For the past week our weather has been down right chilly—daytime highs in the 60s and frost advisories at night. So, yesterday, I spent more than two hours packing away our summer gear and unloading our winter wardrobe from storage. Today, I learned that next week’s highs are supposed to top 85 degrees. Wonderful! That’s what I get for listening to the weather guy too early in the week.
A string of warm days aside fall is definitely on its way and with the change of seasons comes a host of family friendly outdoor festivals that highlight the beautiful autumn foliage. The following are just a few noteworthy opportunities that await you from coast to coast.
NEW MEXICO
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta located in the place where my parents met and fell in love will always hold a special place in the hearts of our family. If you are looking for a spectacular feast for the eyes this annual balloon festival won’t disappoint. Believe me, there’s nothing like the sight of hundreds of vibrantly colored hot air balloons floating effortlessly in the desert sky of New Mexico.
This year’s festivities kick off on October 6th and run through October 14th. Events start as early as 5:45 a.m. each day with a “dawn patrol,” or a “sunrise glow” in which masses of balloons are inflated and launched in a choreographed musical performance. More balloon ascensions follow at 7 a.m. and at night there are sunset balloon glows, fireworks shows, and a special children’s show. Admission is $6 for ages 13 and up and free for everyone else. Parking is $10.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
The Keene Pumpkin Festival in Keene, New Hampshire is the perfect place to find the perfect pumpkin. If you can’t find a winner in Keene’s fields of more than 30,000 pumpkins then you may want to consult an eye doctor. Linus could not have picked a more ideal spot to wait for the Great Pumpkin and you couldn’t pick a more quintessential New England town than Keene to spend a crisp fall day.
The annual Keene Pumpkin Festival gets underway on October 20th when the entire downtown area is festooned with jack-o-lanterns stacked on huge towers and lined on every street corner. In fact, the name Keene may sound familiar given that it has been in the headlines before. From 2003 to 2005 the town held the Guinness World Record for the most jack-o-lanterns lit at one time. This year Keene is looking to regain its title (it was strip from the town last year by a larger festival in Boston) and is asking festivalgoers to bring several jack-o-lanterns to help them recapture the top spot. Besides the jack-o-lanterns, the festival features live music, crafts, hayrides, fireworks, a kids’ costume parade and a pumpkin pie-eating contest. And the best part—admission is free.
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