Fall fun and festivals

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. 6

Saints of Valor bonfire and hayride: The Saints of Valor, a faith-based group for boys age 8 to 18, is hosting a bonfire and hayride for all kids from 3 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 at the Gainesville Saddle Club Grounds. Those younger than 8 are welcome to attend with an adult. 

The event will feature fellowship, food, games and prizes. A devotion led by special guest speaker GHS baseball coach Blake Hobbs will be a part of the event. There is no cost to attend. 

Beginning Friday, Oct. 6

Ozark Empire Fairgrounds Fall Farmfest: The 44th annual Ozark Fall Farmfest in Springfield is being held Oct. 6-8. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Parking and admission are free. 

Beginning Friday, Oct. 6

Ozark Empire Fair Fall FarmFest, Springfield continued: The Ozark Fall Farmfest, Oct. 6-8 this year, is held annually on the first weekend of October at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield. With over 1,200 agricultural and rural living exhibits and more than 600 head of registered livestock on display, it has become the Ozarks’ largest agricultural event. Find out more at www.ozarkempirefair.com/events/2023/44th-annual-ozark-fall-farmfest.

Republic Pumpkin Daze Fall Festival: This fall festival will be held Oct. 6-7 in J.R. Martin Park in Republic. The two-day festival includes live music, inflatables for children, bingo, a pet parade, kids tractor pull, storytime and a magic show in addition to a giant pumpkin competition on Saturday. Find our more at www.republicpumpkindaze.com.

Ozark Craft Fair: The 49th Ozark Craft Fair will be held at Finley River Park in Ozark from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 and Saturday, Oct. 7. The festival will continue on Sunday, Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual event features over 325 vendors selling all types of art, food, crafts and more. Find out more at www.ozarkcraftfair.com.

Saturday, Oct. 7

Bear City Fall Festival, Willow Springs: Described as one of Howell County’s biggest attractions during the fall, the Bear City Fall Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 in Historic Willow Springs. The event features live music, food, contests and fun. This year’s festival includes a chicken pageant, chili cook off, pumpkin contest, baking contest, cornhole tournament, coloring contest and more. For more information visit the Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce Facebook page or visit www.wschamber.net/post/bear-city-fall-festival. 

Harvest Moon Festival and Scottish Highland Games, Forsyth: Join the Forsyth Area Chamber of Commerce in celebration of the fall season at this year’s Harvest Moon Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. The family friendly event includes a car show, dog show, food and craft vendors, Scottish Highland games, a Little Miss pageant, casting and archery, wagon rides and more. 

Sunday, Oct. 8

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company’s Harvest Festival: Join Baker Creek Seed Company in celebrating the abundance of harvest and appreciating the joy and self-sufficiency that gardening and farming bring at its Harvest Festival Sunday, Oct. 8. The event will feature expert speakers, local food, unique vendors, greenhouse and garden tours and old-fashioned entertainment at Baker Creek’s farm in Mansfield. The event brings out thousands of gardeners, farmers and craftspeople to celebrate heirloom gardening at the company’s homeplace in the Ozarks. The cost to park is $15 per vehicle. Admission is free, but limited parking requires purchasing a ticket before the festival. Find out more including a  lineup of speakers and musicians at www.rareseeds.com/fall-harvest-oct8-9-5-2023.

Beginning Friday, Oct. 13

77th annual Turkey Trot Festival, Yellville, Arkansas: The annual Turkey Trot festival began in 1946 and is still going strong today as one of the oldest and most attended festivals in the Ozarks. The two-day event, scheduled for Oct. 13-14 this year, features a parade, street dancing, a turkey calling contest, a lip syncing competition, a Miss Turkey Trot pageant and more. Find out more at yellvilleturkeytrot.com, visiting the Turkey Trot - Yellville - by Rotary Facebookk page or emailing turkeytrotyellville@gmail.com. 

Apple Butter Makin’ Days, Mt. Vernon: Apple Butter Makin’ Days, one of Missouri’s most popular festivals, will be held Friday, Oct. 13 through Sunday, Oct. 15. It has been hosted on the courthouse square in Mt. Vernon each October since 1967. The main attraction is apple butter, cooked using century-old methods in huge copper kettles over open fires. That craft is demonstrated on the southeast corner of the courthouse lawn starting shortly after dawn and continuing until early to mid-afternoon each day of the festival.

