The Triad is a wonderful place to celebrate the fall season with kids and family. The whole family is sure to enjoy what the Triad has to offer in the autumn from interacting with livestock, eating carnival fare, and thrilling rides at the Dixie Classic Fair to small-town and church-led festivals, Halloween festivities, and doing just about anything with pumpkin.
Fall Festivals
If you’ve ever been to a fall festival, you know how much your child will love attending. From seeing animals, bobbing for apples, food vendors, craft vendors, hayrides, and more, they have something for any Triad family.
ABS Kids – Fall Festival (A Sensory-Friendly Event)
Mid-November
Winston-Salem, NC
We are excited to host you and your family at our free Fall Festival – A Sensory Friendly Event in Winston-Salem, NC!
More Info: Website
Annual Day in the Park Festival
Mid-September
City Lake Park 602 W Main St, Jamestown
Day in the Park returns to the Piedmont for its 48th festival with fun-filled, family-oriented entertainment, crafts, food and much more. All-day ride tickets which include the train, carousel, miniature golf, inflatables, and the rock-climbing wall are just $6.00! This is an unbelievable deal for families!
More Info: Website
Annual Fall Festival
Jerry Long Family YMCA, Clemmons – Late October
Bring your family and friends to our free, annual Fall Festival! We will have carnival games with treats & prizes, hay rides, marshmallow roast, pumpkin patch, bounce houses, food trucks and so much more! Dinner will be available for purchase. There is fun to be had for your smallest goblins to your biggest ghouls so don’t miss out on this great night of family fun. Friendly costumes are encouraged!
More Info: Website
Apple Fest
October
Historic Bethabara Park, Winston-Salem
Beloved by many, this yearly event features local artisans and craftsmen, a puppet show, local food vendors, racing pigs, a petting zoo, live music, and, of course, apples.
More Info: Website
Asheboro Fall Festival
Asheboro, NC – Early October
This festival is for all ages and will include a beer, wine, and spirits garden, and live music in Downtown Asheboro’s Bicentennial Park. A kidz and teen zone with bounce houses and play areas, arts and crafts provided by the Randolph Arts Guild
More Info: Website
Autumn Jubilee
Dan Nicholas Park, Salisbury – Early October
This Annual Festival attracts more than 50,000 visitors from across Rowan County and the state. Held the first weekend in October, the Autumn Jubilee celebrates the season with live music, food, and craft vendors. Children and adults can enjoy the festival and park by riding three miniature trains, visiting the Hurley Train Station, riding a carousel, take a paddleboat ride or play some miniature golf and gem mining for either gems or sharks teeth. Petting Zoo, face painting, handcrafted crafters, music, food, and lots of stuff for the kids. Free admission.
More Info: Website
Autumn Leaves Festival
Mount Airy, NC – Mid-October
Every year in October, Mayberry is the place to be for the Autumn Leaves Festival™, a historic festival in the heart of Mount Airy, North Carolina. This nationally recognized event is unique! With a mix of music, arts & crafts, and delicious food, there is something for everyone. People from all over the country visit the streets of downtown and the locals love it too! You’ll find vendors with one-of-a-kind items and food you cannot get anywhere else, must-see attractions, and some of the best musicians around.
More Info: Website
Bur-Mil Park Fall Festival
Bur-Mil-Park, Greensboro, NC – Mid-October
Are you looking for a fun-filled family event to kick off the fall season? Look no further! Enjoy food, games, hayrides, face-painting, balloon animals, and buy a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. Visit the many vendors and exhibitors participating this year for everything from craft demonstrations to wildlife and environmental information. Remember to come hungry and enjoy hot dogs, sandwiches, funnel cakes, shaved ice, and much more available for purchase. At the center of the festival is music, dancing, bounce houses, and other forms of entertainment.
