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Published September 1, 2022
It's FALL Festival Time!
It’s almost that time....FALL!
As the leaves begin changing color, the evenings get cooler, the pumpkins are ripening, and the apple cider flowing, there are so many reasons why Southwest Missouri is one of the best areas for fall. Our top reason...the fantastic fall festivals - from craft shows to food truck festivals - Southwest Missouri has it all!
We put together your one-stop list so you don’t miss any of them! So pack up your hoodies or cardigans, your cute fall boots and fall in love with the BEST fall festivals!
September 8 - September 11
Sarcoxie, MO
This fall festival has it all - with food booths, carnival, parade, live music, exhibits, crafts, livestock show, contests, domino tournament, and more. There is something for the whole family!
Cost - Free Entry
September 8 - September 10
Seymour, MO
The 48th Annual Seymour Apple Festival is one of the biggest festivals in our area! Each year this festival brings over 15,000 people from surrounding communities! The event features 100+ craft & various vendors, FREE live entertainment, 5K run, parade, Johnny Appleseed contest, and so much more.
Bring your lawn chairs, blankets & get ready for a great weekend of tons of fun for all ages!!
Cost - Free Entry
September 9 - September 11
Springfield, MO
The Japanese Fall Festival is a celebration of authentic Japanese culture. In typical years, Springfield and Isesaki exchange performers to entertain and share culture at each other’s festivals.
Springfield Sister Cities Association donates half of the Japanese Fall Festival’s admission proceeds to the maintenance and development of the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, sponsored by Simmons Bank. The remaining proceeds benefit cultural programs which further Springfield Sister Cities Association’s mission of “Peace through People.”
Cost
Fri., Sept. 9 from 5pm-10pm
Admission: $8/adult; $3/kids 12 and younger
Sat., Sept. 10 from 11am-10pm
Admission: $12/adult; $3/kids 12 and younger
Sun., Sept. 11 from 11am-6pm
Admission: $8/adult; $3/kids 12 and younger; $3/person dressed in costume role play
Wickman’s Annual Fall Festival
September 10 - September 11
Springfield, MO
Don’t miss Wickman's Gardens annual celebration of fall! They will host talented artists and crafters, local food vendors, and even pony rides at this 2 day event.
Cost - Free Entry
September 9 - September 11
Branson, MO
Visit over 80+ craft & artisan vendors at The Shepherd of the Hills Historic Farm for our Annual Fall Craft Fair. There will be live music and food trucks PLUS the entry includes a self-tour through the Historic farm and Lil’ Pete’s Kid’s Playland, Petting Zoo, Mini Golf, Bounce Houses! Don’t miss this weekend of fun!
Cost - $5.00, Kids 12 and Under FREE
Ozark County’s Hootin’ an Hollarin
September 15 - September 17
Gainesville, MO
This festival is full of family fun! Crafts, food, games and demonstration booths! Entertainment includes - pie contests, parades, races, pageants, and live music! The evening closes out with square dancing to old-time live fiddle music every night from 9:00 to midnight!
Cost - Free Entry
Autumn Daze
September 15 - September 17
Springfield, MO
The 49th Annual Autumn Daze Festival will feature homemade crafts, foods, live entertainment and more! Artisans and crafters will exhibit their work during the festival in Historic Downtown Branson Thursday - Saturday, Sept. 15-17. Hours are: Thursday & Friday - 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival is free to the public. Throughout each day, an entertainment stage will feature FREE live music from some of Branson's finest entertainers! Crafters and artists from around the country will participate. Shoppers will find a wide variety of items including wood crafts, quilts, clothing, crocheted and knitted items, jewelry, hats, purses, ladies' accessories, toys, floral arrangements, ironworks and collectibles. Many vendors will be demonstrating their techniques! In addition to continuous entertainment and homespun wares, Autumn Daze will also feature a food court, a celebrity autograph booth, a Downtown Branson sidewalk sale and more.
To keep guests and workers safe, each vendor will have hand sanitizer to use before and after touching the items, mask wearing and social distance spacing will be promoted.
Marionville Applefest
September 16 & September 17
Marionville, MO
The Marionville AppleFest is filled with vendors, food, pageants and an amazing parade! Spend the day as Marionville celebrates their community!
