MidwestWeekends.com — Your Travel Guide to the Upper Midwest

Fall festivals 2013

September

  • (Sep. 4 – 8)Defeat of Jesse James Days

    Northfield, MN

    There's a riverfront fine-arts festival, rodeo and Saturday bike tour in this town, a hour south of the Twin Cities, but don't miss the re-enactments of the famous bank raid.


  • (Sep. 4 – 8)Sandwich Fair

    Sandwich, IL

    This northeast Illinois fair, held since 1888, features exhibits, entertainment and music plus harness racing, tractor pulls and demolition derbies.


  • (Sep. 5 – 8)Pufferbilly Days

    Boone, IA

    This festival in central Iowa, just west of Ames is named for a steam engine and features a spike-driving contest, parachute jumps, mud volleyball and rides on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. A parade is Saturday.


  • (Sep. 6 – 8)Indian Summer Festival

    Milwaukee, WI

    This lakefront festival features a powwow, canoe rides, Aztec dancers, lacrosse lessons and fireworks.


  • (Sep. 6 – 8)Festival of the Vine

    Geneva, IL

    There's an arts and crafts show, flower market, music, wine tasting and sampling of food from local restaurants.


  • (Sep. 6 – 8)Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival

    Paw Paw, MI

    This big festival in southwest Michigan wine country features music on three stages, Friday fireworks, an art fair, motorcycle and bicycle tours, grape stomps and a Sunday parade.


  • (Sep. 6 – 7)Paramount Blues Festival

    Grafton, WI

    This town on the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, between Cedarburg and Port Washington, holds a place on the Mississippi Blues Trail along with Chicago, Memphis and Clarksdale, Miss. From 1929 to 1932, a Paramount recording studio here produced a quarter of the nation's blues, jazz, and gospel music, or "race records.''

    The festival is held in Lime Kiln Park. VIP passes are popular; buy early.


  • (Sep. 7 – 8)Rock Bend Folk Festival

    St. Peter, MN

    This free, easygoing festival in this Minnesota River town's Minnesota Square Park features local favorites The Divers.


  • (Sep. 7 – 8)Villa Louis Carriage Classic

    Prairie du Chien, WI

    The Victorian estate on the Mississippi River hosts horses, restored carriages and drivers in period dress for competitive arena and cross-country sport driving, a passion of the frontier aristocrats who built it.


  • (Sep. 7)Sun Prairie Blues Fest

    Sun Prairie, WI

    There's a whole day of blues at Angell Park in this little town just northeast of Madison. On Main Street, there's a juried fine-arts fair with entertainment and children's activities.


  • (Sep. 7)Taste of the Trail

    Rushford/Houston, MN

    On the Root River State Trail, start a free tasting tour at Rushford's depot and, in the evening, listen to jazz, eat hors d'oeuvres and watch a chef challenge at ExpoCulinaria. Houston offers treats, games, music and visits with Alice the owl.


  • (Sep. 8)St. Paul Classic Bike Tour

    St. Paul, MN

    Ride a 15-, 30- or 45-mile route along the Mississippi, lakes Como and Phalen and St. Paul parkways, starting and ending at the University of St. Thomas and punctuated by food and live music.


  • (Sep. 11 – 14)Pumpkin Festival

    Morton, IL

    This town near Peoria, home of the Libby's pumpkin-packing plant, calls itself the Pumpkin Capital of the World and serves pumpkin ice cream, pancakes and fudge at its festival, which features a 10:30 a.m. Saturday parade.


  • (Sep. 12 – 15)Unplugged: The Northern Harvest

    Grand Marais, MN

    The harbor-side North House Folk School celebrates with storytelling, traditional workshops, a fish boil and concerts by songwriter/musicians.


  • (Sep. 12 – 22)World Music Festival

    Chicago, IL

    There will be more than 80 artists performing at more than 30 venues across the city, with some performances free and some ticketed.


  • (Sep. 13 – 15)Wo-Zha-Wa Days

    Wisconsin Dells, WI

    There's a juried arts and crafts show, street carnival and parade Sunday.


  • (Sep. 13 – 15)Michigan Irish Music Festival

    Muskegon, MI

    There's music on three stages, plus dance and session tents, a cultural village, Celtic Kitchen and limerick contest.


  • (Sep. 13 – 15)Grape Stomp

    Alexandria, MN

    Carlos Creek Winery hosts this festival, which features a Friday barn dance, "I Love Lucy'' look-alike contests, grape stomps, comedy, music and crafts vendors.


