Fall is one of the most wonderful times of the year in our area… apple picking season, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes, plus so many fun Halloween events. Just remember to check before heading out to see if the farm you’re planning to visit requires a reservation and to check on the harvest schedule!
Thank you to our sponsor, Eugene’s Music & Learning Studio for making this guide possible! From private lessons in-home, in-studio, and online, to Early Childhood and group classes in their fully equipped studios, Eugene’s Music & Learning Studio will find a way to bring the love of music and all learning into your life.
AND – Eugene’s is offering 30% off the first lesson to anyone who brings in their extra apples to their studio – they will be donating them to Neighbor to Neighbor!
To make things as easy as possible, scroll down for a list of all of the fun Fall activities you can be enjoying with your family!
APPLE PICKING
It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year… apple picking season! Pick your own has already begun at some farms in Connecticut and New York and will continue through October.
It’s one of the fall activities we all look forward to every year! Just remember to check before heading out to see if the farm you’re planning to visit requires a reservation and to check on the harvest schedule… especially if there is a particular apple you’d like to pick!
Barton Orchards
63 Apple Tree Ln, Poughquag, NY
(845) 227 -2306
Apple picking has begun
PYO open most weekdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Additional Attractions: Playground, animals, ice cream stand, gem stone mining, mini golf, concessions, farm stand, Tree Top Adventures Thursday – Sunday, but needs to be reserved online. Music on Friday & Saturday evenings, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. No entry fee (except during festival weekends).
HV Apple Festival, Saturday, September 23, & Sunday, September 24, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard
278 Leavenworth Road, Route 110 in the White Hills section of Shelton, CT
(203) 926-1098
Apple picking begins September 9
Bakery open daily, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (PYO open on weekends, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
Additional Attractions: Bakery & Distillery
Bishop’s Orchards
1355 Boston Post Rd, Guilford, CT
(203) 458-PICK – daily updates
Apple picking opening date TBD
PYO open daily, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Additional Attractions: Market, creamery & winery.
Blue Jay Orchards
125 Plumtrees Rd, Bethel, CT
(203) 748-0119
Apple picking opening date TBD
Market open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Additional Attractions: Farm market, bakery, pumpkin patch
Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard
130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY
Apple picking opening date Saturday, September 9
Additional Attractions: Offering something for guests of all ages: BBQ lunch, hot apple cider donuts, refreshing apple cider slushies, fresh baked pies, pumpkins, and gifts, all while enjoying live country music. For our adult guests, bartenders will be slinging our locally famous Hardscrabble Cider.
Hidden Gem Orchard
2500 Purchase Brook Road, Southbury, CT
First year offering PYO!
Lyman Orchards
32 Reeds Gap Rd, Middlefield, CT
(860) 295-3886 – 24-hour hotline
Apple picking has begun
Open daily, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Additional Attractions: Golf, apple barrel, corn maze, farm market and events including sunflower and corn mazes
March Farm
160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem, CT
(203) 266-7721
Apple picking begins September 8
Additional Attractions: Market, bakery, playscape, hay rides, animal yard & corn maze
Outhouse Orchards
139 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY
(914) 277-3188
Apple picking begins September 1
Book a reservation here!
Open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Additional Attractions: Corn maze, farm stand & pumpkin picking
Rogers Orchards
2876 Meriden-Waterbury Tpke, Southington, CT
(203) 879-1206
336 Long Bottom Rd, Southington, CT
(860) 229-4240
Apple picking begins Labor Day weekend
Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at both the Home Farm and Sunnymount locations from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. including Labor Day & Columbus Day Mondays
Additional Attractions: Bakery
Silverman’s Farm
451 Sport Hill Rd, Easton, CT
(203) 261-3306
Apple picking has begun!
Apple picking is open 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Market open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., animal farm open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Additional Attractions: Animal Farm, playground & country market
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm
1335 White Hill Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY
(914) 245-5111
Apple picking begins September 2
Open Wednesday – Monday, CLOSED on Tuesdays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (PYO open, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Additional Attractions: Corn maze, farm market, winery & bakery.
