You could spend almost every autumn day at a fall festival here in the Show-Me State. In fact, there is such an abundance and variety of fun activities available, I’m going to give you a short tour of some my favorite things (and be sure to check out the tabs at the bottom):
Try fresh-made apple butter at the Hermann Oktoberfest.
ANIMALS: I love critters, so I’d check out Calhoun for their 106th Colt Show Fair and Festival Sept. 11-13. It’s on to the Clark County Mule Festival in Kahoka, Sept. 18-20. And the 9th Annual Alpaca Farm Days, Sept. 26-27 in Mexico, is a can’t-miss – how can you resist those faces?
ART: Shop for all things beautiful and handmade at Art Westport in Kansas City Sept. 5-7; explore 50 Miles of Art in Hannibal Nov. 7-8; and take advantage of three times the opportunities in Cape Girardeau Nov. 20-22 with their 20th Annual Crafts, Gifts & Collectibles Show, River Valley Craft Club Craft Fair and 45th Annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Show.
THE BLUES: Start off with HOBA’s 22nd Annual Fall Bluegrass Festival in West Plains Sept. 24-26; take a day for the Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival on Sept. 26; Roots n Blues n BBQ Festival Sept. 25-27 in Columbia is huge; and finish off with Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Jazz and Blues Festival, Oct. 10.
Fall color at Painted Rock Conservation Area.
HERITAGE: Spend some time in Amish country at the Heritage Days Festival in Jamesport Sept. 25-26; explore another culture at Springfield’s Japanese Fall Festival Sept. 11-13; and get a little country at Rural Heritage Day Oct. 24 in Ste. Genevieve.
FOOD AND DRINK: Quench your thirst Sept. 12 at Brewfest in Washington; you can’t beat the barbecue at the American Royal Oct. 1-4 in Kansas City; go nuts Oct. 2-4 at Brunswick’s Annual Pecan Festival. Enjoy the Missouri harvest at Versailles’ Old Tyme Apple Festival Oct. 3. Springfield hosts Ozarks Bacon Fest Oct. 10, leaving you time to swing by the 49th Annual Apple Butter Makin’ Days in Mt. Vernon.
HISTORY: Enjoy a taste of history at the Civil War Encampment Sept. 12 in Ste. Genevieve; indulge your inner history buff at Walk Back in Time Sept. 25-27 in Mexico; join the Fall Muster Oct. 24-25 at Fort Osage Historic Landmark in Sibley.
PARTIES: Who doesn’t love a party? And with carnival rides, shopping, live entertainment at Santa-Cali-Gon Days Sept. 4-7 in Independence is a big one. Enjoy festival fun and needlework artistry Sept. 17-19 in Gainesville during the 55th Hootin an Hollarin Festival and Quilt Show; Cape Girardeau puts on another great party, the SEMO District Fair, which runs Sept. 12-19; and get your kicks at Route 66 Oktoberfest in Waynesville Oct. 17.
STUFF I LOVE: For a big change of pace, I can get my geek on Sept. 5-7 at the Big River Steampunk Festival in Hannibal and since I can’t pass up an air show, the Lake of the Ozarks Air Show on Sept. 12 is on my schedule.
Don a pair of mouse ears Sept. 19 for the 17th Annual Walt Disney’s Hometown Toonfest in Marceline; work off some of that food and drink we talked about earlier at the Cotton Ramble Bike Ride Oct. 10 in Sikeston; then head to Branson Nov. 5-11 for a very special occasion: Veterans Homecoming Week.
There are a lot more festivals around the state to suit your tastes – from wine events to fireworks, film festivals to fishing tournaments, Halloween events to car shows. Just check out the list we have for you.
Then take a deep breath, because the holiday festivals are coming on fast! Enjoy the autumn!
