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

Fall into pumpkin season at Rancho Siempre Verde Christmas Tree and Pumpkin Farm. Photo courtesy of the venue
Fall into pumpkin season at Rancho Siempre Verde Christmas Tree and Pumpkin Farm. Photo courtesy of the venue
9/1/24 - By Sandra Lee

Attention Bay Area residents: Pumpkin festivals in San Francisco are almost here.

The Bay Area is chock full of family-friendly festivals to celebrate the autumn harvest and the favorite fall activities that come with the season. Pumpkin patch and leaf pile photo-ops are essential, and these fall pumpkin festivals 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 Area has it all (including a real fall season!). So mark your calendars, 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 our recommendations for where to go apple picking near San Francisco, where to find the best pumpkin patches in San Francisco; or 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
Select dates, September 14-November 3, 2024
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 beerkeg tapping ceremony, take some cool photos, or even join in a game or two like the pretzel-eating contest.  READ MORE

Renaissance Faire

Hollister
Weekends, September 14-October 20, 2024
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

6th Annual Chuseok (Korean Harvest) Festival 

San Francisco—FREE
Saturday, September 14, 2024
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

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival

Mill Valley
Saturday, September 14-Sunday, September 15, 2024
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

Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival

Santa Clara—FREE
Saturday, September 14-Sunday, September 15, 2024
This two-day festival in the heart of Silicon Valley is Santa Clara's biggest party and everyone is invited.  At Central Park, 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

2024 SF Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival

San Francisco—FREE
Saturday, September 14-Sunday, September 15, 2024
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

San Rafael Porch Fest 2024

San Rafael—FREE
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Stroll through beautiful Gerstle Park in San Rafael while checking out new bands playing music on their porch. With thousands of people and more than 64 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—FREE
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Celebrating peace, love and happiness,"the Haight Ashbury Street Fair is taking it to the streets to bring the community together. Highlights include arts and crafts, food, live music, and more. It is an event the whole family can enjoy, going strong for the past 45 years.  READ MORE

Oktoberfest

Redwood City
Weekends, Friday, September 20-Sunday, September 29, 2024
Oktoberfest is back in Redwood City 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

Summer's End Music Festival 2024

Half Moon Bay—FREE
Saturday, September 21, 2024
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

Orchard Days at Filoli

Woodside
Saturdays and Sundays, September 21-October 27, 2024
Stroll through the beautiful grounds at Filoli and take in autumn surrounded by live music, spiced cider, and big orchards with colorful fall leaves. Learn about harvest celebrations while walking around Filoli's Gentleman's Orchard.  READ MORE

Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival

Sonoma
Thursday, September 26-Saturday, September 28, 2024
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

Walnut Creek Oktoberfest

Walnut Creek—FREE
Friday, September 27-Saturday, September 28, 2024
Toast the fall season as Walnut Creek celebrates Oktoberfest in beautiful Civic Park. The Biergarten is ready for the two-day, all-day, family-friendly festival with something for everyone.  Show off your dirndl dress or lederhosen on the dance floor, and then grub on some delicious German food favorites while shopping locally at the arts and crafts vendor booths.  Kids can hang out at the Kinder Platz Kids Zone with tons of activities for the little ones.  READ MORE

67th Monterey Jazz Festival

Monterey
Friday, September 27-Sunday, September 29, 2024
Monterey Bay fills its streets with the sweet sound of jazz for this three-day festival. Artists such as Stanley Clark, Samar Joy, Mavis Staples, and others grace the stages on the 20-acre, oak-studded Monterey County Fairgrounds.  Enjoy five stages of entertainment, as well as food, drinks, and even a marketplace to shop that must-have artist merch.  READ MORE

Fall Farm Fest - Pumpkin Picking Festival

Pescadero
Weekends, September 28-October 20
It's fall, and what better way to celebrate than with a pumpkin-picking festival? Rancho Siempre Verde in Pescadero is hosting a monthlong 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.  READ MORE

Pacific Coast Fog Fest

Pacifica—FREE
Saturday, September 28-Sunday, September 29, 2024
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

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

San Francisco—FREE
Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6, 2024
Golden Gate Park welcomes back the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, with dozens of music acts on six stages over three days. The family-friendly event draws thousands of people to hear live performances, and this year includes AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Bobby Rush, and many others.  READ MORE

Harvest Faire

Felton
Saturday, October 5-Sunday, October 6, 2024
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

Fleet Week SF

San Francisco—FREE
Starts Monday, October 7, 2024
Families with little ones who love planes, jets, and anything that flies won't want to miss Fleet Week in San Francisco The annual event is back, with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels performing a fully choreographed act for fans to enjoy. READ MORE

Rhythm by the River/Fall Festival in Antioch

Antioch—FREE
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Join the party in downtown Antioch for live music, a beer garden, a kids zone, artisan vendors, and an amazing BBQ. This is a family-friendly, free event. READ MORE

Biketoberfest

Fairfax
Saturday, October 12, 2024
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

Tahoe Donner's Fall Festival 2024

Truckee
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Now in its 13th year, Fall Festival is Truckee’s premier family-friendly autumn celebration and one of Tahoe Donner’s largest community events. The festival is a favorite for all ages, featuring a full day of harvest-themed events and activities. Families can enjoy favorites, including a pumpkin patch, bounce house, face painting, live animal show and special activities like a doggie dip adventure for your four-legged friends in Northwoods Pool.  READ MORE

Autumn Lights Festival

Oakland
Thursday, October 17-Saturday, October 19, 2024
Lake Merritt turns into a lighted display of local art with more than 60 locally produced illuminated art displays on view throughout the eight-acre municipal gardens.  READ MORE

Half Moon Bay 52nd Annual Pumpkin and Art Festival

Half Moon Bay—FREE
Saturday, October 19-Sunday, October 20, 2024
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 more than 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 mascot "Gourdy." The main attraction is the enormous pumpkins on display hoping to win the grand prize in a weigh-off championship. READ MORE

Oktoberfest in Campbell

Campbell—FREE
Saturday, October 19-Sunday, October 20, 2024
Voted Best Local Festival, this two-day Bavarian-themed event draws more than 1 million people every year for family fun and culture. It's not just about the delicious German food, pretzels, and beers, but 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

Places featured in this article:

Outdoors at Northwoods Clubhouse and Pizza on the Hill