Welcome in the fall in Northern California by attending one (or more!) of the many fall festivals taking place in the next several months. The 2024 line-up of harvest and fall festivals is pretty impressive! No matter where you live in Northern California, chances are there is at least one fall festival not far from you. At these Northern California fall festivals, you can count on seeing scarecrows, pumpkin patches, and other autumn scenes. So charge into this beautiful season by attending some of the best fall festivals in Northern California!

1. Fall Fun Days Festival -– Plymouth

The Amador Flower Farm hosts many events, but one of the prettiest is the Fall Fun Days Festival. Taking place on September 28 & 29, 2024, this autumn festival on a flower farm will have a hay bale maze, farm animals, a pumpkin patch, and free tram rides. And since it’s a flower farm, any gardeners in your group can watch demonstrations by plant experts and purchase some fall bulbs to plant at home.

2. Oakhurst Fall Festival -– Oakhurst

If you're in the Central Valley and searching for "fall festivals near me," you might have heard about this one! Enjoy three days of fall fun on October 11-13, 2024, at Oakhurst Community Park. This small-town festival is a big event for locals. At the Oakhurst Fall Festival, visitors can enjoy music, shop local vendors, and enjoy food, plus wine and beer from local establishments. This 3-day event also has amusement park rides, face painting, and plenty of fun activities and games for the whole family.

3. Fortuna Apple Harvest Festival -– Fortuna

Everyone in Fortuna comes out for this big fall festival and it’s just so much fun! It seems as if the entire town of Fortuna gets involved in this festival, which takes place on the first Saturday of October every year. The Fortuna Apple Harvest Festival starts at 9 a.m. with activities such as apple tasting and continues all day and evening. Eat caramel apples, listen to live music, shop at the massive street fair, and enjoy so much good food. End the day at the festival’s themed skate night, starting at 6:30 p.m. This will make for a full day of fun for your entire family.

4. Harvest Fair -– Dublin

This one-day festival is where you want to be for a day of good old-fashioned family fun. The Harvest Fair takes place on October 12, 2024, at Dublin Heritage Park & Museums. For those looking for fall events near San Francisco, this festival is not far. There will be so many activities to partake in: gold panning, wagon rides, petting zoo, pumpkin golf, pumpkin ring toss, hay bale maze, butter churning, and more!

5. Manteca Pumpkin Fair -– Manteca

This year will be the 39th year of this annual pumpkin festival. The Manteca Pumpkin Fair is presented by the Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis. This fall festival near Stockton takes place October 5 & 6, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free and this event supports local nonprofit groups.

6. Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival -– Elk Grove Regional Park

The city of Elk Grove has a lot of fun festivals throughout the year, but this one might take the cake. The Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival, taking place October 5 & 6, 2024, is a massive event with carnival rides, three stages of entertainment, a pumpkin patch, food truck vendors, and of course, the giant pumpkin contest. Definitely check out the massive pumpkins at this fest– one year’s winner was a whopping 1,886.5 pounds! Admission is free. This fall festival near Sacramento is one you don't want to miss!

7. Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival -– Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is home to the original Giant Pumpkin Festival. Growers have been bringing their giant pumpkins to this charming beach town for years to compete in this nationwide competition, which takes place before the festival. The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, on October 19 & 20, 2024, will have a costume contest, a pie eating contest, and plenty of other contests and games to enjoy. Of course, the giant pumpkins will be on display for festival-goers to view. Visitors can also enjoy lots of food and drink, entertainment, local art, and more. Enjoy everything autumn at this popular fall festival near San Francisco.

8. PumpkinFest -– Ukiah

Experience Ukiah’s PumpkinFest on October 19 & 20, 2024. PumpkinFest will feature the winners from the giant pumpkin contest that is held on October 18. In addition to the giant pumpkins, you can really get into the fall spirit at the haunted house or in “Scarecrow City”. Enjoy rides, tournaments, and contests, plus a food court and beer and wine garden. This year’s theme is “PumpkinFest: Down the Rabbit Hole”.

Plan some time to enjoy fall at one of these best fall festivals in Northern California and really make the most of the season! Tell us in the comments what your favorite Northern California fall festivals are. This season, make sure to get outdoors and hike some trails to see the beautiful fall foliage:

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