More Info: Website
Burlington Carousel Festival
Burlington City Park – Mid-September
Annual Festival with music, food vendors, arts, crafts, kids activities. Come shop from local and regional handmade arts & crafts vendors. It is truly a place to find something you have never seen before! Enjoy the sounds of your favorite band and see unique performances at any and all of the stages. No admission fee to enjoy the concerts. Come visit the Under the Trees section of the festival, where you can enjoy an interactive playground this year!
More Info: Website
Colfax Persimmon Festival
Oak Ridge, NC – Early November (Free for ages 11 and under)
On a historic farm with structures dating back into the early 1800s or before, the Annual Colfax Persimmon Festival celebrates the native American persimmon and historic farming with a wide range of exhibits, demonstrations, arts and crafts, live music, and of course, persimmon-related items for purchase.
More Info: Website
Fall Festival
Mid-October
William G. White, Jr. Family YMCA, Winston-Salem (near Hanes Park)
Bring the whole family and join in the fall fun with fire pits and s’mores, bounce houses, face painting, carnival games and more! Special prizes are also available.
More Info: Website
Ghost Stories at Blandwood
Blandwood Mansion, 447 West Washington Street, Greensboro – Mid-October
A Halloween tradition of Ghost Stories continues this October at Blandwood Mansion! Located in downtown Greensboro, Blandwood has stood for more than 200 years and has witnessed the passage of time, historic events, and the lives of its occupants.
More Info: Website
Harvest Day at Old Salem
Old Salem Historic District – Mid-October
Join us for a fun-filled day of activities involving favorite fall foods from the harvest! Celebrate the fall harvest with hands-on activities, historic demonstrations, vendors, and more!
More Info: Website
Mayberry Days
Mount Airy, NC – Late September
Mayberry Days® is a festival for the whole family with activities and events for the fans who long for the days when life was simple and the sheriff didn’t carry a gun. Enjoy a bottle of pop while playing checkers, relax to music from many local bands playing the same songs that Andy grew up with, and performed on The Andy Griffith Show.
More Info: Website
North Carolina Barbecue Festival
Lexington, NC – Late October (Free)
The festival is held in Uptown Lexington. A ten-block stretch of Main Street is closed to traffic, with banners at either end announcing the festival with a logo featuring four dancing pigs. Over four hundred exhibitors sell everything from handmade crafts to handmade fudge. Also, a juried competition includes artists and craftsmen from across the country. This competition, sponsored by Carolane Propane Gas, Inc., is held throughout two blocks of Main Street in front of the Edward C. Smith Civic Center. Seven stages of entertainment showcase local and national artists. The festival is for people of all ages and includes a special section of rides and games for children, the Barbecue Carnival & Family Area.
More Info: Website
North Carolina Folk Festival
Downtown Greensboro – Mid-September
The North Carolina Folk Festival takes place each September and features more than 300 artists on multiple stages with continuous performances. The Festival attracts huge crowds of people to downtown Greensboro for a three-day celebration of cultural heritage through music, dance, handmade crafts, food, and family fun! As one of the fastest-growing FREE festivals in the Southeast, the North Carolina Folk Festival features an exciting new lineup of global artists, American roots performers, and North Carolina flavors every year
More Info: Website
Pumpkin Palooza
Greensboro Science Center, 4301 Lawndale Dr, Greensboro – Mid-October
Join us for a fantastic fall festival featuring everyone’s favorite gourd – the pumpkin. The Fresh Market will be giving out free samples of tasty pumpkin treats and providing face painting, games, and a coloring contest for attendees. In addition, The Fresh Market will give each child a complimentary pumpkin (while supplies last)! Watch our animals get in on the fall fun, too, with pumpkin-themed enrichment activities. Be sure to stop by our 60th Anniversary table, where we’ll have raffles, birthday-inspired treats, and more. Children are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes (no masks, please). Pumpkin Palooza activities are free of charge with general admission or membership.
More Info: Website
Reidsville Fall Jubilee
Mid-October – Downtown Reidsville
The Reidsville Fall Jubilee will showcase more than 100 quality vendors offering a mix of art, crafts, jewelry, fashion accessories, pottery, home and garden décor, and much more. Visitors will also find favorite fun festival foods, including turkey legs, hot dogs, barbecue, blooming onions, funnel cakes, snow cones, steak and cheese sandwiches, ribs, and sausage dogs — to name a few.
