School is back in session. The nights are getting cooler. The leaves are beginning to change color. That’s right. Fall is on its way. And if you’re looking to get out and enjoy this wonderful season, there are dozens of festivals and events happening around the state.

As part of our ongoing series featuring some of the COOLest restaurants, activities and events Minnesota has to offer, we’ve dug up 27 fall festivals, events and fun things to do.

Here’s your guide to fun fall events happening throughout Minnesota during the 2019 fall season.

Long-Running Events & Things to Do

1. Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Dates and Times: Open weekends from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. starting Aug. 17 through Sept. 29, 2019
Location: 12364 Chestnut Blvd., Shakopee, MN 55379
Tickets: General admission: $24.95 for adults. $15.95 for kids. Discounts and specialty tickets available online.
Website: http://renaissancefest.com/

2. Sever’s Corn Maze & Fall Festival

Dates: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays Sept. 13 through Nov. 3, 2019 (See the website for specific hours.)
Ticket Prices: $17 for ages 4+. $14 discount tickets available for groups.
Location: 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379
Website: https://seversfallfestival.com/

3. Halloween Haunt at Valleyscare

Dates and Times: 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays Sept. 6 through Oct. 26, 2019.
Ticket Prices: $37 online if you visit early. See website for more details.
Location: 1 Valleyfair Dr., Shakopee, MN 55379
Website: https://www.valleyfair.com/haunt

4. Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze

Dates and Times: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 21 through Oct. 27, 2019, and Oct. 17-18 for MEA weekend.
Ticket Prices: $10 online & $12 at the gate. Kids under 36″ are free.
Location: 8001 109th Avenue. N., Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
Website: https://twincitiesmaze.com/

5. Nelson Farm Pumpkin Patch Festival

Dates and Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays Sept. 28 through Oct. 27, 2019, and MEA, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 17-18
Ticket Prices: $9.50 general admission. Kids 2 and under are free.
Location: Nelson Farm, 23618 CSAH 1, Litchfield, MN 55355
Website: http://www.nelsonfarm.com/

6. Trail of Terror

Dates and Times: 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m Fridays and Saturdays; 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays. Oct. 11 through Oct. 27, 2019
Ticket Prices: $23.95 general admission. $18.95 if you purchase your ticket in advance online.
Location: 3525 145th St. W., Shakopee, MN 55379
Website: http://www.trailofterrormn.com/

7. Anoka Halloween

Dates and Times: Various events from Oct. 8 through Oct. 25, 2019 (See the full schedule of events for specific dates and times.)
Ticket Prices: Prices vary by event. See website for details.
Location: Anoka, MN 55303
Website: http://anokahalloween.com/

8. Apple Fest 2019

Dates and Times: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 28 through Oct. 13, 2019
Ticket Prices: Varies by activity.
Location: Afton Apple Orchard, 14421 So. 90th St., Hastings, MN 55033
Website: http://www.aftonapple.com/apples

9. Dead End Hayride

Dates and Times: See website for full details. Late September – Friday and Saturdays, 7-11 pm; October – Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 7 – 9:30pm; Friday & Saturday 7 pm-12 am; November – see website.
Ticket Prices: $20 -67. Save by buying online in advance.
Location: 28186 Kettle River Boulevard North, Wyoming, MN 55092
Website: https://thedeadendhayride.com/

September Events

10. Defeat of Jesse James Days

Dates: Sept. 4-8, 2019 (See the full schedule of events for specific times.)
Ticket Prices: Varies by event.
Location: Downtown Northfield, MN
Website: http://www.djjd.org/

11. James J. Hill Days

Dates: Sept. 6-8, 2019 (See the full schedule of events for specific times.)
Ticket Prices: Varies by event.
Location: Lake Street in Downtown Wayzata, MN
Website: https://jamesjhilldays.wayzatachamber.com/

12. Washington County Bluegrass Festival

Date and Time: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 from 2-6 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Vehicle permit is $7 daily or $30 annual.
Location: South Picnic Park Pavilion at Lake Elmo Park Reserve, 1515 Keats Ave. N., Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Website: https://www.co.washington.mn.us/1559/Bluegrass-Festival

13. Ethnic Fest

Date and Time: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019
Ticket Prices: Buttons are $8, or two buttons for $15
Location: Various locations near downtown Walker, MN
Website: https://leech-lake.com/ethnic-fest

14. Unplugged: The Northern Harvest

Date and Time: Sept. 13-14, 2019
Location: North House Folk School, P.O. Box 759 – 500 Highway 61 West, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Website: https://northhouse.org/events/unplugged

15. St. Paul Oktoberfest

Dates and Times: 4-10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019.
Ticket Prices: Varies by event.
Location: Schmidt Artist Lofts, 900 7th St W, St. Paul, MN 55102
Website: http://www.saintpauloktoberfest.org/

