Fall fun in and around Ozark County

It’s that time of year when pumpkins, apple cider and crisp, fall air set a festive tone in the Ozarks. Listed here are Halloween and fall events that residents can visit or attend in the coming weeks. 

Those organizing a local fall or Halloween-themed event can contact Jessi Dreckman at 417-679-4641 or jessi@ozarkcountytimes.com to have the event added to the listing. 

Friday, Oct. 14

Skill sharing series: Dutch oven cooking, using a smoker and creating a “bug out” bag, Theodosia: At its community skill sharing class, the Fountain Church, located at 6084 Highway 160 in Theodosia across the road from from Cash Saver Pantry, will feature instruction on smoking in a smoker, dutch oven cooking over a campfire and creating a “get home bag” or “bug out” bag from 4 to 6 p.m.. The class is free, and everyone is invited to attend. The food made during the skill sharing classes will be served at the harvest festival, held afterward (below). 

Friday, Oct. 14

The Fountain Church 5th annual Harvest Festival, Theodosia: In conjunction with the skills sharing event listed above, the Fountain Church, located at 6084 Highway 160 in Theodosia, is hosting its fifth annual Harvest Festival from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the church. The event will feature a pulled pork barbecue dinner served from 6 to 7 p.m., live music by Cross Country Gospel from 6 to 8 p.m., fun including treat bags and a marshmallow roast over an open campfire from 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. and fireworks at dark. All ages are invited to attend. For more information, contact The Fountain Church at 417-989-0369. Organizers ask that guests bring their own chairs and a coat. 

Saturday, Oct. 15

Rockbridge’s Fall Festival: Rockbridge Rainbow Trout & Game Ranch, located at 4297 County road 142 in Rockbridge, is hosting a fall festival Saturday, Oct. 15. The festival will include vendors open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., live music by the Whetstone Band from 2 to 4 p.m., kids fishing, train rides and hay rides from 2 to 5 p.m. For more information contact Rockbridge Rainbow Trout & Game Ranch at 417-679-3619.

Glade Top Trail Flaming Fall Revue, Douglas County: The 62nd annual Glade Top Trail Flaming Fall Revue is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Caney Picnic Area on Glade Top Trail. The annual event, sponsored by the Ava Chamber of Commerce, begins at 10:30 a.m. with a church service. The service is followed by festivities including food, live music, a dessert auction, pumpkin painting, fall photo booth, pumpkin ring toss and vendors with handmade items. Lunch served between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. will feature choices of pulled pork plate with sides for $8, ham and beans with cornbread for $6 and a hot dog plate for $5. Drinks are included. To get to the event, travel north on Highway 5 to Douglas County A Highway (not to be confused with Ozark County’s A Highway a few miles away). Follow Glade Top Trail signs to Caney Picnic Area. For more information contact the Ava Chamber of Commerce at 417-683-4594.

Downtown West Plains Fall Block Party: The Downtown West Plains Fall Block Party will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, on the West Plains square. The event will feature a costume contest with prizes, Bootleggers BBQ for sale, Pottery with Visions and Variety and other vendors, live painting, a cornhole tournament, Cruising West Plains (see below), a cake walk, balloon art, face paining and a pumpkin competition. Entries of carved or painted pumpkins (completed prior to the event) will be accepted from noon to 1 p.m. at the booth located in the northwest corner of the square. Entries will be displayed through the block party, and winners will be announced at 4 p.m. The people’s choice winner will be announced before the end of the event at 5 p.m. Competition categories include: cutest, scariest and funniest for youth and most original, most artistic and most beautiful for adults. All entries will be eligible for the best in show and people’s choice winners. Performances featuring Anthony Garner, Harms Crossing and the Fine Arts Academy. A beer garden, provided by Wages Brewing Co., will be setup also. 

Cruise West Plains: Cruising West Plains, a reunion of sorts for all of those who like to “cruise” around town, will be held from noon until 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. There is no registration, and those who’d like to participate are asked to show up at the West Plains square. “We don’t do trophies, and you don’t have to be perfect to show. Everything is invited – cars, trucks, rat rod, import, hotrod, import – all of it. New, old. We usually have a large gathering,” a post on the Cruise West Plains Facebook page says. The cruise will be held in conjunction with the Downtown West Plains Fall Block Party (see above). 

