COMPILED BY JILL GLEESON
Spirit of the Season
Antique Automobile Club of America, Hershey
October 16 – October 31
Not a festival persay, but a nifty exhibition of Halloween-themed vehicles, AACA’s Spirit of the Season will feature two hearses. On Saturday, October 22, from noon to 3 p.m., the exhibition will include “Trunk or Treat,” with an inflatable haunted house and plenty of goodies from the Hershey Company for kids 12 and under. (There is a special $7 admission price for all visitors during Trunk or Treat.)
aacamuseum.org; 717-566-7100
Oktoberfest
Appalachian Brewing Company, all locations including Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg
September 17 – October 7
Celebrate the Oktoberfest tradition with ABC’s authentic version, which includes German-style beer and food from a special menu. Prost!
abcbrew.com; 717-221-1080
Flashlight Maze
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, Ronks
Fridays and Saturdays, September 15 – November 4, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Nothing says autumn like a corn maze and this one’s a doozy, totaling five acres with more than 2.5 miles of paths, scenic bridges and clues. It’s also interactive – participants get a game board before entering. Various passes are available, beginning at $15 for a Twilight Pass.
cherrycrestfarm.com; 1-866-546-1799
Lebanon Valley Fall Food and Craft Fair
Lebanon Valley Exposition Center and Fairgrounds, Lebanon
September 9, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
A new event to the area, The Lebanon Valley Fall Food and Craft Fair will offer live music, locally produced fine foods, artist demonstrations and a craft and vendor marketplace. Admission is free, with free parking.
717-273-3670
Pennsboro Pumpkin Fest
Adams-Ricci Park, Enola
October 7, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and
October 8, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
A beloved event for nearly two decades, the Pennsboro Pumpkin Fest just keeps getting better. This year features a petting zoo, Paint a Pumpkin for kids, a car show, pony rides, live entertainment and more than 200 vendors.
pennsboropumpkinfest.com
New Cumberland Apple Festival
New Cumberland Borough Park,
New Cumberland
September 30, 9 p.m. – 3 p.m.
If pumpkins mean fall, so do apples – after all, isn’t bobbing for them a Halloween tradition? This festival, now in its 32nd year, celebrates the apple with vendors, food, entertainment, crafts and, of course, a pie contest.
applefestivalnewcumberlandpa.com; 717-774-1260
Pumpkin Glow
Hershey Gardens, Hershey
Fridays and Saturdays, October 20 – October 28, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
During this event, Hershey Gardens’ pathways will glow with the light of 150 carved and illuminated pumpkins. Kids can come in costume and treat or treat, and everyone will enjoy the pumpkin carving demonstrations. Tickets are $9 for junior, $11.50 for senior and $12.50 for adults.
hersheygardens.org; 717-534-3492
Little Shop of Horrors
Fulton Theatre, Lancaster
September 19 – October 15,
various times
Get into the Halloween spirit with this beloved musical comedy about a girl, a boy and his beloved man-eating plant. And remember, don’t feed the plant! Tickets range in prices, beginning at $28.
thefulton.org; 717-397-7425
Fort Hunter Day
Fort Hunter Park, Harrisburg
September 17, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Mix a bit of history with a big dose of fall festivities and you’ve got Fort Hunter Day. Bake up your best for the apple pie contest and enjoy a craft show, live music, food and demonstrations, plus games and farm animals for the kids.
Forthunter.org; 717-599-5751
Fall Harvest Festival
Central Penn College Summerdale Campus, Summerdale
October 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Almost any kind of fall fun you want to
find, including pumpkin carving, caramel apples and tarot card readings, will be available at this event, along with live music, arts and crafts, a mechanic bull, face painting and a visit from the Central Penn College homecoming king and queen. Admission is free.
centralpenn.edu/homecoming;
1-800-759-2727
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde
Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, Mechanicsburg
October 20 – November 5, various times
Get the goosebumps this Halloween with the stage version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of a Victorian-era doctor whose experiments give rise to his wild side, the depraved madman Mr. Hyde.
ltmpa.com; 717-766-0535
Pumpkin Madness Festival
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm,
Ronks
November 4, noon – 5 p.m.
