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Best Harvest & Pumpkin Festivals in San Francisco for Fall Family Fun

Fall into pumpkin season! Photo courtesy of Rancho Siempre Verde Christmas Tree and Pumpkin Farm
Fall into pumpkin season! Photo courtesy of Rancho Siempre Verde Christmas Tree and Pumpkin Farm
9/10/23 - By Sandra Lee

Pumpkin festivals in San Francisco are almost here! The Bay Area is chock full of fall family-friendly festivals to celebrate the autumn harvest and all the favorite fall activities that come with the new season. Those pumpkin patch and leaf pile photo ops are essential, and these fall pumpkin festivals will help you check those items off your fall bucket list. 

From art and wine festivals to pumpkin-picking fun and the annual Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival, the Bay has it all (including a real fall season!). Mark your calendars, grab a PSL, don your flannel, and celebrate the arrival of fall with the top harvest and pumpkin festivals in San Francisco and the Bay Area. 

For more fall activities in the Bay Area, see where to go apple picking near San Francisco, find the best pumpkin patches in San Francisco, and discover more autumn adventures in our Fall Fun Guide for San Francisco Bay Area Families. 

 

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Enjoy full days of fall fun. Photo courtesy of the Half Moon Bay 51st Annual Pumpkin and Art Festival
Enjoy full days of fall fun. Photo courtesy of the Half Moon Bay 51st Annual Pumpkin and Art Festival

Best Harvest & Pumpkin Festivals in San Francisco for Fall Family Fun

Oktoberfest at Six Flags

Vallejo - Starts Saturday, September 9, 2023
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is celebrating Oktoberfest with craft and seasonal brews, German-inspired cuisine, and live entertainment. Hop on and off your favorite ride to see the Beer keg Tapping Ceremony, take some cool photos, or even join in a game or two like the Pretzel Eating Contest.  READ MORE

Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival

Felton - Friday - Sunday, September 15 - 17, 2023
The 8th Annual Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival is back with a weekend full of music, camping, train rides, vendors, and food. READ MORE

Renaissance Faire

Hollister - Starts Saturday, September 16, 2023
Hear ye! Hear ye! The Renaissance Faire is back with all the fun, flare, traditions, and celebrations to be had. Shows, jousting, and guilds are ready to entertain families of all ages, as well as food (turkey leg anyone?), games, activities, and so much more.  Themed weekends are always fun, and this year's include pirates, heroes and villains, Oktoberfest, masquerade, and Halloween!  READ MORE

Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival

Santa Clara - Saturday & Sunday, September 16 & 17, 2023
Free
A 2-day festival in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara's biggest party is at Central Park, and everyone is invited.  Meet local artists and shop from over 160 arts and crafts booths, sip and savor wine, craft beer, and international food, enjoy live music all day on two different stages, and so much more.  The Kids Kingdom has a separate lineup of activities, including cheer and dance performances, a robotics and fashion show, and carnival games and activities. There are also junior artists ages 8-17 selling original handmade arts and crafts.  READ MORE

San Rafael Porch Fest 2023

San Rafael - Sunday, September 17, 2023
Free
Stroll through beautiful Gerstle Park in San Rafael while checking out new bands playing music on their porch. Drawing thousands of people and already 64 acts scheduled this year, families can hang with friends, grab a bite to eat at one of the many food trucks or pack a picnic lunch to enjoy while the kids play at the park. With diverse music including folk, gospel, gypsy jazz, rock, Latin, and family and teen bands.  READ MORE

Haight Ashbury Street Fair

San Francisco - Sunday, September 17, 2023
Free
Celebrating "Peace, Love & Happiness", the HASF (Haight Ashbury Street Fair) is taking it to the streets to bring the community together. Highlights include arts & crafts, food, live music, and so much more. An event the whole family can enjoy, going strong for the past 43 years.  READ MORE

Oktoberfest

Redwood City - Wednesday - Sunday, September 20 - 24, 2023
Oktoberfest is back in Redwood City for a five-day event featuring music, dancing, contests, food, and so much fun. Courthouse Square is transformed into a traditional German setting complete with German pretzels, beer, and brats as well as contests (yodel, anyone?) and games. READ MORE

66th Monterey Jazz Festival

Monterey - Friday - Sunday, September 22-24, 2023
Monterey Bay is filling its streets with the sweet sound of jazz for its three-day festival. Artists like Jaime Cullum, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, and so many others grace the stages on the 20-acre, oak-studded Monterey County Fairgrounds.  Enjoy 5 stages of entertainment, as well as food, drinks, and even a marketplace to shop that must-have artist merch.  READ MORE

Summers End Music Festival 2023

Half Moon Bay - Saturday, September 23, 2023
Free
Say goodbye to summer with a day of music and fun for the whole family. Free activities include henna tattoos, face painting, caricatures, cornhole games, and a kids inflatable obstacle course.  Beer and wine will be served all day for the adults while the kids play.  READ MORE

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival

Mill Valley - Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24, 2023
Immerse yourself in the beautiful redwood trees, listening to the sounds of nature while shopping locally, seeing award-winning art, and enjoying live music with family and friends.  Kids can hang out in the Children's Cove and see performances from the Blue Fairy, puppeteers, music, magic, and art with Marin MOCA.  READ MORE