September
October
November
SEPTEMBER
9/4-5
Benton
Neighbor Days Festival
9/4-7
Independence
SantaCaliGon Festival
9/5
Hermann
Harvest Festival – Stone Hill Winery
9/5-7
Hannibal
Big River Steampunk Festival
9/5-7
Kansas City
Art Westport
9/7
Boonesboro
Boonslick Folk Festival at Boone’s Lick State Historic Site
9/7
Cape Girardeau
Labor Day at Fort D
9/10-12
Eureka
Eureka Days
9/10-12
Jefferson City
ArtsLive Weekend
9/10-13
Kansas City
Paris of the Plains Cocktail Festival
9/10-11/24
Kansas City
The American Royal Livestock, Horse Show and Rodeo
9/11-12
Belton
2015 Belton Fall Festival
9/11-12
Kansas City
Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations Open House
9/11-13
Calhoun
106th Calhoun Colt Show Fair and Festival
9/11-13
Kansas City
Dancefestopia
9/11-13
Kennett
Fall into Arts Festival
9/11-13
Springfield
Japanese Fall Festival
9/12
Cape Girardeau
Day on the River
9/12
Diamond
Prairie Day at George Washington Carver National Monument
9/12
East Prairie
Living History Day at Big Oak Tree State Park
9/12
Gladstone
Big Shoal Country Fair, Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum
9/12
Independence
Independence Uncorked Wine Festival
9/12
Camdenton
Lake of the Ozarks Air Show
9/12
Lawson
15th Annual Music Festival and Back Porch Jam at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site
9/12
Richmond
4th Annual Richmond Missouri Outlaw Days
9/12
Sikeston
6th Annual Downtown Sikeston Wine Festival
9/12
Ste. Genevieve
Civil War Encampment
9/12
Washington
Washington Brewfest
9/12
West Plains
3rd Annual Ozark Fall Festival Craft Show
9/12-13
Chillicothe
Chautauqua in the Park
9/12-13
Lexington
Lexington Historic Homes Tour
9/12-13
St. Louis
Loufest 2015
9/12-19
Cape Girardeau
SEMO District Fair
9/12-19
Higginsville
37th Annual Higginsville Country Fair
9/13
Hermann
River City Cruisers Car Show
9/13
Kirksville
Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival
9/14-20
Kansas City
Techweek Kansas City
9/16-10/31
Branson
Silver Dollar City’s National Harvest & Cowboy Festival
9/17-19
Branson
Historic Downtown Branson’s 42nd Annual Autumn Daze Arts, Crafts and Music Festival
9/17-19
Gainesville
55th Hootin an Hollarin Festival and Quilt Show
9/17-20
Osage Beach
Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest
9/18-19
Augusta
Augusta’s 12th Annual Harvest Festival
9/18-19
Dixon
Cow Days Festival
9/18-19
Laurie
Laurie Hillbilly Fair
9/18-19
Mansfield
Wilder Days 2016 “Little Town on the Prairie”
9/18-19
Shell Knob
10th Annual Shakin’ in the Shell Festival/26th Annual Classic & Custom Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show
9/18-19
St. Peters
Celebrate St. Peters
9/18-19
Wright City
Wright City Strassenbash
9/18-20
Blue Springs
Blue Springs Chamber Fall Fun Festival
9/18-20
Chesterfield
Budweiser Taste of St. Louis
9/18-20
Kahoka
Clark County Mule Festival
9/18-20
St. Joseph
St. Joe Southside Fall Festival
9/18-10/31
(weekends)
Carrollton
Carrollton Corn Maze (816-809-1924)
9/19
Eureka
Pyromania – Feel the Boom
9/19
Joplin
First Annual Joplin Festival of the Arts
9/19
Mansfield
2nd Annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Fiddle-off
9/19
Kirksville
Red Barn Arts & Crafts Festival
9/19
Marceline
17th Annual Walt Disney’s Hometown Toonfest Festival
9/19-20
Chesterfield
Faust Heritage Festival
9/19-20
Columbia
Annual Festival & Craft Show
9/19-20
Hermann
