When the leaves begin to change, it’s time for festivals to start in Rhode Island.
Journal Staff
As fall officially begins, days fill with seasonal activities like apple picking, autumn movie marathons and haunted houses.
However, for New Englanders, fall also marks the height of festival season. Here in Rhode Island, the season is celebrated with an exciting lineup of outdoor festivals that take place in the crisp fall weather, from September through November. From food festivals to comedy celebrations to harvest fairs, the state is sure to have the perfect festival for the whole family to enjoy.
Here are 10 fairs and festivals in Rhode Island to attend this fall.
Confreda’s Fall Festival
At Confreda Greenhouses and Farms, every day is a festival in the fall. The farm’s annual Fall Fest includes attractions like hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins, an animal barnyard, axe throwing, a bounce house, carnival rides and on weekends, a giant corn maze.
Food options at the festival include rotating food trucks, fresh apple cider donuts, fried dough, apple cider slushies and more. All-day admission tickets, which can be purchased at the booth, cost $10 per person, with entrance to the corn maze available for an extra $5.
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Sept. 27 through end of October
Where: 2150 Scituate Ave., Hope
Jack O’Lantern Spectacular
Each fall, Providence’s Roger Williams Park Zoo transforms into a captivating world of carved pumpkins known as the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. The zoo’s Wetlands Trail turns into the illuminated pumpkin trail, featuring about 5,000 specially designed jack-o-lanterns accompanied by lights, music and special effects.
Weekday tickets cost $20 for adults ages 13 and older or $16 for ages 2-12, and weekend tickets cost $23 for adults or $19 for children. Children ages one and under always enter for free. Tickets for a specific day and time slot must be purchased online,
When: 6-10:30 p.m. daily from Friday, Sept. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 2
Where: Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence
Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival
Celebrate the best of Rhode Island’s seafood scene at the 34th annual Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival in Newport. Honoring the “Harvest of the Sea,” the food festival is full of fresh, local seafood, including options like clams, oysters, stuffies, lobster rolls, chowder and fried calamari.
Wash down all that seafood with a signature cocktail or cold beer, and finish off your meal with a sweet treat while enjoying some live music from local musicians. The seafood festival is free to enter, but food and beverages must be purchased from individual vendors.
When: Saturday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Bowen’s Wharf, Newport
Scituate Art Festival
Art lovers can head to the Village Green in North Scituate for the 59th annual Scituate Art Festival, celebrating original fine art, handmade crafts and antiques in an open-air market. Raffles and live music will accompany the festival, and a variety of food options from local, non-profit organizations will be available in the food court.
When: Saturday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Village Green, North Scituate
Autumnfest
As the largest festival in northern Rhode Island, Autumnfest fills Woonsocket with live entertainment, carnival rides, fireworks, artisan vendors, a huge parade and over 20 food vendors, including local favorites like Del’s Lemonade and Ice Cream Machine.
Ride tickets are currently available online from Fanelli Amusements at $1.50 for one, $13 for 10, $30 for 30 or $50 for 50. Wristbands are also available for select time periods during the fair.
When: Friday, Oct. 10 from 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 13 from noon to 6 p.m.
Where: World War II Veterans Memorial State Park, 84 Social St., Woonsocket
Harvest Fair
Middletown’s Norman Bird Sanctuary will once again welcome autumn with the 51st annual Harvest Fair this fall. Families can enjoy a day of old-fashioned fun with potato sack races, pumpkin painting, pony rides, crafts, face painting and more.
Over 70 crafters and artisans will offer handmade goods in the Crafter’s Tent, talented musicians will perform on the Harvest Fair stage and local food vendors will be selling seasonal favorites.
General admission costs $14 for adults or $10 for children ages 3-18, and children under age three enter for free.
When: Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 583 Third Beach Road, Middletown
Federal Hill Columbus Day Festival
This Columbus Day weekend, Federal Hill will come to life with the 40th Annual Galbani Columbus Weekend Festival, presented by the Federal Hill Commerce Association.
Guests can enjoy over 80 art and retail vendors, as well as family-friendly games, amusement rides, cooking demonstrations, a parade and live entertainment from thre separate stages. Various local food vendors and over 26 Federal Hill restaurants will provide food for the festival, including Cafe Italia, Providence Oyster Bar and Cassarino’s.
When: Friday, Oct. 11 from 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to midnight; Monday, Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Dean Street to Sutton Street on Atwells Avenue, Providence
Rogue Island Comedy Festival
Need a good laugh this fall? Head to the Rogue Island Comedy Festival, the premiere stand-up comedy festival in the state, bringing the best local and national talent to the Rhode Island stage since 2015.
This year, fall festival headliners include Emmy-winning comedy writer Kyle Dunnigan, ‘America’s Got Talent’ finalist Aiko Tanaka, TV comedy writer Ryan Donahue and Boston Comedy Festival winner Dan Boulger. A full schedule of shows can be found online.
Tickets for each show can be bought online for $35 each, and all festival shows are general admission.
When: Thursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. through Sunday, Oct. 12 at 10:30 p.m.
Where: Multiple venues in Portsmouth and Newport
Oktoberfest
Celebrate Oktoberfest in Pawtucket with the German American Cultural Society of Rhode Island. The authentic Oktoberfest celebration will include live entertainment, a ceremonial keg tapping, a large draft beer list, a table full of assorted cakes and food options like bratwurst, Bavarian pretzels and potato pancakes.
Oktoberfest tickets cost $10 online or $12 in person. Children ages 12 and under enter for free.
When: Saturday, Sept. 27 from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 28 from noon to 5 p.m.
Where: 78 Carter Ave., Pawtucket
Clark Farms Fall Fest
Over in Matunuck, Clark Farms is hosting a fall festival with the theme “Wild West Adventure.” Attractions include a corn maze, hayrides, a petting zoo, a giant slide, go-kart racing, live music, a zip line, tire swings, face painting and food from local vendors, as well as fresh cider and cider donuts.
Admission to the Wild West fall festival costs $20 per person, and the farm suggests buying tickets online.
When: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a,m. to 5 p.m. from Sept. 13 through Oct. 26
Where: Clark Farms, 2984 Commodore Perry Hwy, Matunuck