CRANMORE MOUNTAIN RESORT (North Conway, NH)

Celebrate autumn’s awesomeness at Cranmore Mountain Resort’s Hay Day Fall Festival.  Ax-throwing and foodie centric events (like donut on a string, a whipped cream pie eating contest, and apple toss) plus pumpkin and face painting and some jamming tunes are all on the agenda. See you there?

Sunday, 10/8. 12 – 4pm.

LOON MOUNTAIN RESORT (Lincoln, NH)

Listen up, beer lovers: White Mountain Oktoberfest returns to Loon Mountain Resort over the holiday weekend. What to expect? Obviously beer, but also a lot more (including everything from an oompah band and stein-hoisting contest to keg tosses, axe throwing and face painting, pretzel necklaces, a pretzel maze, and even a Beer College for the true aficionados). You can also opt for a scenic gondola ride or downhill mountain biking session on property while you’re at it!

Saturday, 10/7 – Monday, 10/9. 10am – 4pm. Free Admission. Family-friendly event; beer gardens and Beer College are 21+ only. For a full event schedule, visit the Loon Mountain Resort website.

 

SANTA’S VILLAGE (Jefferson, NH)

You’ve heard of a holly jolly Christmas, but what about a Holly Jolly Halloween? We love this fall event at Santa’s Village for its delightful mashup of two of our favorite holidays. Christmas carols and Halloween music make for the perfectly spooky meets sweet celebration, while guests are invited to wear either Christmas attire or Halloween costumes. Santa will certainly be there with his reindeer, along with trick-or-treating and giant Halloween-themed ornaments that beg for a photo opp. Buy your tickets online ahead of time to guarantee entry!

Saturday, 10/7 & Sunday, 10/8 (plus additional weekend dates). 9:30am – 5pm. $45 per person, ages 4+; $40 per person, ages 62+.

View Dates of Operation for Each Attraction

Fall fairs in the White Mountains offer all your classic festive staples: fried food, fuzzy animals, homey exhibits, and foliage from every viewpoint. Wouldn’t you like to visit one over the holiday weekend?

FRYEBURG FAIR (Fryeburg, ME)

You will need all eight days of celebration to take in the extravaganza that is the 172^nd annual Fryeburg Fair! Agriculture is the big draw for this event, with well over 3,000 head of large animals on display and many more critters like sheep, goats, hogs, poultry, and rabbits to ooh and aah over. The midway and rides? They’re also amazing, as is the short drive from North Conway, NH.

Sunday, 10/1 – Sunday, 10/8. 8am – 3pm. More information on ticket prices can be found here.

SANDWICH FAIR (Sandwich, NH)

The Sandwich Fair is the quintessential small-town fair with a lot of flair. Add this event to your holiday weekend agenda if you want to enjoy cute animals, classic amusements, and awesome eats.

Saturday, 10/7 - Monday, 10/9. 8am – 5pm. No pets allowed on fairgrounds or in parked cars.

EXPERIENCE SQUAM BOATING EXCURSIONS (Holderness, NH)

Experience Squam’s boating excursions on Squam Lake are spectacularly scenic, and particularly so come fall. Throughout the long weekend, Experience Squam is offering their off-peak rate for all Fall Foliage and “On Golden Pond” themed trips. Book now if this sounds like a can’t-miss experience!  

Off-peak rate available Friday, 10/6 – Monday, 10/9.

CASTLE IN THE CLOUDS (Moultonboro, NH)

Perched high in the mountains, Castle in the Clouds is typically known for its grandeur – but what about its graveyards? Get into the Halloween spirit with a semi-spooky graveyard tour through the grounds of this historic estate, viewing cellar holes and cemeteries and learning about funerary traditions of old along the way.

Mondays and Saturdays throughout October, including Saturday, 10/7 (3 – 5pm) and Monday, 10/9 (10am – 12pm). Visit our Events Calendar for more information. Times vary by date. This tour includes approximately 2 miles of outdoor walking on uneven surfaces. $15 per person.