Hermann Heritage Days
9/19-20
Shell Knob
“Check Out our Bloomers” Quilt Show
9/19-20
Springfield
Cider Days
9/19-11/1
Kansas City
Halloween Haunt and Howl-O-Fest at Worlds of Fun
9/20
Cape Girardeau
38th Annual River Tales Classic 2015 Car Show
9/24-26
Marble Hill
Bollinger County Fall Festival
9/24-26
West Plains
HOBA’s 22nd Annual Fall Bluegrass Festival
9/25
Jefferson City
15th Annual Oktoberfest in Old Munichburg
9/25-26
Altenburg
East Perry Community Fair
9/25-26
Hermann
BarBQ & Brats Festival
9/25-26
Jamesport
Heritage Days Festival
9/25-26
Park Hills
Parkland Celtic Festival
9/25-26
St. Joseph
Rolling Hills Bluegrass Battles Hunger Concert
9/25-26
Warrensburg
Burg Fest
9/25-26
Waynesville
Southern Gospel Reunion
9/25-27
Chillicothe
Old Time Harvest Days
9/25-27
Columbia
Roots n Blues n BBQ Festival 2015
9/25-27
Hannibal
Harvest Hootenanny Festival
9/25-27
Kansas City
Plaza Art Fair
9/25-27
Mexico
Walk Back in Time
9/26
Cameron
Crossroads Crush
9/26
Cape Girardeau
Tour de Cape 2015
9/26
Carl Junction
18th Annual Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival
9/26
Columbia
Annual South Farm Research Center Showcase
9/26
Eldon
Eldon Turkey Festival
9/26
Farmington
Farmington Downtown Development Association Fall Festival
9/26
Montgomery City
Autumnfest
9/26
Nixa
3rd Annual Nix-A-Que
9/26
Sibley
Grand Festival of Chez Canses
9/26
St. Joseph
BaconFest St. Joe MO 2015
9/26
Warrenton
Fall Festival and Car Show
9/26-27
Fair Grove
Fair Grove Heritage Reunion
9/26-27
Festus
Festus Mo Traditional Music Festival
9/26-27
Marble Hill
Cat Ranch Fall Round Up and Rendezvous
9/26-27
Mexico
9th Annual Alpaca Farm Days
9/26-27
Lexington
Lexington’s 2015 Apples, Arts & Antiques Festival – 18th Annual Antique Show
9/26-27
Washington
Washington’s Arts & Crafts Festival
9/27
Hermann
Woof Wag and Wine at Stone Hill Winery
9/27
Kirksville
Kirksville Bacon Fest
9/27
Ste. Genevieve
Zell Fall Festival
9/27-28
Festus
Festus Missouri Traditional Music Festival
9/29-10/3
Kennett
Delta Fair
9/29-10/3
Sikeston
Cotton Carnival and Parade
OCTOBER
10/1-11/1
Kansas City
Halloween Haunt and Howl-O-Fest at Worlds of Fun
10/1-3
Plattsburg
Plattsburg Fall Festival
10/1-4
Gladstone
Spooky Gladfest 36
10/1-4
Kansas City
American Royal Barbecue
10/1-4
Versailles
Jacob’s Cave Swapping Days
10/1-30
Eureka
Scarecrow Festival Eureka
10/1-31
Branson
Silver Dollar City’s National Harvest & Cowboy Festival
10/1-31
Carthage
Maple Leaf Festival
10/1-31
Crocker
Deep Woods Farm and Pumpkin Patch
10/1-11/24
Kansas City
The American Royal Livestock, Horse Show and Rodeo
10/2-4
Brunswick
Annual Pecan Festival
10/2-4
Springfield
Ozark Fall Farm Fest
10/3
Cape Girardeau
4th Annual Craft Beer Festival
10/3
Fenton
Fenton Days Festival
10/3
Forsyth
11th Annual Harvest Moon Festival Car and Truck & Crafts Show
10/3
Jefferson City
Jefferson City Multicultural Festival
10/3
Kirksville
Scottish Highland Games (660-341-1755)
10/3
Monroe City
6th Annual Fall Festival
10/3
New Madrid
New Madrid Fall Festival/Bass Pro Big Cat Quest
10/3
Springfield
Taste of Springfield & Oktoberfest
10/3
Versailles
Versailles Old Tyme Apple Festival
10/3
Waynesville
Frogtoberfest
10/3-4
Kansas City
Craft
10/3-4
Kingsville
Harvest Celebration and Antique Tractor Show at Powell Gardens
10/3-4
Lee’s Summit
40th Annual Missouri Town 1855 Festival of Arts, Crafts and Music
10/3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25
