Fall has *almost* arrived and with it comes fun, autumn-themed, family-friendly events and activities! Start planning with this Guide to Fall Family Events in the Iowa City Area! Get your calendars ready, and choose a few activities to enjoy. Many thanks to our friends with The Bails Team Urban Acres Real Estate for making this guide possible.
Guide to Fall Family Events in the Iowa City Area
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What: Friday Family Fun Nights
When: Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27
Where: Wilson’s Orchard
Know Before You Go: Friday is Family Fun Night at Wilson’s Orchard and Farm! Guests can enjoy free tractor rides and free admission for everyone under 18! Stop off at the Pizza Shack and check out our family night pizza special-any 2 pizzas + 4 drinks + 4 desserts (donuts or cookies) for $40!
What: Sunday Funday
When: Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
Where: Wilson’s Orchard
Know Before You Go: Every Sunday afternoon (3-6PM) Wilson’s will host LIVE music in the picnic area! This event is FREE and open to the public. Picnic tables are available on a first come, first served basis – seating is not guaranteed, but camp chairs are welcome! Well-behaved pets are welcome! Pets must be leashed at all times, and owners are required to clean up after their animals. **Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Food and beverages are available for purchase at the Farm Market and our Pizza Shack.
What: Fall Festival at Bass Farms
When: Sept. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29; Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, and 26-27 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: Bass Farms
Know Before You Go: Join us for our annual Fall Festival in September and October! Bring the family to enjoy a hay rack ride, pick out your pumpkins, or shop our specialty food store for the best tasting apple butter or a scoop of Snap O’ Lantern ice cream on a crunchy waffle cone! Admission entry fee required to play in our activity area, enjoy a hay rack ride and navigate the corn maze! Just here to shop? No problem, no admission fee required for shopping or picking out pumpkins! Shop from our large selection of specialty pumpkins, carving pumpkins, gourds, breath taking mums, mini hay bales for decorating and so much more!
Weekend of September 7-8
When: Saturday, Sept. 7, 10:30a.m.-12:30p.m.
Where: Fireside Winery in Marengo
Know before you go: As fall peeks around the corner, let’s celebrate the beautiful florals in bloom this time of year! Play with flowers at our Flower Bar class while learning the best tips and tricks to making bouquets, and take yours home with you for a week of heavenly scented blooms! Registration is $45 per person and includes all the materials you’ll need to build and take home your bouquet.
Weekend of September 14-15
What: Apfelfest at Amana Colonies
When: Saturday, Sept. 14
Where: Amana Colonies
Know before you go: Apfelfest is a festival dedicated to America’s favorite fruit! It’s a beautiful time to visit the Colonies, and you’ll find apple treats, apple gifts, and apple desserts at many of the businesses. Of course, Allen’s Orchard of Marion, IA will be on site in the Peace Garden at the Visitors Center to sell you fresh apples to take home.
Take the Apfelfest Sampling Stroll and visit a variety of businesses that will all have something apple for you to sample. When you’ve finished, turn in your brochure to be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate. Find the Sampling Stroll passport and all the great Apfelfest events in the event brochure, available at various businesses and the Amana Colonies Visitors Center.
What: Farm Cycle: Bike the Farms!
When: Sept. 15, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Iowa City Bike Library
Know Before You Go: Bike the farms! Benefiting the Iowa City Bike Library, join us for a day of bicycling local farms, food, and ferments. Each farm will be paired with a local chef serving seasonal food. Ingredients come from the farms we visit.
Weekend of: Sept. 21-22
What: Fall Fest at Colony Acres Farm
When: Sept. 21 and 22, 10a.m.-8p.m.
Where: Colony Acres Farm
Know Before You Go: Welcome in the official first weekend of the pumpkin season with a very special Fall Festival! All the traditional fall activities will open including the barrel train, hayrack rides, and corn maze. Colony will have their favorite face painter in the house, plus music, vendors, fall flavored goodies and more! Follow their social for details!
Weekend of: Sept. 27-29
What: Iowa City Farmers Market: Kids Market
When: Sept. 28, 7:30a.m.-noon
Where: Chauncey Swan parking ramp and surrounding area
Know Before You Go: On Sept. 28, 2024, our market will include young entrepreneurs showcasing their incredible talents and creativity. You will be amazed by what our young vendors have to offer, such as handmade crafts, delicious treats, unique artwork, and more!
What: Northside Oktoberfest
When: Sept. 28, all-day
Where: Northside Neighborhood, Iowa City
Know Before You Go: Save the date! Your favorite beer festival returns to the Northside this Fall on Saturday, September 28th. Northside Oktoberfest celebrates 28 years and will include BrewFest, Bier Hall, and SodaFest. Come enjoy the Bohemian nature of the Northside Marketplace with great craft beer, neighborhood food, beer games, live entertainment, and comical contests that you don’t want to miss.
What: Kalona Fall Festival
When: Sept. 27, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sept. 28, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Where: Kalona
Know Before You Go: Come celebrate our annual Festival with us! Something for every member of the family from locally made foods, live entertainment, kids activities, old world demonstration, handmade items, and much much more.
