Fall Kentucky Festivals

Maysville Oktoberfest - Maysville, KY - Aug 9 to Aug 10, 2024
Held on the second Friday and Saturday of August annually in the the historic downtown area of Maysville. Why so early? Because if they had it in September, it would compete with the huge festival in Cincinnati. So they kick off the season instead. They have a ceremonial keg tapping, live music and dancing. Consume German food, beer, wine and schnapps. Watch the parade, log sawing, tug of war and weiner dog races. Your kids will like the puppet show and carnival rides.

Berea Celtic Festival - Berea, KY - Aug 15 to Aug 18, 2024
The weekend includes sessions, concerts, workshops, dancing, story telling, and a lot of fellowship

Daniel Boone Pioneer Festival - Winchester, KY - Aug 31 to Sep 1, 2024
Annual event in Winchester-Clark County since 1981. Plenty of food, fun and arts and crafts. Concludes with a Sunday country music concert. Attendance is approximately 35,000. Free admission.

Monroe County Watermelon Festival - Tompkinsville, KY - Aug 31, 2024
Enjoy this watermelon wonderland, with family friendly fun, 5k and fun run, art and quilt shows, kids games, live entertainment, vendors, a parade, and watermelon for everyone!

Augusta Heritage Days - Augusta, KY - Aug 31 to Sep 1, 2024
Vendors, food booths, a petting zoo and other children’s activities, history tours, car show and more are just a few of the activities available to celebrate Augusta Heritage Days, the longest running festival in town!

Grand Rivers Labor Day Arts & Crafts Festival - Grand Rivers, KY - Aug 31 to Sep 2, 2024
Over 100 artists and crafters featuring original and handcrafted items, plus carnival food and regional specialties

Fraley Festival of Traditional Music - Olive Hill, KY - Sep 4 to Sep 7, 2024
The Fraley Festival of Traditional Music happens the weekend after Labor Day at Carter Caves State Resort Park. It is a weekend gathering of people who love to play and listen to traditional mountain music of Eastern Kentucky. People with fiddles, banjos, folk songs, ballads, guitars, dulcimers, and autoharps play on the amphitheater stage, in the parking lot, in the campgrounds and cabins

Knott County Gingerbread Festival - Hindman, KY - Sep 5 to Sep 7, 2024
Live music, vendors, pageant, 5k run/walk, carnival, crafts, and more

German-American Club Gesangverein Oktoberfest - Louisville, KY - Sep 6 to Sep 7, 2024

Roots and Heritage Festival - Lexington, KY - Sep 6 to Sep 8, 2024
Neighborhood street fair attracting thousands to honor African American culture and history.

Festival of the Horse - Georgetown, KY - Sep 6 to Sep 8, 2024
Carnival, entertainment, crafts and more to celebrate the role of the horse to the history of Scott County.

Jefferson Gaslight Festival - Louisville, KY - Sep 7 to Sep 15, 2024
It began in 1969 and has grown into one of the largest events in Louisville with nearly 200,000 attending. Motorcycle Poker Rally, parade, car show, golf scramble, 5k and more.

Kentucky Dragon Boat Festival - Alexandria, KY - Sep 7, 2024
Teams race dragon boats on Campbell County Lake.

Trimble County Apple Festival - Bedford, KY - Sep 7 to Sep 8, 2024
Free admission to this local festival with music, crafts, pageants, food and kids’ activities

Covington Oktoberfest - Covington, KY - Sep 13 to Sep 15, 2024
Taking up where the MainStrasse Oktoberfest left off, this local Oktoberfest raises a stein to German culture with live music from local artists, local food, beer, and art! Since 1979, families from throughout the Midwest have joined local crowds to celebrate German heritage and culture at Covington Oktoberfest in Goebel Park.