16. 2019 Grape Stomp

Dates: Sept. 13-15, 2019 (See the full schedule for specific times.)
Ticket Prices: $30 per team Friday & Sunday, $35 per team Saturday. Must be 16+ to participate.
Location: Carlos Creek Winery, 6693 County Road 34 NW, Alexandria, MN 55308
Website: http://www.ccwgrapestomp.com/

17. Boats and Bluegrass Festival

Dates: Sept. 26 – 29, 2019 (See the full schedule for specific times.)
Ticket Prices: $119.99 and up. Kids 16 and under are free. All passes include camping.
Location: Prairie Island Park and Campground, 1120 Prairie Island Rd., Winona, MN 55987
Website: http://www.boatsandbluegrass.com/

18. Millstream Arts Festival

Date and Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 29, 2019
Ticket Prices: Varies by event.
Location: Downtown St. Joseph, MN 56374
Website: http://www.millstreamartsfestival.org/

October Events

19. Big Island Rendezvous and Festival

Dates and Times: Oct. 3-4, 2019 (Education days) and Oct. 5-6, 2019 (Public days). Gates open at 9 a.m. each day.
Ticket Prices: $14 for adults. $8 ages 6-11. Kids 5 and under are free.
Location: Bancroft Bay Park in Albert Lea, MN 56007
Website: http://www.bigislandfestivalandbbq.org/Rendezvous/rendezvous.htm

20. Rivertown Fall Art Festival 2019

Dates and Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019
Ticket Prices: Free with plenty to buy for art and eats.
Location: North Lowell Park, 201 Water St. N., Stillwater, MN 55082
Website: http://rivertownfallartfestival.com/ 

21. Twin Cities Oktoberfest

Dates: 5-11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019; Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019
Ticket Prices: $30 per person.
Location: Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1621 Randall Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108
Website: http://twincitiesoktoberfest.com/

22. Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

Dates: Oct.4-6, 2019
Ticket Prices: Free to watch. If you’d like to participate, registration for the marathon starts at $108.
Location: Starting line is located at: 631 South 6th St., Minneapolis, MN 55415. Finish line is located at: 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Website: https://www.tcmevents.org/events/medtronic-twin-cities-marathon-weekend-2019

23. Red Wing Arts Festival

Dates: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019
Ticket Prices: Free.
Location: Downtown Red Wing, MN 55066
Website: https://redwingarts.org/redwing-arts-fall-festival

24. Stillwater Harvest Fest

Dates: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 12-13, 2019 (See the full schedule for specific times).
Ticket Prices: Varies by event.
Location: 101 Water St. S., Stillwater, MN 55082
Website: http://www.harvestfeststillwater.com/

25. Zombie Pub Crawl

Date and Time: Beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019
Ticket Prices: $23 for general admission before Sept. 30, 2019.
Location: Downtown Minneapolis, MN 55403
Website: http://zombiepubcrawl.com/

26. Great Pumpkin Festival

Date and Time: 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019
Ticket Prices: Free.
Location: Gregory Park, 424 N. 5th St. Brainerd, MN 56401
Website: http://www.ci.brainerd.mn.us/339/Great-Pumpkin-Festival

27. Hutchinson Pumpkin Fest

Date and Time: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019
Ticket Prices: Free. But if you want to compete in the Pumpkin Chucking event, you can pick a pumpkin for just $5!
Location: Crow River Winery, 14848 Highway 7 East, Hutchinson, MN 55350
Website:  https://crowriverwinery.com/events/annual-events/pumpkin-fest/

November Events

28. Autumn Festival: An Arts & Crafts Affair

Dates: Nov. 14-17, 2019 (See the full schedule for specific times.)
Ticket Prices: Adults $10. Seniors $9. Kids under 10 are free.
Location: Canterbury Park, 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379
Website: http://hpifestivals.com/

29. 29th Annual Bluegrass Masters Weekend

Dates: Oct. 31, 2019 to Nov. 3, 2019
Ticket Prices: $20 for Saturday’s concert. Workshops are $7 each or $30 for the day.
Location: Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior, 570 W. Highway 61, Duluth, MN 55612
Website: https://www.exploreminnesota.com/event/bluegrass-masters-weekend/8326

30. Holiday Harvest Wine & Food Festival

Dates and Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 9-10, 2019
Ticket Prices: Advance tickets for the two-day event are $30 per person. Non-advance tickets are $40 per person.
Location: Great River Road Wine Trail, a self-guided tour of 11 wineries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
Website: https://www.greatriverroadwinetrail.org/events/

Enjoy the Best of Fall in Minnesota

We truly hope you’re able to get out and enjoy Minnesota’s fall season. If you find your way to one of these spots, please share a photo or two with us on Facebook or Twitter. If you think we missed a great event, share the details in the comments section below.

And of course, we like to think of ourselves as the COOLest heating and cooling company in town. To make sure your furnace is ready for action this fall, schedule a $99 furnace checkup with us. We’ll inspect, clean, and monitor your furnace to ensure it’s ready to tackle the heating season ahead of us.