More Info: Website
Stokesdale Fall Festive Craft Fair
8407 Stokesdale St, Stokesdale – Mid-October
Over 90 vendors both inside and outside. Handmade crafts, food trucks, jams, bread, doughnuts, hotdogs, jewelry, face painting, music and more.
More Info: Website
Sweet Potato Festival
Rockford General Store, 5174 Rockford Rd, Dobson
Mid-September
A fun-filled day for all with a variety of live music all day. Crafts, vendors, local authors, storytelling, and our very own local celebrity “The Log Whisperer” will be here to meet and greet his fans. Enjoy sweet potato pies, sweet potato sonker, cakes, ice-cold drinks & piping hot coffee, fried pies, roll-ups, country ham biscuits, chicken stew, pintos & cornbread, and more great food.
More Info: Website
Texas Pete Fest
Downtown Winston-Salem, NC – Mid-September
Free Admission. The three-day festival celebrating the talent of local, regional, and national chefs as well as live music. Visit the website for details on participating restaurants, entertainment, locations, and times.
More Info: Website
Fall For The Arts
The Little Theater of Winston-Salem
The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet
Classes Wednesdays & Fridays September – November 6pm-8pm
The Little Theater of Winston-Salem
For students in Grades 6 through High School
The Central Carolina Fair will once again light up the sky around the Greensboro Coliseum Complex this fall. Featuring spectacular rides, carnival food and games, musical entertainment, and attractions for all ages. The Central Carolina Fair midway will feature a selection of thrilling rides, fun-filled games, and delicious Fair food, all courtesy of Michael’s Amusements.
More Info: Website
Little Theatre for Littles
Tuesdays October – November 10-11am
The Little Theater of Winston-Salem
Ages 2-5 and their caregivers
In this fun six week class parents and their toddlers will play pretend, explore different characters, and have a lot of fun. Playing pretend and make-believe builds toddlers’ and preschoolers awareness and understanding of the world around them. Come play pretend with us!
More Info: Website
Characters Take the Stage: Mythical Creatures
Classes Mondays October – December 5:30 – 7:30 pm
The Little Theater of Winston-Salem
For students in Grades 3-5
A fun introduction to the fundamental building blocks of drama (body, voice, mind, and imagination). Using a variety of myths as a jumping-off point to spark and support the creative process, the characters will fly off the page as students participate in movement exercises, story reenactments, theatre games, improvisation, role-playing, music, dance, and visual arts.
More Info: Website
Fall Fairs Near The Triad
Going to a fair is mesmerizing as a child. The lights, the sights, the smells, the sweets, the salties, the animals, rides, and games! That is no different in the Triad where between Winston-Salem and Greensboro, NC you will find amazing fairs for the family to enjoy a night or day out.
Central Carolina Fair
Mid-September
Greensboro Coliseum
A whimsical reinvention of Shakespeare’s tragic love story, complete with rhymed couplets, creative wordplay, and fantastical machines — similar to something Dr. Seuss might have come up with if he ever had his way with the script. Our Fall Youth Play is the perfect chance for our young actors who do not enjoy singing to come and shine!
More Info: Website
Dixie Classic Fair
Dixie Classic Fairgrounds, Winston-Salem – Early October
Hosting food trucks, livestock and poultry exhibitions, pig races, rides, games, prizes, and musical acts, the Dixie Classic Fair is a staple of the Triad’s Fall event lineup. An all-week event with something for everyone and discounts or free tickets for children.
More Info: Website
Mayberry Days
Mt. Airy – Late-September
Mayberry Days® is a festival for the whole family with activities and events for the fans who long for the days when life was simple and the sheriff didn’t carry a gun. Mayberry Days events take place at or around the Surry Arts Council venues which are within walking distance of each other, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes (the festival goes on, rain or shine). There is limited free parking in the numerous municipal lots downtown for the early birds.