Newport Oktoberfest - Newport, KY - Sep 13 to Sep 15, 2024
The event will be in the Munich Oktoberfest style of large Fest Tent sponsored by German Beer Breweries. Each tent will have food, beer and music. There will also be continuous live German entertainment. Free admission. On Friday evening, enjoy the fireworks after the Cincinnati Reds game. The Cincinnati Beer Run also happens this weekend, with a short 2.5 mile course charity run that has craft beer sampling from local breweries every half mile. Participants get a souvenir glass and t-shirt. Location: Riverboat Row, Newport, Kentucky, 41071

Kentucky Bourbon Festival - Bardstown, KY - Sep 13 to Sep 15, 2024
Tastings, dancing, jazz and more at thirty events in the Bourbon Capital of the World.

Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival - Morehead, KY - Sep 13 to Sep 21, 2024
Bluegrass festival at Poppy Mountain, with camping, vendors and food, and more

Rolling Fork Iron Horse Festival - New Haven, KY - Sep 14, 2024

Simon Kenton Festival - Maysville, KY - Sep 14 to Sep 15, 2024
Live music, carriage rides, and more

Blazin’ Bluegrass Festival - Whitley City, KY - Sep 19 to Sep 21, 2024
Live music, including different styles over different evenings, at the Sandhill RV camp

Barbecue on the River - Paducah, KY - Sep 19 to Sep 21, 2024
Come on down to enjoy BBQ, live entertainment, crafts and more in charming Paducah!

Black Gold Festival - Hazard, KY - Sep 19 to Sep 21, 2024
Live entertainment, craft booths, parade, kids’ activities, food and more!

Clarkson Honeyfest - Clarkson, KY - Sep 19 to Sep 21, 2024
Bee-themed festival featuring pageant, decorating contest, children’s rides, parade, karaoke contest, good and craft booths.

Horse Cave Heritage Festival - Horse Cave, KY - Sep 20 to Sep 21, 2024
The Horse Cave Heritage Festival consists of craft artisans, games, antique tractors, cars, and trucks and an array of business and food booths held the 3rd weekend of each September. Each year thousand of local and visiting residents come to celebrate the heritage of this small community, often gathering as families and friends to remember a more simple time.

Cow Days - Greensburg, KY - Sep 20 to Sep 21, 2024
5k, pageant, parade, contests, concerts, classic car show, tractor display, food court, activities for kids, and more celebrating Greensburg and Green County

Christ the King Oktoberfest - Lexington, KY - Sep 20 to Sep 21, 2024
This is a fall fundraiser for the church. Food vendors provide German food and other options. Live music on both Friday and Saturday. There are games and inflatables for kids. Bingo and auctions for adults. Festival admission is free. Location: Cathedral of Christ The King, 299 Colony Blvd, Lexington, KY 40502

Saint Timothy Parish Oktoberfest - Union, KY - Sep 20 to Sep 22, 2024
Annual parish festival with German & American food, drinks, live music, midway rides, games and entertainment. 5K Twilight Run/Walk on Saturday evening, with kids free fun run before the event. Top 25 men and women receive an official Oktoberfest mug. Sunday is family day with all you can ride bracelets on sale. Free on site parking. Location: 10272 US 42 Union KY 41091

Poage Landing Days Festival - Ashland, KY - Sep 20 to Sep 22, 2024
An antique car show, skateboard race, fiddle music, food and drinks, arts and crafts, carnival rides, free children’s activities, motorcycle show and more

Bugfest & Fall Plant Sale - Clermont, KY - Sep 21, 2024
The fun-filled day celebrating all things buggy attracts thousands of children and families to learn more about their favorite six and eight-legged creatures. The annual Fall Plant Sale, held in conjunction with BugFest, offers a diverse selection of trees and shrubs, including many cultivated from Bernheim’s own collections.

Midway Fall Festival - Midway, KY - Sep 21 to Sep 22, 2024
A top Woodford County event once ranked among Kentucky’s top 20 festivals. Attended by approximately 15-20,000. Live entertainment, food demonstrations, arts and crafts, and children’s activities in the heart of Kentucky’s bluegrass region.

Walk4Hearing Kentucky - Louisville, KY - Sep 22, 2024
Empowers and inspires those affected by hearing loss while raising money for national and local programs that provide information, education, support, and advocacy. Vendors will be on site to provide resources for individuals and families affected by hearing loss.

Chicken Festival - London, KY - Sep 26 to Sep 29, 2024
Annual event in Laurel County, home of the original KFC restaurant, which celebrates the life of Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Features the World’s Largest Stainless Steel Skillet.