Hermann
Oktoberfest
10/3-7
Kansas City
WaterFire Kansas City
10/3-31
Sikeston
Beggs Family Farm Fall Harvest Festival
10/8-10
Jamesport
17th Annual Quilt Auction
10/9-10
O’Fallon
O’Fallon Fall Fest and Street Dance
10/9-10
Lebanon
Cackle Hatchery’s Annual Chicken Festival
10/9-11
Mt. Vernon
49th Annual Apple Butter Makin’ Days
10/9-11
St. Joseph
Pony Express Pumpkinfest
10/10
Blackwater
Blackwater Fall Festival
10/10
De Soto
Fall Harvest Festival at Washington State Park
10/10
Frohna
Saxon Lutheran Memorial 35th Annual Fall Festival
10/10
Hermann
64th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival
10/10
Hollister
Hollister Grape & Fall Festival
10/10
Jackson
Oktoberfest
10/10
Kansas City
Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Jazz and Blues Festival
10/10
Lamar
Wyatt Earp Fallfest 2015
10/10
Lawson
Fall on the Farm at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site
10/10
Osage Beach
Fall Harbor Hop
10/10
Sikeston
Cotton Ramble Bike Ride
10/10
Sikeston
Cotton Festival & Antique Tractor Show
10/10
Springfield
Ozarks Bacon Fest
10/10-11
Clarksville
Applefest 2015
10/10-11
Hartsburg
Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival
10/10-11
Kansas City
Civil War Battle at Shoal Creek
10/10-11
St. James
Old Iron Works Days
10/14-17
Stanton
Fall Festival of Gospel Music
10/16-17
Linn Creek
Camden County Fall Festival and Apple Butter Days
10/16-17
West Plains
Ozark Radio Network Timberworks
10/17
Excelsior Springs
Pumpkins and Mums Fall Festival
10/17
Ste. Genevieve
Boo! Silliage at the Bolduc House
10/17
Waynesville
Route 66 Oktoberfest
10/17-18
Ash Grove
Homestead Days Festival at Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site
10/17-18
Hannibal
39th Annual Autumn Historic Folklife Festival
10/17-18
Louisiana
31st Louisiana Country Colorfest
10/17-18
Marthasville
Deutsch Country Days
10/17-18
Springfield
48th Annual Springfield Rock, Gem & Mineral Show
10/18
Ava
Glade Top Trail Flaming Fall Revue
10/18
Blue Springs
Dogtober Fest
10/21
St. Charles
Missouri Day Celebration at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site
10/22-25
Columbia
Citizen Jane Film Festival
10/23-24
Lee’s Summit
Lee’s Summit Quilters’ Guild 2015 Quilt Show
10/24
Butler
Battle of Island Mound Commemoration Event
10/24
Cameron
Fall Fun Event at Wallace State Park
10/24
Kansas City
Pumpkins on Parade
10/24
Ste. Genevieve
Rural Heritage Day
10/24
Sikeston
Sikeston Jaycee Oktoberfest
10/24
Washington
Pumpkin Palooza
10/24-25
Kansas City
Boo at the Zoo
10/24-25
Sibley
Fall Muster at Fort Osage Historic Landmark
NOVEMBER
11/1-11/24
Kansas City
The American Royal Livestock, Horse Show and Rodeo
11/5-11
Branson
Veterans Homecoming Week
11/6-7
Sikeston
Downtown Sikeston Holiday Open House
11/7
Springfield
Trade & Folk Market
11/7-8
Hannibal
50 Miles of Art
11/12-14
St. Joseph
Sugarplum Festival
11/16-1/1
Laurie
Enchanted Village of Lights
11/20-22
Cape Girardeau
20th Annual Crafts, Gifts & Collectibles Show
11/21
Washington
Craft and Gift Expo
11/21-22
Cape Girardeau
River Valley Craft Club Craft Fair
11/21-22
Cape Girardeau
45th Annual Christmas Arts and Crafts
11/21-22
Hermann
Holiday Fare Wine Trail
11/21-22
Ste. Genevieve
Route Du Vin’s Wine Diva Weekend
VisitMO.comVisitMO on PinterestMissouri Travel Guide
The post Missouri Fall Festivals 2015 appeared first on VisitMO Spotlight.