The heat is winding down near most AMLI communities this month as the nights grow chillier. Events have decidedly moved to a more chilled pace as well, focusing mostly on comfort and family-friendliness rather than the party-like atmosphere of summer. It seems every city around the country has its own Oktoberbest and pumpkin patch to pick from. Without further ado, here’s the best of the best to do everywhere AMLI apartments are.
Atlanta
Sept. 29-Oct. 8: Georgia State Fair
Come one, come all! The Georgia State Fair offers fun for people of all ages with carnival rides and games, live music, a petting zoo, animal rides, pig races, a butterfly exhibit and more.
Oct. 1-31: Fright Fest
Six Flags Over Georgia celebrates Halloween all month by haunting their amusement park with ghouls, ghosts, and monsters sure to terrify park goers to the bone with several scare zones, a freak show, and new attractions for 2017 including Camp Slasher and Mariner’s Cove.
Oct. 7: Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival
Relive childhood with bites of gooey cheese sandwiches at the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park. Though the snack is fit for a kid, attendees will not be of that ilk. No people under 21 or pets are allowed at this cheese fest with a beer garden, live music, and adult game zone. Tickets are 6.
Oct. 20-22: Taste of Atlanta
All the must-have food and drink in Atlanta will all be gathered in Historic Fourth Ward Park over the course of three days and nights. Over 90 restaurants and vendors will be on-hand to serve up signature dishes, renowned area chefs will give cooking demos, and classes by The Kitchen Workshop will be available.
Austin
Oct. 6-8, 10-13: Austin City Limits Music Festival
Another month in Austin, another music festival. And this one is one of the biggest of them all. Featuring diverse headliners such as Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gorillaz, and Chance the Rapper, this music fest draws a crowd from around the country every year.
Oct. 29: Ironman 70.3 Austin
Swim, bike, and run through three different courses to put your mind and body to the test at this iron man competition that takes place across the city.
Oct. 26-Nov. 2: Austin Film Festival
The Austin Film Festival is back again for another week of screenings from small, independent filmmakers, as well as a few bigger names. Industry nerds can attend workshops and script readings, but the rest of us will just be grabbing a bag of popcorn and a big soda, and enjoying the movies.
Oct. 31: Dias de los Muertos Fireworks Celebration
Celebrate Halloween and the Dias de los Muertos holiday with fireworks at the Krieg Baseball fields.
Chicago
Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Fulton Market Harvest Fest
This fest curated by famed Chicago chefs Stephanie Izard and Paul Cahan brings together some of the city’s top culinary minds and breweries for three days of tastings, classes, pop-up dinners, and cooking demos all wrapped into a neighborhood street fest.
Oct. 6 & 7: West Town Food Truck Social
Held in conjunction with the West Town Art Walk, this food truck event promises to tickle the taste buds of even the most seasoned Chicago foodie. Trucks in attendance include 5411 Empanadas, Donermen, Pierogi Wagon, and Yum Dum. A sampler ticket for 0 allows attendees to try six different sample-sized portions from any food trucks of their choice.
Oct. 7-8: CoffeeCon
For once there’s a culinary festival dedicated to something besides food and alcohol. Taste coffee from over 40 different vendors, attend workshops, classes, and presentations from industry experts from across the country.
Oct. 16-22: Chicago Humanities Festival
The yearly Chicago Humanities Festival is bigger and better than ever. Collecting some of the brightest thinkers of our time, the event features over a week of talks and presentations on art, literature, history, science, and the various disciplines that fall under the mantle of the humanities.
Dallas
Oct. 3: Otsukimi Moon Viewing Celebration
Watch traditional Japanese dance performances and enjoy a picnic with live music under the full moon in Kylde Warren Park. Star-gazing will be led by the Texas Astronomical Society, rabbits will be up for adoption from the Texas Rustlers Rescue, and guests can engage in activities such as Japanese calligraphy, a tea ceremony, writing haikus, and more.
Oct. 7-8: Cottonwood Art Festival
This Richardson-based arts festival comes around only twice a year, but has been a tradition over 40. Local bands perform as artists have stalls set up to sell their wares and give demonstrations. Admission is free, and food, beverages, and some kids activities are available to purchase.
Oct. 7: Tacolandia
The Dallas Observer hosts Tacolandia at the Dallas Farmers Market, an outdoor taco-tasting festival with live music, a cash bar, and some of the best tacos Dallas has to offer.
The Plano International Festival invites attendees to celebrate diversity at Haggard Park in downtown Plano. Last year, over 100 cultures from around the world were on display in performances, a flag parade, a naturalization ceremony, an ethnic food court, and more.