Drive Thru Trunk-or-Treat, Mountain Home, Ark.: Mountain Home (Ark.) Parks and Recreation and L.C. Sammons Youth Center is hosting a drive-thru trunk-or-treat event from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Cooper Park in Mountain Home. The event features groups posted along the Cooper Park trails passing out candy for costumed trick-or-treaters who will navigate the trails in their vehicles with a pass through “scarecrow alley.” Cooper Park is located at 1101 Spring Street in Mountain Home. For more information, visit the “Mountain Home Parks & Recreation / L. C. Sammons Youth Center” page on Facebook. 

Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22

Colorama Fall Festival and Haunted Village Tours, Bull Shoals, Ark.: The Colorama Fall Festival, hosted by the Bull Shoals Lake White River Chamber of Commerce and Bull Shoals Caverns, will be held Friday, Oct. 21, and Saturday, Oct. 22, at Mountain Village 1890 in Bull Shoals, Arkansas. The event will feature live music, food, drinks, craft vendors and more. It opens Friday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. with music by DJ Peace and “Haunted Village Scare Station” from 7 to 10 p.m.. Tickets are $10 per person. Those who buy three tickets get one free. The scare station is described as this on its website: “Each building at Mountain Village 1890 is available to become a haunted house or scare station. The ticket holders will be led on a walking tour through the village and through each scare station/haunted house.” On Saturday, Oct. 22, the fun continues with Bull Shoals Cavern Tours operating from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets for the tours can be purchased at the cavern’s gift shop counter. At noon a 5k Colorama Color Run will begin in which guests can “run or walk through the changing colors of the seasons in Bull Shoals while being ‘colored’ by pigment along the way… and maybe surprised by a few ‘creatures’ too.” The 5k is a street and trail combo. Those participating should arrive at Mountain Village 1890 at 11:30 a.m. to register or pre-register online. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, there will be live music by the country duo LANLAW and classic rock band Resurrection. At the same time vendors and kids’ zone will open. Saturday night follow’s Friday night’s schedule with DJ Peace! providing music from 6 to 11 p.m. and the Haunted Village Scare Stations open from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets go on sale an hour prior to the tours. Mountain Village 1890 is located at 1011 C. S. Woods Boulevard in Bull Shoals. 

Ava Car & Music Festival: The Ava Car and Music Festival will be held around the Ava square from 12:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. The event will feature a “100-mile cruise,” dozens of vendors and food booths, a cornhole competition, a best 70s dress competition, live music, events, games for the kids and more. Vendors for the event will begin setting up after the Ava farmers market, sometime around 12:30 p.m. Classic cars drivers who wish to participate in the “100-mile cruise” will sign up at 10 a.m. in the Ava High School Parking lot and leave for the drive promptly at 11 a.m. The cars should arrive back on the square sometime around 3:40 or 4 p.m. for viewing. The cost to participate in the cruise is $20 per car. Wise Guys Band will provide live music on the square from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit the “Ava Car + Music Festival” page on Facebook.

JamFest, Mountain Home, Ark.: The Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first JamFest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. The event is focused on celebrating everything local: music, art and food. The event will feature a jam-tasting competition. Entries are $5 per jam, and attendees can enter as many jams as they wish in each of three categories: savory, creative and sweet. The jams must be homemade, and a list of ingredients should be provided. Entries will be judged on texture, flavor, originality and visual appeal. It’s recommended that jam makers use clear half-print sized jars. Ribbons will be given for grand prize, first, second and third places. Entries should be brought to JamFest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Judging will begin at 3 p.m. Winners will be announced at 3:15 p.m. on the stage. For more information email Ashley@EnjoyMountainHome.com or call 870-425-5111. 

