BERKELEY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY POW WOW
Berkeley, CA | Oct. 12, 2019
In 1992 Berkeley, California became the first city in the world to officially celebrate Oct. 12 as Indigenous Peoples Day. Celebrate with dancing, Native American foods, arts & crafts, and more at the Berkeley Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow.
KNOTTS SPOOKY FARM
Buena Park, CA | Fall 2019
The annual daytime, family-friendly Halloween celebration, Knott’s Spooky Farm, will take place again this fall. The kid-inspired “spooky” celebration features activities for ages 3-11, including trick-or-treating, themed rides, a live show and costume contest with Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang, and a Dia De Los Muertos Celebration. The fall daytime Seasons of Fun event is included with regular park admission or a 2019 Season Pass.
HARVEST FESTIVAL DINNER & GRAPE STOMP
San Louis Obispo | October 19, 2019
Hosted by Opolo Vineyards, this is the perfect celebration of the harvest – visitors can roll up their pant legs and get ready to stomp! Among grape stomping, folk dancing, and fabulous Opolo wine, attendees will be treated to the finest ethnic food. With a menu ranging from fresh oysters to lamb and Sarma, this event sells out year after year. Tickets can be bought at this link.
WINE OVER WATER FESTIVAL
Chattanooga, TN | Oct. 1-6, 2019
During the signature event, enjoy wine samples from more than 100 wineries, hors d’oeuvres, and live music while strolling across the historic Walnut Street Bridge. Built in 1890, it’s one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges and was the first bridge to link Downtown Chattanooga to the North Shore. There are also several off-the-bridge events throughout the weekend. Proceeds benefit the preservation of historical properties in Chattanooga.
KENTUCKY EDGE – BOURBON FESTIVAL
Northern Kentucky | Oct. 4-5 2019
Northern Kentucky keeps the spirit of Bourbon Month alive even after September and transforms their city into a bourbon mecca with free music festivals along the riverfront, day-long events at bourbon distilleries, a world class bourbon education conference at the Kentucky Convention Center AND an entire artisans’ market in MainStrasse Village. The cities bars and restaurants have also joined in the fun by offering unique bourbon experiences within all their menus for the weekend allowing you to get a taste of the surging culinary scene while you sip on your drink. The first signature event of its kind being spearheaded by Bourbon Country is sure to leave bourbon lovers’ hearts happy and stomachs full.
BLINK CINCINNATI
Cincinnati, OH | Oct. 10-13, 2019
Cincinnati transforms its city into a fully immersive walk through art display designed to light up your life. The largest U.S. event of its kind, BLINK is a curated art and light phenomenon similar to events like Vivid Sydney and London Lumiere. The inaugural event in 2017 attracted more than one million people who experienced 20 city blocks of large-scale projection mapping, murals by international artists, interactive light sculptures, and a variety of live music entertainment from Cincinnati’s riverfront, through its downtown Business District and into its historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. In 2019, BLINK will extend across the Ohio River into the neighborhoods along Northern Kentucky’s shores. The event will now encompass two states, 30 city blocks & the John A. Roebling Bridge – the prototype of the Brooklyn Bridge! The Roebling Bridge will transform into a monumental piece of art with light, color and sound to enhance the current architectural lighting.
EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
Orlando, FL | Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2019
Half of the Disney World Orlando park is transformed to welcome the cuisines and cultures of the world. Festival favorites like the cheddar cheese soup in Canada or Orlando’s own Orange Blossom Pilsner keep guests coming back year after year. This Food & Wine Festival at Epcot has always been one of my family’s favorite events of the year.
TERROR BEHIND THE WALLS AT EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY
Philadelphia, PA | Sept. 20 – Nov. 9, 2019
One of the country’s most popular attractions, Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary. Guests can explore the abandoned halls of the former prison by nightfall while zombie guards, cannibal warriors and more pop out from around the attraction. Entrance to the Eastern State Penitentiary are included in the Philadelphia CityPASS.
AMELIA ISLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL
Amelia Island, FL | Oct. 6-13, 2019
Set against the backdrop of Florida’s beautiful eastern coastline, the 16th annual Amelia Island Jazz Festival (Oct. 6-13) features some of the world’s legendary jazz artists. The festival draws in jazz lovers of many styles, including swing, bebop, Dixieland, big band, Latin and contemporary. This year’s top-notch lineup includes Delfeayo Marsalis, Jamil Sharif, Trio Caliente, Les DeMerle and Bonnie Eisele. Concerts are staged in several venues around Amelia Island, including a free community concert in Amelia Park. Special events include Jazz & Wine Tasting and Jazz Brunch.
JAX KIDS FREE NOVEMBER
Jacksonville, FL | November 2019
Take advantage of Jax’s Kid Free November all month and visit dozens of waterfront destinations with the family in tow. This seasonal promotion offers free admission (with a paying adult) for up to five kids ages 12 and under to more than a dozen of the city’s top attractions. From kayaking, bowling and ice skating to museums, zoos and concerts, families will find plenty of affordable Jax fun.
