By Xan Schwartz

Maize Valley Fall Festival – Hartville, Sept. 12 – Oct. 31 Farm, restaurant, winery and brewery; Maize Valley literally has it all. There will be a Grave Digger Monster Truck themed corn maze and farm animal races for the kiddos. Adults can stop by the winery to sample and pick up a bottle of wine or try out something from the newly opened Craft Brewery. This place is farm-to-table, vineyard-to-glass, and pig-race-to… well, let’s just leave it at pig race. (Photo courtesy of Maize Valley Facebook Page) 6193 Edison St NE, Hartville
Regal Vineyards Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch – Lake County, Sept. 12 – Nov. 1 This year’s corn maze has a theme that can be discerned from looking closely at an aerial view of the event. The farm is promoting reading by testing visitors’ reading skills as they make their way through the maze. Free books for those who make it through, plus hayrides, corn cannons, and pumpkin patches. Head to Regal Vineyards for an educational fall day. (Photo courtesy of Regal Vineyards Facebook Page) 2678 County Line Rd, Madison
Ma & Pa’s Horse Drawn Hayrides and Fall Harvest – Burton, Sept. 16 – Oct. 31 Ma and Pa’s is just as quaint as it sounds. Enjoy a horse drawn hayride through the woods with the leaves crunching beneath the feet of a team of percheron horses, all with a glass of Ma & Pa’s cider and a fresh maple cookie. There is pumpkin painting for kids and pumpkin picking for all. (Photo courtesy of Ma & Pa’s) 15161 Main Market Rd. (Rt 422), Burton
Red Wagon Farm Pumpkin Festival – Columbia Station, Sept. 26 – Oct. 31 Red Wagon Farm is family owned operational farm that provides a fall-themed farmers market feel for its visitors. It offers hay rides, a corn maze, a food tent and tons of locally grown produce. There’s also an all-you-can-carry pumpkin sale for those feeling especially ambitious. (Photo courtesy of Red Wagon Farm Facebook Page) 16081 E River Rd, Columbia Station
Dussel Farms Fall Pumpkin Festival – Brimfield, Oct. 1 – 31 Dussel Farms offers something that most other fests don’t: a free tent maze for kids called the “Haunted Bus.” Head over on the weekend on there will be face painting, carmel apples, and kettle corn. You’re never too old for carmel apples and kettle corn. The jury is still out on face painting. (Photo courtesy of Dussel Farm Facebook Page) 1109 Old Forge Rd, Kent
Harvest Festival at Hale Farm & Village – Bath, Oct. 3 – 4 and 10 – 11 A Cuyahoga Valley tradition. Watch food be prepared for winter while utilizing the farm equipment to press apple cider, grind and shell corn, and make your own apple butter. Grab some kettle corn and walk the barnyards full of chicken, oxen, hogs, and sheep. Join in the harvest activities of pumpkin painting and wagon rides, or jump in the haystacks. You can also check out more unique fall activities like demonstrations of glassblowing, blacksmithing, and home crafts. But let’s be be honest, we had you at kettle corn. (Photo courtesy of Instagram user @pleaseselect) 2686 Oak Hill Rd., Bath
Boyert Greenhouse and Farm Fall Family Hayrides – Seville, Oct. 3 – 31 For anyone who is already missing summer, this fall fest will provide some nostalgia. The greenhouse at Boyert Farms has all the indoor plants folks need to brighten up their homes before winter comes. As far as fall activities, a hay ride will deliver visitors to a pumpkin patch where they can sip some apple cider while they pick out their porch decorations. There is also a bonfire– but its bring your own hotdogs and marshmallows! (Photo courtesy of Boyert Greenhouse and Farm Facebook Page) 7171 Wooster Pike, Medina
Huntsburg Pumpkin Festival – Huntsburg, Oct. 3 – 4 This festival has become popular for its free family days. Both days start with a pancake breakfast in the town hall offering all-you-can-eat portions of pancakes, Belgian waffles, sausage, orange juice, maple syrup, and hot beverages. Walk it off at the 4-Mile Pumpkin Run and 2-Mile Fun Walk on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Huntsburg Pumpkin Festival Facebook Page) 14907 N State Ave, Middlefield