Cost - Free Entry
Cider Days on Walnut
September 17 & September 18
Springfield, MO
Cider Days is back! After a one-year hiatus, Cider Days on Historic Walnut Street returns for its 23rd year! The two-day fall festival will feature regional artists and crafters, performance stages, incredible food and, of course, delicious apple cider.
Cost - $5, Kids 10 and under FREE
8th Annual MO Food Truck Festival
September 17
11 pm-7 pm
Springfield, MO
Food trucks and foodies will gather this September in Springfield, Missouri for the 7th Annual Missouri Food Truck Festival & Competition. This is a one day event featuring the best gourmet food trucks, carts and trailers from around the state of Missouri and beyond. Featuring the brightest and most inspired street chefs bringing everything from Burgers, Cajun, BBQ, Tacos, Italian, Asian, Jamaican, Seafood, and sweet treats, plus live music on stage, and vendors.
Making this a one-of-a-kind day of great family fun at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, MO……so come hungry and stay all day!
Cost - FREE admission, FREE parking, Food & Drinks additional cost
September 17 - September 18
Marshfield, MO
Spend the day strolling through Marshfield Square where there will be at least 85 vendor options. Enjoy the tasty treats of Pineapple Whip, kettle corn and an Amish food vendor with all kinds of homemade baked goods. Show off your own baking skills by entering the favorite fall dessert contest. There will also be a car show, quilt show and performances by White Oak Revival and Abundance Quartet. But the biggest event for this weekend full of festivities is the pumpkin chunkin’ competition where you can test to see how far you can chuck a pumpkin.
Silver Dollar City’s Harvest Festival
September 21 - October 29
Branson, MO
Experience Silver Dollar City's Harvest Festival featuring Craft Days filled with NEW artisans each week and Pumpkins In The City by night, this glowing event with thrilling RIDES INTO THE NIGHT features thousands of illuminated pumpkins and non-frightful fun for the entire family. De-LIGHT in exploring the Woodland Hike, enjoy delicious pumpkin-flavored goodies and more!
Find ticket prices HERE
September 24 - September 25
Fair Grove, MO
The Fair Grove Historical and Preservation Society organizes and hosts this HUGE annual craft fair every year! With tens of thousands of people attending and enjoying the sights, sounds and food each day. You will find hundreds of vendors with high quality hand made items, homemade crafts, antiques and goods of all kinds. Don’t miss out on the parade, live music, demonstrations and more!
Cost - Free Entry
September 22 - September 24
Stockton, MO
Don’t miss out on the Black Walnut Festival! Enjoy crafts, food, the queen contest, entertainment, and parade. Don’t miss Saturday night, one of the biggest bands in the area, Members Only, will be hitting the stage.
Cost - Free Entry
September 23 - September 24
Mansfield, MO
Wilder Days is a family friendly event held every year commemorating Laura Ingalls Wilder, Carl Mays and Mansfield History.
Cost - Free Entry
Mountain View Pioneer Days
September 24
Mountain View, MO
Watch the antique wagon, tractor and car show and engage in a day packed full of family friendly activities including more than 100 food and crafts vendors and pioneer demonstrations.
Cost - Free Entry
September 30 - October 1
Republic, MO
The giant pumpkins at this festival draw participants from the entire region to see the larger-than-life pumpkins! Vendors gather to show off all their fall arts and crafts and families from all over the Ozarks gather to celebrate the harvest season! The Republic Pumpkin Daze celebration has been a staple in Republic since 1992!
Cost - Free Entry
October 1 - October 2
Ozark, MO
This show has been around for more than 40 years! This event has been a meeting ground for family & friends for almost a half century! More than 250 vendors from all over the US come to the Ozarks for this event, so it’s definitely worth the visit! You will enjoy a weekend of fun, food, shopping and craftsmanship!
Cost - Free Entry
Schofield + Gray Fall Festival and Antique Market
October 1
Fordland, MO
Come celebrate Fall at Schofield + Gray’s Fall Festival and Antique Market!
They are a small pop-up market with unique antique, vintage, garden, home decor, boutique, and gift vendors - plus food trucks, desserts, and amazing people, all nestled in at a cozy little homestead in Fordland.