Casey County Apple Festival - Liberty, KY - Sep 26 to Sep 28, 2024
First held in 1974, this festival features arts & crafts, food vendors, a flea market, pageants, car show and more!

Vine Grove Bluegrass Festival - Vine Grove, KY - Sep 26 to Sep 28, 2024
Bluegrass festival all weekend long, so grab your favorite lawn chair or blanket and come on down!

Louder than Life - Louisville, KY - Sep 26 to Sep 29, 2024
Rock concert in Champions Park

Marion County Ham Days - Lebanon, KY - Sep 27 to Sep 29, 2024
Serves over 4,000 pounds of country ham along with a carnival, parade, live entertainment and classic car show. This event started in 1969 with only six hams and a few volunteers, and today, hundreds of volunteers serve up over 4,000 pounds of country ham at the Country Ham Breakfast

Morgan County Sorghum Festival - West Liberty, KY - Sep 27 to Sep 29, 2024
An arts and crafts festival with sorghum molasses, football, and more to celebrate Kentucky mountain heritage.

Anderson County Burgoo Festival - Lawrenceburg, KY - Sep 27 to Sep 29, 2024
Kick off a weekend with a pancake breakfast and keep the fun going with lots of burgoo, music, live entertainment, and vendors of crafts, food, and more! What is burgoo? A delicious spicy stew, often prepared communally as a social gathering and served with cornbread or corn muffins.

Cave Run Storytelling Festival - Morehead, KY - Sep 27 to Sep 28, 2024
Come out to a beautiful mountain lakeside setting, in the peak of fall colors, to enjoy some of America’s most beloved storytellers who will whisk you away to other times and places.

Bowling Green International Festival - Bowling Green, KY - Sep 28, 2024
A celebration of diversity for the entire family, this festival grew out of the 1986 Ethnic Folk Festival and the 1988 JapanFest. It started out on Memorial Day but was eventually moved to the fall in order to include students from WKU and other schools in the community. While it is held the last Saturday of September, be sure to check the festival website for affiliated events taking place throughout the month of September each year. Come to enjoy traditional and new demonstrations of music, dance, and other displays of culture. Held at Circus Square Park.

Nulu Fest - Louisville, KY - Sep 28, 2024
Street festival in the East Market District of Louisville (NuLu or New Louisville). Family friendly and free admission

Louisville Jack O’Lantern Spectacular - Louisville, KY - Oct 1 to Nov 2, 2024
A tradition that began in Massachusetts in 1988 comes to Iroquois Park once more! Enjoy 5000 carved pumpkins along a quarter-mile walking trail as an evening art show.

Kentucky Apple Festival - Paintsville, KY - Oct 3 to Oct 7, 2024
Obviously you can’t have an apple festival without dozens of food booths, but you can also enjoy crafters from all over the US and more!

Mary Breckinridge Festival - Hyden, KY - Oct 3 to Oct 5, 2024
Food, vendors, crafts and more!

Harrodsburg Oktoberfest - Harrodsburg, KY - Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2024
The Harrodsburg First Main Street Program produces the biggest Oktoberfest in Central Kentucky, which draws over 15,000 people to downtown Harrodsburg. The Festival features free concerts from 13 live bands over the course of 3 days as well as local beers, specialty foods, and family fun.

Wool Festival - Falmouth, KY - Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2024
Wool tent, food, live entertainment, crafts, sheep shearing & herding and more

Portland Art and Heritage Fair - Louisville, KY - Oct 5, 2024
Art fair in the Portland Triangle, three of Louisville’s most historic buildings – Portland Musum, the Dolfinger School, and the US Marine Hospital.

Spencer County Octoberfest - Taylorsville, KY - Oct 5, 2024
5k fundraiser a few days before. Parade and festival the day of the event.

Lions Club Arts and Crafts Festival - Henderson, KY - Oct 5 to Oct 6, 2024
Arts and craft vendors of all kinds, at Audubon State Park

Lincoln Days - Hodgenville, KY - Oct 5 to Oct 6, 2024
Hodgenville, founded in 1818, is the town near where Lincoln was born in 1809. The festival will include a parade, arts & crafts, commercial , nonprofit, and food booths, Lil Abe & Sarah contest, Lincoln look alike contests, and more.

