Top Fall Festivals

Fall brings with it cooler weather, shorter days and, here in Philadelphia, festivals nearly every weekend. To help you wade through all the food, music and arts fests taking place this autumn, here are a few of our favorites.

Longwood Gardens Autumn Colors Festival

Dates: Through November 18

Longwood Gardens celebrates the harvest season with Autumn’s Colors, a festive showcase of fall colors, giant pumpkins, unusual gourds and live concerts. Longwood’s landscapes glow with shades of yellow, orange, purple and red trees. Golden honey locusts and ginkgoes, scarlet sweet gums and sourwoods and ruby northern red oaks add bursts of color.
Details: 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square

Campus Philly College Day

Date: September 29

Philadelphia will welcome back thousands of college students during its annual Campus Philly College Day, a city-wide day of discounts, giveaways, entertainment and free admission to museums and more on September 29. Throughout the day, students will gain free admission to museums and attractions in Historic Philadelphia, Center City and along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Details:Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Manayunk StrEAT Festival

Date: September 29

StrEAT is the kick-off of the five day Manayunk Restaurant Week on Saturday, September 29. Main Street will be lined with some of Philadelphia’s best food trucks with specialties ranging from ice cream to Asian delicacies.
Details: Main Street, Manayunk

New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival

Dates: September 29-30

The New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival highlights the work of premier artists and artisans specializing in photography, watercolors, oils, pastels, pen and ink drawings, silver and gold jewelry, ceramics, wearable art, glass, wood, sculpture and furniture. Exhibitors sell the works on display in booths lining Union Square.
Details: New Hope-Solebury High School, 182 W. Bridge Street, New Hope.

Downingtown FallFest

Date: September 30

Come for the local foods, crafts and entertainment and stay for the beer garden with craft brews from Victory Brewing Company during the Downingtown FallFest.
Details: Lancaster Avenue between Wallace Avenue and Green Street, Downingtown.

Chinatown Night Market

Date: October 4

It’s time for another round of Night Market Philadelphia, the roving outdoor food truck bazaar that visits neighborhoods throughout the city to dish up mobile eats, live music and crafts. Centered around 10th and Race Streets will be dozens of the city’s best mobile food vendors plus live bands, local artists’ crafts and much more.
Details: 10th and Race Streets

Old City Seaport Festival

Dates: October 5-7

Independence Seaport Museum is launching the Old City Seaport Festival, a weekend-long fest with Tall Ships, live music, crafts, vendors and activities along the waterfront plus refreshments from food trucks and a beer garden area on the museum’s outdoor second floor balcony.
Details: Delaware River waterfront along Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard.

Revolutionary Germantown Festival

Date: October 6

On October 4, 1777, the Continental Army attempted to fight the British out of Germantown. Washington and his troops lost the battle and were forced to retreat to Valley Forge for the winter. Germantown commemorates the event on October 6 during the Revolutionary Germantown Festival with a battle reenactment, tours, food vendors and more.
Details: 6400 block of Germantown Avenue, Germantown.

Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival

Date: October 6

Stroll up Kelly Drive along the Schuylkill River for Philadelphia’s colorful annual celebration of an ancient Chinese tradition, the Dragon Boat Festival. The boats, festooned in brilliantly colored dragon heads and tails, are manned by teams of 20 paddlers and compete against each other in several heats throughout the day.
Details: St. Joe’s Boathouse, 4 Boathouse Row.

RiverCity Festival

Date: October 6

The Fourth Annual RiverCity Festival is presented by the Fishtown Neighbors Association at historic Penn Treaty Park. The festival reinforces friendships in the community, promotes exciting local businesses and showcases everything that makes Fishtown stand out as a neighborhood with tremendous history and vibrancy.
Details: Penn Treaty Park, 1199 N Delaware Avenue

Midtown Village Fall Festival

Date: October 6

The six-block outdoor party is back, with food samples from Midtown Village restaurants, sidewalk sales, handmade items from artisans and crafters and the “Little Villagers” family-friendly area complete with a free moon bounce, sidewalk chalk and pumpkin painting.
Details: 13th Street between Chestnut and Locust

Chestnut Hill Fall for the Arts Festival

Date: October 7

Germantown Avenue is transformed into a festive outdoor arts and crafts marketplace at Fall for the Arts, with more than 150 artists displaying their works. Meanwhile, markets, restaurants and bars set up shop outside on the street serving festival-goers delicious eats and drinks. There will also be children’s activities, including face-painting and amusement rides, as well as live music on two stages and lots of alfresco dining.
Details: Germantown Avenue, between Willow Grove and Rex Avenues, Chestnut Hill

OutFest

Date: October 7

Don’t miss Philadelphia’s Outfest, a National Coming Out Day (NCOD) Festival that attracts more than 20,000 people to the region. The annual block party embraces the GLBT lifestyle and freedom. Philadelphia was one of the first cities to organize around NCOD on a large scale by creating a block party to showcase the many facets of the community.
Details: October 7, Between Walnut and Pine Streets from 11th to 13th Street

Design Philadelphia

Dates: October 10-14

Approximately 200,000 people are estimated to explore the world of design during more than 150 events held throughout the city. Design Philadelphia aims to celebrate and promote Philadelphia as a design capital and destination. It’s awesome.
Details: Various locations

Blocktoberfest

Date: Saturday, October 13
Time: Noon-8 pm

Rounding out the city-wide celebrations is the four-block South Street Bloktoberfest festival inviting guests of all ages to flock to the annual festival for beer, food and live music. Featuring multiple stages, beer from around the world and neighborhood resto’s and food trucks, the free-to-attend event marks its fourth year of beer chugging traditions.

Before the Bridge Music Festival

Date: October 13

Before the Bridge continues the long time tradition of Collingswood’s support of independent music, bringing artists from as far away as Brooklyn and Virginia.
Details: Haddon and Woodlawn Avenues, Collingswood, NJ

Downingtown Friends Fall Festival

Date: October 13
Celebrate fall with a full day of music, delicious foods, activities for children, as well as plants, crafts, and a silent auction.

Taste of Fall West Fairmount

Date: October 14

Taste of Fall in West Fairmount Park features food, beer and wine tastings, live music and plenty of activities for adults and children alike. This autumnal outdoor affair, sponsored by The Junior League, will offer selections from both local farms and gourmet food vendors, plus showcase the work of artisan and craft vendors.
Details: Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, 504 Reservoir Drive

Philadelphia Film Festival

Dates: October 18-28

Now in its 21st year, the Philadelphia Film Festival is 11 days of cinematic splendor, with more than 250 screenings of independent, feature, documentary and short films.
Details: Various locations