Know Before You Go
- Call ahead to check on conditions and the types of apples available for picking.
- Some orchards require reservations, check to see if this is necessary at the farm you choose, before you go!
- Dress appropriately for the outdoors and for potentially changing weather conditions. Terrain in orchards is usually grassy and bumpy with hills to climb/come down.
- If you want to bring your dog, check ahead of time. Some orchards do not allow pets.
- Don’t forget to bring your camera!
- Definitely bring snacks… many of the orchards are a bit of a drive from Stamford.
How To Pick The Best Apples
- Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples out the outside of the tree will ripen first.
- Once they’re picked, apples stop ripening.
- To picking apples directly from a tree, roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist.
- Don’t throw apples into your basket or bag after picking. Handle them gently to prevent bruising and spoiling.
- Don’t wash apples until right before using them to keep from spoiling.
- Keep apples cool after they’re picked to increase their shelf life.
PUMPKIN PATCHES
October is right around the corner and Pumpkin Picking is an activity that we can all enjoy! Scroll down for a list of pumpkin patches nearby!
Sam Bridge Nursery and Greenhouses LLC, 437 North Street, Greenwich
Pumpkin Patch is open Monday – Saturday 8:30 – 5:00, 9/29-10/28, and Columbus Day 10/9
FREE HAYRIDES to the Pumpkin Patch 🎃 Return September 29th – October 28th 🤗
Fridays 2pm – 4pm, Saturdays 10am – 4pm, Columbus Day 10am – 4pm
We’re bringing Pumpkin Painting Back!
Pumpkin Painting inside the Greenhouse
Saturdays 10am – 4pm
$14.99 per pumpkin
A great activity for littles with washable, nontoxic paint. Rain or Shine
Check in on social media or in the store for popup Touch-A-Truck and Food Truck events on Saturday throughout the fall season.
Blue Jay Orchards 125 Plumtrees Road, Bethel
Pumpkins and large gourds are $.89 per lb
From 11 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week
Barton Orchards 63 Apple Tree Lane, Poughquag, NY 12570
Petting Zoo with new baby goats, Farm Market, Tap Room, Playground and Dog Park! Pick your Pumpkins too!
Eden Farms Nursery and Garden Center, 947 Stillwater Road, Stamford
Come visit the farm animals this weekend and choose from the best selection of pumpkins and mums!
Harris Hill Farm 106 Ridge Road, New Milford
On weekends during the month of October, head to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch!
Jones Family Farms- Pumpkinseed Hill Farm,120 Beardsley Road, Shelton
Open daily with reservations! Our online reservations ensure we can offer an enjoyable experience for all, reducing the size of crowds and lines. Selection of pumpkins, squashes and gourds, PLUS farm walking trails, a mini corn maze, and beautiful photo ops. SAVE MONEY! ONLY with reservations, half of your entry costs can be credited towards purchasing carving-sized pumpkins; see details. Children 2 and under are free. Purchase additional hayride tickets here or in person.
Lyman Orchard105 South Street, Middlefield, CT 06455
Corn Maze, Pick Your Own Pumpkins, and more.
OPEN DAILY Monday-Sunday: 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Outhouse Orchards 139 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY
Pumpkin Picking, Corn Maze, Hayrides Open daily, 9am – 5pm! Make a reservation HERE.
Silverman’s Farm 451 Sport Hill Road, Easton
7 days a week MARKET is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Animal Farm is 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (restrictions may apply please visit our Animal Farm page for more information)
PYO is open from 9AM-4:00PM (when open) Win a Free Pumpkin in OCTOBER! Residents from the tri-state area have been coming to the farm for many years to win a free pumpkin! Before purchase, every customer may guess the weight of each pumpkin before being brought to the scale. If the guess is within 2 oz. either way, the pumpkin is free regardless of size. We give away thousands of free pumpkins each year.