What: STEM Family Free Night
When: Sept. 27
Where: Iowa Children’s Museum
Know Before You Go: Join the museum on the last Friday of each month for free museum admission and a STEM activity!
Weekend of: Oct. 5-6
What: Oktoberfest
When: Oct. 4-6
Where: Amana Colonies
Know Before You Go: Enjoy beer, live music, games, German food, and so much more all through the Colonies during this festival weekend.
What: Move It, Dig It, Do It!
When: Oct. 6, 10a.m.-3p.m.
Where: Iowa Children’s Museum
Know Before You Go: Grab your hard hat and take an up-close look at large construction equipment, big trucks, and emergency vehicles! Our biggest outdoor event of the year takes place just outside of the museum in the Coral Ridge Mall parking lot. Please join us for games, activities, and vehicles of all shapes and sizes. **Outdoor activities are FREE of charge. To play in our indoor exhibits, tickets must be purchased at the door.
Weekend of: Oct 11-13
What: Fall Fest in West Branch
When: Oct. 11-12
Where: West Branch
Know Before You Go: A weekend FULL of festive Fall fun in West Branch! Sidewalk sales, scarecrow contest, story walk, movie at the museum, children’s business fair, pumpkin patch party, and outdoor movie! WOW–so many amazing things to choose from!!
Weekend of: Oct 19-20
What: Iowa City Book Fair (part of the Iowa City Book Festival)
When: Oct. 19, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: MERGE Iowa City
Weekend of Oct. 25-27
What: 11th Annual Halloween Bash
When: Oct. 27th, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Where: Double Round Barn at The Celebration Farm
Know Before You Go: One of our favorite days of the year! Join us for games, crafts and activities, indoor trick-or-treating, and as always–the GIANT CANDY GRAB finale! Costumes are encouraged, but not required. And don’t forget your candy buckets, because you’ll go home with TONS of goodies! **NOTE: There are two time shifts for this event; this is to help minimize the crowds and lines at activities.
What: University of Iowa Homecoming Parade
When: Oct. 25th, 5:45 p.m.
Where: downtown Iowa City
Know Before You Go: The Homecoming Parade is an annual tradition that brings Hawkeyes together from both near and far. Parade participants include students, staff, faculty, and members of the Iowa City and surrounding communities.
What: University of Iowa Homecoming Football Game
When: Oct. 26th, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Kinnick Stadium
Know Before You Go: Iowa will take on Northwestern in this homecoming tradition. Check out our Hawkeye Football with Kids Gameday Guide before you go!
What: STEM Family Free Night
When: Oct. 25
Where: Iowa Children’s Museum
Know Before You Go: Join the museum on the last Friday of each month for free museum admission and a STEM activity!
What: Floating Pumpkin Patch
When: Oct. 27, 9:45 a.m.
Where: North Liberty Community Center
Know Before You Go: Join us on Sunday, October 27 for a floating Pumpkin Patch! The indoor pool will be full of small pumpkins. Jump in and swim to your favorite pumpkin to take home! We will have raffles, a pumpkin decorating station and goodie bags for participants! The event will be split into two age groups: ages 1 – 5 and ages 6 – 10. Parents are required to be in the water with all children ages 1 – 5. Pre-registration is required for this free event. Ages 1 – 5: 9:45am-10:45am Ages 6 – 10: 11:00am-12:00pm
When: Oct. 29- Nov. 2
Where: Iowa Children’s Museum
Know Before You Go: Join the ICM for a week of not-too-scary Halloween activities that kids of all ages will enjoy! Bats, spiders, pumpkins, and more will take over our exhibits during the spooky season and families can check out special Halloween activities throughout the week of Halloween (closed Mondays). Farmer Pete is turning the museum into his pumpkin patch for Halloween this year and taking over with harvest-themed fun! Build a scarecrow in the blue room, make a pizza with creepy-crawly toppings, and go on a pumpkin scavenger hunt. We’ll also have extra Halloween activities on the 31st.
**Costumes are encouraged (but not required)! Our team will join the fun as well, so keep an eye out for pumpkin patch helpers, dinosaurs, superheroes, and other silly characters. All activities are included with museum admission. FREE for members!
BONUS: Weekend of Nov. 2
When: Saturday, Nov. 2, 9:30-11a.m.
Where: Chauncey Swan Park
Know Before You Go: Don’t toss your Jack-O-Lanterns in the garbage—let us toss them from up high instead! This free outdoor event gives your carved creations one last hurrah for the Halloween season. We will be throwing the pumpkins off the northwest corner of the parking ramp next to Chauncey Swan Park. Drop off your ghoulish gourd and set up your blanket or lawn chairs nearby to get the best view. Come for the SPLATS, but stay for outdoor activities, sing-alongs, and a warm breakfast from local food vendors.
Happy Fall! We hope you’ll enjoy these Fall family events in the Iowa City area!!
This is a sponsored post. Iowa City Moms was compensated for sharing this piece. We love connecting our readers with people and organizations that are doing good in our community, and we think you will find this information helpful and informative!
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