Autumn is one of the most popular seasons in Hendricks County, Indiana and my personal favorite time of year.

What is there not to love about fall? We have the changing leaves, the cooler temperatures and of course some fantastic family-friendly festivals and events. Fall festivals and events are the best, and I could write a novel about everything that's going on around here this fall.

I'm going to spare you that pain, however, and give you a couple organizations to keep an eye on, and then hit the highest of high points of a handful of the top fall events in Hendricks County. 

Have no fear; I'll get you pointed in the right direction to learn more about each place or festival I mention, plus I'll let you know how to find even more fall festivals in Hendricks County. Sound like a plan?

Okay, without further ado, here's a look at some of our great festivals and events that give you every reason to visit Hendricks County this fall.

Beasley's Orchard Have blast this fall at Beasley's Orchard in Danville!

Located in Danville, Beasley's Orchard is the undisputed king of fall activities. They are wildly popular throughout the autumn months and for good reason. They have all the cool stuff to celebrate fall! I mean, they go absolutely bonkers for autumn!

Visit their farm to enjoy the fall harvest and family fun. Activities include an 8-acre corn maze, hayrides to the pumpkin patch, apple cannons, barnyard bonanza family play area, delicious food, entertainment and more! Additional activities include u-pick apples and u-pick pumpkins.

Activities are available every day from Sept. 16 through Oct. 29. Weekdays offer a discounted admission price and all the fall activities. Their fall festivals occur every weekend, each with a unique theme including:

  • Opening Weekend: Sept. 16-17
  • Hometown Heroes: Sept. 23-24
    • FREE admission for first responders and 50% off for their immediate family members!
  • Heartland Apple Festival: Sept. 30-Oct. 1 and Oct. 7-8
    • This is the biggest fall festival of the year in Hendricks County. If you can only spend one weekend at Beasley's, I would recommend one of these.
  • Dog Daze at the Maze: Oct. 14-15
    • Fall festival fun for those cute pooches and their owners!
  • Halloweekend: Oct. 21-22 and 28-29
    • Exactly what you'd think it is -- Halloween-themed fun!

For more information about Beasley's fall festivals and activities, click here.

Hendricks County Parks & Recreation Fall Colors Festival at McCloud Nature Park

I work for Hendricks County Parks & Recreation, and two of the three properties we operate are McCloud Nature Park and W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park.

Just outside of North Salem, McCloud Nature Park is a very popular place for people to get into the autumn spirit. With a wide variety of tree species within its 232 acres, the park is one of the top places in the state for fall foliage, according to Visit Indiana. 

McCloud has even been featured by The Points Guy! Yeah, we're a pretty big deal.

W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park is located in Avon and is one of the newest parks in Hendricks County. It's currently about 70 acres in size with plans to grow to 140 acres in the future. 

Both parks are open from dawn to dusk daily and require no admission fee. Visit any day you'd like. There are also some special events taking place at both parks this fall.

  • McCloud Prairie Maze at McCloud: open daily from Sept. 2 through Oct. 31 (free to explore!; learn more)
  • Fall Harvest Festival at Gibbs: Saturday, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (learn more)
  • Fall Colors Run at McCloud: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 8:30 a.m. (learn more)
  • Fall Colors Festival at McCloud: Saturday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (learn more)

For more information about Hendricks County Parks & Recreation, its parks and its fall events, click here.

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Alrighty, you've got Beasley's Orchard and Hendricks County Parks & Recreation on your radar for fall festivities now, so let's check out some other great autumn activities around Hendricks County.

Danville Tri Kappa Fair on the Square Fair on the Square and Handmade Market on Courthouse Square in Danville

Danville Tri Kappa's Fair on the Square & Handmade Market is an annual community event that draws large numbers of visitors to the streets surrounding the historic Hendricks County Courthouse.

On Sept. 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, the fair will include more than 100 booths of shopping, live entertainment, locally grown foods and more. Booths line 3/4 of the block surrounding the courthouse on Washington, Marion and Jefferson streets.

The fair is the centerpiece for what has become a popular community weekend.

For more information about Fair on the Square, click here.

Medieval Festival Slap on your best Middle Ages attire and join the fun at the Medieval Festival at Washington Township Park in Avon!

Washington Township Parks & Recreation is hosting a Medieval Festival on Sept. 16 beginning at 10 a.m. at Murphy Aquatic Park in Avon. 

It's sure to be a day of fun exploring and experiencing a taste from the past with members of the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism).

This free community event will be a blast for the whole family. No registration required, but each attendee will be required to sign a waiver to attend. Dressing for the times is encouraged and applauded, so dress the part!

Then finish off the Medieval Festival in style by participating in the boat-making contest using only cardboard, trash bags and duct tape. Craft a vessel that can carry one adult person and compete with other boat engineers in the wave pool challenge. The last boat remaining afloat will seize the crown of victory and claim an exciting prize. Valhalla awaits the champion! 

For more information about the Medieval Festival, click here.

Quaker Day Festival Enjoy autumn at Quaker Day in Plainfield. (Photo by Plainfield Quaker Day on Facebook)

On Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Plainfield Friends Meeting Church hosts the Quaker Day Festival to celebrate the town's heritage.

Craft and community vendors will set up on the church's front lawn, and there will be food trucks there for hungry festival-goers as well as a car show.

A parade also marches through the heart of Plainfield at 10 a.m.

To learn more about Quaker Day, click here.

National Alpaca Farm Day Open House Hungry Alpacas at Montrose Farms

Did you know that we have alpacas in Hendricks County? Every year the Montrose Farms Alpaca Ranch, located in Brownsburg, hosts the National Alpaca Farm Day Open House to educate the public about these beautiful animals.

This year's event is on Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event features tours of the farm, fun activities, up-close interactions with the friendly alpacas, a spinning demonstration, vendors and more. Admission is $5 a person.

For more information, click here.

Volktoberfest Car enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy Volktoberfest.

How about a fall festival for car enthusiasts? 

Clear your calendars and shine your super sharp shorts, bring your air heads, tuners, and Shaggin' Wagons to the 21st Annual Circle City Volkswagen Club Volktoberfest on Oct. 6-8 at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds in Danville!

Volktoberfest is a vintage car extravaganza open to all Volkswagens, as well as their friends Audi and Porsche.

Get your groove on, bring your Flower Power and peace out for a Volktoberfest that will be off the hook as they celebrate the Hippie roots of Dub Love. Can you dig it?

Weekend camping is also available on-site.

Volktoberfest is free to attend. A freewill love offering of cash and or canned good donations will be accepted at the gate in support of their main charity, HVAF of Indiana.

For more information about Volktoberfest, click here.

Scarecrow Festival and Scares on the Square Scarecrows line the Courthouse Square in Danville during October.

Scarecrows will line the lawn on all four sides of the Hendricks County Courthouse in Danville from October 6-31 as part of the annual Scarecrow Festival.

Families will enjoy checking out each and every scarecrow as the creativity by local businesses, organizations and families is truly amazing.

As part of the juried events, jurors will select the best three scarecrows and announce the results at Scares on the Square event in Danville on Oct. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m.

In addition to announcing the winners of the Scarecrow Festival, Scares on the Squares will feature costumes and lots of family fun just ahead of Halloween!

For more information, click here.

Hendricks County International Festival Dance performance at the International Festival in Plainfield.

Come enjoy the free, family-friendly and educational Hendricks County International Festival on Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Shops at Perry Crossing in Plainfield.

You can expect to see food trucks, live dance and music performances, interactive booths, traditional attire and more from these countries: India, Pakistan, West Africa, Poland, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Kosovo, and Scotland!

The festival was first held in 2019 to introduce diverse cultures to members of our community and to support, encourage and increase awareness for the many cultures who live, work and reside in the area.

For more information about the Hendricks County International Festival, click here.

Harvest Moon Festival Avon Town Hall Park

Washington Township Parks & Recreation, Avon Parks & Recreation and the Avon Chamber of Commerce have partnered together to host a great day filled with tons of festive activities for your family to enjoy.

The Harvest Moon Festival will take place at Avon Town Hall Park on Oct. 7 from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be a bonfire, s'mores, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, apple launching, bounce houses, vendors and more!

There will also be live music followed by a fire-breathing show!

(Insider tip: Wanna make a day of it in Avon on Saturday, Oct. 7? Visit Hendricks County Parks & Recreation's Fall Harvest Festival at W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then make the short trip to Avon Town Hall Park for the Harvest Moon Festival!)

For more information about the Harvest Moon Festival, click here.

Nehemiah Ranch Fall Harvest Days Visit Nehemiah Ranch in Avon for Fall Harvest Days.

Bring the entire family out to the 34-acre, secluded Nehemiah Ranch in Avon for Fall Harvest Days!

Enjoy hayrides, a bonfire, food, hot chocolate, s'mores, live music and a pumpkin patch right there on the property.

Fall Harvest Days is free, but they do encourage donations of $5 a person or $25 a carload as they depend on donations to stay open. This ongoing event will be held three consecutive Saturdays on Oct. 7, 14 and 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. each day.

To learn more about Nehemiah Ranch, click here

Doctoberfest WHO North America's Doctoberfest is the place to be for Dr. Who fans!

Come join in the annual Doctor Who-centric Fall Festival, Doctoberfest, on Oct. 21 at WHO North America in Camby and at the Courtyard by Marriott in Plainfield.

Doctoberfest is WHO North America's annual fall festival, and the special guest of honor this year is Sophie Aldred (Ace), who will be attending in person!

Take part in a costume competition, a custom action figure contest and a shoebox diorama contest. Shop vendors and Doctor Who merchandise, enjoy games and win prizes! 

For more information, click here.

Even More Fall Activities

For even more things to do in Hendricks County during the autumn months, be sure to click here and check out the Visit Hendricks County Events Calendar!