By: Terri Ogan
There’s no better way to wrap up a perfect summer than with exploring all of the fall wonders the world has to offer. Whether it’s a food festival on the coast of Massachusetts, a concert in Texas, or a beer tasting in Germany, we have a list that will squash your post-summer blues and get you excited for the leaves to turn your favorite shade of red.
1. Austin City Limits (Austin, Texas):
This fall, Austin, Texas is celebrating what it does best: music. Join travelers from all over the nation for the 2013 Austin City Limits music festival, slated for Oct. 4 to 6 and Oct. 11 to 13 at Zilker Park. This stellar festival, which earned Austin the title of “Live Music Capital of the World,” includes over 100 red-hot bands and artists, including The Muse, The Weeks, Eric Church, Passion Pit and many more. Ticket packages starting at $225 for a three-day pass, can be purchased on the festival’s website, which also includes information on travel, lodging, and additional festival facts.
2. Wellfleet OysterFest (Wellfleet, Massachusetts):
Summer may be behind us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to indulge in the season’s finest cuisines, and the 13th Annual Wellfleet Oyster Fest allows us to do just that. Slated for Saturday Oct. 19 and Sunday Oct. 20, head down to Wellfleet, Mass. and enjoy the coast’s most delicious shellfish all for a good cause. The festival is produced by Wellfleet Shellfish Promotion and Tasting (SPAT), a non-profit organization devoted to fostering a greater understanding of the town’s shellfish industry. The two-day event features live music, arts and crafts, and a shucking contest as well.
3. 23rd Annual Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta (Santa Fe, New Mexico):
About 75 fabulous Santa Fe restaurants and over 100 world-class wineries are uniting to bring you the 23rd Annual Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta. This four-day event, scheduled for Sept. 25 to Sept. 29, will feature guest-chef luncheons and tastings, wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, and wine tastings. In addition, the event will include a live auction luncheon enabling visiting chefs to network with local chefs to raise funds for surrounding food charities. If you have over indulged in the food and wine tastings, no need to worry. Attendees can participate in the 20th Annual Gruet Golf Classic just 15 minutes outside of Santa Fe.
4. Great American Beer Festival in Denver (Denver, Colorado):
Dive into a slice of beer heaven with this three-day event that includes 600 breweries serving up over 2,800 beers. The Great American Beer Festival is scheduled for Oct. 10 to Oct. 12 in Denver, Colo., with events that include tastings, book signings, sessions about the science behind the perfect beer, and of course, burgers. Founded in 1982, the Great American Beer Festival has been dubbed the premier US beer festival and competition, bringing together the best brews in the nation.
5. Chicago Film Festival (Chicago, Illinois):
Almost 49 years ago, organizers of the Chicago Film Festival kicked off an annual event in efforts to introduce the Windy City and the rest of the world to new filmmakers, new stories and new points of view. Every year since then, the festival has done just that. The 49th Annual Chicago Film Festival will feature over 100 films from all over the world including the US, England, Italy, Denmark, Finland, in categories such as comedy, spotlight Africa and world cinema. The two-week event starts on Thursday Oct. 10 and wraps up on Oct. 24. The festival is presented by Cinema/Chicago, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to fostering better communication between people of diverse cultures through the art of film and the moving image, according to its website.
6. Hamptons Film Festival (East Hampton, NY):
Starting on Thursday Oct. 10, visitors will hit the Hamptons not for the beach, but for the films at the 21st Annual Hamptons International Film Festival. The event was founded in order to provide a forum for independent filmmakers from around the world to express their vision. Opening night will feature Kill Your Darlings starring Daniel Radcliffe of the Harry Potter series, along side Michael C. Hall of Dexter, Elizabeth Olsen, Ben Foster, Jack Huston and Dane DeHaan. The remainder of the films, which include documentaries and dramas, among others, will be shown at venues across South Hampton and Montauk.
7. Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany):
At this time of year, what do you think of when someone says Munich, Germany? You think of beer! The infamous Oktoberfest is going to hit the city like a large glass mug hitting a table: hard. The much-anticipated 180th annual beer festival is scheduled for Monday Sept. 21 to Sunday Oct. 6 and attracts millions of people from all over the world. New this year, Oktoberfest will feature a smartcard entry key, as well as souvenirs and unfortunately, a beer price that is $.35 more expensive than last year. Have no fear, the same historical rides, beer tents, and other fun activities will be back to make this the most epic Oktoberfest the world has ever seen.
8. Galway Races (Ballybrit, Galway, Ireland):
If you enjoy adrenaline-pumping action and the ladies of fashion, the Galway Races in Ireland are the perfect fall activity for you. Based in Ballybrit, Ireland, the exhilarating historic races, which date back to the 1700s, are scheduled for Sunday Oct. 27 and Monday Oct. 28. On location at the track are numerous restaurant, bars, and suites for those that are willing to spend more than the typical race-goer. Organizers of the Galway Racers say that the October meeting is a favorite amongst its supporters.
9. Sonoma County Harvest Fair (Sonoma, California)
Wine, cider and festive foods are just a few things that come to mind when we think of the brisk fall season and the Sonoma County Harvest Fair in California has all of those fall features we love. Starting on Friday Oct. 4, the three day festival entails wine tastings at over 150 wineries, wine sales, food-pairings, craft beer and cider tasting, chef demonstrations, workshops, a world championship grape stomping and more. In its 38th year, the festival is also adding unique and educational demonstrations with a rejuvenated focus on artisanal products. The event draws attendees from all over the world including countries like South America, India and Australia.
10. World Championship Punkin Chunkin Contest (Bridgeville, Delaware):
On Friday Nov. 1, pumpkin hurlers from all over the country will gather in Bridgeville, Delaware for the sixth annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin pageant. Punkin Chunkin is a sport of hurling or “chucking” pumpkins with mechanical devices like slingshots, catapults, and canons of sorts. The competition is organized by the World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA), a non-profit organization that raises money for organizations that benefit the youth and local communities. Attendees and participants partake in the event mainly for the “chunkin,” but the event also includes a chili cook-off and live music, among other things.
Looking for more to do in the upcoming months? Check out our additional fun fall trips here: http://www.flipkey.com/trip-ideas/fall-travel/.