LEAGUE OF NH CRAFSTMEN FINE CRAFT GALLERY - LITTLETON (Littleton, NH)

Meet with jeweler and naturalist Lucy Golden at the League of NH Craftsmen’s refined Littleton Gallery. Lucy will be on hand to demonstrate her technique for sculpting silver with a torch flame while shoppers can search out their take on an elevated, local souvenir.  

Saturday, 10/7. 10am-2pm. Free event.

RETURN OF THE PUMPKIN PEOPLE (Jackson, NH)

Bring your boo or your crew along for the ride – Return of the Pumpkin People is back at it again in Jackson, NH throughout October! All month long, visitors will delight in spotting all the whimsical scarecrow-meets-pumpkins propped up outside participating businesses.

If you want to make sure you see all 80+ people this year, pick up a map from the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce or participating businesses.  

SCULPTURED SAND (North Woodstock, NH)

Sculptured Sand's first season at their North Woodstock, NH property includes a great surprise: special hours over Columbus Day weekend plus a special discount for 15% off tickets! We can’t think of a better way to spend the evening hours than wandering through the illuminated woods in search of sandy, spooky, spectacular sculptures.

Friday, 10/6 – Monday, 10/9 from 12 – 9pm. Enter Promo Code: Holiday23 on the Sculptured Sand website to access discount (valid 10/6 – 10/9). General admission is $18 (ages 4 and up)

SETTLERS GREEN (North Conway, NH)

The crisp crunch of a caramel apple. Leaves skittering across the sidewalk. Add to the sweet sounds of fall with one of North Conway’s best local events: the 7^th Annual Busker Festival at Settlers Green! Discover music around every corner of this outlet center on Saturday and Sunday over Columbus Day Weekend; there are over a dozen street musicians to entertain you with bluegrass, jazz, and rock and roll. Enjoy shopping and dining plus a Pop-Up Beer Garden hosted by Tuckerman Brewing Co. each day during the Busker Festival.

Saturday, 10/7 – Sunday, 10/8. Buskers play from 11am to 3pm each day. Tuckerman Brewing Co. Pop-Up Beer Garden on The Green runs 12 – 4pm.

WATERVILLE VALLEY RECREATION DEPARTMENT (Waterville Valley, NH)

Runners, take note: the Waterville Valley Recreation Department is hosting a Fall Foliage Foot Race, and athletes of all abilities are invited to partake! Race options include a 10 mile trail race, 1.6K family fun run, and 5k road race. Race fees are listed below, and this event is online registration only, so get to it if you’d like to put on some miles over the holiday…and while you’re at it, check out Fall Foliage Fest all weekend long.

Sunday, 10/8, 9am – 1pm. Register for your race of choice here. Race fees & start time: 10 Mile Trail Race: $60, 9am start. | 1.6k Family Fun Run: $20, 9:05am start. | 5k Road Race: $40, 9:30am start.

WATERVILLE VALLEY TOWN SQUARE (Waterville Valley, NH)

Do you love all things sporty? Fall Foliage Fest at Waterville Valley, NH is the autumnal event you’ve been waiting for. The brilliant fall foliage is your backdrop for entertainment, with activities ranging from free outdoor concerts and tent sales to bike and boat rentals, a ski swap, and a 5k road race or 1.6 k fun run (just to name a few).

Saturday, 10/7 – Monday, 10/9. 9am – 6pm. For a detailed schedule, visit our Events Calendar.

Waterville Valley Town Square is teaming up with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center for one of their last Animal Encounter Series of the season, “Animals in Winter”.  Look for the tent in Town Square and prepare to be wowed by some of the SLNSC’s native wildlife ambassadors.

Monday, 10/9. 10am – 11am.

