The transition from summer into fall brings with it the cooling of temperatures, the changing of leaves, and the arrival of pumpkins, apple pies, corn mazes, and many other beloved fall-themed traditions. To celebrate this magical time of year, many autumnal festivals go into full swing across the Bluegrass State. We've narrowed down the best fall festivals in Kentucky to help you hone in on the ones that most entice you for a visit this fall. Fall in Kentucky doesn't get better than this!

1. Country Pumpkins Fall Festival, Dry Ridge

The Country Pumpkins Fall Festival offers far more than a simple pumpkin patch (although they do provide an extensive collection for the picking). The festival also offers hay rides, pumpkin launching, a 4-acre corn maze, a petting zoo, giant slides, and even a barrel trail ride for kids under 12 years of age, plus much more. Pumpkin Ridge offers an incredible selection of pumpkins, and your younger kiddos will love the Kiddie Play Village and mini maze. You can visit this exciting fall festival in Kentucky from Sept. 7 through Oct. 31. 2024. You can purchase access to individual events A La Carte or purchase a Fun Pass which includes access to all the activities on the farm.

2. The Great Pumpkin Pursuit, Guston

The Great Pumpkin Pursuit is an annual tradition hosted by Roberts Family Farm in the charming little town of Guston. Each year, pumpkin growers around the state bring their prize pumpkins, watermelons, and other produce to see who grew the biggest ones. These enormous pumpkins weigh in at over 1,000 pounds! Aside from the Great Pumpkin Pursuit, Roberts Family Farm also offers hay rides, a petting zoo, and a corn maze. You'll also get to explore a patch of (much smaller) pumpkins for your choosing along with other rides and fun activities for children. The festival is free, and the Great Pumpkin Pursuit will be held from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31, 2024.

3. Casey County Apple Festival, Liberty

The Casey County Apple Festival takes place in downtown Liberty from Sept. 26-28, 2024. The highlight of this tasty festival is the baking of the World's Largest Apple Pie! This incredible pie weighs in at a whopping 1200 pounds and 50 bushels of Granny Apples to bake, a feat that takes 12 hours to complete! In addition to delicious pie-baking, the festival puts on an array of exciting events such as a great lineup of live musicians, carnival rides, endless food and clothing vendors, and much more. Come enjoy the 50th year of fall festival fun!

4. Marion County Country Ham Days, Lebanon

Each year, Marion County Country Ham Days welcomes over 30,000 visitors to the town of Lebanon in late September for a vast array of festivities. Affectionally known as "Ham Days" for short, the festival serves over 2,000 pounds of country ham at its Country Ham Breakfast and features carnival rides, an antique tractor show, arts and crafts, live music, and the Pokey Pig 5K Run. Additionally, there is a great kids area that offers inflatable fun and a petting zoo. The whole family will love this festive weekend of delicious food and fun fall-themed activities for everyone. The festival runs from Sept. 27-29, 2024.

5. Jack O'Lantern Spectacular, Louisville

Come explore Louisville's Jack O'Lantern Spectacular, which is arguably the most jaw-dropping and magical fall festival in Louisville, and perhaps the entire state of Kentucky. Each year, this festival comes to Iroquois Park with more than 5,000 beautifully carved and illuminated pumpkins. The artistry of these pumpkin carvings will amaze you as you walk along this pumpkin-bedazzled pathway at night and marvel at the many gloving carvings along the path.

Louisville's Jack O'Lantern Spectacular runs from Oct. 1 to Nov. 2, 2024. You'll need to purchase a timed ticket entry to the amphitheater during one of the one-hour increments. Adult tickets are $15 each on Sundays through Thursdays and $20 on Fridays and Saturdays. Children ages 3 to 12 are $12 from Sundays through Thursdays and $15 on Fridays and Saturdays. Seniors' tickets are $13 from Sundays, through Thursdays, and $17 on Fridays and Saturdays. Children ages 2 and under are free!

6. Turning of the Leaves Festival, Augusta

Downtown Augusta is truly magical during the fall season, and there's no better time to visit than during the Turning of the Leaves Festival on Oct. 12, 2024 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Here you'll find a variety of vendors, live entertainment, and an endless supply of kettle corn and funnel cakes. You can even enjoy free trolley rides around town as you take in the sights and sounds of autumn. Be sure to peruse the local breweries, wineries, art galleries, and museums that make Augusta the charming town that it is in the fall.

7. Woolly Worm Festival, Beattyville

Quite possibly the cutest and most unusual fall festival in Kentucky is the Woolly Worm Festival which is hosted annually in Beattyville. It is believed that woolly worms can predict the weather; at the festival, you can race a woolly worm, and whichever worm reaches the top of its string first is designated the Grand Champion Woolly Worm and the official weather predictor of the year! The festival puts on plenty of live music for entertainment, along with a corn hole tournament, the annual Woolly Worm Festival Parade, a car show, food vendors, and more. This year the festival runs from Oct. 25-27, 2024. Don't miss out!

Have you been to any of these delightful and fun fall festivals in Kentucky? Which one are you most looking forward to as you begin to immerse yourself in all things autumn-themed? We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments. If you want to take in Kentucky's best fall foliage, get the family together and hit the road to see these beautiful places:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/kentucky/fall-foliage-weekend-road-trip-ky/