Festivals, Fall and Fireside Fun
Warm sweaters. Evening breezes. Crackling fires. They all welcome the season of change in southwest Illinois.
Home to fall festivals, sprawling orchards, and some of the most beautiful autumn drives in the country, bring the family to see how the Great Rivers & Routes rings in the harvest!
Harvest Festivities
Fall in southwest Illinois is unlike any other- find succulent fresh apples and harvest fun at the Pere Marquette Lodge Apple Festival, Golden Apple Festival at Liberty Apple Orchard in Edwardsville, or St. Ambrose Applefest in Godfrey. Join in on the Godfrey Fall Corn Festival for maize-themed events or have a glass of wine in an autumn vineyard at Grafton Winery Harvest Fest or the Wild Pickins Fall Festival.
Visitors seeking vendor shopping, harvest activities, and good food can go to the Macoupin County Historical Society’s Carlinville Fall Festival, explore historic Elsah at the Village of Elsah Fall Festival or shop from local artisans at the Maryville Fall Craft Fair.
Travelers should also keep their eyes open for roadside farm stands like Odelehr’s Market, Toppmeyer’s Orchard, or Blueridge Farms, and consider a day of U-Pick farm fun at places like Grafton Eckert’s, Liberty Apple Orchard, Broom Orchard, Krueger’s Orchard, or Kern Family Orchard.
![](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Relleke-Pumpkin-Farm.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=4a354beb1eac612ef1718a9fe2bc8ae2 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Relleke-Pumpkin-Farm.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=e6195e2deadcce091de58c608b48aeab 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Relleke-Pumpkin-Farm.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=906961f1e80bdc13b62b682296923ae9 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/Relleke-Pumpkin-Farm.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=af60eb505e4d9886cde7900596bc5d12 960w)
Pumpkin Patches and Bonfire Nights
Looking for that perfectly round pumpkin to carve into a Jack-O’-Lantern? Want to spend the day in the autumn breeze outdoors? Come to Willoughby Heritage Farms Fall Day for food, fun, and a petting zoo experience or bring the kids to the Rinkel Pumpkin Farm Fall Vendor Fair or Relleke Farm Fair & Pumpkin Festival- all three farms host local vendors, have activities, and offer seasonal produce!
Pere Marquette Riding Stables offers Bonfire Nights through the autumn months on their property with hay and carriage rides, a roaring fire, hot drinks, and live music. The Nature Institute is hosting a Sunset and S’mores Night complete with a twilight hike and sweet marshmallows by the campfire!
Leaf peepers can venture on a Fall Color Cruise aboard the Hakuna Matata tour boat to see glorious displays of fall foliage along the river bluffs or take a drive through Pere Marquette Park to view sweeping vistas of orange, yellow, red, and even purple hued trees dressed in their best.
![](https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=d0e8b6e12f13170b1511117c5a8dd2b6 320w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=e843628b22bfef8e74542f0562f5cc90 540w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=80013b350e0c027b812da9900878bb2f 768w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=6782f26742ea0f74479b5f227913dd05 1024w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=52d4dc4f201ffd157a4302b88eb8c36c 1200w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=b94d63d674840b1d2cf7c95026531cfd 1440w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=4eafe4bb884218b6ce3d2ca58362b5dc 1920w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=65cbc105eecdbe11c1649c162bb35a8c 2560w, https://riversandroutes.imgix.net/images/pexels-tim-cyphers-5773422.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=97d81fe7d880019a41921aa02a18f1b7 3840w)
A-maze-ing Labyrinths
Want to truly get lost in the moment? Visit the Great Godfrey Hemp Maze and take part in kid’s activities, a themed maze, train rides, and more, or try to find a way through the Demange Corn Maze in St. Jacob- one of the largest mazes of its kind in the region- and grab some sunflowers or pumpkins while you’re there!
Cool Autumn Fun
Fall doesn’t just entail autumn-related events! Families can also take part in festivals like Italian Fest in Collinsville, see classic cars at Edwardsville’s Kicks on 66 Car Show and Cruise-In, get their groove on at the Mississippi Earthtones Festival in Alton, appreciate art at the Edwardsville Art Fair, and enjoy opera in the great outdoors with Opera Edwardsville!
For more fall events, see our Events page!
About the Author
Kayla Howland
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