These local festivals will have you enjoying the cool weather and Halloween frights
As the seasons change, Dayton and its surrounding areas change colors, temperatures fall and fall festivals start popping up all over Miami County. It is an area that loves fall, pumpkins and especially Halloween. Here are just a few of the local fall festivals that you can catch this season.
Bradford Pumpkin Show
(Oct. 8-12)
Bradford hosts the Bradford Pumpkin Show each fall, with five days of fun.
Starting on Tuesday, the festivities begin with a Pumpkin Diaper Derby, Pumpkin City Run and an opening parade at 7 p.m. Immediately after, you can catch the Prince and Princess Pumpkin Pageant.
The rest of the festival includes rides, a Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Cookie Auction, the Miss Pumpkin Queen Contest, Kiddie Tractor Pull, School Parade on Friday, Cutest Baby Contest and the Smash-A-Pumpkin event on Saturday to close the festival out.
Fairborn Halloween Festival
(Oct. 11-13)
Oct. 11-13, you can visit the 13th annual downtown Fairborn Halloween Festival for a spooky good time. Unfortunately, Oct. 13 does not fall on Friday this year, but the festival is sure to give some frights.
There will be shopping downtown, games, carnival rides, a Spooktacular Parade and Costume Contest, Foy’s Haunted Museum and Trick or Treat at festival booths on Sunday. Also, a beer garden will be set up with live music, food trucks and craft vendors.
Enon Apple Butter Festival
(Oct. 12-13)
This year, the Enon Apple Butter Festival will be celebrating its 44th year and the 25th year of having it in the downtown area. The Enon Community Historical Society sponsors the festival and has been making apple butter the old-fashioned way for decades.
The festival focuses mostly on food, with pork chops, hot dogs, chicken noodles, apple dumplings, funnel cakes, shaved ice and apple butter, of course.
There will also be a variety of craft and gift booths, demonstrations of apple butter making, and music and entertainment.
Vandalia Fall Festival
(Oct. 12)
Also on Saturday, Oct.12, Vandalia will be hosting its annual fall festival at the Vandalia Sports Complex. From noon to 6 p.m., there will be live music, food trucks, a pumpkin patch, corn pit, vendors, inflatables, games, arts and crafts, and more.
It is a free event that all ages are welcome to attend. The FIVE Band will be playing 12:30-2:45 p.m. and Adelee & Gentry will be playing 3:30-5:45 p.m.
HarvestFest Street Party
(Oct. 19)
Tipp City will be hosting its annual HarvestFest Street Party Oct. 19 this year, which the city describes as an “ultimate day of fun, shopping and community spirit.”
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a family-friendly market with special deals from downtown merchants and local makers, growers and artists.
There will also be a Family Halloween Costume Contest, baking contest and an adults-only street party 6-10 p.m. The $25 party ticket includes two beer tickets and live music from Diddley starting at 7 p.m.