Daniel Boone Festival - Barbourville, KY - Oct 6 to Oct 12, 2024
Arts & craft vendors, concert, parade, carnival, food, fun run/walk, and more.

Trigg County Ham Festival - Cadiz, KY - Oct 11 to Oct 13, 2024
This festival started in 1977 to celebrate fall and to preserve the craft of a Trigg County delicacy, the country ham. Booths and craft vendors, , ham show, rocking chair marathon, parade, Ham Run, pageant, live entertainment, and more have been enjoyed over the years

Belknap Fall Festival - Louisville, KY - Oct 11 to Oct 12, 2024
Live entertainment, food vendor and food trucks, booths , activities for the family, beer and wine, artists and more.

Hunters Moon Fall Festival - Grand Rivers, KY - Oct 12, 2024
Celebrate small town life with this event featuring food, fun, crafts, live music, activities for the kids, and more.

Garvin Gate Blues Festival - Louisville, KY - Oct 12, 2024
A free annual two-day arts and music event with local and national performances and is a celebration of both the blue and the arts, with continuous live entertainment on two stages and over 50 crafts vendors, plus food and drink vendors

Taste of Louisville - Louisville, KY - Oct 16, 2024
The Kentucky Restaurant Association brings together the best of Louisville’s restaurants and chefs for a tasting event, which also raises funds for local charities.

Scarefest - Lexington, KY - Oct 18 to Oct 20, 2024
Halloween convention with speakers, kids’ day, film festival, costume ball, vendors and more at the Lexington Convention Center.

Mt. Sterling October Court Days - Mount Sterling, KY - Oct 18 to Oct 21, 2024
One of the earliest traditions in Kentucky, Court Day was an annual trading day for much of the region, and the 210+ year tradition continues today as over 130,000 people come for a four-day event, with arts and crafts, food and music, and more.

Salt Festival - Union, KY - Oct 18, 2024
Journey back in time as Big Bone Lick returns to days long past and see how salt was extracted from the springs of Big Bone, listen to stories and music, view prehistoric artifacts and enjoy blacksmith and other pioneer skill demonstrations while enjoying good eats and checking out crafts

Glendale Crossing Festival - Glendale, KY - Oct 19, 2024
Starting in 1976 as the Glendale Community Festival for the US Bicentennial, the festival has grown and today hosts over 500 vendors of arts & crafts and food, a parade, and more

Smithland Octoberfest - Smithland, KY - Oct 19, 2024
An annual celebration since 1987. They will have a parade with floats, Pow Wow history presentation, live music and silent auction. There have also been mini-tractor pulls and the firefighter olympics.

Maiden Alley Oktoberfest - Paducah, KY - Oct 19, 2024
Held at Dry Ground Brewing Company. Featuring craft beer from across the state, live music, art vendors and more.

Hickman Pecan Festival - Hickman, KY - Oct 19, 2024
Bingo night, live music, kid’s night, vendors, lip sync, 5k, and more.

Via Colori Street Painting Festival - Louisville, KY - Oct 19 to Oct 20, 2024
Via Colori Kentucky is a festival in which hundreds of artists, community organizations, vendors, and partners come together to host the most creative festival in Kentucky. The festival was in the Elizabethtown area for almost a decade and moved to Louisville in celebration of its ten year anniversary in Kentucky. Approximately 100 artists participate with the intent of making an artistic masterpiece on a large scale, directly on the sidewalks of Waterfront Park in Louisville. They will have music, vendors, art, art vendors, family-friendly activities such as child street painting and superhero photo-ops, additional non-profits in an awareness section, a food court, street performers, costumed characters, an art gallery dedicated to child-created pieces, and of course, street art

Louisville Pagan Pride Day - Louisville, KY - Oct 20, 2024
A celebration of the fall equinox with Pagan Pride Project, which fosters pride in Pagan identity through education, activism, charity and community.