  • (Sep. 14 – 15)Laura Ingalls Wilder Days

    Pepin, WI

    The famous author was born in the bluffs above this Mississippi River town, which celebrates with guided bus tours to the birth site, kids' pioneer games, traditional music and crafts and a Pepin Laura contest that tests knowledge of the "Little House'' books.


  • (Sep. 14)Ethnic Fest

    Walker, MN

    Such performers as alphornists, Irish dancers and Anishinaabe drum and dance corps perform in this town on the shores of Leech Lake. There's also a parade.


  • (Sep. 14)Parade of Nations and Multicultural Festival

    Hancock/Houghton, MI

    The parade begins at 11 a.m. in Hancock and ends at noon in Houghton at Dee Stadium, where there's a festival with music, dancing and food from around the world.


  • (Sep. 14)Taste of the Trail

    Lanesboro, MN

    In Lanesboro, Whalan and Peterson on the Root River State Trail, enjoy music, wagon rides and free samples from local restaurants and growers.


  • (Sep. 14)Scarecrow Fest

    Phelps, WI

    See early fall color around this town in Nicolet National Forest. There's pumpkin-chucking, pumpkin and scarecrow contests, a craft fair, car show, hay rides and free chili and deep-fried pickles.


  • (Sep. 15)Minneapolis Bike Tour

    Minneapolis, MN

    Ride a 14- or 36-mile route on parkways along the Mississippi and the Chain of Lakes. Start and finish is Parade Field, across from the Walker Art Center; there's a party afterward.


  • (Sep. 20 – 22)Oktoberfest

    Chippewa Falls, WI

    Meet the Narren, enter a sauerkraut-eating contest, listen to polka and zydeco and watch the daily parade.


  • (Sep. 20 – 21)German Fest

    Guttenberg, IA

    There will be music, dancing, children's games and lock and dam tours in this antebellum town on the Mississippi River.


  • (Sep. 20 – 22)World Food Festival

    Des Moines, IA

    In downtown's East Village, eat at 30 cultural cafes for $5 or less (or taste for $1), shop at the world marketplace or listen to musicians strolling the streets or on stage.


  • (Sep. 20 – 21)Oktoberfest

    St. Paul, MN

    There will be dachshund and bed races in addition to folk dancing and music on Rice Street.


  • (Sep. 20 – 21)Festa Italiana Minnesota

    St. Paul, MN

    This free festival on Harriet Island features music on two stages, organ grinders, bocce-ball lessons, gondola rides and a "street of love.''


  • (Sep. 20 – 22)Duluth Balloon Festival

    Duluth, MN

    Also known as Le Festival des Montgolfières à Duluth, named for the French brothers who pioneered balloon flight in the 1780s, this festival on the bayfront features 12 hot-air balloons, tethered balloon rides, launching and recovery of weather balloons and a concert.



  • (Sep. 21 – 22)Wine & Harvest Festival

    Cedarburg, WI

    There's a pumpkin regatta — yes, people paddling hollowed-out pumpkins across Cedar Creek — at this year's fest in this historic mill town just north of Milwaukee. There's also a scarecrow contest, grape stomp, hay rides, juried arts fair and lots of food.


  • (Sep. 21 – 22)Fall Gathering at the North West Co. Fur Post

    Pine City, MN

    No one's more fun than a voyageur, and they'll be dancing, boasting and trying to best one another at this family-friendly event an hour north of the Twin Cities. For the kids, there's a bead scramble, candle-dipping and a scavenger hunt.


  • (Sep. 21 – 22)Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival

    Hudson, WI

    Music, food and a juried art show along the St. Croix River, in Lakefront Park.


  • (Sep. 21)Fall Festival

    Hayward, WI

    There's an arts and crafts fair, children's games, contests and live music downtown.


  • (Sep. 21 – 22)Vintage Illinois Wine Festival

    Matthiessen State Park, IL

    This festival in northwest Illinois features live music and wine-tasting from 25 Illinois vineyards.


  • (Sep. 21 – 22)World War II Days

    Rockford, IL

    Midway Village Museum hosts the largest World War II battle re-enactment in the nation, with more than 800 uniformed re-enactors and more than 70 vintage tanks and other armored vehicles.


  • (Sep. 21)Taste of the Trail

    Preston/Harmony, MN

    On the Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail, go on a naturalist-guided ride, visit an Amish market and enjoy Fall Fest in Preston. In Harmony, sample treats from restaurants, B&Bs and churches.

     


  • (Sep. 21)International Fall Festival

    Eau Claire, WI

    See the Parade of Nations, an international bazaar and music on the World Stage.