THE COLONIAL THEATRE (Bethlehem, NH)

The historic Colonial Theatre in Bethlehem, NH is one of the most iconic concert venues in the White Mountains, and its lineup of acts is equally as lauded. This time around, we are so excited to catch a Sunday performance from Grammy-nominated artist Amythyst Kiah, whose folk meets alt-rock stylings earned her Song of the Year at the 2019 Folk Alliance International Awards.

Sunday, 10/8 at 8pm. Tickets start at $22.

THE FLYING MONKEY MOVIE HOUSE & PEFORMANCE CENTER (Plymouth, NH)

If your holiday travels land you in the southern part of the White Mountains, book your tickets for one of the best shows this fall: Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues! Hayward is making an appearance at The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center as part of his Harmony Tour for one night only on Saturday, 10/7.

Doors open at 6pm, show starts at 7:30pm. To purchase your tickets in advance, head to the Flying Monkey’s website.

M & D PLAYHOUSE (North Conway, NH)

Looking for things to do in North Conway over Columbus Day weekend? Book your tickets for Murder on the Orient Express. This classic murder mystery by Agatha Christie is set to take the stage at the M & D Playhouse – will you be able to solve this whodunit before our hero Hercule Poirot?

Friday, 10/6 – Sunday, 10/8, 7:30 – 9:30pm. All seats: $29.

NORTH COUNTRY CENTER FOR THE ARTS AT JEAN’S PLAYHOUSE (Lincoln, NH)

Round out the evening’s entertainment over the long weekend with the Crafted Concert Series. This awesome event is now in its second year at the North Country Center for the Arts at Jean’s Playhouse, and we can’t get enough of the mix of crafted beverages and live music found at each memorable performance!  

Adam Ezra Group: Friday, 10/6 (7:30 – 9:30pm). $35/ticket, +$15/Preshow VIP Event. | Deric Dyer Band: Saturday, 10/7 (7:30 – 9:30pm). $30/ticket, +$15/Preshow VIP Event. | Billy Joel Tribute: Sunday, 10/8 (7:30 – 9:30pm).  $30/ticket, +$15/Preshow VIP Event.

Event co-sponsors include the Woodstock Inn Brewery and Rhythm Handcrafted Beverages.

WEATHERVANE THEATRE (Whitefield, NH)

Columbus Day weekend is also the closing weekend for the Weathervane Theatre’s repertory season. Why not double up performances to bid adieu? The Weathervane is offering a special ticket package that includes one ticket to Mamma Mia! and one ticket to Guys and Dolls. What fun!

Guys and Dolls: Friday, 10/6 & Sunday, 10/8 (7:30 – 9:30pm). | Mamma Mia!: Saturday, 10/7, 7:30 - 10:00pm.

Packages can be redeemed on any of the performances scheduled Friday, 10/6 – Sunday, 10/8. Package Price: $79 (Package Value: $95.) Promo Code link with discount already applied: The Closer.

Guests can also call the Box Office at 603-837-9322 to redeem this package promo.

WOODSTOCK INN BREWERY (North Woodstock, NH)

Every weekend, you can count on the Woodstock Inn Brewery for music of all kinds. Over Columbus Day weekend, take your pick of a Live Band, Open Mic, or Music Bingo – all options will get your foot tapping while you enjoy what's on tap.

Live Band: Friday, 10/6 & Sunday, 10/7 (8:30 – 11:30pm). | Open Mic: Sunday, 10/8 (8:00pm – 11:30pm). | Music Bingo: Monday, 10/9 (7 – 9pm).

BRETTON WOODS VACATIONS (Locations Vary)

Blame it on all the visitors during peak foliage season, but Columbus Day Weekend lodging deals can be hard to come by. Look to Bretton Woods Vacations if you’re after a discount that will see you through your fall frolic in the White Mountains! They are running a great Columbus Day special this year: stay 3 nights, get a 4th night free with coupon code "MAKEIT4"! The caveat? Guests must check in between October 5 and 10.

Head to the Bretton Woods Vacations website for more info.