Denver
Sept. 15-Oct. 30: Corn Maze
If you haven’t made it to the 7-acre corn maze at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Littleton, now’s the time. Hours for the maze vary, but it’s generally open Fridays and Saturdays as well as some Thursdays and Sundays. Guests can also test their wits after-dark on select dates and attempt to navigate the maze with nothing but a glow stick.
Oct. 5-7: Great American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival is one of the largest such fests of its kind. The Denver Convention Center hosts this truly massive public tasting event of U.S. domestic beers from around the country.
Oct. 8: Run the Rocks
This 5K run/walk for the American Lung Association of Colorado takes competitors through the Red Rocks Park and Ampitheatre. To celebrate the event’s 10th consecutive year an additional 10K event has been added to the bill.
Oct. 14: Maker Faire Denver
Head over to the Denver Merchandise Mart to learn from engineers, artists, and crafters in this event highlighting people’s creative sides through various exhibits, competitions, and more.
Houston
Oct. 7: Park to Port Bike Ride
For the fourth year running, cyclists are invited to take the 20-mile round-trip ride from Hermann Park and along the Bayou Greenway all the way to the Port of Houston. Bikers can enjoy a party at the turnaround point that includes drinks, snacks, and live music.
Oct. 14 & 15: Bayou City Art Festival
Shop from the work available at the Art Colony Association’s annual art festival while enjoying live music and eats from local food trucks. Tickets are for children, 2 for adults, and 0 for families.
Oct. 22: Texian Market Days Festival
Travel back in time at the annual Market Days Festival in Richmond. Guests can take a deep dive into 150 years of Texas history with four different sections of the park dedicated to different periods of time. Food vendors focus primarily on contemporary cuisine, but you can snag a few antique-themed crafts from local artisans art the fest.
Oct. 21 & 22: Wings Over Houston Air Show
Ellington Airport hosts the annual Wings Over Houston show featuring dazzling aerial performances by the USAF Thunderbirds, an aerial reenactment of the Vietnam War, a tactical demonstration by the US Navy F-18 Super Hornet, and training exercises by the Tulsa Air National Guard.
Seattle
Oct. 1: An Incredible Feast
Fifteen Seattle chefs partner with farmers from the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market to create farm fresh meals for attendees at this fundraiser at the Center for Urban Horticulture. Also on-hand are local breweries and wineries and carnival games, as well as a silent auction.
Oct. 3: Feast at the Market
This event raises funds for Neighborcare Health, a clinic providing health services to low-income and uninsured individuals in downtown Seattle. Guests enjoy a self-guided tasting tour of over 20 different restaurants through Pike Place Market. Participating venues include Matt’s in the Market, Red Cedar & Sage, The Pink Door, The Pike Brewing Company, and more.
Oct. 13 & 14: Oktoberquest Seattle
Grab your closest friends and compete against others in a race through a series of fall-themed challenges to the finish line. Each racer receives a complementary gear bag and has a chance to win other gear, trips, and up to 0,000.
Oct. 14-15: Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
Rare and antique book sellers from across the country, Canada, and elsewhere crowd the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall to hawk their wares. More than just books are for sale, dealers also will sell prints, maps, manuscripts, and other artifacts.
Southern California
Oct. 1: San Clemente Seafest
Returning for the 30th year is San Clemente Seafest. The fest features their cornerstone chower cook-off as well as a surf contest, business expo, arts and crafts show, and more all near the San Clemente Historic Pier area.
Oct. 6-8: Tustin Tiller Days
Celebrate Orange County’s agricultural roots and local non-profit and civic organizations at Tustin Tiller Days, which features carnival rides and games, backyard brew fest tastings, and several types of contests.
Oct. 15: Surf City 10
Compete in the Surf City 10 to win or treat it as a family-fun day. This run offers 10-mile, 10K, and 5K events to runners and walkers of all skill levels. The race begins at 7am sharp.
Oct. 21: Historic Cemetery Tour
The Santa Ana Historical Society will rehash some of their favorite and most popular performances to honor this event’s 20th year. Tour guides lead guests through the cemetery to the graves of local historic individuals where actors in period costumes perform scenes from their lives.
South Florida
Oct. 6-12: Container Gardening Classes
The staff horticulturalist at Flamingo Road Nursery leads these classes that teach attendees how to plant, pot, and care for container garden arrangements with succulents, mixed flowers, and other foliage.
Oct. 12 & 13: 8th Annual Irish Golf Classic
Tee off for this golf outing at the Fort Lauderdale Country Club is at 11:30am. Participants receive access to an Irish breakfast, drink stations around the course, a special golf shirt, a raffle, and a chance to win prizes.
Oct. 21 & 22: Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Festival
There’s over 5,000 pumpkins to choose from at the Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Festival. Other activities include a full carnival and many kids activities like pumpkin painting, a cornstalk maze, scarecrow dress up, and others.
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View All Posts by Nick Kotecki