Woolly Worm Festival - Beattyville, KY - Oct 25 to Oct 27, 2024
A festival unlike any other, celebrating the Woolly Worm, which forecasts the weather for the coming winter season through the colors of each of its segments. You can race a woolly worm in the race, as well as enjoying live entertainment, youth pet show, 5k, parade, car show, and more!

Veteran’s Day Parade - Wilmore, KY - Nov 9, 2024
Parade to celebrate and honor our veterans

Festival of Trees and Lights - Louisville, KY - Nov 15 to Nov 17, 2024
Hundreds of beautifully decorated trees and other decor at Louisville Slugger Field, all for sale to benefit the children’s hospital. With fun for the whole family, including photos with Santa, crafts, holiday entertainment, Hanukkah activities, ride-on train, gift shop and more, it’s a holiday tradition you can’t miss!

Jeffersontown PumpkinFest - Jeffersontown, KY - Oct 27, 2023
Children dress in costume and trick-or-treat along Historic Gaslight Square, plus refreshments and a family movie night afterwards

Louisville Craft Beer Week - Louisville, KY - Oct 20 to Oct 27, 2023

Middletown Family Fun Festival - Middletown, KY - Sep 8 to Sep 9, 2023
Live entertainment, festival food, crafts and more. Free Kidz zone. Concludes with a Saturday night fireworks show to live, patriotic music. Family friendly.

WorldFest - Louisville, KY - Sep 1 to Sep 4, 2023
One of the region’s largest international festivals, with four days of expanded world food, music, dance, culture and education over Labor Day weekend.

Snuggleween - Harrodsburg, KY - Oct 28 to Oct 30, 2022
Music festival and carnival

Hoptoberfest - Pikeville, KY - Oct 1 to Oct 2, 2022
Pikeville’s annual craft beer festival. Enjoy over 80 different beers around the US paired with great food and entertainment.

Highway 60 Yard Sale - , KY - Sep 29 to Oct 2, 2022
An annual 200-mile garage sale throughout Kentucky, with lots of unique finds. Vendors are opening between sun-up and sundown.

Saint Agnes Parish’s Oktoberfest - Fort Wright, KY - Sep 23 to Sep 25, 2022
Food, drinks, games, rides, silent auction and live music. Located at St. Agnes Parish Grounds.

Fort Knox Brooks Field Oktoberfest - Fort Knox, KY - Sep 23, 2022
Free admission and open to the public, this Oktoberfest is held at Fort Knox and is hosted by the MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) team. Features German food, Oktoberfest and German foods, kids zone and bounce house, live music and more.

Grand River Festival of Lights - Grand Rivers, KY - Nov 5 to Jan 1, 2022
During the Festival of Lights the streets of Grand Rivers, Patti’s 1880’s Settlement, storefronts, Little Lake Park and the marinas and resorts are adorn with over 1.5 million Christmas lights

Belle of Louisville Oktoberfest Cruise - Louisville, KY - Oct 5 to Nov 6, 2021
A three hour cruise with live music and German theme on the Ohio River. Choose from sightseeing only or make advance reservations for the lunch buffet. Tickets with buffet range from $30 for kids to $40 for adults. Generally runs from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm.

Butchertown Oktoberfest - Louisville, KY - Sep 25, 2021
A tradition for more than 50 years, celebrating the heritage of this historic neighborhood. This Louisville Oktoberfest will have German food and beer with music. Location: St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1406 E Washington St, Louisville, Kentucky.

Bernheim Colorfest - Clermont, KY - Oct 19 to Oct 18, 2020
Canceled for 2020, look for their return in 2021. Normally: Visitors can slingshot pumpkins, navigate the hay maze, make mud pies, and enjoy a hayride in the splendor of Bernheim’s colorful fall landscape. Other highlights include live music, hands-on nature activities, unique local foods, Kentucky arts and craft vendors, and more. Free event with $10 per car environmental impact fee applies to non-members, with a small fee for some activities

Hatfield McCoy Heritage Days - Pikeville, KY -
Postponed for 2021, look for their return in 2022. Normally: The feud is over so join friends for plenty of food, family fun, car show, demolition derby, and live music. Held annually at 126 Main Street in downtown Pikeville.