Old West Fest
Put on a Clint Eastwood snarl and mosey over to the Old West Fest. Walk through antiqued storefronts or chat up an actor dressed in period clothing. Young ’uns can chase manifest destiny by panning for gold or the whole family can pose for an old-time photo before hopping on a covered wagon. In the heart of Dodge City lies The Beatty and Kelly Restaurant that serves up classic Western dishes like turkey legs and, yes, rattlesnake chili. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 15. $15. 1449 Greenbush Cobb Road, Williamsburg, oldwestfestival.com.
Ohio Renaissance Festival
If the Old West isn’t your thing, try the Ohio Renaissance Festival for a 16th-century British village decked out in magic, chivalry, Arthurian flair and fantasy vibes. Don your favorite corset or suit of armor and pick your favorite themed weekend to join in — or, hey, go to all of them — ranging from a romance weekend to a Barbarian invasion to a pirate-infested theme. Cheer on your favorite jouster, giant turkey leg in hand, and then wash it down with ale from one of the onsite taverns. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 29. 10542 E. State Route 73, Waynesville, renfestival.com.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
The party starts with the running of the wieners — a glorious display of dachshunds flouncing through the streets of downtown in hot dog costumes — followed by food and beer. Pair a German-style bier with Bavarian bites, from warm pretzels and strudel to sauerkraut balls, potato pancakes and smoked mettwurst. Live music and the world’s largest Chicken Dance will round out the sausage-infused weekend. This year’s Grand Marshals — and leaders of the aforementioned dance party — are Bengals A.J. Green and Andy Dalton. Sept. 15-17. Free admission. Second and Third streets between Walnut and Elm streets, Downtown, oktoberfestzinzinnati.com.
Fifty Fest
A celebration of the laid-back trinity: local beer, food and music. The formula — hosted by Fifty West Brewing Company — makes it one of the chilliest festivals of the season. Try brews from Cellar Dweller, Rivertown, Bad Tom Smith, North High Brewing, MadTree and more with grub from Pizzelii, Quite Frankly and The Beerded Pig. Music will span across four stages and feature tunes from locals like Brain Olive, Heavy Hinges and Perfect Children. Noon-midnight Sept. 23. $10. Fifty West Brewing Company, 7668 Wooster Pike, Mariemont, fiftyfest.fiftywestbrew.com.
Country Apple Fest
The 35th-annual Country Apple Fest celebrates the fruit of fall with arts, crafts and a ton of apple-infused eats. At this flavorful down-home fest, find apple fritters, apple pies, caramel apples and bags of apples fresh from local farms. All arts and crafts are required to be handmade. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 30. Free admission. Warren County Fairground, 665 N. Broadway St., Lebanon, countryapplefest.com.
Kentucky Wool Festival
Drive through winding country roads before arriving at the Kentucky Wool Fest and be greeted by fried food, twangy banjos and vendor booths displaying handcrafted items, from clothes to goat-milk soap. Say hey to goats, sheep, chickens and cows from local farms at a petting zoo and check out sheep-shearing and border collie-herding demos. Don’t leave without grabbing some wool items to keep warm as the temperature drops. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Oct. 6-7; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 8. $5. 48 Concord Caddo Road, Falmouth, Ky., kywoolfest.org.
Sunflower Festival
Get lost in rows upon rows of dizzyingly tall golden sunflowers. Gorman Heritage Farm’s annual fest is perhaps the most Instagram-worthy of all. Grab some grub and wash it down with a warm cup of joe from Coffee Emporium. Get an extra heaping of fall with hayrides, chill live music and pumpkin picking. Pluck some sunflowers to take home for $1 per stem or $10 per dozen. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 7-8. $8 adults; $5 kids. Gorman Heritage Farm, 10052 Reading Road, Evendale, gormanfarm.org.
Weekend of Fire
Feel the burn at the Weekend of Fire, serving more than 300 flaming delicacies from more than 50 vendors — and it ain’t just hot sauce. There are fiery eats from salsas to spices. Check out the Arena of Fire for eating competitions all weekend. If you’re of age, quench your taste buds with an ice-cold beer. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 7; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 8. $10; $12 at the door; child pricing available. Oscar Event Center, Jungle Jim’s, 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, junglejims.com.
Fall-O-Ween
Classic Coney Island gets in on the autumnal action with Fall-O-Ween, featuring a Trick or Treat Trail for kids, pumpkin launch, pony rides, a slightly frightening Fright Lights musical show, farmyard friends and Coney rides. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Oct. 7-22. $12; free for 2 and under. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, coneyislandpark.com.
HallZOOween
Throughout October, the Cincinnati Zoo will transform into a trick-or-treater’s paradise with treat stations, special animal encounters, a “scare-ousel” and Hogwart’s Express Train Ride, a Theater of Illusion and more. Though ghosts and goblins run amok, the zoo’s inhabitants are not fazed and can often be spotted swatting at or eating special pumpkin and Halloween-themed treats. Find one of the two golden Big Boy statues hidden daily around the park to win a prize. Noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Oct. 7-29. Free with zoo admission: $19 adults; $13 children. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, cincinnatizoo.org.
Salt Festival
Take a trip back in time at Big Bone Lick. This historically inspired fest celebrates pioneer life with hands-on demonstrations and activities, including flint knapping, salt making, weaving, spear throwing, atlatl tossing and more. Browse a crafters corner for handmade wares, sample snacks from a food court and visit a herd of real bison. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 14. Free admission. Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, 3380 Beaver Road, Union, Ky., friendsofbigbone.org.
Ohio Sauerkraut Festival
Channel quirky Gilmore Girls small-town vibes at the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival. Since 1970, this fest has grown from a small, local event to one that holds over 450 vendors selling handcrafted items and sauerkraut foods. The fest slings more than seven tons of sauerkraut during the weekend, on top of and inside everything from pizza and fudge to Polish cabbage soup and German sundaes (mashed potatoes topped with kraut, cheese, sour cream, bacon bits and olives). 9 a.m-8 p.m. Oct. 14; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 15. Free admission. North Main Street, Waynesville, sauerkrautfestival.com.
Books by the Banks
Celebrate an autumn staple: reading, the coziest activity. Listen in on author panels and enrich your own talents — the weekend will include writer workshops. Kids and teens alike can connect with their favorite authors and participate in crafts, games and more. This year Kate DiCamillo, author of Because of Winn-Dixie, is the featured author. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 28. Free. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown, booksbythebanks.org.
This article appears in Sep 13-20, 2017.
