In my post last week I promised that there would be fall fun out there to be had this season, despite the unusual times. So this week I’m backing up that statement by highlighting 20+ fall-themed events and activities that your family can start enjoying right now. Pumpkins and apple fritters and hayrides and corn mazes and farm animals and scarecrows and so many other beloved traditions are STILL HAPPENING across our state, even if they look just a little different this year.
So haul out that calendar that’s been collecting dust since March and start planning a fall to remember!
***Please note that all information was current as of the date/time of publication. We always recommend calling ahead or checking each venue’s website before visiting for the latest updates and any changes***
1. Roses Berry Farm Hay Rides at the Hebron Avenue Farmstand in Glastonbury
Rose’s Hebron Ave Farm Stand will be having Hay Rides to Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze starting weekends through October! Hayrides OPEN 9:00am-4:30pm, $3 per person (4 years and under free) Face covering required and as always be safe and practice social distancing.
1200 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury
2. 25th Annual Scarecrows Along Main in Old Wethersfield
Come to the historic district of Wethersfield October 3rd – November 1st and see something spectacular! Scarecrows will be popping up alongside shops, restaurants, museums, colonial homes and more this fall season. Grab a warm cup of coffee from Heirloom Market or a delicious ice cream from Main Street Creamery and wander at will!
Main Street, Wethersfield
3. Lyman Orchards Apple Picking and Corn Maze in Middlefield
Pick some apples and then wander through the Corn Maze honoring our first responders and front-line workers, which is open daily from 1PM-6PM, with last entry of the day at 5:30. Admission price is $10 for ages 13 and older, $5 for ages 4-12, and free for ages 3 and under and for every ticket sold they are donating $1 to the American Cancer Society, and 50 cents to the Connecticut Cancer Foundation. Pony rides and horse drawn wagon rides every Saturday and Sunday in September and October weather permitting. Pony rides run from 11AM-3PM (last tickets sold at 2:30), and the Wagon Rides run from 10AM-4PM. Cost is $5 for the Pony Rides. The Wagon Rides cost $5 for ages 13 and older, $3 for ages 4-12, and free for ages 3 and under. Both are CASH ONLY.
The Apple Barrel market is open from 9AM-6PM, and the 1741 Pub & Grill is open from 10AM-8PM.
32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield
4. Pumpkin Patch Trolley Ride at CT Trolley Museum in East Windsor
Ride a historic trolley car out to the pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin! Each person will get a bag filled with stickers to decorate their pumpkin and the arts and crafts tables will be open for the enjoyment of visitors. The Visitor Center will be open to see the historic displays and will be decorated for Halloween. Thur.-Sun (and Columbus Day) until October 31st. All tickets are sold online and will not be sold at the Museum. In the interest of safety they are allowing only 22 people per hour in order to maintain social distancing and to keep space between visitors on the Trolley ride. Masks are required at all times as well. Please visit here to view their Covid-19 visitor policy
58 North Road, East Windsor
5. Scott’s Yankee Farmer Apple Picking, Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides and Corn Maze in East Lyme
Reservations for Apple Picking and this year’s Pollinator Corn Maze Will be required on WEEKENDS and HOLIDAYS! No Reservations Will Be Required During weekdays. PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID-19 they have had to make many changes in order to allow visitors back to their farm. They have chosen to implement a $5 admission fee that is good for up to 5 people and each additional person is $1, which will be paid upon arrival. The $5 admission fee ONLY gains access to the farm. Corn maze tickets and apples are sold separately. Check out their Facebook event page for additional details. Wagon rides are on weekends ONLY. Make your Reservation Here.
436 Boston Post Rd, East Lyme
6. Bishop’s Orchard Corn Maze in Guilford
This year’s maze is designed in honor of all amazing front line workers. Corn Maze hours are 10am-5pm every day, through the end of October. The price is $7.00 per person, children 2 and under free. Last admission into the Corn Maze is at 4:30pm. The Corn Maze is located at their Main Orchard, 526 New England Road in Guilford, approximately 2 3/4 miles from the Farm Market.
