Fall is officially here, and with it comes fun & festive community events! Here is an update of our annual guide to some favorite happenings coming up:
OCTOBER 5 | DOVER: APPLE HARVEST DAY
“Apple Harvest Day is a day-long family event, featuring 400 crafters, great food, live entertainment, and more. The event was first held in 1985 and now draws more than 50,000 people to the City of Dover’s downtown, making it one of the most popular regional festivals.”
OCTOBER 5 | EXETER: POWDER KEG & CHILI FESTIVAL
“We’ll keep you busy celebrating great beers and chili! Breweries and beer enthusiasts from the region will gather on a Fall afternoon for a sampling of fresh beers of all colors, styles and tastes. Vote for your favorite chili as local restaurants enter their house recipes in hopes of becoming the 8th Annual Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival fan favorite!”
OCTOBER 12 | PORTSMOUTH: STRAWBERY BANKE’S FALL FESTIVAL & CHILDREN’S BOOK EVENT
“Strawbery Banke’s Fall Festival showcases traditional New England handmade crafts, heritage breed and farm animal demonstrations, and the museum’s heirloom gardens and seed-saving program. The event also incorporates the 5th Annual Children’s Book Festival, featuring 20+ local authors and illustrators.”
OCTOBER 12 | KENNEBUNK: HARVESTFEST
“HarvestFest is a free, family friendly fall festival. Bring the whole family and join us for a fun time starting with a family Halloween walk/parade down Main Street, bounce houses, face painting, treat bag decorating, decorate your own pumpkin, apple cider, games, goodies, candy and much more!! Costumes are encouraged!”
OCTOBER 13 | PORTSMOUTH: 30TH ANNUAL WHEB CHILI COOK-OFF AT PRESCOTT PARK
“Every October, folks come to enjoy generous samplings from some of the Seacoast’s best restaurants and to experience one of the greatest Chili Cook-Off events around. Held on the grounds of Strawbery Banke, the WHEB Chili Cook-Off presents more than a dozen restaurants from the Seacoast and beyond who serve up their best chili in decorated booths for all.”
OCTOBER 18 – 19 | LACONIA: NH PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
“The NH Pumpkin Festival is a community-hosted, family friendly celebration of fall and what is unique about New Hampshire. It is a celebration of artistry and creativity and all things pumpkin!”
OCTOBER 19 – 21 | OGUNQUIT: OGUNQUITFEST
OgunquitFest includes a variety of events including trick-or-treat in downtown shops, a movie at the Leavitt Theatre, an autumn bazaar at the beach, a “Dogtoberfest” beach walk, a car show, a pumpkin presentation, a run for fallen heroes, and much more!
OCTOBER 19 | YORK: HARVESTFEST & KIDSFEST
“This festival includes a variety of activities including live music from the Don Campbell Band & Friends and Dan Blakeslee/Dr. Gasp, local food vendors, juried crafters and old-fashioned market vendors from all over New England. Kidsfest includes storytelling, interactive musical activities, a roaming railroad, pumpkin carving & painting, pumpkin stroll, face painting, and horse-drawn wagon rides.”
OCTOBER 31 | PORTSMOUTH HALLOWEEN PARADE
“Marching into its 25th year, the Portsmouth Halloween Parade is a grassroots, all-inclusive celebration of community, creativity and free expression that walks, stalks, dances, trumpets and drums its way through downtown Portsmouth each year.” Learn more about the various fundraising events prior to the parade by following the link below!
Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels