Five Reasons To Visit Connecticut In The Fall
Durham Fair
24 Townhouse Road
Durham, CT 06422
(860) 349-9495
www.durhamfair.com
Date: Sept. 25-28, 2014
The 95th annual Durham Fair – the largest agricultural fair in the state – takes place September 25-28. It's a weekend filled with farm and livestock exhibitions, animal shows and contests and everybody's favorite carnival foods, games and rides. There will be plenty of activities for children, while adults can visit the Connecticut Wine Festival and taste wines that originated from state vineyards. The fair will also host live music on the Main Stage – legendary soul group Tower of Power plays on Friday while country superstars Montgomery Gentry and Jo Dee Messina perform on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Smoke In the Valley
20 Pine St.
Seymour, CT 06483
(203) 437-1009
www.smokeinthevalley.com
Date: Oct. 4, 2014
On October 4 from 12 to 4:30 p.m. Seymour Tradition is again holding its Smoke In the Valley craft beer and chili festival to raise money for the town's youth and emergency service organizations. From Two Roads to City Steam, Connecticut's best breweries will be represented along with regional favorites like Harpoon, Saranac and Magic Hat. Along with the craft beers, you can sample the entries in the chili cook-off, with the winning chef receiving $1,500. Rounding out the event are live performances by Sublime tribute band Badfish and local groups like Hubinger Street.
Apple Harvest Festival
75 Main St.
Southington, CT 06489
(860) 276-8461
www.southington.org
Date: Oct. 3-5 and 10-12, 2014
Those who can't resist apples in the fall need to make their way to Southington's 46th annual Apple Harvest Festival on the weekends of October 3-5 and 10-12. The stars of the festival are the warm, sweet apple fritters, if the long lines of visitors waiting to purchase them is any indication. The fair also holds a hands-free apple pie eating contest, and a less messy apple pie baking contest. There will be an arts and crafts show on October 11 and 12, a fireworks display on October 4, and all days will include popular carnival rides.
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
1 Railroad Ave.
Essex, CT 06426
(860) 767-0103
www.essexsteamtrain.com
For a relaxing, old-fashioned view of Connecticut's beautiful fall foliage, there's nothing like riding Essex's steam train and riverboat. The 2.5-hour tour begins on a magnificent vintage steam train that chugs through Deep River and Chester. Once it stops at Deep River Landing, you and your fellow passengers depart to board the riverboat Becky Thatcher for a 75-minute voyage on the Connecticut River, after which it's back to the train which transports you back to the station. Essex Steam Train offers both coach and first-class seating, and on select days even seats on an open car or caboose.
Trail of Terror
60 N. Plains Highway
Wallingford, CT 06492
(888) 855-4716
www.trailofterror.com
Date: Weekends in October
Connecticut has an impressive number of scary attractions for those whose favorite holiday is Halloween. If that includes you, the best one may be Wallingford's annual Trail of Terror. As long as you have some comfortable shoes and are in good physical condition for walking, climbing and crawling (and getting scared), you'll love this trail with gruesome characters waiting to terrify you at every turn. The masterminds behind the trail, Scare Crew Productions, always like to throw in new surprises each year, so even veterans of this event will find it worth it to return. The Trail of Terror will be open every Friday through Sunday evening in October.
Related: Best Cider Mill Tours In Connecticut
Joshua Palmes is a freelance writer covering all things Connecticut. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
