LOON MOUNTAIN RESORT (Lincoln, NH)

Listen up, beer lovers: White Mountain Oktoberfest returns to Loon Mountain Resort over the holiday weekend. What can you expect at this taste of the Bavarian Alps? 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 Touch a Truck event for kids looking to hop in the seat of some of Loon's epic resort machinery). You can also opt for a scenic gondola ride or downhill mountain biking session on property while you’re at it!

Saturday, 10/12 – Monday, 10/14. 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, 10/12 & Sunday, 10/13 (plus additional weekend dates). 9:30am – 5pm. Tickets: $47 per person (ages 4+); $42 per person (ages 62+ and military with ID); free for children age 3 and under.

STORY LAND (Glen, NH)

 

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?

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, 10/12 - Monday, 10/14. General Admission (cash only): Adults and children ages 12 and up: $12.00 (cash only); Children under 12: Free. Schedule: Saturday: 8am – 6pm, $25 Midway Special (one price for all rides) runs from 9am to 2pm. | Sunday: 8am - 6pm. | Monday: 9am - 5pm, Military Appreciation Day (free admission with proper ID, $6 for ages 60 and older. 

No pets allowed on fairgrounds or in parked cars. For more information on fair events and offerings, visit the Sandwich Fair's website.  

ATTITASH MOUNTAIN RESORT (Bartlett, NH)

Cheers to Oktoberfest! Attitash Mountain Resort is hosting their own celebration on the eastern side of the White Mountains, and it has got it all: traditional Polka music from the world-renowned Eastern Sound Orchesatra, authentic German fare, a Biergarten, and fun activities for all ages (including a keg toss and a dedicated Kinderplatz area).

Saturday, 10/12. Event begins at 11:00 a.m. Competitions like Stein Hosting will occur throughout the afternoon. Event will close at 5:00pm, Last call will be at 4:30pm. All adults need to present valid I.D. to enter the event. Please leave your pets at home: all events are pet-free! 

Ages 6 and under are free. Limted Edition Mugs are available in select pre-purchase packages. The discounted online pre-sale will end Thursday, October 10th at 11:59 p.m. Day-of tickets will be available for purchase at the Attitash Main Base ticket windows on the morning of the event. Ticket pickup is outside Attitash Main Base Lodge on the event day.

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. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Return of the Pumpkin People, and the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce has pulled out all the stops with open houses, pumpkin tasting sleigh rides, a carving competition, and even afternoon tea with pumpkin treats. See you there, fall fans? 

If you want to make sure you see all 70 + displays this year, pick up a map from the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce or participating businesses. Want to plan your route ahead of time? Call 978-580-0905 or email kathleen@jacksonnh.com to request a mailed copy of the map and brochure. 

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 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 while you shop and dine the day away. 

Saturday, 10/12 – Sunday, 10/13. Buskers play from 11am to 3pm each day at locations throughout Settlers Green.

WATERVILLE VALLEY RECREATION DEPARTMENT (Waterville Valley, NH)

Runners, take note: the Waterville Valley Recreation Department is hosting its 16th Annual Fall Foliage Foot Race, and athletes of all abilities are invited to partake! Race options include a 10-mile trail race, a 5k road race, and a short Kid's Fun Run. This event is available for pre-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, 10/13 at 9am (award ceremony at 11am). Register online on the Waterville Valley Rec Department's website, or in person at 11 Noon Peak Road in Waterville Valley. The first 100 people to register will receive a FREE event t-shirt. 

Do you love all things sporty? The Fall Foliage Festival at Waterville Valley, NH is the autumnal event you’ve been waiting for! Brilliant fall foliage is your backdrop for entertainment, with activities ranging from free outdoor concerts and tent sales to bike and boat rentals and a ski swap, plus Schwendi Fest happenign at the top of Mt. Tecumseh! 

Friday, 10/11 - Monday, 10/14. For more information (including a full event schedule) visit Waterville Valley's website. 

WATERVILLE VALLEY TOWN SQUARE (Waterville Valley, NH)

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! Look for the tent in Town Square and prepare to be wowed by some of the SLNSC’s native wildlife ambassadors.

Monday, 10/14, 10am – 11am. Town Square Lower Level. 

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 Saturday performance of Breabach, consistently ranked among Scotland's most skilled and imaginative contemporary folk acts for its skilled merging of Highland and Island tradition with the modern music scene. 

Saturday, 10/12. Doors open at 7pm for drinks at the patio bar, show starts at 8pm. Tickets: $28 (members), $36 (non-members), $44 (premium). Purchase your tickets online ahead of time at on The Colonial Theatre's website. 

GALLERY AT WREN (Bethlehem, NH)

"Layered Together", an intergenerational show featuring the works of mother and daughter artists Beth Simon and Ana Koehler, is lighting up the Gallery at WREN through Sunday, 10/27. Handcrafted jewelry and evocative paintings of the female form, as well as collaborative, wearable art pieces, make this compelling exhibit a must-see if you're passing through Bethlehem, NH during your holiday weekend travels. 

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

Get ready for something spooky: Ghost Light, a haunted theatrical affair, is back for another season at North Country Center for the Arts at Jean's Playhouse! Immerse yourself in the otherworldy as you take 45 minutes to explore all corners of Jean's. Jump scares, strobe lights, loud noises, and more make this an event best left for folks who love a good fright. 

Opens Columbus Day weekend! October 11 - 26, dusk until 10pm. $32 per ticket.

WEATHERVANE THEATRE (Whitefield, NH)

Columbus Day weekend is also the closing weekend for the Weathervane Theatre’s performances this year. Why not make a date to watch Cabaret and bid the season adieu? This classic musical starring Veronica Dunne (of KC Undercover and Broadway's Chicago fame) is a can't-miss, and the Weathervane is also offering a great promo for readers of this blog: one free drink! 

Use code cheersWMAA when purchasing a ticket for performances Thursday through Sunday and receive a free drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available). Buy your tickets online today.

WOODSTOCK INN BREWERY (North Woodstock, NH)

Every weekend, you can count on the Woodstock Inn Brewery for music of all kinds. Take your pick of a Live Band on Fridays and Saturdays and Music Bingo on Mondays – all options will get your foot tapping while you enjoy what's on tap.

BRETTON WOODS VACATIONS (Various Locations)

Immerse yourself in fall wonderland at one of Bretton Woods Vacations' 130 vacation homes with a 4th night free with coupon code FOLIAGE24. Enter at checkout when booking direct on Bretton Wood's Vacations' website and save! Valid until Sunday, 10/27.