Monday, Oct. 24

Lutie School movie night (Casper), Theodosia: The Lutie School PTO is hosting the first movie night of the school year with a showing of “Casper” at the school located at 5802 Highway 160 in Theodosia. The movie will be shown after the school’s parent/teacher conferences at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24. For more information contact the Lutie School at 417-273-4150.

Thursday, Oct. 27

Lutie School Fall Carnival, Theodosia: The Lutie School Fall Carnival will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the school located at 5802 Highway 160 in Theodosia. There will be family-friendly games and activities, carnival games, a chili supper, concessions, a silent auction, photo booth and more. For more information and tickets, visit www.lutieschool.org or call the school at 417-273-4274.

Friday, Oct. 28

Haunted Trail and Treat, Mountain Home: Arkansas State University-Mountain Home is hosting a Haunted Trail and Treat from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at the ASUMH campus parking lot #5 near Gottas Hall and the walking and hiking trailhead. The event is open to the public and features games, concessions, candy, pet costume contest, people costume contest, a petting zoo and a haunted trail. For more information, visit the “ASU-Mountain Home” Facebook page or visit www.asumh.edu. 

Saturday, Oct. 29

Bakersfield Trunk-or-Treat: The Festival Committee of Bakersfield is hosting its annual trunk-or-treat event and chili cook-off from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Pride Park Pavilion on Highway AR in Bakersfield. Setup starts at 4 p.m., so those entering the cook-off should arrive with their chili before then. Trunk-or-treating will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. An award will be given to the best decorated trunk. 

The Bridge Church’s Fall Festival, Theodosia: The Bridge to the Living Word Church in Theodosia is hosting a fall festival from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at its location on Highway 160. The free family event features a chili cook off, hot dogs, s’mores, a bounce house, games, prizes, candy, a hayride and a cupcake walk. Everyone is welcome. 

Lake Bums BrewCo Docktoberfest, Pontiac: Lake Bums BrewCo is hosting Docktoberfest from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the brewery, located at 112 Parrothead Lane in Pontiac. The event will feature food, music by the Half Step Down and CC Dixon Bands, craft beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase and a new feature this year, a costume contest for all ages. The Brewber bus will be running to and from the Pontiac marina. For more information, visit the “Lake Bums BrewCo” Facebook page or call Lake Bums BrewCo at 417-679-0070 during open hours of Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 to 8 p.m. 

Flotsam Farm’s Halloween Garlic Festival, Sycamore: Flotsam Farm is hosting a Halloween Garlic Festival from noon to midnight Saturday, Oct. 29. Costumes are strongly encouraged. The event is described as a “silly, fun time to bring people together, celebrate our connection to nature and the seasons and share art, music and food,” on the website flotsamfarm.org. Festivities will commence around noon with a farm tour and nature walk, an all-ages-welcome kickball game, garlic planting and an art table (bring a pumpkin, gourd, rock or something else to decorate and paint and wood burning supplies will be provided). Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and a side dish, dessert and/or donation for a group dinner. Garlic-themed snacks and drinks will be available in the afternoon, and a garlic veggie pasta will be served for dinner (gluten free option available). Live music will begin around 4 p.m. and will continue late into the night or early morning. Guests are encouraged to bring garlic or other seeds and plants to sell, trade or display. There will also be some art and farm products for sale. Those attending are invited to pitch a tent and camp out at the farm. A float trip on Bryant Creek will be organized late Sunday morning. There is a $10 suggested donation to attend the festival for adults, but no one will be turned away for not paying. Kids are free. Flotsam Farm is located at 13962 Highway 181 in Sycamore (the first house on Highway 181 south of Hodgson Mill and the Highway 181 bridge). For more information, visit www.flotsamfarm.org. 

Ultimate Cruisers Halloween Trunk-or-Treat, Mountain Home, Ark: Ultimate Auto Group in Mountain Home, Arkansas, is hosting the Ultimate Cruisers trunk-n-treat from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at its location, 2488 Highway 62 in Mountain Home. The event will feature face painting, Pheonix martial arts, DJ Peace mobile DJ service and these food trucks: Nome’s 2 Bros Tacos, Subway, Poppy’s Shaved Ice, Vickie’s Kitchen and Heavenly Ground Roasted Coffee and Fried Pies. 