  • (Sep. 26 – 29)Boats and Bluegrass

    Winona, MN

    This family-oriented festival in Prairie Island Park, on the Mississippi River, features disc golf, paddling and airplane rides as well as music. A weekend pass includes camping and canoeing, and kids under 16 are free with an adult ticket.


  • (Sep. 27 – 28)Cornish Festival

    Mineral Point, WI

    In the old lead-mining district in southwest Wisconsin, play shove ha'penny in the Kiddleywink Pub, eat figgyhobbin and pasties, listen to tommyknocker tales and tour Cornish miners' cottages.


  • (Sep. 27 – Oct 5)Oktoberfest

    La Crosse, WI

    This big festival includes nine days of non-stop partying. There's food, music and carnival rides, plus the Maple Leaf Parade, the Laff Olympics, Craft Beer and Heritage Night and the Torchlight Parade.


  • (Sep. 27 – 29)Apple Festival

    Gays Mills, WI

    There'll be arts and crafts and music in this southwest Wisconsin village. The big parade is at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.


  • (Sep. 27 – 28)Fall Fest

    Cable, WI

    In the colorful northwest woods, there'll be hay rides, corn maze, a chili cook-off, fish boil, arts and crafts and fireworks.


  • (Sep. 27 – 29)Cranberry Festival

    Warrens, WI

    At this huge festival in west-central Wisconsin, there'll be marsh tours, contests and more than 1,300 booths selling antiques, produce and arts and crafts. The big parade is at noon Sunday.


  • (Sep. 27 – 28)Kalona Fall Festival

    Kalona, IA

    This Mennonite community just southwest of Iowa City, famous for its quilts, will offer pony rides, a pumpkin-carving contest, demonstrations of Old World artisanry, music and homemade potato chips, apple fritters, ice cream and chicken, biscuits and gravy.


  • (Sep. 27 – 28)Beef-A-Rama

    Minocqua, WI

    In this northern Wisconsin lake-resort town, there's a Rump Roast Run, beef-eating contest and Parade of Beef on Saturday.


  • (Sep. 28 – 29)All-State Barn Tour in Iowa

    Across the state, IA

    It's the Iowa Barn Foundation's annual free, self-guided tour of restored historic barns.


  • (Sep. 28 – 29)Civil War Weekend

    Greenbush, WI

    This festival at the Wade House historic site near Sheboygan includes the biggest and best battle re-enactments in the Upper Midwest. There's also a traveling medicine show, court martials, a sutler's row, period concerts and appearances by Abraham Lincoln.


  • (Sep. 28 – 29)Tour of Historic Galena Homes

    Galena, IL

    Tour five private homes and the History Museum in this picturesque town in northwest Illinois.


  • (Sep. 28 – 29)Hyde Park Jazz Festival

    Chicago, IL

    Listen to non-stop music during this free festival at Midway Plaisance, near the Museum of Science and Industry and Lake Michigan.


  • (Sep. 28)Johnny Appleseed Festival

    Crystal Lake, IL

    In this northwest suburb of Chicago, there's pumpkin bowling, a pumpkin train and petting zoo, apple contests, music and a craft fair.


October

  • (Oct. 4 – 6)Apple Festival

    Bayfield, WI

    It's the 52nd anniversary of this big festival on Lake Superior. Highlights include Big Top Chautauqua concerts, Pipes & Drums from Thunder Bay, the lighted Venetian boat parade and the grand parade at 2 p.m. Sunday.


  • (Oct. 4 – 6)Oktoberfest

    Amana, IA

    There's German music and food at this Amana Colonies village, plus contests that include the Eisenmann, or Iron Man, competition: Teams roll kegs, walk a balance beam with full steins of beer and saw logs. The parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday


  • (Oct. 4 – 6)Audubon Days

    Mayville, WI

    The festival in this town next to big Horicon Marsh features bed races, a bike tour, rubber-duck race and parade Sunday.


  • (Oct. 4 – 5)Chain O' Lakes Blues Festival

    Waupaca, WI

    Listen to the blues at the historic Indian Crossing Casino.


  • (Oct. 4 – 13)Fermentation Fest

    Reedsburg, WI

    This fest in the scenic hills of southwest Wisconsin is not only about pickles and sourdough bread but also cheese, chocolate, beer and wine. There are classes, tastings, performances and the 50-mile Farm/Art DTour, with Roadside Culture Stands.


  • (Oct. 5 – 6)Big Island Rendezvous and Festival

    Albert Lea, MN

    This southern Minnesota festival is great for families, with more than 1,200 re-enactors dancing, demonstrating, competing and pulling visitors back into the fur-trade era.