More Info: Website
North Carolina State Fair
State Fairgrounds, Raleigh – Mid-October
N.C. State Fair is a first-class, family-oriented entertainment and educational event occurring each Oct. in Raleigh. The Fair is the largest event in the state of N.C. and the largest multi-day agriculture event in the nation, annually drawing one million visitors. The fair is all about seeking out and showcasing the finest of N.C. Whether that be in a horse show, livestock show, culinary, handicraft, or art competition or with the “Homegrown Music Fest” concert series.
More Info: Website
Halloween Activities In The Triad
As the air turns crisp and the weather turns colder, you start seeing the Halloween costumes, decorations, and pumpkins on roadside stands. It is time to start planning your kid’s Halloween costume ideas or family costumes, find the right opportunities to trick or treat, and find free Halloween activities nearby. We have you covered.
Alpha & Omega Halloween Extravaganza
1129 Cheek Road, Hamptonville, NC
Explore this 20-acre agri-tourism complex, featuring maze trails, hayrides, horse-drawn wagon rides, and Halloween-themed activities and attractions.
More Info: Website
Annual Ghost Stories
Mid-October
High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave High Point
Join the High Point Museum for their 8th Annual Ghost Stories in the Park with s’mores, pumpkin decorating, and face painting from 6 to 7 p.m. Ghost stories told by professional storyteller Cynthia Brown will include tales of pirates, hauntings, and creepy crawlies for the young and old from 7 to 8 p.m.
More Info: Website
Boo At The Zoo
North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, NC – Late October
Celebrate the excitement of the season with a weekend of safe daytime Halloween fun! Enjoy trick or treat games, live music and entertainment, face painting, animal encounters, and a children’s costume contest.
More Info: Website
CandyBASH
Pathways Church Greensboro – Late-October
Join us for our annual CandyBASH! This is a free family event for the community at Pathways Church – Greensboro Campus. Join us for free food, inflatables, fun games, face painting, and tons of CANDY!
More Info: Website
Dark in the Park
Burlington City Park, Burlington – Late October
Come out and enter the costume contest, play carnival games hosted by local non-profit groups, and enjoy an evening of Halloween fun at City Park on Saturday, October 26th. Walk over to the Thataways Stage for our Costume Contest (6 pm) for children ages 12 & under. Play games on Field #1 and enjoy food from local vendors. At 8 pm, turn your eyes to the sky for the annual aerial Halloween Fireworks show!
More Info: Website
Dark in the Park
Historic Bethabara – Mid-October
The evening will include hay wagon rides, face painting, Halloween crafts, and a guided, lantern-lit spooky tour of God’s Acre cemetery. Wear your Halloween costume!
More Info: Website
Halloween Carnival
Creekside Park, 214 Park Drive, Archdale – Late October
This event is geared towards ages 3-12. Treat Bags to kids as long as they last. They have a haunted room, haunted hike, carnival games, bounce houses, costume contest, selfie stations, concessions.
More Info: Website
Halloween Fun Fest
Downtown Salisbury, 217 S. Main Street, Salisbury – Late October
Our annual Halloween Fun Fest in Downtown Salisbury will bring lots of fall fun to residents and visitors of Salisbury and beyond. The City Hall parking lot will transform into a Halloween carnival featuring music, costume contests, hayride, bounce house, face painting, candy and more. There will be trick or treating through participating Downtown Businesses.
More Info: Website
Halloween Spooktacular
Downtown Burlington – Late October
Burlington Recreation & Parks and the Burlington Downtown Corporation presents the Burlington Downtown Halloween Spooktacular. Kids 12 and under are invited to participate in a costume parade through downtown, trick-or-treating, local non-profit vendors, and all FREE.
