Fort Wayne, Indiana Fall Checklist
1. Enjoy one of the great fall festivals in Fort Wayne!
Johnny Appleseed Festival
September 16 and 17
Experience this period-authentic festival celebrating the life and times of Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman). Spend the day visiting the Johnny Appleseed gravesite and enjoying some great food. Plus, there are plenty of fun children’s activities, entertainment, shopping, and more.
Kuehnert Dairy Fall Festival
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, September 15 through October 29
Experience life on a farm, plus fun fall activities. Starting on September 15, visitors can explore the 6-acre family-friendly corn maze, learn about dairy cows and baby calves, and enjoy the straw mountain, games, pick out a pumpkin, and much more!
Amazing Fall Corn Maze
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Opening Day September 2
Wind your way through the 16-acre, corn maze — the largest corn maze in Northeast Indiana — and tackle the other 18 games on-site with friends and family. End the day with a hayride through the beautiful countryside.
Fall Harvest Festival
September 22-23
Celebrate the history of the American farm through wagon and barrel trail rides, a farmers market, parade, and much more! This festival is great for kids and adults, so bring the family along and celebrate the fall with this two-day festival.
2. Apple Orchards & Pumpkin Patches
On the search for the perfect pumpkin or delicious apple? There are plenty of pumpkin patches and apple orchards for your search. Here are a few suggestions that can help –
- Kurtz Produce
14212 State Road 37, New Haven, IN 46774
260-657-5817 - Cook’s Apple Orchard
8724 Huguenard Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46818
260-413-9823 - Plus, many more in the surrounding areas!
3. Fall Foliage
Catch a glimpse of the beautiful fall colors in Fort Wayne at Metea County Park or Lindenwood Nature Preserve, offering settings with ample opportunities to view great Indiana Fall colors. Plus, all of the other great parks in Fort Wayne provide more opportunities for the perfect photo.
Find the perfect fall adventures with the Fort Wayne Outdoor Pass, your guide to hikes, bikes, and paddles around the area! We've even added a few special seasonal trails to help you enjoy the best fall colors. Check out the Fort Wayne Outdoor Pass.
4. Fort Wayne Apple Trail
Apple season is upon us! This fall, grab your friends and family and set off to take in all things "apple" in Fort Wayne. The Apple Trail invites you to enjoy up to 19 activities — from visiting Johnny Appleseed's gravesite and picking apples at a local apple orchard, to caramel apple DeBrand chocolates and enjoying locally-sourced ciders and brews. Complete any activity on the trail and be entered to win an Apple Trail t-shirt by:
- Sharing a photo of your Apple Trail adventures on social media using #appletrailfw, or
- Emailing your photo to Marketing@VisitFortWayne.com
NOTE: Social media profiles must be set to public to be entered. Contest ends October 31.
5. Fall at the Zoo
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is open for guests to enjoy through the end of October! That means you can visit Fort Wayne during September and October to catch a glimpse of the zoo animals enjoying the cooler temperatures. Check out our guide for your next fall visit to the Zoo.
For the final four weekends in October, visit the zoo for spooktacular activities during Wild Zoo Halloween! Enjoy spooky Animal Enrichment, treats throughout the zoo, a mystery maze, and special themes each weekend.
Themes TBA.
Costumes welcome for ages 12 and under! Wild Zoo Halloween festivities are free with zoo admission. October 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
The Zoo is open 9 am–5 pm daily, with regular admission rates. Wild Zoo Halloween activities will take place 10 am–4 pm.
6. Fright Night and Zombie Walk
October 21
Break out the costumes for the annual Fright Night, filled with spooky (and not-so-spooky) fun for the whole family! The main event of the day, the Zombie Walk, invites all ghosts, goblins, superheroes, and other Halloween characters to join the zombie "parade" through downtown Fort Wayne. Younger kids will also love the Punkin' Path and Garden Trick-or-Treating at the Botanical Conservatory and all-ages fun at the downtown library. For those looking for a truly spooky time, join the Raven Scavanger Hunt at Promenade Park or lantern tour at The Old Fort. See the full Fright Night Survival Guide for details.