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm 1335 White Hill Road, Yorktown Heights, NY
The Pumpkin Patch is open from 10AM to 4:30PM Wednesdays – Mondays in October. The Farm is closed on Tuesdays. Please check the Harvest Calendar for exact dates this year. In the 2022 Harvest Season we anticipate opening for Pick Your Own Pumpkins on Saturday, September 30th, 2023. The are NO RESERVATIONS needed. There is no parking/admission/entrance fee.
Castle Hill Farm, 25 Sugar Lane, Newtown
Venture our 7 acre corn maze, pick pumpkins off the vine in our pumpkin patch, feed the cows off the wagon on our hayride adventure, take pictures with there goats, ducks, and friends in our farm animal exhibit, listen to live music from daily bands, and grab lunch from the food truck of the day!
St. John’s Pumpkin Patch, 884 Newfield Ave., Stamford
The Pumpkin Patch is an annual mission activity at St. John’s Lutheran Church. During the month of October, hundreds of pumpkins are sold. All the proceeds are donated. A Navajo tribe receives a portion for providing the pumpkins; all other proceeds are donated to local charities. Food sold at the food tent supports the quilters of St. John’s who make quilts for Lutheran World Relief, a world-wide quilt distribution to those in need. This mission activity is “pumpkins with a purpose!”
3 – 6 pm Monday through Friday
10 am – 6 pm Saturdays
10 am – 6 pm Sundays
Halloween Events
Greenwich Moms Greet + Treat Event on Greenwich Avenue
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 from 11am – 3pm.
Greenwich Moms is one again bringing the Avenue to life as local families safely trick or treat throughout the avenue along with food trucks, kids zones and school zones.
Ghouls in the Garden
Saturday, October 21 | 4-7pm
Celebrate Halloween with the whole family at Greenwich Botanical Center’s Ghouls in the Garden. Join us in the spooky Montgomery Pinetum for a fun-filled afternoon of costumes, spook walks, pumpkin decorating contests, prizes and more!
Crafts & Games 4-5:30pm
Costume Parade 5:30pm
LIVE Ghouls Emerge 6-7pm
Ghouls Tickets (children under 2 are free) *
$250 – Ghouls Family Sponsor Package (incl 4 tickets, a parking pass, GBC Gift Bag, and listing in the Event Program!)
$15 – GBC Member (per person)
$20 – Non-Member (per person)
$20 – Parking Pass for GBC Lot
Old Greenwich School (OGS) Pumpkin Patch
October 14, 2023, 11am – 4pm
The ultimate Fall family festival and community event!
Food, Fun, Hay Maze, Prizes, Games, and More!
Halloween Happenings
Friday evening October 27 at BWGCC. Come in costume and join the party!
There will be games, music, dancing and prizes! See the registration flyer for more information.
Advanced reservations/tickets required; space is limited.
$10 per person (Ages 3 and up)
• Entertainment provided. Dance to music in Dracula’s Den while playing games and collecting candy and prizes!
• Come in costume!
• All children with tickets will receive a candy/treat bag.
• Light refreshments provided. • No outside food permitted.
• Children must be accompanied by an adult. Maximum 2 adults per child. Everyone must have a ticket.
Boo at the Bronx Zoo
Saturdays & Sundays September 30 – October 29
Including Monday, October 9.
Tickets Required!
Bronx Zoo Pumpkin Nights
See the night come alive! Explore 5,000 Carved Pumpkins along a half-mile trail.
September 28 – October 29
Thursday – Sunday 6-10pm
Halloween Spectacular | The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze Hudson Valley, 525 S Riverside Ave, Croton-On-Hudson, NY 10520
Meander through an 18th-century landscape and discover a breathtaking display of more than 7,000 illuminated jack o’ lanterns—all designed and hand-carved on site by our team of artisans. New for 2023, see our twirling pumpkin Ferris wheel and take in our gourd-eous circus sideshow! Complete with synchronized lighting and an original soundtrack, this one-of-a-kind event is not to be missed!