More Info: Website
Kersey Valley Maize Adventure
1615 Kersey Valley Rd, Archdale, NC 27263 – September & October
Come enjoy our corn maze and so much more! Tickets include the corn maze, jumping pillows, pedal carts, 1 sunflower field, cow train, Kersey Valley Express, kiddie zip lines, rock wall, Tree House Village, and Dinosaur Discovery.
More Info: View Directory
Sensory Friendly Night: Halloween Adventure
Kaleideum Downtown, 390 S. Liberty St, Winston-Salem – On Halloween
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and sensory processing differences can have a fun and interactive learning experience in a comfortable, accepting environment! Play in the exhibits, enjoy storytime and trick-or-treat for Top 8 Safe candy and novelty toys.
More Info: Website
Trick or Treat in Old Salem
Old Salem Historic District – Late October
Bring your little ghosts and witches to Old Salem for our annual Trick or Treat event. This free community event uses the historic district as a backdrop for an evening of fun & safe trick or treating. Main Street is blocked to automobile traffic and you and family can roam the historic sidewalks trick or treating. A truly special experience that can only happen in Old Salem Museums and Gardens. As a thank you to our surrounding communities, this event is free and open to the public.
More Info: Website
Truck & Treat | Kaleideum Downtown
390 S. Liberty St, Winston-Salem – Late October
Truck & Treat BOOsted is presented by Modern Automotive. Trick-or-treat among more than 25 trucks and specialty vehicles and experience spooky Live Science in Kaleideum’s auditorium, Halloween crafts, maker activities, Halloween laser shows in the Planetarium, face painting, balloon artist, and a bounce house. Peppercorn Theatre will present a special performance of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (included with admission; limited seating on a first-come basis). Costumes encouraged. Bring a bag for your treats. $7/person for members and non-members (includes admission into the Museum and the Peppercorn Theatre performance).
More Info: Website
United Way Trunk-or-Treat
Late October
United Way of Greater Greensboro 1500 Yanceyville St, Greensboro
Join Young Leaders and decorate your trunk in a festive, fall fashion and hand out treats for children in our community! This event is free and open to the public. Trunk-or-Treat is a safe alternative to trick-or-treating that brings the community together.
More Info: Website
Pumpkin Patches & Farms
As the weather turns cooler and the leaves change, a perfect kid-friendly activity with kids is visiting some Triad-area farms and pumpkin patches in order to pick out the perfect pumpkin, see farm animals up close, take a hayride, wander through a corn maze, and more!
Alpha & Omega Corn Maze
1129 Cheek Road, Hamptonville, NC
Explore this 20-acre agri-tourism complex, featuring maze trails, hayrides, horse-drawn wagon rides, and many more engaging activities
More Info: Website
Clodbuster Farm
5500 Leonard Farm Rd, Kernersville – September & October
They have a pumpkin patch, animals to interact with, a corn maze, corn toss, hayrides, bonfires, and more.
More Info: Website
Hawks Pumpkin Patch
2558 W Clemmonsville Road, Winston-Salem, NC – October
We’re a fall festival of all things family and country. Bring the kids and the camera because we have tons of photo ops. Tons of pumpkins for sale, local crafts and candies, and interactivity options for kids. No admission charge.
More Info: Website
J Razz and Tazz Farm
466 Peeden Drive, Gibsonville, NC – September & October
J. Razz & Tazz is an agritourism farm located in eastern Guilford County. We offer a challenging day and night corn maze located in a field of corn that will later be harvested as one of our annual crops. You can take an educational farm tour on a wagon pulled by a tractor and learn more about agriculture. For the very young, and parents, we have Burgess Grove, which is our play area for down on the farm fun. Drinks and snacks are available for purchase. There are tables available for parties and group outings, along with plenty of space for an old fashion blanket-style picnic.
More Info: Website
Kernersville Pumpkins & Christmas Trees
853 Old Winston Road, Kernersville, NC – September & October
We are Kernersville Pumpkins and Christmas Trees – Grouse Ridge. We’ve been serving the Kernersville community for 44 years. We are proud to be your number 1 choice for fresh trees and pumpkins!
