Missouri hosts a multitude of festivals throughout the year, but when fall rolls around, the state turns it up a notch. Communities, large and small, celebrate the season with an abundance of music, art, history, food and drink – amidst all the beauty autumn has to offer.
Colorful Views
Carthage has been showcasing its vibrant maple trees for more than 50 years. The Maple Leaf Festival, Oct. 13-21, includes a parade traveling past the town’s grand Romanesque-style courthouse, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, a carnival, walking tours and live entertainment.
Spanning nine city blocks, the Plaza Art Fair, Sept. 22-24, is one of the top-ranked art fairs in the country. More than 240 artists, three live music stages and 20 featured restaurant booths fill Kansas City’s renowned Country Club Plaza.
Stories from the Past
SantaCaliGon Days Festival, Sept. 1-4 in Independence, marks the country’s westward expansion and the starting point of the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. Enjoy live entertainment, arts and crafts, a blacksmith demonstration and panning for gold at the area’s oldest and largest festival.
Celebrate the beloved “Little House” books and author Laura Ingalls Wilder, who lived most of her adult life in Missouri, during Wilder Day, Sept. 22-23 in Mansfield. The event takes place at Laura and her husband Almanzo’s Rocky Ridge Farm and includes tours of the Wilder homestead and a fiddling contest.
Fresh from the Pumpkin Patch
Located in the foothills of the Ozarks, the tiny town of Caledonia features fall’s favorite squash during the annual Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 14. Events include a pumpkin recipe contest, crafting, seed spitting and pie eating. Hop on a hayride for a trip to the corn maze and pumpkin patch.
Thousands of intricately carved pumpkins cast a warm glow on Silver Dollar City during the theme park’s Harvest Festival Crafts & Pumpkins in the City, Sept. 25-Oct. 26 in Branson. The event features the talent of hundreds of artisans demonstrating their craft plus pumpkins galore, giant scarecrows and plenty of fall-themed family fun.
Spooky Places
A group of “paranormal poltergeists” descend on historic downtown St. Charles during Legends & Lanterns, a spirited journey through Halloween history. Witches, villains and phantoms from the past offer more treats than tricks during the family-friendly event held the last three weekends in October.
The werewolves come out every fall at the Centre for French Colonial Life in Ste. Genevieve. Help catch the prowling creatures during the Night of the Werewolf, Oct. 21. The evening features fun for the whole family with games and stories around the campfire.
Fall Flavor
Apple butter is cooked in century-old copper pots over an open fire on the lawn of the Lawrence County Courthouse during Apple Butter Makin’ Days, Oct. 13-15 in Mt. Vernon. The event includes a parade, live music, crafts, food and “wiener dog” races.
Sip a cup of fresh apple cider while you sample the food and listen to live music on historic Walnut Street in Springfield at Cider Days, Sept. 16-17. The celebration also features the work of regional artists and crafters.
Explore more fall festivals and events in the Show-Me State
Northeast
- Big River Steampunk Festival, Hannibal, Sept. 1-4
- Music at the Market, Washington, Sept. 14, Oct. 12
- Harvest Hootenanny, Hannibal, Sept. 15-16
- The Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race, St. Louis, Sept. 15-16
- St. Louis Renaissance Festival, St. Louis, Sept. 16 – Oct. 22
- Fright Fest, Six Flags St. Louis, Eureka, Sept. 16 – Oct. 29
- Fall Festival of the Arts & Crafts, Washington, Sept. 22-24
- Sky Wars: U.S. Invitational Fireworks Championship, Innsbrook, Sept. 23
- Sunset on the Riverfront, Washington, Sept. 28
- Hermann Oktoberfest, Hermann, weekends Sept. 29-Oct. 29
- Iron Horse Rodeo, Pacific, Sept. 29
- St. Louis VegFest, St. Louis, Oct. 1
- Best of Missouri Market, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Oct. 6-8
- Missouri Town Fall Festival of Arts, Crafts and Music, Lee’s Summit, Oct. 7
- GroveFest, St. Louis, Oct. 7
- Boo at the Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Oct. 13-29
- Legends & Lanterns, St. Charles, Oct. 14-15, 21-22, 27-29
- St. Louis Beer Fest, St. Louis, Oct. 21