Legoland Brick or Treat
Our signature Halloween event is better than ever! Brick-or-Treat will bewitch LEGOLAND® New York Resort with tons of candy, an all-new show line up, never-before-seen exclusive LEGO® characters, and more!
Join the Halloween party of the year September 16, 23, 30, and October 7-8, 14-15, 20-22, 28-29.
- Live Entertainment & Shows
- Character Meet & Greets
- Costume Contest
- Dance parties
- And of course, Trick or Treating!
CORN MAZES
Grab your family and friends and make your way through a corn maze! It’s a great fall activity, allows you to spend time outside! Scroll down for a list of farms in Connecticut and New York with corn mazes this fall!
Bishops Orchards
526 New England Road, Guilford, CT
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Come get lost in our bigger than ever, 3 acre corn maze! This year’s theme is Sherlock Holmes. Enjoy taking windy paths through the maze, playing detective as you look for answers along the way. For our “mini” detectives, they can enjoy a mini corn maze right next door! The maze opens at 9am with gates closing at 4:30pm, to allow plenty of time to enjoy yourself in the field, before closing the orchard at 6pm. The cost is $10/person, with children 2 and under free.
Castle Hill Farm
1 Sugar Lane, Newtown, CT
Opening September 30, 2023
Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tickets: $13, Kids 3 and Under are Free! No reservations needed.
Flashlight Maze on October 29, bonfire, live music, and scavenger hunt maze included in admissions ticket
Fair Weather Growers
1146 Cromwell Avenue, Rocky Hill, CT
Hours: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 9 p.m. – 6 p.m., Last Ticket Sold: 4:30 PM
In 2010 after visiting many other Corn Mazes, we decided to try agritourism ourselves and we turned our 16 acres field on County Line Drive in Cromwell into the Fair Weather Growers Fall Festival and Corn Maze. Open the middle of September right thru the end of October you will now see the fields filled with families on Friday, Saturday and Sunday along with Columbus Day.Last Ticket Sold: 4:30 PM
Fort Hill Farms
260 Quaddick Road, Thompson, CT|
Open September 5 to October 31
Tickets: Online tickets available here!
2023 “The Freedom Trail” Corn Maze – $15 per person, Mini Maze $10
Foster Farm
90 Foster Street, South Windsor, CT
Opening September 16
Hours: September Weekends, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Daily in October, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Our Beautiful Earth…Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Lyman Orchard
September 2 – November 5, 2023
32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield, CT
Hours: Monday – Friday, 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Weekends & Holidays, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: Admission is $11 for adults, $6 for ages 4 – 12, and free for children under 3 years.
The 2023 Lyman Orchards Corn Maze transports you into the Land of Oz, revisiting the classic 1900 American fairytale book of a young girl named Dorothy and her adventures in a magical land where she meets new friends and powerful witches. In the maze, you’ll learn how “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” story came to be, how it has influenced pop culture, and you’ll even learn about the history of other popular fairytales!
March Farm
160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem, CT
Hours: Open on weekends in the fall, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Admission: $5/person (children 3 and under are free) when purchasing in advance online, here!
Scott’s Yankee Farmer
436 Boston Post Rd, East Lyme, CT
Hours: Weekend & Holidays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission: Swamp Adventure Corn Maze – $11 Per person
Treat Farm
361 Old Tavern Road, Orange, CT
Hours: Daytime Corn Maze, Saturday & Sunday
Admission: A new 6.0 acre maze has been created a new an additional challenge to make even more enjoyable. In addition to our standard maze with miles of trails to get lost on, we have added a game to add to the enjoyment. Come visit in late summer and fall and experience our challenging 6.0 acre corn maze. Get lost in the stalks and try to complete the challenge within the maze. Reservations will be required for the 2023 Season. $9 for Day Corn Maze, $10 Flashlight Corn Maze, Children 3 and under are free. Please do not register them on line. Online reservations required here!