The Woollybear Festival – Vermilion, Oct. 4 Ohio’s largest one-day festival celebrates turns 44 this year. The idea grew out of weatherman Dick Goddard popularizing the folklore notion that the brightly colored caterpillar’s fur can predict the severity of the coming winter. Now the town squeezes more and more events into the festival each year, mostly because Dick Goddard is the best. Think Groundhog Day, only bigger. Be sure to catch the Woollybear Parade, ranked as one of Ohio’s largest. It includes more than 15 marching bands with nearly 2,000 musicians, kids and pets on hay wagons, vintage cars, floats, clowns and festival queens. End the day with the Woollybear 500 Caterpillar Race finals, and of course the official Woollybear Winter Weather Prediction, the reason for the season. (Photo courtesy of Scene Archives) 5495 Liberty Ave, Vermilion
Pumpkin Festival at Mapleside Farms – Brunswick, Oct. 10 – 11 Voted One of the Most Beautiful Farms in America in 2011, there’s no better place to take in the fall scenery than Mapleside Farms. Take a tour on the Moo-Lar Express, a cow-themed tractor ride, or a traditional hayride. Kids can jump on a 70-foot pillow in Jump Park, scramble across rope in the Spider Web, climb the Rattlesnake Mountain wall, and crawl through the Snake Belly Tunnel into clubhouses. There’s a seven-acre corn maze, which you can experience in the dark on Friday and Saturday nights —so bring a flashlight, or rent one there. And of course, there’s the raison d’etre for the festival—a 25-acre pumpkin patch you can wander through to check out all 82 of the known varieties of pumpkin, and pick out some to carve and decorate. Admission is $12. (Photo courtesy of Instagram user @88tboss) 294 Pearl Rd, Brunswick
Island Oktoberfest – Put-In-Bay, Oct. 10 – 11 Put-in-Bay’s 22nd annual fall beer fest. But it’s not just for adults; it’s a family weekend that islanders refer to as “homecoming.” Local vendors will be serving up tasty samples from the Heineman Winery, established on the island in 1888. Restaurants will be ready with plenty of German specialties, including sauerbraten, spaetzle, brats, German potato salad, potato pancakes, apple dumplings, German chocolate cake, wiener schnitzel, red cabbage, and sausage. It costs $4 for a one day pass and $6 for two days, and children under 12 get in free. (Photo courtesy of Laura Kreider, Flickr Creative Commons) 148 Delaware Ave, Put-In-Bay
Corn and Pumpkin Harvest at Lake Metroparks Farmpark – Kirtland, Oct. 10 – 11 and 17 – 18 Craft cornhusk dolls and harvest and decorate pumpkins. Get lost in a three-acre corn maze, stroll through the kid-friendly hay maze, or wander around the pumpkin patch. Satisfy your sweet tooth with some corn treats, pumpkin sweet potato soup, apple-pressed cider, and fresh apple butter. Visitors can even help grind apples, shuck corn, and crank ice cream. Take a trip back in time and fill your belly while you’re at it. (Photo courtesy of Lorianne Disabato, Flickr Creative Commons) 8800 Euclid Chardon Rd, Kirtland
Fall Festival of Leaves – Bainbridge, Oct. 15 – 18 In Leaf Country, USA, otherwise known as Bainbridge what kind of celebration would you expect other than the Fall Festival of Leaves? Held annually on the third weekend of October, the weekend is packed with arts and crafts, entertainment, flea markets, midways, parades, tractor pulls, and more. The Queen of Paint Valley High will be crowned, a pet show will include both live and stuffed animals. On Sunday, there’s a parade. (Photo courtesy of Fall Festival of Leaves Facebook Page) 421 Main Street, Bainbridge
Rockin’-R-Ranch Old West Pumpkin Fest – Columbia Station, Saturdays and Sundays in October through Oct. 25 – Rockin’-R-Ranch is Cleveland’s most popular and largest Halloween Attraction, but they’re good for more than just spooks during the fall season. Their Pumpkin Fest boasts pony rides, a family fun house, kids activity area, an “Old West” town area, face painting, straw mountain, costume characters, a pumpkin slide and pumpkin picking. Stay until nightfall and the Pumpkin Fest turns into a Spooky Ranch! Admission is $10. (Photo courtesy of Rockin-R-Ranch) 19066 E River Rd, Columbia Station
Nickajackfarms Fall Festival – Canton, daily through Oct. 31 This fully functional farm produces over 300 acres of hay, soybeans, corn, pumpkins and gourds. The festival includes usual fall activities like corn mazes and hay rides, as well as more interesting ones like corn-cannons and gourd-golf. Don’t worry, there are still pony rides and pumpkins to be picked. On Sept. 26 and Oct. 17 there will be a “Family Flashlight Mazes” event where families can explore the corn mazes at night. Admission is $10, 2 and under free. (Photo courtesy of Instagram user @clevelandplus) 2955 Manchester Ave NW, North Lawrence

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