $39 and $10 for infants.
Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church Trunk Wars:
Address: 133 Old Clyde Rd, Waynesville, NC, 28785
Dates: Saturday, October 22, 2016
Hours: 4 pm-7 pm
Cost: No cost to trunk-or-treat. May be small additional cost for food or treats sold separately.
Summary: Come enjoy crazily and scarily decorated cars and trunks full of candy.
The Legend of Tommy Hodges at the Cradle of Forestry
Address: Cradle of Forestry, 11250 Pisgah Hwy, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
Dates: October 21 & 22, 2016
Hours: Call the Cradle of Forestry for showtimes: (828)-877-3130
Cost: $3 for ages 5-15 and $6 for 16 and up
Summary: An outdoor drama that is sounds a little spooky, fun for a Halloween event. The audience walks the trail from scene to scene and hears the haunted story of Tommy Hodges, a student who disappeared from the Biltmore Forest School on Halloween night in 1906…
Pumpkinfest
Address: Downtown Franklin, NC
Dates: October 22, 2016
Hours: 9am-4pm
Cost: No admittance cost. Food and vendors obviously charge for their items, but it sounds like many activities are free.
Summary: The 19th annual Pumpkinfest with traditional fall fun with hayrides, trick-or-treating, costume parade and contest, a “world-famous pumpkin roll”, free games and inflatables, pumpkin pie eating contest, roving street performers, great food and more.
Comment and let me know any that I have missed so I can update the list. Happy fall!
What a fun list!!! I haven’t done one fall themed thing yet- I need to get on that!