Monday, Oct. 31

Dora Trunk-or-Treat: The Dora Saddle Club will host its trunk-or-treat event from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Dora School parking lot on Halloween night, Monday, Oct. 31. A costume contest sponsored by Roy’s Store offers up cash prizes (first place: $20, second place: $15, and third place $10).  As part of the event, the movie “Hocus Pocus 2” will be played in the school’s cafeteria after the trunk-or-treating is complete. 

Gainesville Trunk-or-Treat: The Ozark County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Ozark County Trunk-or-Treat on the Gainesville square from 6 to 8 p.m. Halloween night, Monday, Oct. 31. Children and adolescents in costume can visit vehicles parked on the square to receive candy or other treats. Those receiving candy should bring their own bag or bucket to be filled with Halloween goodies. Residents wishing to pass out items can park around the inner and outer edges of the square before 5:30 p.m. and bring candy, toys or other treats to hand out from a decorated car trunk, table or other Halloween display area near the vehicle. There is no need to sign up beforehand. Organizers say they’ve given away over 600 pieces of candy at recent events. The event is always held on Halloween night, no matter what day of the week Halloween falls on, organizers say. Free parking is available at the Gainesville Saddle Club Grounds and at the former Klayman dentist office on Main Street. 

Lutie Trunk-or-Treat, Theodosia: The Lutie trunk-or-treat event will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Lutie School parking lot, located at 5802 Highway 160 in Theodosia. Everyone is invited to attend. 

Saturday, Nov. 4-5

Triple Treasures Marketplace Holiday Festival, Hardenville: Triple Treasures Marketplace is hosting its Holiday Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. The event features a large number of vendors offering up a variety of unique gifts, holiday decorations, treats, good trucks, music, demonstrations and more. There will be games for the kids. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for visiting and photos. Admission into the event is free. For more information, visit the “Triple Treasures Marketplace” Facebook page, email tripletreasuresmarketplace@gmail.com or call 417-712-0888.

Mark Twain Fall Carnival, Reuter: The Mark Twain School Fall Carnival will be held Friday, Nov. 4, at the school located at 37707 Highway 160 in Reuter. The event will open with a chili supper served at 5 p.m., followed by games from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and a live auction at 7 p.m. Classroom basket raffles include themes of honey-do, car wash, cold winter’s night, spa, grilling/outdoors, baking/kitchen, fishing and movie night. For more information, contact Mark Twain School at 417-785-4232. 

Ongoing attractions

Bakersfield Haunted House: The Bakersfield Haunted House, a half-mile down County Road 585 off Highway 101, is open every Friday and Saturday night through October and Halloween night. The haunted house operates from dark until 10 p.m. or until all visitors have left. Admission is $15 per person. For more information call or text 870-656-0509. Visit www.thebakersfieldhauntedhouse.com or search for “Bakersfield Haunted House” on Facebook for continued updates throughout the month.

McWilliams Pumpkin Farm, West Plains: is open Saturday and Sunday from now through Halloween night. Admission is $5; a weekend activity band is $10. The family-fun patch features pumpkins for purchase, giant slides, corn mazes, farm animals, jumbo jumpers, corn hut, a mini zip line, a barrel train, hay rides and more. An on-site snack stand sells lunch and treat options. Mums and other fall decor are also available for purchase. Operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call the farm at 417-256-6470 or search for “McWilliams Pumpkin Patch,” on Facebook. Cash and cards accepted. 

Mountain Home (Ark.) Berry Farm: Mountain Home Berry Farm hosts its fall festival weekends on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October. The last hayride, which takes guests to many of the activities, leaves at 5 p.m. Guests can participate in fall activities, including hayrides, bounce houses, spring house trail tour, petting zoo, “mulch mountain” and hay play area by purchasing an activity wrist band. Two options are available for $7 or $10 for those age 3 and up. Children ages 2 and younger are free. For more information, visit mountainberryfarm.com or call 1-870-425-7028.