What family doesn’t enjoy spending quality time in the great outdoors soaking up the fantastic fall weather? Most of us would love to explore the far reaches of the country during this most magnificent time of the year, but not all of us have the financial resources to do so in a grand way.
Luckily, you don’t have to be rich to enjoy the wealth of natural gems offered this time of year. Instead of dropping hundreds of dollars on a family getaway, consider sticking closer to home and attending free local fall-themed festivals, such as:
California: Fortuna’s annual Apple Harvest is a huge autumn attraction. The massive event is free and open to the public beginning at 9 a.m. on October 6th. The city-wide celebration takes place downtown and combines agricultural exhibits, historical sites and family fun in a single festival. The Apple Harvest Festival is run like an old fashion fair with Main Street open to pedestrians only. Free hayride transportation allows you and your family to be carted from one venue to the next while enjoying the wonderful fall weather in Fortuna. Highlights of this year’s festivities include dozens of food booths, a petting zoo, an apple pie baking contest, bounce houses, arts and crafts, antiques, collectibles, live music, face painting, clowns, fire truck tours and photo ops with Darth Vader and Smokey the Bear. In addition, you can snack on free samples of unique apple recipes, and then take home some of the popular fall fruit to make your own dishes.
New Jersey: If you live on the East Coast, you can save big on family fun by attending the New Jersey Botanical Garden Harvest Fest. The event is free and open to the public on October 6th and 7th. The kid-friendly Fest features hayrides, face painting, pumpkin painting, music and plenty of food. You can also join a Garden Tour and take home seeds to plant your own plants and flowers.
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