NAPLES STONE CRAB FESTIVAL
Naples, Fl | Oct. 25-27, 2019
Join the 10th annual Stone Crab Festival for a weekend of food and fun starring of course, the Stone Crab. There will be delicious seafood, live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, discounted cruises aboard the Naples Princess, and Extreme rentals at Pure Naples. Attendees can also explore the shops, sites, and activities in and around the beautiful Naples waterfront area. The event kicks off on Friday at 5 p.m. with the traditional cracking of the first Stone Claw followed by live music at Tin City by the definitive Bob Marley Tribute featuring YVAD.
PENSACOLA’S FOO FEST
Pensacola, FL | Oct. 31 – Nov. 11, 2019
Talk about a mashup of fun! Foo Fest hits all the right notes with the best of Pensacola’s art, food, music, and entertainment in this annual festival. Blue Angels Air Show? Check. Big Green Egg Cook-Off? Check. Songwriters’ music festival? Check. Find all of this and then some at this eclectic 12-day festival.
BOOFEST
Neenah, WI | Oct. 19, 2019
Hosted during the final outdoor Farmers Market of the season, this outdoor celebration offers a fun, fall, family event with Halloween activities including a costume contest, pumpkin bowling, and trick or treating both Downtown and at the Market.
HUNTINGTON BEACH AIRSHOW
Huntington Beach, CA | Oct. 4-6, 2019
This 10BEST USA Today Reader’s Choice nominee returns for its 4th year in October featuring the USAF Thunderbirds, in what is sure to be a spectacular event. Watch from below as amazing aircrafts of all sizes fly through the skies, doing tricks and special maneuvers. Kids and adults alike can enjoy this amazing airshow from a variety of different locations. The Huntington Beach Airshow is free to the public with a large event footprint spanning Huntington City Beach from Seapoint to Beach Boulevard.
YORKTOWN VICTORY CELEBRATION
Yorktown, VA | Oct. 19-20, 2019
At the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Revolutionary War re-enactors and artillery firings salute the 237th anniversary of America’s momentous Revolutionary War victory at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781. Commemorative events take place in historic Yorktown and at Yorktown Battlefield.
“TENACITY: WOMEN IN JAMESTOWN AND EARLY VIRGINIA” SPECIAL EXHIBITION
Yorktown, VA | Nov. 10, 2018 – Jan. 5, 2020
This special exhibition showcases captivating and little-known personal stories of the women in Jamestown and the Virginia colony and their tenacious spirit and impact on a fledgling society. Exhibition-goers can discover the struggles that women faced in the New World and their contributions, from the arrival of the first English women in Virginia in 1608 and the Powhatan Indian women they encounter to the arrival of the first-documented African women and influx of English women in the colony in 1619. From women’s roles to women’s rights, this exhibit connects issues of the 17th century to their relevance today.
EQUESTRICON 2019
Louisville, KY | Oct. 29-30, 2019
Equestricon is the first and only premiere horse racing lifestyle event designed to celebrate the sport of racing with its fans. An international horse racing convention, fan festival, and trade show all in one, Equestricon will bring together fans, stakeholders, industry insiders and horseplayers to participate in a lively atmosphere of engagement, discussion and entertainment. The festival will include concerts, meet and greets, and workshops.
OAKTOBERFEST
Oakland, CA | Oct. 5-6, 2019
Oaktoberfest celebrates the history, flavors and people of the Bay Area. Oakland’s Dimond District hosts this one-of-a-kind Fall Festival (combining Oktoberfest with Oakland), welcoming thousands with craft beer & food, entertainment, arts and ecology. The Dimond continues the tradition of being an entertainment destination, with a history dating back to the early 1900’s when beer gardens and German vacation resorts lined the boulevard. Oaktoberfest will bring world-class beer to the tented beer hall, serving steins of traditional German flavors and regional brew pub favorites. Highlighting this year’s festival will be a traditional Biergarten, Eco Fair, Kid’s Area with Root Biergarten, German style homebrew competition featured in the homebrewers’ alley, and vendors from around the Bay. Celebrate Oaktoberfest, Oakland style, in the Dimond at Fruitvale and MacArthur.
REFRACT: THE SEATTLE GLASS EXPERIENCE
Seattle, WA | Oct. 17-20, 2019
For the first time, more than 30 Pacific Northwest arts organizations are coming together to host events for Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience, held this Fall. Refract is the nation’s newest festival, which highlights creative uses of glass and demonstrates why this region is the recognized hub of art glass in the United States – the “American Venice.”
TASTE OF ST LOUIS
St. Louis, MO | Sept. 13-15, 2019
This regional event with patrons, restaurants, chefs and vendors coming from all over the St. Louis region and beyond, will celebrate it’s 15-year heritage. The event is free to attend and showcases 30 + of the region’s best restaurants. The best part, the Chef Battle Royale a culinary competition which has become a patron favorite. Featuring free music concerts, regional artists, a “kids’ kitchen” area, a market with local vendors, fresh samples, and more.
FRIDAY NIGHT LANTERN TOURS
Fort Wayne, IN | Oct. 19
Take a candlelit tour of the Old Fort, a recreation of the fort that stood in Fort Wayne in 1815, while a historic interpreter presents the Fort as it was in the early 1800’s and share tales of encounters with the Fort’s resident ghosts. Lantern tours are a part of Fort Wayne’s highly anticipated Fright Night activities.