526 New England Road, Guilford
7. Wee Fairie Village at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme goes virtual
Wee Faerie Village, the Museum’s month-long family-friendly event scheduled for October will be going virtual this year! One of the highlights will be Wee TV, half-hour episodes of faerie crafts and special guests. You can also take part in the Wee Faerie Super Fan and Crafting Club. More activities are being planned to capture the magic of the faerie realm for participants of all ages. Virtual Faerie Village will be available at FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org and VirtualFaerieVillage.org September 24 through November 1.
8. Fair Weather Growers Fall Festival in Cromwell
Weekends (Fri-Sun) and Columbus Day. Enjoy a corn maze, pedal carts, scarecrows, tire playground, pumpkin patch and more! This year because of Covid-19 guidelines you MUST purchase your tickets online at their website. Attendance will be limited so you will choose a specific time block to for your visit. There will be hand sanitizer available at each activity. All participants must use before and after the activity. Facemasks are required and social distancing is encouraged. Info on pricing and hours here.
10 County Line Drive, Cromwell
9. The Ride Must Go On at Pumpkintown USA in East Hampton
This year, enjoy a journey through the Pumpkintown Forest in the comfort and safety of your own personal vehicle. On this scenic 1-mile drive through picturesque autumnal landscapes, view over 30 Pumpkinhead people and their animal companions at home in their woodland dwellings.
RESERVATIONS WILL BE REQUIRED- NO EXCEPTIONS. Reservations can be made online. Find more details and updates on their website or Facebook page.
93 E High Street, East Hampton
10. Ray of Light Farm Not So Scary Halloween Drive-Thru in East Haddam
The NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN event this year, due to COVID-19, will be a drive through event. An experience designed for young children, but fun for all ages! Come see their magical Pony Trail, decorated & lit up for Halloween! You will find all sorts of exciting sights on the way, as well as their human characters dressed for the occasion! Candy will be passed out to the little visiting goblins. This will be a fun event, daylight and in the dark. Only difference is, you’ll see all the beautiful lights in the dark. They are starting earlier this year at 5:45 to accommodate those “little goblins” who need to get to bed earlier. Drive through dates are: October 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd & 24th. Visit their website to buy your ticket online. $5/person age 18 months+. THIS EVENT CAN SELL OUT so please purchase ahead. Please note that their public bathrooms will be closed due to the pandemic.
232 Town Street, East Haddam
11. Flaming Farm Haunted Petting Zoo and Pony Rides in West Simsbury
Due to the current social distancing guidelines they are replacing their Haloween Hayride this year with a Haunted Petting Zoo! A little scary, a lot of fun! $10 per person. They recommend purchasing tickets in advance through their website because due to COVID-19, they are only allowing a certain amount of people to go through at a time.
– Friday and Saturday nights from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
– October 16th and 17th (rain date October 18)
– October 23rd and 24th (rain date October 25)
– October 30th and 31st (rain date November 1)
Pony rides are available Saturdays and Sundays 11am – 3pm, April-November, weather permitting. Please note on extremely hot days they do not do pony rides for the well being of the ponies and staff. $5.20 per ride, and there is an 80 pound limit.
7 Shingle Mill Road, West Simsbury
12. Tierney Family Drive-In in Glastonbury
Weekly family drive-in movie night at the Glastonbury Elks club! Tickets go on sale online each Monday before the event at 9am. There are only 60 car spots. Preorder your complete family meal from the Spicy Green Bean for pick-up at the drive-in. Ice cream truck and full bar on site as well. (Outside food not permitted.) Gates open 90 minutes before sunset for the picnic area, or enjoy dinner and a movie under the stars at your car. Check their Facebook page for movie selections and purchase information.
98 Woodland Street South Glastonbury
13. Brown’s Harvest Apple Festival, Corn Maze and Fall Fun in Windsor
1st Annual Apple Festival September 26th & 27th! They will be serving warm apple crisp a la mode, apple pie, cotton candy, fresh cider donuts and so much more. Kona Ice will be there with a special green apple flavor ice (along with other favorites). Enjoy a wide variety of local vendors, live music, hayrides and face painting. $8 for children (ages 3-11yrs, 0-2yrs are FREE), $10 Adults (ages 12yrs+). Each ticket includes admission to the farm, a hayride through their enchanted trail in the woods and their 6-acre corn maze. Choose the time slot you would like to visit to get the most out of enjoying the festival. They will be limiting the number of tickets sold in each time slot, so purchase early! Please note: They will close and clear the fields by 6PM each day so please plan accordingly. Purchase tickets here. More events all season long! Find additional events and information here.