  • (Oct. 5)Apple Affair

    Galesville, WI

    In the bluffs above Trempealeau, this festival features a 10-foot apple pie, a hunt for a Silver Apple, a race of floating wooden apples and a bicycle tour with a 20-mile route through apple orchards and hillier 35- and 60-mile routes.


  • (Oct. 5 – 6)Giant Pumpkin Fest

    Nekoosa, WI

    This town near Wisconsin Rapids calls itself the Giant Pumpkin Capital of Wisconsin and features a pumpkin-pie eating contest, pumpkin rolling for kids, a carnival and craft show.


  • (Oct. 5)Oktoberfest

    Galena, IL

    The Lions Club puts on this riverfront festival, which includes wiener-dog races, polka lessons, hammerschlagen, pumpkin-decorating and a beanbag tournament.


  • (Oct. 5 – 6)Olde English Faire/Autumn on Parade

    Oregon, IL

    This festival at Stronghold Conference Center features swordfighters, minstrels, magicians and the Gremlin's Garden for children.

    In town, more strolling performers appear at the Autumn on Parade Festival, and the Harvest Time Parade is at 1 p.m. Sunday.


  • (Oct. 10 – 13)Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival

    Alpena, MI

    Five Lake Huron lighthouses, at Tawas Point, Sturgeon Point, Forty Mile Point and Presque Isle, will be open for tours, and visitors can take boats or helicopters to see the lights on Middle Island and Thunder Bay Island.


  • (Oct. 11 – 13)Northeast Iowa Artists' Studio Tour

    Decorah area, IA

    Drive through bluff country to see 56 artists at 43 sites around Decorah, Burr Oak, St. Lucas, Waukon, West Union, Cresco, New Albin, Lansing, Elgin and Clermont.


  • (Oct. 11 – 13)Scarecrow Festival

    St. Charles, IL

    There's a big scarecrow contest plus a carnival and the Autumn on the Fox arts show in this town west of Chicago.


  • (Oct. 11 – 14)Harbor Country Harvest Days

    Harbor Country, MI

    The Lake Michigan towns just north of the Indiana border, including New Buffalo, Union Pier, Three Oaks and Sawyer, celebrate Columbus Day weekend with wine tasting, hay rides, pumpkin-carving contests, live music and fine arts.


  • (Oct. 11 – 13)Apple Festival

    Charlevoix, MI

    In this Lake Michigan town, there's a pumpkin-carving contest, children's activities and an arts and crafts show.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

    Winterset, IA

    John Wayne was born there, George Washington Carver lived there and the famous covered bridges still are there. The festival in this town southwest of Des Moines features guided bus tours to the bridges, free horse-drawn wagon rides to Wayne's house, appearances by Carver and other historical figures, spelling bees, a belt-buckle auction, live music and an antique vehicles parade at 2 p.m. Sunday.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Civil War Heritage Weekend at Norskedalen

    Coon Valley, WI

    This pioneer farmstead in the coulees southeast of La Crosse is wonderfully atmospheric, and the crackerjack re-enactors of the Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry's Company B give the region's most affecting portrayal of war.


  • (Oct. 12)WhistleStop Marathon, Half Marathon & Brews and Blues Festival

    Ashland, WI

    A beautiful fall-colors run on the limestone Tri-County Corridor rail trail between Iron River and Chequamegon Bay. There are also 5K and 10K runs and a toddler run at the Bay Area Civic Center, plus evening sampling of 50 microbrews and blues music all night in a heated festival tent.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Galena Country Fair

    Galena, IL

    There's a fine arts/arts and crafts fair, farmers market, music and children's games in Grant Park.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Scenic Drive Festival

    Van Buren County, IA

    In the southeast corner of Iowa, 11 villages feature quilt shows, scarecrow contests, bake sales, tours of historic sites, wine tasting and street fairs.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Pumpkin Patch Festival

    Egg Harbor, WI

    There'll be music, children's games and arts and crafts in this Door County village.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Oktoberfest

    Lake Geneva, WI

    There will be wagon rides, music, magic, free pumpkins and crafts on downtown streets.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Fall Festival of the Arts

    Red Wing, MN

    There's a juried show of more than 90 artists downtown, plus music and food.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Harvest Fest

    Stillwater, MN

    There will be a pumpkin pie-eating contest, a pumpkin regatta on the St. Croix River, a microbrew tasting, a pedal tractor pull and a street dance.


