Facebook Favorites: Fall Festivals
With food, crafts and Halloween celebrations, fall is a popular time of year for all types of festivals. We wanted to find out which ones top the list, so we turned to the Travel Channel Facebook community. Check out their picks for favorite fall festivals.
Festival Acadiens et Creoles
Submitted by Lucius Fontenot
Lafayette, LAThe Festival Acadiens et Creoles was started in 1972 as a way to keep Cajun culture alive. It has since grown to become a 3-day event that features music, food and crafts reflective of the area's traditions. Organized into mini-fairs, this year's event includes the Louisiana Craft Fair, Bayou Food Festival, Culture Sur La Table, La Place des Petits and Festival de Musique Acadienne.
Pumpkin Festival 2011
Submitted by Jeff Kent
Keene, NHA fun family event, the Pumpkin Festival has a jam-packed line-up of events. They include a children's costume parade, pumpkin bowling, a craft fair, storytelling, musical performances and food and craft vendors. The centerpiece of the event are the 2 pumpkin towers, which are made up of lit jack-o'-lanterns.
Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival
Submitted by Pete Mecozzi
Ozark, ARThe festival brings the best of string strummin' to Mulberry Mountain. The lineup includes Yonder Mountain String Band, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, Railroad Earth, 7 Walkers, Emmitt-Nershi Band, The Ben Miller Band and Corey Smith. In addition to the musical performances, the event has workshops and contests. Be sure to look for the special kids' area which offers free lessons in painting, tumbling and dance, as well as face painting.
Linz Fest
Submitted by Jill Johnson
Linz, AustriaThis festival was created in 1990 to celebrate the city of Linz, and it has since become a tradition. The event includes music, literature, art and children's programs. During the weekend, tours of the Lentos and Nordico museums and the Ars Electronic Center are given. The cultural breakfast is also a popular part of the festival.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Submitted by Kelly Ryan
Albuquerque, NMEach year, hundreds of hot air balloons take to the sky to celebrate ballooning. The balloons come in all shapes and sizes. Visitors can walk among the balloons and chat with the pilots. Those who want to take to the air can sign up for a ride with the official vendor Rainbow Ryders.
Maple Leaf Festival
Submitted by Kevin Curtis
Carthage, MOStarted as a marching band competition, the Maple Leaf Festival is now an 8-day event. The schedule includes a family-fun walk, beauty pageants, baby and toddler contests and lip sync competitions. The last day of the festival has arts and crafts, car show, petting zoo, food and entertainment. It all concludes with the largest parade in southwest Missouri.
Diwali
Submitted by Maria Valentina
IndiaCelebrated throughout India, the holiday marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. "Diwali" means "row of light," and symbolizes goodness over evil, light over darkness. The 5-day festival includes special meals, parades of statues of Hindu goddess Lakshmi, fireworks, bonfires and dipa lights decorating houses.
White Meadow Highland Games & Celtic Festival
Submitted by Courtenay Allison
Doswell, VAThe tag-line for this festival is, "Music. Food. Large Men Throwing Stuff." The event includes a Celtic market, along with meeting spots for various clans. There are competitions for highland dance, fiddle, harp and the throwing of hammers and pitchforks. This year's featured bands are Albannach and Barleyjuice.
Texas Renaissance Festival
Submitted by Stacy Mitchel
Plantersville, TXThe Texas Renaissance Festival is the largest one in the nation. The 55-acre village has costumed performers, more than 340 shops, 200 daily performances and games of skill. Theme weekends include Oktoberfest, Pirate Adventure, All Hallows Eve and Barbarian Invasion.
Circleville Pumpkin Show
Submitted by Wendy Botteicher Anglada
Circleville, OHThe first Circleville Pumpkin Show was held in 1903 when the mayor put a display in front of his place. The event has since grown to become the sixth largest festival in the US. The 4-days includes parades, Miss Pumpkin and Little Miss Pumpkin shows, largest pumpkin competition, demonstrations, performances and a 5-mile run. You can also see the world's largest pumpkin pie.
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