It’s all about pumpkins at the 8th annual Pumpkin Madness Festival. They’ll be pumpkins to carve, smash, chuck, bowl
and more, plus a huge pumpkin drop
(last year’s weighed over 1,700 pounds)
and fireworks, too. A Farm Fun Pass is
$20 for Saturday admission.
cherrycrestfarm.com; 1-866-546-1799
Fall Classics
Hershey Theatre, Hershey
October 27
Everyone knows that Halloween needs moody theme music, and you’ll get it
with this performance by the
Hershey Symphony of dramatic
orchestral favorites.
hersheysymphony.org;
717-534-3405
Oktoberfest Beer Release
The Millworks, Harrisburg
September 8, 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Grab a frosty stein of Millworks
Brewery’s Oktoberfest beer for happy
hour, or do like German’s do and enjoy
it in the biergarten.
millworksharrisburg.com;
717-695-4888
Night of the Great Pumpkin
The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg
October 13, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
A wonderful Halloween-themed evening of fun for the whole family, the Night of the Great Pumpkin will include crafts, games, educational activities and a treat bags. Children’s musician Louie Miranda will also be performing in Memorial Hall. Day of event tickets are $4, pre-purchased are $3.
statemuseumpa.org;
717-787-4980
Sherman’s Valley Heritage Days
Blain Picnic Grounds, Blain
October 13, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.;
October 14, 7 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.;
October 15, 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Founded in 1986 to celebrate the good ol’ days, this festival offers live entertainment and everything from threshing and baling straw demonstrations to square dances, a parade and flea market and, of course, hearty country food. Admission is $4 for adults, kids 12 and under get in free.
svheritagedays.com
Oktoberfest
Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle
October 5 and 6, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.;
October 7, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.;
October 8, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Serving up family fun for everyone, this Oktoberfest will not include the tapping of the Official War College Brew, but also live entertainment, games, plenty of contests, food, an arts and craft fair and even a carnival! Admission is free.
carlisleoktoberfest.com;
717-245-4069
Stony Ridge Fall Festival
Stony Ridge Park, Carlisle
October 28, 11:00 a..m. – 4 p.m.
Who can resist hay rides and hay
mazes in autumn? If you and the family can’t, head to this welcoming festival,
which also features arts and crafts, a
petting zoo, food, chainsaw carving,
live entertainment and much more. Admission is free.
sstwp.org;
717-766-0178
John Zaffis, Godfather of the Paranormal
The Pullo Center, York
October 5, 7:30 p.m.
Come hear spooky real-life stories of ghosts, poltergeists and demonic entities with John Zaffis, who has spent more than four decades investigating the paranormal. He’s also appeared on television on “Unsolved Mysteries,” with Piers Morgan, in Discovery Channel documentaries and on many more shows. Tickets start at $20.
Pullocenter.york.psu.edu; 717-505-8900
York Symphony Orchestra: Prost! A Toast to Oktoberfest
The Appell Center for the Performing Arts, York
October 14, 7:30 p.m.
Enjoy the best classical music from Germany and Austria, with this salute to the world’s best beer festival. The night will feature works from Schubert, Mozart and Brahms. Tickets begin at $5 for students, $39 for the public.
appellcenter.org; 717-846-1111
Frankenstein
The Belmont Theatre
October 20 – October 22; October 26 – October 29, various times
Adapted from one of the greatest horror novels ever written, Frankenstein is the tale of a doctor so obsessed with learning the secrets of life and death he creates a creature stitched together from cadavers. Prices are $15 for youth, $25 for seniors and $27 for adults.
thebelmont.org; 717-854-5715
The National Apple Harvest Festival
South Mountain Fairgrounds, Arendtsville
October 7 – October 8; October 14 – October 15; 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
More than five decades old, the National Apple Harvest Festival has become one of the most popular fall events in the state. It’s got it all: hundreds of arts and crafts dealers, great entertainment, plenty of food, plus orchard tours, a petting zoo, antique cars and steam engine displays, and even an appearance by the Pennsylvania Apple Queen. General admission is $10, seniors and military with I.D. are $9, kids 12 and under get in free.
appleharvest.com; 717-677-9413
Fall Furnace Fest
Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Gardners
October 21 – October 22
Don’t miss the creepy tale of the “Hairy Hand” at Fuller Lake, pumpkin carving and hay wagon rides at the Fall Furnace Fest. They’ll also be live music, arts and food vendors and history demonstrations.
pinegrovefriends.org
Dillsburg Farmers’ Fair
Dillsburg Town Square, Dillsburg
October 16 – October 21
The Dillsburg Farmer’s Festival has been celebrating all things rural for over a century. This year, you’ll find a parade, fair queen pageant, cute baby contest, a flea market, antique car and tractor shows, plus a hot rod and custom car show and a whole lot more.
dillsburgfarmersfair.org