DFW Guide to Fall Fun and Festivals
DFW Guide to Fall Fun and Festivals
Fall is in the air, which means its festival season in North Texas. Here’s our comprehensive guide to fun this fall for events all over the Metroplex.
Addison Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 15-18, 2016
Where: 4970 Addison Circle Drive, Addison
What: Dust off your Dirndl and get ready for the ultimate German experience. Forbes and USA Today have said it is one of the country’s most authentic Oktoberfest celebrations! Enjoy German beer, food, music and more at the four day festival. You can even try your hand at yodeling; we promise we won’t judge.
Cost: $10 for ages 13+; $5 for ages 4-12; Free for ages for 0-3. Thursday admission is free.
Autumn at the Arboretum
When: Sept. 17-Nov. 23, 2016
Where: Dallas Arboretum – 8525 Garland Rd, Dallas 75218
What: See for yourself why Orbitz Travel named Autumn at the Arboretum as the #1 place to go in the fall. Experience the Imaginative Pumpkin houses with more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash along with 150,000 beautiful fall plants and the fantastic Children’s Adventure Garden. The theme of this year’s event is the “Art of the Pumpkin”. Make sure you take your camera. There’s plenty of photo ops here.
Cost: Adults – $15, Seniors (65 & older) – $12, Children (3-12) – $10, Children (2 & under) – FREE. Additional costs for parking and Children’s Adventure Garden.
Bell Helicopter Fort Worth Alliance Air Show
When: Oct. 15-16, 2016
Where: Fort Worth Alliance Airport; 2221 Alliance Boulevard, Fort Worth 76117
What: Experience the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds flying overhead
Cost: General Admission is free, but you can purchase seating that ranges from $5-20. There is a fee for parking.
Blase Family Farm
When: Oct. 1-30, 2016
Where: 1232 E. Fork Dr, Rockwall 75087
What: Come visit the Blase Family Farm, a wooded sanctuary in the middle of suburban Rockwall. Enjoy a petting zoo, hayride, farm train, pumpkins and picturesque background.
Cost: $7 entry fee per person (Ages 1 and under are free). Admission includes hayride, feed for the petting zoo and complementary hot dog on the weekends. Weekdays admission includes a hayride, feed for the petting zoo and a small pumpkin. Farm train is $2.00 and only operates on the weekend.
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival and Chili Cook-off
When: Oct. 14-15, 2016
Where: Farmers Branch Historical Park, Farmer’s Branch
What: Enjoy a variety of bluegrass acts during this two day festival. Kids will love the free KIDZONE with bounces houses and many other activities. The chili cook-off is the perfect place to show off your cooking prowess, judge it or just taste the fruits of everyone’s labors.
Cost: General admission is free. Competition Chili Tasting is $10 or you can enjoy the Chili for Charity Testing which is $3.
Boo at the Zoo
What: Oct. 28-30, 2016
Where: Fort Worth Zoo; 1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth 76110
What: Boo at the Zoo is a family-friendly event where you get to wear your costume at the zoo. Trick-or-treat around the zoo, experience close and personal animals at Wild Encounters, catch the ghost, and see special themed shows.
Cost: Free with the price of a zoo ticket ($14 for adults 13+, $10 for children 3 to 12, Free for toddlers, $10 for seniors 65+)
Brick or Treat
When: Oct 22-23, 2016 & Oct. 29-30, 2016
Where: LEGOLAND Discovery Center Events at Grapevine Mills Mall
What: Wear your favorite Halloween costume and get ready for some spooky fun with family-friendly activities at LEGOLAND.
Cost: Tickets as low as $15.95 plus tax
Coyote Drive In
When: Every night
Where: 223 NE 4th St, Fort Worth 76164
What: Experience a classic drive in movie theater in the perfect fall weather and take in a double feature. No outside food or drink is allowed so come early to check out their food and drink menu.
Cost: $7 for adults; $5 for children ages 5-11; Free for children 4 and under
Dallas Comic Con
When: Oct. 14-16, 2016
Where: Irving Convention Center; 500 West Las Colinas Blvd, Irving 75039
What: This is the ultimate comic, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming event in Texas. Packed with exciting family-friendly activities, celebrity and comic guests, everyone can have fun geeking out over their favorite shows, books and games.