- Louisiana Colorfest, Louisiana, Oct. 21-22
- Monster Fest, Pacific, Oct. 28
- Apple Butter Festival, Kimmswick, Oct. 28-29
- Pumpkin Palooza, Washington, Oct. 28
- St. Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, Nov. 9-19
Northwest
- Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City, Sept. 1-3
- Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, Sept. 1-4
- Jesse James Festival, Kearney, Sept. 8-9, 15-17
- Art Westport, Kansas City, Sept. 8-10
- Chautauqua in the Park, Chillicothe, Sept. 9-10
- Blue Springs Fall Fun Fest, Blue Springs, Sept. 15-17
- Lee’s Summit Oktoberfest, Lee’s Summit, Sept 22-23
- Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, Sept. 22-24
- Liberty Fall Festival, Liberty, Sept. 22-24
- Mug Shots, Excelsior Springs, Sept. 30
- KC Oktoberfest, Kansas City, Oct. 6-7
- Weston Applefest, Weston, Oct. 7-8
- Voices of the Past, St. Joseph, Oct. 12-13
- Cheers to Cheese, Weston, Oct. 21
- Witch Way to the Wine, Excelsior Springs, Oct. 28
- Weston Whiskey Festival, Weston, Oct. 28
Central
- Callaway County Mutton Trail events, Sept. 1-2, Sept. 22-24, Oct. 7
- Weiner Nationals, Moberly, Sept. 3
- Phobia Film Festival, Moberly, Sept. 8-9
- The Zipper Fest, Columbia, Sept. 9
- Crocker Railroad Days, Crocker, Sept. 9
- Lincoln Fly-In, Lincoln, Sept. 9
- Get the Red Out, Warrensburg, Sept. 9
- Patriot Day Festival, Waynesville, Sept. 9
- Junk Junction, Moberly, Sept. 9-10
- Bluegrass & BBQ, Fulton, Sept. 10
- Bikefest Lake of the Ozarks, Lake Ozark, Sept. 13-17
- Randolph County Old Settlers Reunion and Fall Fair, Huntsville, Sept. 14-16
- Dixon Annual Cow Days Fall Festival, Dixon, Sept. 15-16
- Northern Cherokee Nation Annual Pow Wow and Gathering, Clinton, Sept. 15-17
- Lincoln Fall Market, Balloon Glow, Strongman Competition, Lincoln, Sept. 16
- Annual Heritage Festival & Craft Show, Columbia, Sept. 16-17
- Show-Me State Airshow, Jefferson City, Sept. 16-17
- Route 66 Hogs & Frogs Festival, Waynesville, Sept. 22-23
- Rising Haunted Attraction, Waynesville, Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 29-Oct. 28, Oct. 31
- Nasty Pulaski Gravel Grind Bike Race, Waynesville, Oct. 7
- Cole Camp Oktoberfest, Cole Camp, Oct. 23
- Sip & Stroll, Arrow Rock, Sept. 30
- Oktoberfest in Old Munichburg, Jefferson City, Sept. 30
- Porchfest JCMO, Jefferson City, Oct. 1
- Slaughter Stables Haunted House, Huntsville, Oct. 14, 21, 28
- Burg Fest, Warrensburg, Oct. 6
- Fall Fest, Waynesville, Oct. 7
- Olde Tyme Apple Festival, Versailles, Oct. 7-8
- Fall Festival, Osage Beach, Oct. 14
- Central Missouri Renaissance Festival, Fulton, Oct. 21-22
- Kaysinger Heritage Days, Warsaw, Oct. 21-22
- Warsaw Heritage Day, Warsaw, Oct. 21-22
- Spirit Walk, Sedalia, Oct. 27
- Cole Camp Pumpkin Fest, Cole Camp, Oct. 27-28
Southeast
- Cotton Ramble Bike Ride, Sikeston, Sept. 9
- Sikeston Wine Festival, Sikeston, Sept. 9
- Ste. Genevieve Oktoberfest, Ste. Genevieve, Sept. 16
- American Legion Cotton Carnival, Sikeston, Sept. 26-30
- Oktoberfest, Sikeston, Oct. 7
- Skelebration & Trunk or Treat Event, Sikeston Oct. 14
- Old Ironworks Festival, St. James, Oct. 14
- Downtown Fall Block Party, West Plains, Oct. 14
- Riverfront Fall Festival, Cape Girardeau, Oct. 21
- Night of the Werewolf, Ste. Genevieve, Oct. 21
- Autumn Harvest Fest, West Plains, Oct. 21
- Downtown Scare on the Square, West Plains, Oct. 31
Southwest
- French Delicieux Soiree at Cassell Vineyards, Mansfield, Sept. 3
- Seymour Apple Festival, Seymore, Sept. 7-9
- Rock Stock, Joplin, Sept. 8-9
- Shepherd’s Fall Craft Fair, Branson, Sept. 8-10
- Japanese Fall Festival, Springfield, Sept. 8-10
- Marionville Apple Fest, Marionville, Sept. 15-16
- Harvest Festival and Pumpkins in the City, Silver Dollar City, Branson, Sept. 15 – Oct. 28
- Food Truck Festival, Springfield, Sept. 16
- Cider Days, Springfield, Sept. 16-17
- Guilty by Association Truck Show, Joplin, Sept. 21-23
- Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Association (HOBA) Fall Bluegrass Festival, West Plains, Sept. 21-23
- Shepherd’s PumpkinFest, Branson, Sept. 22-29
- Antique Farm Show, Cole Camp, Sept. 28-30
- Apple Butter Makin’ Days, Mt. Vernon, Oct. 13-15
- Maple Leaf Festival, Carthage, Oct. 13-21
- Pride in the Park: An LGBTQIA + History Celebration, Springfield, Oct. 23