Bucks County’s fall season is in full swing and with it comes festive foodie events, haunted hayrides, Oktoberfests, pumpkin picking and fall festivals galore!
Some of the County’s classic annual festivals make their long-awaited returns. Visit Bensalem’s Annual Fall Festival to dive into the diverse slate of performances happening all day-long in this community pride celebration, explore Shady Brook Farms’ PumpkinFest and HorrorFest fall festivals for a mix of spooky and family-fun festivities and take advantage of the seasonal fun at Froehlich’s Farm Festival including pony rides, s’mores roasting and pumpkin bowling!
Be sure to take advantage of the last weekend to cast your vote for your favorite scarecrows at the Scarecrow Competition & Display weaved throughout Peddler’s Village. These larger-than-life scarecrows are competing for prizes in six different categories; including the new Out of this World Scarecrow division.
Take advantage of the season and check out our guide below for details on this weekend’s must-see events around the County.
1) Scarecrow Competition & Display in Peddler’s Village
Finally, a festival highlighting the unsung heroes of fall: scarecrows! Stroll Peddler’s Village and peruse through a large collection of intricately decorated scarecrows. Vote for your favorites in each category, including Thrills and Chills, Group, Quite the Character, Traditional, Kids Only! and the new Out of this World Scarecrow category. Voting deadline is Monday, October 9, so take advantage of the last weekend to cast your ballot!
When: October 6 – 8, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: Peddler’s Village
Cost: Free
2) Triumph Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest
Triumph’s annual Oktoberfest celebration is back, and you better believe there will be plenty of German food, beer and music. Kicking off the festivities with the traditional tapping of the first barrel of Oktoberfest will be New Hope’s Mayor Keller at noon. Kids can take advantage of face painting, a balloon artist and Citino Magic until 6 p.m. while adults can partake in the Oktoberfest Feats of Strength and Dexterity: Stein Holding Contest to win prizes for the top three winners.
When: October 7-8, 12 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Where: Triumph Brewing Company
Cost: Pay as you go
3) The Market at DelVal’s Scarecrow Making Workshop
Everyone has carved their own pumpkin; but have you ever made your own scarecrow? Bring the family and enjoy the fun of creating your very own scarecrow without the mess at The Market at DelVal. All they ask is that you bring your creativity! After scarecrow making you can enjoy their Fall Fun activities including wagon rides, pumpkin picking, corn mazes, pedal go-carts and much more.
When: October 7-8, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: The Market at DelVal
Cost: $30 a scarecrow ($15 if you bring your own clothing for the scarecrow)
$6/adult, $8/child admission for other Fall Fun activities
4) Oktoberfest at Lumberville General Store
Feast on German-themed cuisine and beer at this historic riverside pub which has stood for over 200 years! Menu items include dark beer-roasted chicken, hefeweizen-braised pork, German potato salad, apple strudel and much more. Feel free to bring some brews of your own, as this event is BYOB.
When: October 8, 3:30 – 7 p.m.
Where: Lumberville General Store
Cost: $19.95/adults, $9.95/kids
5) Bensalem’s Annual Fall Festival
Bensalem is celebrating community pride with a day loaded with family fun entertainment. What sort of entertainment you may ask? All day long visitors can look forward to performances by Bensalem’s K9 and motor patrol units, karate and dance studios, magicians, as well as an evening concert starring The Trammps playing classic disco hits. There are plenty of activities to partake in as well, including rides and games from Pony Express Amusements, a Rock-n-Roll remote control car racing event and miniature golfing. To cap it all off the day ends with a fantastic firework show. Believe it or not, I’ve only just scratched the surface of the festival!
When: October 7, 11 a.m. – 8:15 p.m.
Where: Bensalem Municipal Complex
Cost: Pay as you go
6) Ethnic Food Festival in Bristol
What’s better than eating a ton of food from five different cultures? Eating a ton of food from five different cultures for an amazing cause! The Ethnic Food Festival hitting Bristol invites foodies to an “all you can taste” event featuring cuisine from all over the world, including Ireland, Germany, Africa, Italy and Puerto Rico. Speaking of Puerto Rico, all ticket proceeds go directly to The Puerto Rico Disaster Relief Fund to help the families of the island. Now that’s how to give back in a taste-ful way!
When: October 7 4 – 9p.m.