Cost: Tickets start at $20
Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch
When: Oct. 1-Oct. 31, 2016
Where: 5100 Cross Timbers Rd, Flower Mound 75028
What: Find hundreds of pumpkins, cornstalks, hay bales, baked goods, refreshments at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch. They also have hay bale mazes, hay rides, bounce houses, a pumpkin patch train, slides and photo ops with tons of kids’ favorite cartoon characters.
Cost: $5 for parking M-F, $10 on Saturdays and Sundays
Festival at the Switchyard
When: Nov. 5, 2016
Where: Downtown Carrollton
What: This free event is a great opportunity to enjoy family-friendly concerts, take a break in the beer garden, shop local vendors, grab a bite and let the kids have fun in the children’s activity area with children’s entertainers, bungee trampolines and more! This year’s headline act is Grammy-nominated act Barenaked Ladies who’ve sold more than 14 million albums worldwide during their 25+ year career.
Cost: FREE
Fort Worth Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 22-24, 2016
Where: Panther Island Pavilion; 395 Purcey Street, Fort Worth 76102
What: Be sure to wear the lederhosen at Fort Worth’s Oktoberfest. Find authentic German food, music, dancing, games, biergartens, dachshund races, clothing, Spaten and craft biers.
Cost: Thursday – $5; Friday & Saturday – $10
GrapeFest
When: Sept. 15-18, 2016
Where: Historic Downtown Grapevine
What: The 30th Annual GrapeFest, presented by Bank of the West, is the place to be to discover new winds, new vendors, new bands and more throughout the festival. There’s fun for the whole family from the GrapeStomp to the Carnival and Midway.
Cost: Adults – $8, Seniors (62+) – $5, Children (6-12): $5, Children 5 & Under – Free. Free Admission all day Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday.
GrapeYard
When: October 21-22, 2016
Where: Oak Grove Park; 2520 Oak Grove South Loop
What: Enter a frightening, ghoulish experience at GrapeYard 2016. Halloween lovers of all ages will love the life-sized Pokemon Go and Angry Birds game or escaping zombies in the Zombie Survival Course. Don’t miss the indoor paintball shooting range and outside laser tag course. Younger children will enjoy the nocturnal animal trail and the Sleepy Hollow Wagon Ride. There’s even three different escape rooms and haunted trail to enter, if you dare.
Cost: Tickets are free but online reservations must be made. $5 for prepaid parking or $10 for VIP prepaid parking.
Greek Food Festival of Dallas
When: Sept. 23-25, 2016
Where: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church; 13555 Hillcrest Road, Dallas
What: Enjoy the delicious tastes right here in Dallas! Enjoy authentic foods and treats from feta bites, lamb sliders, gyros, dolmas, Greek coffee, Loukoumades, Baklava and more! The festival will also have traditional Greek folk dancers, Greek music, a marketplace, cooking demos and a children’s area.
Cost: General admission is $6. Children 12 and under are free. Food coupons will also be an additional cost.
Hall’s Pumpkin Farm & Corn Maze
When: Sept. 30-Oct. 31,2016
Where: 3420 Hall Johnson Road, Grapevine 76051
What: The Hall family invites you their family farm to experience an old fashion fall celebration. Get lost in their corn maze, enjoy a hay ride, check out their petting zoo, taste some delicious kettle corn and, of course, get some pumpkins!
Cost: General Admission is Free. Corn Maze is $5 each. Hayrides are $5.00 for daylight rides and $3.00 for after dark rides. They only accept cash.
Halloween Nights at the Dallas Zoo
When: Oct. 27-30 | 5-8 p.m.
Where: Dallas Zoo; 650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas
What: Enjoy the Zoo after hours at Halloween Nights, presented by Texas Instruments. Dress the kids up in their Halloween costumes and go trick or treating, enjoy a pirate-themed animal show, play in bounce house and make Ghost Eyes to plant in the yard! Enjoy animal encounters in the Children’s zoo, feed lorikats, meet superheroes, go through a maze and much more!
Cost: $10 for ages 3 and older and includes six candy coupons per guest.
Lone Star Film Festival
When: Nov. 10-13, 2016
Where: Sundance Square, Fort Worth
What: Fort Worth’s most famous festival is coming to town. Bask in the movie of Hollywood’s most anticipated films as you taken in screenings during the festival.