More Info: Website
Kersey Valley
1615 Kersey Valley Rd, High Point, NC – September – November
Tickets include the Kersey Valley Express train, pumpkin patch, corn maze, jumping pillows, Super Mega Ride N Slide, pedal carts, cow train, kiddie zip lines, rock wall, bungee trampolines, treehouse village, and dinosaur discovery.
More Info: Website
Maple Springs Church Pumpkin Patch
2569 Reynolda Rd, Winston Salem, NC – September & October
Over 40 years of providing quality pumpkins and gourds to Winston-Salem. 100% of our proceeds goes to support the mission projects at Maple Springs!
More Info: Website
Smith Hollow Farm
5920 Smith Hollow Road, Kernersville, NC – September & October
Every Saturday and Sunday, late September through early November, Smith Hollow Farm will be open for the corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayride, animal viewing & more! They have activities, games, concessions, pumpkins for sale, train rides, horse riding, and more.
More Info: Website
Zanes Clodbuster Farms
5500 Leonard Farm Road, Kernersville, NC – September & October
Each year we stumped the best of ’em with our miles of twisting and turning paths in our 6-acre maze. Want to know what our maze design is this year?? You’ll have to come to see us and find out. Plan your family outing or a small gathering with us and take a calming hayride around our 87-acre farm and try your hand at escaping our corn maze…in the sunlight or in the moonlight! Relaxation and bonfires have become a staple for our visitors to spend their days or nights and we aren’t letting you down this year either. We will have our fires burning and waiting for those marshmallows. Remember to visit our local farm residents; the horses, goats, and potbelly pigs. And don’t forget your decor or carving pumpkins and gourd! We are your One-Stop fall fun destination!
More Info: Website
Day Trips
Even though the Triad has plenty of Fall and Autumn activities to keep your family busy and enjoying the ever-changing leaves, our region’s proximity to the mountains of Western North Carolina means that day trips are reasonable and enjoyable. We have a list of some perfect Fall getaways your family will enjoy.
Boone, NC
Boone, North Carolina, and the surrounding areas are the perfect day trip opportunities for kids and families. The fall foliage shows up here sooner than the Triad so just a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway is enjoyable for a family car ride. Some fun activities are to shop at the two Boone-area Mast General Stores to shop an old country store, have a trippy time at Mystery Hill, enjoy the many events and admission to Tweetsie Railroad, take a hike and enjoy the mile-high swinging bridge and animals at Grandfather Mountain, and the many state parks in the area are worth a visit.
More Info: Website
Hanging Rock State Park
1790 Hanging Rock Park Road Danbury, NC 27016
Hanging Rock State Park offers a perfect retreat for fall with mountain views of the foliage along with a 73-site campground, picnic area, stocked lake for swimming and canoe rentals, and more than 20 miles of hiking trails that pass creeks and waterfalls. There is also access on the Dan River for paddling, 8.4 miles of mountain biking trails, and rock climbing opportunities with a permit. A set of vacation cabins is available for longer visits.
More Info: Website
Kersey Valley Maize Adventure
1615 Kersey Valley Road Archdale, NC 27263
Enjoy all the perks of Kersey Valley this Fall with a huge corn maze, kiddie zip line, pumpkin patch, two giant jumping pillows, fossil dig, pedal tractors, trampolines, rock wall, treehouse village, food and drink vendors, and more. This makes a really fun fall activity for families in the Triad.
More Info: Website
Lazy 5 Ranch
15100 Highway 150 East Mooresville, NC 28115
In the summer heat, the outdoor zoo experience can be a lot. Fall is the perfect time for a quick 1-hour getaway to see the animals! Lazy 5 Ranch is a unique educational experience for people of all ages. You can experience domestic and exotic animals from six continents including giraffe, zebra, buffalo, cattle, sheep, and lots more. Come feed the animals from the back of a horse-drawn wagon or your own car. They also have exhibits and playgrounds and picnic areas for kids to enjoy.
More Info: Website