Where: 190 Miffin Street, Bristol, PA 19007
Cost: $20 online, $25 at the door
7) Froehlich’s Farm Festival
Visit Froehlich’s Farm and Garden to celebrate the arrival of fall with a ton of event and activities. Visitors can look forward to a pick your own pumpkin patch, hayrides, pony rides, s’mores roasting, pumpkin bowling, tasty food, live music and much more! Returning attendees who have experienced the fun of Froehlich’s Farm Festival in past years will notice new additions like a petting zoo, as well as the local wineries and breweries that have joined in on the action.
When: September 30 – October 29 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Recurring weekly on Saturdays and Sundays
Where: Froehlich’s Farm and Garden
Cost: Pay as you go
8) Live Music at the New Hope Winery
The folks at New Hope Winery have outdone themselves with their live music lineup this weekend. Two-time Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Kim Richey kicks things off on Friday with her poetic country melodies. Renowned Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre brings his infectious energy to the winery on Saturday to perform classic Jethro Tull tracks with his own band, as well as new tracks from his latest albums. Finally, Matt Ryan brings Bruce Springsteen’s music to life with his Bruce in the USA performance. Check online for ticket prices for each show.
When: October 6, 8 – 9:40 p.m. (Kim Richey); October 7, 8 – 10:20 p.m. (Martin Barre); October 8, 6 – 8 p.m. (Matt Ryan)
Where: New Hope Winery
Cost: $25 (Kim Richey), $39 (Martin Barre), $30 (Matt Ryan)
9) Art at Kings Oaks
Kings Oaks Farm is back with their two-weekend pop-up art exhibition within their charming 19th century stone chapel and barn. Returning for its fifth year, the exhibition includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, ceramics, and installation works by 26 renowned and emerging artists from the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic U.S and Italy.
When: October 6, 6 – 9 p.m.; October 7 – 8, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Kings Oaks Farm
Cost: Free to attend
10) Civil War Cycle Tour
Ditch the boring documentaries and cycle through Doylestown’s Civil War history this weekend with Encore Rides! Visit the homes and graves of generals, discover Bucks County’s integral role within the Underground Railroad and cap it off with a tour of the Bucks County Civil War Museum and Library. The tour takes about three hours to complete, covering 13 miles along a path for bikers of all skill levels. Make sure to book your trip online!
When: October 6, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Bucks County Civil War Museum
Cost: $40
11) Paul Grand Home and Studio Tour
The James A. Michener Art Museum is hosting an artist-led tour of the spectacular home of local Bucks County photographer Paul Grand, whose work was featured in the 2015 Michener Art Museum exhibition, Paul Grand: Beyond the Surface. Grand travelled the globe to discover distinctive images, which translated to works with a focus on rich color, jarring contrasts, architectural renderings, and textural, light, and shadow play on impervious surfaces. Registration can be done online and is required.
When: October 6, 1 – 3 p.m.
Where: The Michener Art Museum
Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members, $10 student with valid ID
Register here
12) Shady Brook Farm Fall Fests
Enjoy both the fun and spooks of October with Shady Brook Farm’s seasonal festivals, PumpkinFest and HorrorFest. PumpkinFest attendees can expect wagon rides, a Johnny Appleseed-themed corn maze, inflatable attractions, the brand-new Sports Challenge, and much more fall festivities. If you prefer screaming in fear over pumpkin picking, maybe HorrorFest is more your speed. Shady Brook Farm delivering four thrilling attractions: Hayride of Horror, Barn of Horror, Alien 3-D Encounter, and Carnage. If you survive the scares, you can warm-up around a bonfire and partake in some Scare-ee-okee. Check online for ticket prices per attraction. In case you haven’t noticed, Shady Brook Farm is more than fond of the fall season.
When: October 6 – 8, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (PumpkinFest); October 6 – 8, 6 – 10 p.m. (Horrorfest)
Where: Shady Brook Farm
Cost: $16 (PumpkinFest); Pay as you go (HorrorFest)
13) The Valley of Fear
Explore the deepest, darkest woods in Bucks County all October-long! The Valley of Fear brings with it new spooks and scares, along with four attractions including the Original Haunted Hayride, Zombie Escape Haunted Maze and the Underworld Haunted Forest Walk. See if you have what it takes for the zombie apocalypse by taking on their interactive Operation Z Zombie Paintball Hunt attraction.
When: October 6 – 8, 6:45 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Sports Club
Cost: Pay as you go – Check online for pricing