1911 Poquonock Avenue, Windsor
14. Riverview Farms Fall Festival in Glastonbury
Open September 19th through November 1st, the Fall Festival at Robb’s Ice Cream offers hayrides, a 2-acre Corn Maze, farm animals to see, baby chicks and everything fall! They also have their own working tractors on display to sit on (a great photo op!). Plenty of parking and room to play! Robb’s Ice Cream offers 30 flavors of made on the farm Ice Cream. Homemade apple fritters are baked fresh on Weekends and Columbus Day from 10:00-6:00. During the last week the Corn Maze is taken over for a Haunted Corn Maze as a fundraiser for a local charity. Due to COVID, they will be limiting all of the activities on the farm (and there won’t be a bounce house this year) and will require all guests over 2 to wear a mask (no exceptions for any reason) and maintain social distancing. September: Saturday and Sunday 10:00AM to 6:00PM; October: Fri from 12:00PM to 6PM; and Saturday and Sunday 10:00AM to 6:00PM. $5 entrance fee per family. Cornmaze $6/person (under 5 free). Hayride (includes sugar pumpkin) $6.00/person (under 5 rides free). There will not be family pass options this year due to scheduling for COVID.
91 Wassuc Road, South Glastonbury
15. PYO Fall Fun Days at March Farm in Bethlehem
There’s no place like the Wizard of Oz themed corn maze! Choose your time slot & pre-pay for guaranteed access & savings. $6 per person when you purchase online in advance. $7 when you purchase on site (Cash ONLY at the maze itself, or you can purchase corn maze tickets at the PYO booth). 3 & under is FREE. IMPORTANT… you must bring your receipt the day you come for proof of purchase. Corn Maze tickets will always go on sale the Monday before the approaching weekend. Corn Maze is open Saturdays & Sundays only. Purchase tickets here. Also, the Mobile Pub will be there Sundays from 11-6pm & Saturdays from 2-6pm. The Hilltop Snack Shack will be cranking out grilled cheese, hotdogs, hearty soups, & ice cream novelties. PYO Apples from 10am-5pm. Pony Rides will be available alongside the Farm Play Area Saturdays & Sundays from 11-5pm. $8 per person, cash ONLY. Ben March Memorial Celebration will be held on October 18th. Find additional information about that celebration and more events on their website.
Due to COVID they will not be bussing people from the lower lot to the hilltop. If there are no spots up top, you can park down below & hike up via their farm hike. Please note that the hike is hilly & a bit rocky in some spots. Bring appropriate footwear & ONLY strollers that can handle rougher terrain or better yet a wagon. They will be asking for a min. $5 parking donation up top, but not down below.
60 Munger Lane, Bethlehem
16. Wethersfield Farmers’ Market
Thursdays 3-6pm through mid-October. The outdoor Wethersfield Farmers’ Market features over 30 local vendors each week with a variety of goods and groceries. A one stop shop for locally grown produce, organic produce, herbs, flowers, baked goods, cheese, honey, and many other specialty items. Located near the heart of Old Wethersfield in close proximity to local shops, eateries and playgrounds. View their COVID-19 policies here. Check their Facebook page for weekly updates.
220 Hartford Avenue, Wethersfield
17. Zoofari Drive-Thru at Southwick Zoo in Mendon, MA
Southwick Zoo is offering daytime Zoofari Drive Thru tours on Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm in September and October. Enjoy a self-guided tour of their 200-acre zoo from the comfort and safety of your vehicle! This is a great option for those looking for a reduced contact way to visit the Zoo this year. Don’t forget to download the Audio Tour before your Drive Thru! $60 per car. Please note: The Zoo will NOT be open as a walk through on Mondays and Wednesdays. They are open as a walk through on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Zoo WILL be open as a WALK THRU on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12th. Get more information about Zoofari on their website. Click here for 2020 admission and COVID-19 visitor information.
