These Small-Town Pennsylvania Festivals Capture The Spirit Of Fall

Pennsylvania’s small towns transform into vibrant celebration hubs when autumn arrives, offering festivals that showcase everything from crisp apples to glowing pumpkins.

These community gatherings bring together locals and visitors for days filled with live music, handmade crafts, delicious food, and activities that honor harvest traditions.

Whether you’re hunting for the perfect pumpkin or sampling homemade apple cider, these festivals capture the magic of fall in ways that big-city events simply can’t match.

1. National Apple Harvest Festival

Biglerville hosts one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved autumn celebrations, drawing over 100,000 visitors each year to celebrate the apple harvest. Running across two weekends in early October, this festival transforms the South Mountain Fairgrounds into an apple lover’s paradise with more than 300 vendors and craftspeople.

From apple dumplings to cider slushies, the food options alone could keep you busy all day. Watch craftsmen demonstrate traditional skills like blacksmithing and basket weaving, or catch one of several live music performances happening throughout the grounds.

Kids can enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo, and apple-themed games that make this a perfect family outing for all ages.

2. Milton Harvest Festival

Milton’s downtown becomes carnival central each September, blending old-fashioned harvest charm with modern festival excitement. This multi-day celebration features a parade that winds through historic streets, showcasing local marching bands, colorful floats, and community groups waving to cheering crowds.

Carnival rides light up the evening sky while food vendors dish out everything from funnel cakes to fresh-squeezed lemonade. Local businesses get in on the action with sidewalk sales and special promotions that make browsing the shops extra rewarding.

Live entertainment keeps energy levels high throughout the weekend, making this a harvest party you won’t want to miss.

3. Bedford Fall Foliage Festival

Timing is everything at this festival, which strategically happens during peak leaf-peeping season in early October. Bedford’s historic downtown becomes an outdoor gallery where Mother Nature’s artwork competes with hundreds of craft vendors displaying handmade treasures.

Classic car enthusiasts flock here for the impressive vehicle show featuring vintage rides polished to perfection. The festival stretches across two full weekends, giving visitors plenty of time to explore the surrounding mountains ablaze with red, orange, and golden leaves.

Food trucks and local restaurants serve up hearty autumn fare while live bands provide the soundtrack to your scenic mountain experience.

4. Cassville Oktoberfest

Who says you need to travel to Munich for authentic Oktoberfest vibes? Cassville brings Bavarian traditions to rural Pennsylvania each fall with a celebration that honors German heritage and harvest season simultaneously.

Bratwurst sizzles on grills while polka music gets toes tapping and hands clapping throughout the day. Traditional German foods share space with Pennsylvania Dutch specialties, creating a unique fusion of flavors you won’t find anywhere else.

Local artisans sell handcrafted goods while families enjoy games, activities, and the warm community atmosphere that makes small-town festivals so special and memorable.

5. Smicksburg Apple Festival

Nestled in Indiana County’s Amish countryside, Smicksburg’s Apple Festival offers a glimpse into simpler times while celebrating autumn’s favorite fruit. Horse-drawn buggies clip-clop past vendor booths where you’ll find everything from apple butter to handmade quilts crafted by local Amish artisans.

The aroma of fresh apple fritters and cinnamon fills the air, making it nearly impossible to resist sampling the homemade treats. Demonstrations of traditional crafts like chair caning and woodworking showcase skills passed down through generations.

This festival perfectly blends agricultural heritage with artistic talent, creating an authentic Pennsylvania experience that feels worlds away from modern life.

6. Evans City PumpkinFest

Pumpkins reign supreme at this October celebration where orange gourds of all shapes and sizes take over Evans City’s downtown streets. Giant pumpkins weighing hundreds of pounds compete for top honors while skilled carvers transform ordinary pumpkins into extraordinary works of art.

Kids go wild for the pumpkin painting station, face painting booth, and costume parade that brings out creative costumes ranging from adorable to downright spooky. Food vendors serve pumpkin-flavored everything—from pumpkin pie to pumpkin funnel cakes that push the gourd’s culinary boundaries.

Local businesses participate with pumpkin-themed window displays and special deals, making the entire town feel festive and welcoming.

7. Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival

Lehighton’s Country Junction transforms into pumpkin paradise each October with a festival featuring thousands upon thousands of pumpkins scattered across the scenic grounds. This isn’t your average pumpkin patch—it’s an immersive autumn experience complete with hayrides, live music, and artisan vendors selling seasonal goods.

The mountain setting provides breathtaking backdrop views that make every photo Instagram-worthy, especially when fall foliage reaches peak colors. Kids bounce in inflatable attractions and navigate corn mazes designed to challenge their navigation skills.

Plan to spend the whole day here because there’s too much pumpkin-packed fun to squeeze into just a few hours.

8. Fall Harvest Festival at Port Farms

Waterford’s Port Farms (Erie County) goes all-out for fall with a harvest festival that runs weekends throughout September and October. This working farm becomes an autumn playground featuring a challenging corn maze that twists and turns through towering stalks reaching high above your head.

Hayrides bounce across bumpy fields while passengers spot pumpkins ready for picking in the massive pumpkin patch. Farm animals greet visitors at the petting zoo, and little ones squeal with delight on the pedal tractor course and barrel train ride.

Fresh apple cider donuts disappear as fast as they’re made, and the farm market stocks seasonal produce that tastes infinitely better than supermarket options.

9. Covered Bridge & Arts Festival

Bloomsburg celebrates its historic covered bridges with an arts festival that attracts talented creators from across the region each October. More than just pretty scenery, these iconic bridges serve as stunning backdrops for over 100 juried artists displaying paintings, pottery, jewelry, and photography.

Strolling between vendor booths feels like wandering through an outdoor gallery where every turn reveals something beautiful and unique. Live demonstrations let you watch artists at work, transforming raw materials into finished pieces right before your eyes.

Food vendors provide sustenance for your art-browsing marathon, and the crisp autumn weather makes outdoor festival-going absolutely perfect for this cultural celebration.

10. Mifflinburg Oktoberfest

Mifflinburg throws a serious Oktoberfest party that rivals bigger city celebrations while maintaining its charming small-town character. German heritage runs deep here, and the festival showcases that pride with authentic foods, traditional music, and activities that honor Old World customs.

Sauerkraut, schnitzel, and strudel tempt taste buds while accordion players and polka bands keep the festive atmosphere lively and energetic.

The downtown setting allows easy exploration of local shops and historical sites between festival activities, making this a well-rounded autumn outing.