Cost - $2.00, Early Bird $5.00
Vintage Market Days of NW Arkansas
October 7- October 9
Bentonville, AR
Join us for a Fall & Holiday shopping event, as over 120+ premiere vendors from over 15 states showcase their unique vintage and antique finds, handmade goods, and the latest fashion trends from the cutest trendy boutiques! Shop & see all things Fall & Christmas!!
Hungry?! Eat at one of our delicious food trucks or try a snack from one of our specialty makers! Snag anything from a delicious BBQ sandwich to yummy stir fry! Fried pies, gourmet fudge and chocolates, hot & iced lattes, and it doesn't stop there!
The market is 90% indoors, so weather is not a factor! Come shop two large barns at the Benton County Fairgrounds.
Cost - $10 for 3 day pass, $5 Sunday admission, children 12 and under FREE
October 7- October 9
Mt. Vernon, MO
The BIGGEST fall festival in our area is held in Mt. Vernon. The festival features 450+ booths of handmade crafts, entertainment, fun for kids, food and more! This event draws nearly 90,000 visitors each year. This festival has been pleasing crowds for over 50 years and just keeps getting better!
Cost - Free Entry
October 7- October 9
Springfield, MO
The Ozark Fall Farmfest is held annually on the first weekend of October at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri. With over 1,000 agricultural and rural living exhibits and more than 600 head of registered livestock on display, it has become the Ozarks’ largest agricultural event.
Cost - Free Parking and Admission
Scenic Riverways Arts & Crafts Show
October 8
Eminence, MO
This outdoor arts and crafts show features oil paintings, wood carvings, pottery, weaving and more. This event promotes and showcases the craftsmanship of Ozark artists and hobbyists. This is a one day event so don't miss it!
Cost - Free Entry
Grape & Fall Festival
October 8
Hollister, MO
The Hollister Grape and Fall Festival returns to Downtown Hollister this October! Enjoy live entertainment, a grape stomp, petting zoo, street dance and more, all in Historic Downtown Hollister.
Cost - Free Entry
War Eagle Mill - Fall and Arts and Crafts Fair
October 13 - October 16
War Eagle, Arkansas
This fall craft fair is held in War Eagle Valley and brings in over 125,000 visitors! The fair features 250 vendors that include handmade work! Take in the sights, sounds and aromas of the Ozarks while you enjoy handcrafted work from national artisans. It is an experience that you don’t want to miss!
Cost - Free
Warsaw Heritage Days
October 15 -October 16
Warsaw, MO
Over 200 vendors of handmade crafts in Drake Harbor set up for the weekend in huge tents, on the asphalt, and on the lawn in front of the amphitheater. The Warsaw Chamber of Commerce provides golf carts to shuttle guests to and from Drake Harbor, so it’s easy to leave the festival loaded down with goodies. The food vendors include “The Gator Wagon”, “Walking Tacos”, all your traditional fair food like corn dogs and cotton candy, and this year we added an egg roll vendor, sweets and treats, and bratwursts. There is also a direct sales section of Heritage Days, where you can find anything from Avon to Tupperware, clothing and accessories, and hunting and fishing gear.
October 8, October 14 - October 15
Carthage, MO
Beginning in 1966 as a marching band competition, the annual Maple Leaf Festival took its name from Mother Nature’s array of glorious fall colors. Every year, the city of Carthage proudly welcomes 80,000+ visitors to this wonderful fall celebration.
Every year, on the 3rd Saturday of October, the biggest day of the festival begins with the largest parade in Southwest Missouri. This keystone event begins at 9 a.m. and ends around noon. The parade begins on the Historic Square and ends at the Carthage Jr. High.
Events are scheduled throughout the day including the band festival, art & crafts vendors, car and tractor shows, wine tasting, quilt show, food vendors, and live entertainment.
The month of October is filled with activities including art and museum exhibits, lobster boil, bike tour, carnival, evening 5K, beauty pageants, dog show, chicken pageant, gospel sing, cruise-in, costume ball, and a lip-sync competition. Celebrating its 53rd year in 2019, the Maple Leaf Festival welcomes you.
Check out the list of events here!