  • (Oct. 12 – 13)Shadows of the Blue and Gray

    Princeton, IL

    This Civil War festival off I-80, half an hour west of Starved Rock State Park, includes battle re-enactments both days.

    There will also be a Grand Entrance parade with the Lincolns, a Lincoln look-alike contest for kids, period music and fashion, a musket loading and firing competition and a period barn dance followed by a cannon fireworks show.


  • (Oct. 13)Harvest Fest

    New Glarus, WI

    See old-time artisanry at the Swiss Historical Village, including sausage-stuffing and cheese-making in the 1890s cheese factory.


  • (Oct. 13)Burgoo Festival

    Utica, IL

    The street party in this northern Illinois town, gateway to Starved Rock State Park, features vats of "pioneer'' stew, a crafts fair and music.


  • (Oct. 18 – 20)Moose Madness Festival

    Grand Marais, MN

    This Lake Superior town offers  a scavenger hunt, kite-flying, fun run, appearances by Murray the Moose and family courses at the North House Folk School.


  • (Oct. 18 – 20)Fall Festival

    Sister Bay, WI

    This Door County festival features a fish boil and children's cake walk Friday and a dog show , hat contest and parade Saturday, plus games and an arts and crafts show.


  • (Oct. 18 – 20)Southwest Wisconsin Fall Art Tour

    Southwest, WI

    This popular studio tour includes artists at studios between Mineral Point, Spring Green, Dodgeville and Baraboo.


  • (Oct. 18 – 26)Halloween

    Anoka, MN

    This town, just north of Minneapolis, calls itself the Halloween Capital of the World. Festivities include a Light up the Night parade Oct. 19 and medallion hunts Oct. 20, pumpkin-carving and house-decoration contests and a 1 p.m. Grand Day Parade Oct. 26.


  • (Oct. 18 – 19)Isthmus Food & Wine Festival

    Madison, WI

    Demonstrations, exhibits and sampling at Alliant Energy Center.


  • (Oct. 18 – 20)Fine Chocolate Show

    Chicago, IL

    This event at Navy Pier features pastry demonstrations, chocolate-making seminars and samples from more than 125 vendors. Tickets are $25, $10 for children 3-12.


  • (Oct. 19 – 20)Autumn Harvest Fest

    Wisconsin Dells, WI

    Along with hayrides, pony rides, music and arts and crafts, there will be pumpkin decorating, a straw dig and a scarecrow-stuffing contest.

    On Saturday, chat with brewmasters and sample beer from Wisconsin breweries at Wisconsin Dells on Tap.


  • (Oct. 19)Applefest

    Alexandria, MN

    Enter a pie-eating contest, play garden chess, go on a horse-drawn wagon ride and watch a pumpkin-catapult contest at Carlos Creek Winery.

     

     


  • (Oct. 23 – 27)Pumpkin Festival

    Sycamore, IL

    In this town between Rockford and DeKalb, there will be a pie-eating contest, carnival, decorated pumpkins and a parade Sunday.


  • (Oct. 25 – 26)Halloween at Heritage Hill

    Green Bay, WI

    Ride the haunted tram, have your fortune told, walk a graveyard maze or visit the Ghost Town in 13 historic buildings.


  • (Oct. 25 – 27)Jack O'Lantern Days

    Fish Creek, WI

    Mask making, trolley ghost tours, trick or treating and a Halloween parade at 3 p.m. Saturday.



  • (Oct. 26)Howl-O-Ween

    Forest Lake, MN

    In this town just north of the Twin Cities, trick-or-treat among owls and wolves and bears at the Wildlife Science Center. There's also a haunted barn.


November

  • (Nov. 9)Veterans Day Parade

    Milwaukee, WI

    It's at 11 a.m. downtown.


  • (Nov. 9 – 10)Trainfest

    Milwaukee, WI

    The nation's largest operating model railroad show includes more than 60 scenic railroads, clinics for hobbyists and a Kids' Activity Zone with racing trains, face painting and a Circus Train.


  • (Nov. 10)Beacon lighting at Split Rock Lighthouse

    Beaver Bay, MN

    This event, which commemorates the 1975 sinking of the ore freighter with 29 men, is the only time the public can see the interior of the light tower when the beacon is lighted.


  • (Nov. 21 – 24)Winterer's Gathering

    Grand Marais, MN

    There's a tent encampment, winter skills seminars, Arctic film festival and chili feed at the North House Folk School.


  • (Nov. 22 – 24)Holiday Art Fair

    Madison, WI

    This event at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Overture Center features fine art, music, treats and the Rediscovered Art & Treasures Sale.