While cooking apple butter is the prime attraction, other activities compliment the event and provide entertainment and fun. The craft and food festival also includes games, contests, food and entertainment for all ages. The festival draws an estimated 100,000 people from all over the country for the three-day weekend.

Saturday, Oct. 14

Rockbridge Rainbow Trout and Game Ranch Fall Festival: The annual fall festival at Rockbridge Rainbow Trout and Game Ranch will be held Saturday, Oct. 14, at the resort located on County Road 142 in  Rockbridge. The day begins at 10 a.m. with vendor booths opening (they are set to stay open until 6 p.m.). From 3 to 4 p.m. there will be music by Billy Wayne. Kids fishing, pony rides and train rides and a bounce house will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Fishing is $2 per kid and $10 to keep a fish with a limit of one fish. The fish are cleaned on site by resort staff as part of the fee. 

Pumpkin patches

McWilliams Pumpkin Farm: The McWilliams Pumpkin Patch in West Plains is a locally-owned and operated farm that offers seasonal family fun for all ages. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays through October. In addition to a huge selection of pumpkins and gourds for sale, in a typical season they have corn mazes, a corn hut, giant slides, jumbo jumper, mini zip line, barrel train and hayrides. There are farm animals to look at, a sunflower patch and a concession stand. The weekday price is $5 per person and includes limited activities of corn cabin, front giant slide, farm animals, tractor swings, photo opportunities, jumbo jumper, bird aviary, corn maze, pedal carts, giant rollers and mini golf. On Saturdays and Sundays the price is $10 per person and includes all of the same activities as the weekend plus train rides, giant tube slide, barrel train ride, youth zip line, mini train ride, open concession stand and food shack and magic shows. Two other attractions, pony rides and a mechanical pumpkin ride (similar to a mechanical bull) is an additional $5 per ride. For more information visit the McWilliams Pumpkin Patch Facebook page or call 417-256-6470.

McKenna Family Farm, Branson: The pumpkin patch is open offering pumpkins, bonfires, activities and fall decorations. A large bounce pillow is up and ready for kids of all ages to bounce. Other fun attractions at the farm is a big bale hay maze, stuff to climb on, games to play, a hay ride through our woods and a new pallet maze. Those who are coming out for fall decorations are not required to pay an entrance fee. There are have pumpkins of all sizes and colors, gourds, straw bales and corn stalks available to purchase. Fresh farm grown tomatoes and sweets are also available to purchase. The farm is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. Admission is $8 for those age 3 to 65; $4 for those age 66 and older. Children 2 and under are free. Find out more on their Facebook page, www.mckennafamilyfarm.com/pumpkin-patch or by calling 417-593-9890.

Haunted houses and other scary 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 on Halloween night. The haunted house operates from dark until 10 p.m. or until all visitors have left. This year marks the 12th year it has been open, and organizers say it’s the spookiest ever. The cost is $15 per person payable by cash or check only. A concession stand is on site, and T-shirts are available for purchase. For more information call 870-656-0509, visit www.thebakersfieldhauntedhouse.com or search for “Bakersfield Haunted House” on Facebook. 

Fear the Bloody Timber, West Plains: This haunted attraction, located on a county road off CC Highway between Dora and West Plains, has seven different scary-themed houses spaced throughout the woods and two haunted corn mazes. They are open from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. Admission is $20 per person payable by cash only. A concession stand and shirts are available for purchase. For more information visit the Fear the Bloody Timber Facebook page, call 417-247-6937. The address is 8518 County Road 7190 in West Plains.  

Places to buy fall decor, pumpkins

Brianna’s Produce and More (see photo, p1): This local farm stand is located off T Highway near the intersection of J Highway in Howards Ridge and is ran by resident Brianna Johnson with help from her husband Laramie. In addition to fresh produce throughout the spring and summer, the farmstand offers an array of fall decorations including mums of all colors, carving pumpkins, decorative pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, corn stalks and stray hay. The stand is open daily and an honor system cash box allows contactless transactions when no one is home. 

Arkansas pumpkins: Amy Stevens is offering pumpkins at her stand on Highway 5 south of Gainesville. The stand is open during daylight hours. Pumpkins are $4 each.