2 Southwick Street, Mendon, MA. (All drive thru guests must enter the parking lot through the lot entrance on Vineyard Street side of the parking lot. Enter the address 46 Vineyard Street, Millville, MA 01529 into your GPS to be directed to the correct entrance. Look for the ENTER HERE sign with giraffes.)
18. Halloween Wreath Kids’ Class at Glazed Pottery in Glastonbury
October 3rd from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm; $25/person. Get in the Halloween spirit at Glazed during this wreath making class! This is a hands-on art class open to kids ages 6-10. Each participant will get one wreath base and lights, tulle, and other embellishments to create a spooktacular Halloween decoration. Choose to enjoy this class in-studio or from the comfort of your own home. Whichever your choice, they will provide all of the materials and instruction. Their at-home class comes with a link to a YouTube tutorial which will go live on October 3rd at 10:00 am.
HOW IT WORKS: Select your wreath: jack o’lantern, sugar skull or haunted house; Choose between painting at home or in-studio (social distancing in effect and face coverings required).
Paint at home: Their staff will package all of the materials needed to create your project virtually – just follow along with the step-by-step instructional video on their YouTube channel! You will be notified you when your order is ready for pick up from the contactless pick up station in their main entrance.
Paint in-studio: Join them in the studio on Saturday, October 3rd for a fun, socially distant class. Participants will receive all of the materials needed to complete the wreath they pre-selected, along with a personal set of tools (e.g. glue, scissors). Staff will guide participants through creating each look! This class will be held in their large party room. Adhering to social distancing, class size is limited to 8. Masks are required.
60 Hebron Avenue 2nd floor, Glastonbury
19. 12th Annual Scarecrow Contest in Putnam
October 15th to November 1st. Join in the fun as community members come up with wildly creative scarecrow designs. Individuals, organizations, groups and businesses alike are all welcome to participate. Stroll around and discover the scarecrows, which are located in downtown Putnam among local shops and eateries.
Downtown Putnam
20. Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm Hayride and Corn Maze in Sterling
Enjoy a fun adventure for the entire family at the Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm Corn Maze! Travel through miles of paths, relax on their hayride and visit the animals in the barnyard. Be sure to stop by the farm store, located right next to the maze, for plenty of great treats including farm fresh ice cream, snacks and sandwiches. Open September through October.
227 Ekonk Hill Road, Sterling
21. The Pumpkin Experience at Jones Family Farm in Shelton
The farm team has created new and wonderful PUMPKIN HARVEST EXPERIENCES for families to enjoy during this COVID-19 period including:
- THE CORN LABYRINTH AND THREE SISTERS WALK
- THE FARM RANGER HIKE
- THE PUMPKIN POLLINATOR PATHWAY
- THE DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS SQUASH TENT
- HARVEST-YOUR-OWN PUMPKINS
Guests will pay a per person entry fee to enjoy the farm’s Pumpkin Experience. This fee includes all trails, such as the Farm Ranger Hike, and experiences, such as the Corn Labyrinth and the visit to the pumpkin patch. Weekends and Columbus Day: With online reservations, $10 per person; under 2 years free. Weekdays: With online reservations, $5 per person; under 2 years free. Walk-in Registration without reservations (if space available): additional $2 per person, therefore, making on-site registration $12 per person on weekends and $7 per person on weekdays. Find more information about hours and pricing on their website.
606 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Shelton
22. Buttonwood Farms Ice cream and Corn Maze in Griswold
Known for it’s delicious ice cream and popular Sunflowers for Wishes event earlier in the summer, Buttonwood also hosts a variety of fall-themed actvities. The Corn Maze at Buttonwood Farm is located at 1963 Glasgo Road in Griswold CT (Rt 201 South). From Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream take a left onto Rt. 201 and the maze will be on your right. Open every Saturday, Sunday and holidays from October 3 to October 31, from 11am to 5pm. General admission is $10.00 plus CT event tax for all. Ages 2 and under are free of charge.
Due to the pandemic, Buttonwood has not yet announced what additional activities may be available at the farm this year. Please check their website for updates.
473 Shetucket Turnpike, Griswold
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