From our Fall issue of Hamilton County Family, we offer some local ideas for celebrating this glorious time of year. Be sure to pick up your copy of Hamilton County Family, on stands now!
There is nothing quite like fall in Hamilton County. Cooler temperatures and changing leaves offer the perfect backdrop for fairs and festivals and Halloween-themed fun. Below we break down a few of our favorite fall events that are close to home.
Now in its 44th year, Pumpkin Harvest Festival at Stonycreek Farm in Noblesville runs daily October 1-31 and celebrates fall with fun for the whole family. Take a short hayride to the U-Pick Pumpkin Patch to search out the perfect pumpkin. Other activities include pony rides, candle making, a straw bale pyramid and maze, a pumpkin train, rubber ducky races, a giant jumping pillow, a zip line and much more. There is a $5 cash-only parking fee Tuesday through Sunday (parking is free on Monday). Most activities require paid tickets to participate.
For more pumpkin-themed fun, head to Stuckey Farms in Sheridan, Saturdays and Sundays from September 17-October 23, for their Harvest Festival featuring a different theme each weekend. A basic ticket is just $8 per person and includes parking, wagon rides and admission to Adventure Acres – a fun zone featuring a 60-foot slide, pedal cars, a barrel train, kid-size games and maze and their newest attraction: pig races! Other activities incur an additional fee.
Fall fun meets the Golden Age at the Fishers Renaissance Faire. More than 250 costumed characters will be on hand for the Faire, held on the grounds of Klipsch Music Center October 1 and 2. Experience jousting by the Knights of Valour, period music, roving comedy, juggling, acrobats, knighting ceremonies, food vendors, a free kids’ game area and over 70 artisans and merchants. A family pack of tickets (2 adults and up to 5 children) is just $28 in advance ($35 at the gate).
If fine art is more your speed, head to Carmel International Arts Festival, September 24 and 25. The Carmel Arts and Design District comes alive during this free event featuring the works of more than 130 juried artists. Stop by the Young@Art children’s area to get the kids in on the art-themed fun.
Nothing says fall like a campfire. Add stories and s’mores into the mix, and, well, that is a pretty perfect fall evening. Fireside Stories at Simon Moon Park in Westfield offers just that over the course of three Wednesdays this fall: September 28, October 12 and October 25. Themes range from harvest stories to not-so-scary Halloween tales.
Get your little ones in the Halloween spirit during Little Haunt on the Prairie at Ghoul Creek Park. This event, held on the grounds of Cool Creek Park on Thursday, October 27 from 5:00-9:00pm, offers spooky, yet-age-appropriate Halloween activities for children from preschool to school-age and their families. Enjoy nature interpretation, entertainment, a hayride, food vendors and activities for the little ones as they trick-or-treat their way through the festivities. Cost is $3 per person and canned food donations are also being collected.
And, of course, Halloween wouldn’t be quite the same without a trip to visit the Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie. Held on the evenings of October 13-16, 20-23 and 27-30, this annual event offers a tour of Conner Scairie, a haunted land inhabited by fun-loving ghouls. Meet Ed, the mad scientist, and his assistant, Esmeralda, who serve up some chemistry hijinks in their nightly show. Or maybe you prefer a visit with child-like monster Holly Ween, who entertains the younger guests with stories of magic. But beware! The Headless Horseman can gallop past at any minute. Suitable for all ages.
With so many fun events coming up this fall, your family won’t have to go far to make the most of this glorious season!