Cost: $10 for individual tickets; $200 for an all-access badge
Monster Mash
When: Oct. 30, 2016
Where: The Marq Southlake; 285 Shady Oaks Dr., Southlake
What: This free event includes family-friendly fun like crafts and games, trick-or-treating, costume parade, live music, lots of candy and more.
Cost: Free
Night Watchman Ghost Tour
When: Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Where: Grapevine Springs Winery; 409 S. Main Street, Grapevine 76051
What: See the paranomal side of Grapevine with this walking tour that combines stories of hauntings with the history of the city. Make sure to bring your camera as you never know when you’ll catch an unexpected visitor on film. Each guest will receive a complimentary glass of wine after the tour.
Cost: $20 for adults; $17 for seniors/students; $10 for children
Plano Balloon Festival
When: Sept. 23-25, 2016
Where: Oak Point Park – 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano 75074
What: Celebrating its 37 year, everyone in the whole family will have fun at this event. Enjoy fireworks, sky divers, live music, tempting and delicious food, shopping and the main attraction: hot air balloons. The balloons will launch Friday at 6:00 p.m., Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Kids will love the Central Market Kids Fun Zone with inflatable rides, obstacle courses, pirate ship, arts and crafts, face painting and more. Please note some of the kids rides have tickets.
Cost: $5 1-time entry, $1 off for seniors 65 and older, free for kids 36 inches and under
Six Flags Fright Fest
When: Sept. 24-Oct. 31, 2016
Where: Six Flags over Texas
What: Six Flags over Texas is turning up the terror at dusk. Experience ghouls, demons, zombies, gargoyles, black window spiders and everything else that keeps you awake at night at this frightfully terror-filled event. There’s no escaping the fun as the scares are at shows, mazes, rides and at every corner throughout the park. Note: Fright Fest at night is not recommended for children under 13 or anyone who scares easily.
Cost: Prices start at $68.99.
Smoked
When: Sept. 24, 2016 from 2:30-10 p.m.
Where: Main St. Garden Park in Downtown Dallas
What: This music and bbq festival features bbq from famous pitmasters across the state. Enjoy music by Fort Worth locals, The Toadies, plus music by Shinyribs, Dirty River Boys and more. The event will also feature mechanical bull rides, chicken sh*t bingo, armadillo races and a toilet seat toss
Cost: Enjoy complimentary BBQ tastings from every restaurant included until 5 p.m. At 5 p.m. the tasting portion will be over and BBQ will be available for sale, while supplies last. Tickets range from $28-90 depending on type. Children 6-12: $10. Children 5 and under: Free.
Southlake Oktoberfest
When: Oct. 7-9, 2016
Where: Southlake Town Square
What: Marking its 15th anniversary, this family fun event features great food, live entertainment, a children’s area, handcrafted arts and crafts booths and a wiener dog race.
Cost: FREE!
State Fair of Texas
When: Sept. 30-Oct. 23, 2016
Where: Fair Park, Dallas
What: Since its establishment in 188, the State Fair of Texas has celebrated all things Texan. Check out the car show, midway, all the agriculture and the blue ribbon winners. Check out Kacey Musgraves, Ben Rector, Nelly, Colton Dixon, Skillet and more on the Chevrolet Main Stage. And, you won’t want to miss the 2016 Big Tex Choice Awards winners from the Fried Jell-O to the State Fair Cookie Fries.
Cost: General Admission is $18 at the gate or $16 online. Children under 48” are $14 at the gate or $12 online. Children 2 and under are free. Check the website for special deal days and more.
Western Days Festival
When: Sept. 23-24, 2016
Where: Old Town Lewisville
What: The Old 97’s and the Eli Young Band will be headlining this two day festival that showcases the history and spirit of the west. See gunfight reenactments, Native American singers and dancers, the World Tamale Eating Championship, car shows, children’s area and the annual Huffines Auto Dealerships Lewisville Cattle Drive Parade featuring 20-30 head of Texas longhorns.
Cost: Free admission with a ticket found online from 5-7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday. Beginning at 7 p.m. each night admission will be $10 cash person, excluding kids 10 & under.