Pacific Coast Fog Fest

Pacifica - Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24, 2023
Free
Celebrate the beauty of the Pacific Coast at Pacifica's Fog Fest with a parade, marching band, arts and crafts, food, live music, and a ton of activities for the whole family.  READ MORE

2023 SF Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival

San Francisco - Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24, 2023
Free
Get ready for the Moon Festival in San Francisco's Chinatown. The weekend event features lion dancing, delicious food (including mooncakes), and kids' activities. READ MORE

Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival

Sonoma - Friday & Saturday, September 29 & 30, 2023
Crush season is here and Sonoma is ready to celebrate with an event that has something for everyone. Early festivities include a Legends Dinner and Grand Tasting, as well as Grape Stomp.  Kids and adults can participate in a 5K Fun Run through the vineyards of Sonoma, with tree-lined roads and picturesque views. Run, or take it easy with a stroll through the Sonoma Valley.  The festival continues afterward with live music, delicious food (and wine, of course), an artisan fair, kids zone with fun games like salami toss and tractor pull, a reenactment of the Double Wedding, and... READ MORE

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

San Francisco - Friday - Sunday, September 29 - October 1, 2023
Free
Golden Gate Park is welcoming back the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, with dozens of music acts on 6 stages for 3 days. The family-friendly event draws thousands of people to hear live performances, and this year includes Bahamas, Beth Orton, Carrie Rodriguez, and many others.  READ MORE

5th Annual Chuseok (Korean Harvest) Festival 

San Francisco - Saturday, September 30, 2023
Free
Celebrate Korean culture, cuisine, arts, music, and community at the annual Chuseok Festival in the Presidio. Activities include delicious food, activities for the whole family, raffles, and live performances.  READ MORE

Fall Farm Fest - Pumpkin Picking Festival

Pescadero - Starts Saturday, September 30, 2023
It's Fall y'all, and what better way to celebrate than with a pumpkin-picking festival? Rancho Siempre Verde in Pescadero is hosting a month-long weekend-only event where families can pick some pumpkins and apples, cut flowers, make a fall wreath, have a picnic, and so much more overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  Kids can take a tractor ride, play on the swings, go on the slides, and run around the open fields.  Admission includes up to 6 guests, 5 pumpkins of your choosing (dependent on size), 3.5 hours of activities, a bunch of flowers, a bag of apples, and parking.  READ MORE

Fleet Week SF

San Francisco - Starts Monday, October 2, 2023
Free
Families with little ones who love planes, jets, and anything that flies won't want to miss Fleet Week in SF. The annual event is back, with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels performing a fully choreographed act for fans to enjoy. READ MORE

Harvest Faire

Felton - Saturday & Sunday, October 7 & 8, 2023
Fall is here and Roaring Camp is celebrating with a Harvest Faire. Take a train ride either through the redwoods or to Bear Mountain and then come back to a festival full of fun for the whole family.  Pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, engage in harvest-themed crafts for kids, pan for gold, and enjoy live entertainment.  READ MORE

Autumn Lights Festival

Oakland - Thursday - Saturday, October 12 - 14, 2023
Lake Merritt is turning into a lighted display of local art with over 60 locally produced illuminated art displays on view throughout the 8-acre municipal gardens.  READ MORE

Biketoberfest

Fairfax - Saturday, October 14, 2023
Take in the gorgeous Marin weather at Biketoberfest where families can see amazing bikes, jump on a group ride, and see all the new things happening in the bike world.  Hang out for the day and sample local brews, hear live music, and enjoy family activities at the Oktoberfest celebration! READ MORE

Half Moon Bay 51st Annual Pumpkin and Art Festival

Half Moon Bay - Saturday & Sunday, October 14 & 15, 2023
Free
The Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival is one of the most popular local fall events, with activities for the whole family including pumpkin carving and costume contests. Spanning over two fun-filled days, guests can enjoy live music, shop from local vendors, eat and drink from local restaurants, play games, participate in a family fun run, and even meet the mascot "Gourdy".  The main attraction is the enormous pumpkins on display hoping to win the grand prize in a weigh-off championship. READ MORE

Harvest Festival

Berkeley - Saturday, October 21, 2023
Free
Dance to live music, shop local, and take in the new Fall season with Berkely's annual Harvest Festival for the whole family.   Kids can have a ton of fun at the Kids Zone with activities like a climbing wall, decorating or bowling with pumpkins, making a scarecrow, or going through a fall-themed obstacle course.  READ MORE

Oktoberfest in Campbell

Campbell - Saturday & Sunday, October 21 & 22, 2023
Free
Voted Best Local Festival, the 2-day Bavarian-themed event draws over a million people every year for family fun and culture. It's not just about the delicious German foods like Bratwurst, pretzels, and beers, but so much more.  Get some early holiday shopping done at one of the 100 vendor booths in attendance, then head over to the dance floor and enjoy some live music. Kids can hang out in the KidZone complete with rock climbing, face painting, slides, and other activities.  READ MORE

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