It’s October in Branson, and we’re celebrating fall! The warm weather will be leaving soon, but it’s time to bring out those flannels and blankets and enjoy the fall family-fun! Check out all of the events Branson has, and gather to experience the small-town feel of Branson. There’s fall festivals, farmer’s markets, and safe places for trick-or-treating! What will you be doing this October?

1. Branson Farmer’s Market

The Branson Farmer’s Market will be open on Tuesday evenings from 3 to 7 p.m. Visitors can choose from a variety of locally-grown and handmade products. Homegrown produce includes strawberries, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, peaches, green beans, apples, lettuces and a host of other various fruits and vegetables. But the fun doesn’t end there! Market visitors can enjoy a balloon artist, henna tattoo artist and music while they browse a selection of fall decorations such as pumpkins and mums, farm-fresh eggs and seafood, as well as handmade soaps, candles, jellies, candies and baked goods.

2. Still Waters Resort Harvest Festival

Running through October 31st, the festival at Still Waters Resort features daily activities from 10AM to 8PM. Set against the beautiful Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake, there’s fun for the whole family!

Discover the best local beer, wine, Ozark Mountain Moonshine, and whisky from the resort’s new harvest drinks! Then, introduce yourselves to unique flavors from around the globe with delicious dishes prepared by two on-property restaurants, Shady Taco & Grille and Pizza World!

Then, take part in the giant inflatables, live music, pumpkin chuckin, pumpkin bowling, hay rides, crafts for kids, and more!

3. Harvest Festival: Craft Days and Pumpkin Nights

From September 25 to October 26, Silver Dollar City is providing family-friendly fall fun unlike anything Branson has seen before! During Craft Days, you can see new artisans demonstrating their work each and every week, an all new internationally-acclaimed musical acrobatic show, and more!

Then, as the sun sets, ride around the park during Pumpkin Nights! Rides will be open into the night as thousands of illuminated pumpkins light up the park. Start on the Square and take a stroll down Valley Road to discover the NEW Pumpkin Pathway leading to the Great Exposition where the entire area has been transformed and expanded for a Pumpkin Party! Take part in the fun fall activities like face painting, black light photo spots, pumpkin-flavored goodies to devour, and so much more!

4. First Friday

Around 6 PM, visit Liberty Plaza for a Movie Night put on by The City Parks Department!

5. Shepherd’s Spooktacular

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, head out to Shepherd of the Hills for amazing fall fun!

SPOOKTACULAR FOR ONLY $8 – Playground, petting zoo, tree houses, hay bale maze, playbarn obstacle course, mini golf, bounce houses

GREAT PUMPKIN $20 – Spooktacular included plus, inspiration tower, rope course, rock wall

HAUNTED HOLLOW $30 (Fridays & Saturdays after sunset)  – Spooktacular & Great Pumpkin included plus, haunted hayride, baldknobber zombie paintball

6. The Fall Roundup

Closing on November 3rd, Sycamore Creek Family Ranch is open Saturdays from 10-4 and Sundays from Noon to Sunset! It’s time for cozy blankets, mugs of hot cocoa, football games, crackling fires, and leaves in colorful hues! Sycamore Creek celebrates Fall in an “organic” way that honors the best of nature and farm life. They offer a full menu of great activities for you and your family and friends to enjoy! Come out and soak in the fresh air and natural beauty as you “play” at the farm!

Come out to Sycamore Creek Family Ranch for hayrides, pick-you-own-pumpkin patch, a 4-acre corn maze, gunnysack slides, cow train, farm frisbee golf, old-fashioned family games, a bonfire for s’mores, and so much more!

Kids 2 and under are free, 3 and up are $8, and active duty military, police, firemen and EMT’s are $6.

In addition to the regular consistent activities, there will be special events every weekend! Visit on the weekends for things like scavenger hunts, a pumpkin smash, tethered hot air balloon rides, a barnside movie, a barn dance, live music on Sundays, and so much more! All of it starts on opening day with a 5K Walk & Run to benefit The Warrior’s Journey!

This year, the Sycamore Fall Round-Up will also be offering season passes! Often, families plan on only going for a couple of hours, but end up spending their whole day participating in the fall fun. Now, you can catch all of the special weekend activities for just one price of $20 per individual, or $60 per family of four. Season passes also include punch cards for free concession items. Check out their website for more information.

7. Walk to End Alzheimer’s

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, this inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to reclaim the future for millions. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s disease, the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. Join us in Branson Landing’s amphitheater for this event – 9:45am Registration, 10:00am Opening Ceremony, 10:15am Walk. For more information visit the Walk website: act.alz.org/walkbranson or contact the local office at 417-886-2199.

8. Run Grand Country Half Marathon and 5K

On October 6, stay at Grand Country and join the support for the Branson Education Foundation!

This family friendly race is benefiting the Branson Education Foundation in an effort to provide local children opportunities they may not otherwise have. Make this race a family weekend getaway and book your stay at Grand Country Inn, the indoor water park resort.

9. Hollister’s Grape and Fall Festival

The Hollister Grape & Fall Festival will return to historic Downing Street in Hollister on Saturday, Oct. 12, with everything everyone loves about the event – live entertainment, the hilarious grape stomp, a Color Me Grape 5k, a children’s area including petting zoo, and street dance, as well as a variety of food and craft vendors. What many of the thousands of people who flock to the event every year might not realize is that the festival is a celebration of Hollister’s rich history.

“The Grape & Fall Festival was first known as the Grape Carnival and was celebrated each fall, for a period that lasted about three decades, in the early 20th century,” explained Former Hollister Area Chamber Of Commerce Chairman, D. Todd Aeschliman. “The carnival served as a chance for local residents and their guests to celebrate another year of hard work and success in an Ozarks agricultural—and tourism—based community. As Hollister faced the challenges of post-depression America, floods and World War II, the community turned its attention to more immediate priorities and the festival was forgone. In the 1990s, interested residents, the Hollister Chamber of Commerce and the City of Hollister once again turned to what is now known as the Grape & Fall Festival for many of the same reasons as its original organizers. To this day, the festival offers residents and guests the chance to celebrate another year of hard work and progress in Hollister.”

Aeschliman said because the Grape Carnival called attention to the area vineyards, it only seemed natural to include a fun, grape-based event in the festival’s second life, thus the wildly popular grape stomp was born.

“After the first grape stomp, it became apparent that it was an event that was here to stay,” he said. “Stomp teams of all ages excite the judges and the crowd into an event high that generates comments long after the event has ended.”

The tradition continues this year Saturday, Oct. 12, when the Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce will once again host Hollister’s Grape & Fall Festival­ from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. in downtown Hollister.

10. Branson Collector Car Auction

Jim and Kathy Cox own and operate one of the most long-standing and well-respected collector car auction houses in the country. For 40 years, they have been supplying collectors with some of the best collector cars in the world. This tradition continues twice a year, every April and October.

In addition to the collector car auction, they also offer their clients the opportunity to consign or purchase before and after the auctions. The vast amount of experience and knowledge is unprecedented.

Jim is not just the owner of an auction house, he is also a top car enthusiast, vintage racer, and collector car dealer. He will assist any buyer or seller with questions in any way possible.

We look forward to another great auction October 18 & October 19, 2019 at the Branson Convention Center, located in the heart of downtown Branson…just steps away from shopping, dining and entertainment at the Branson Landing on beautiful Lake Taneycomo.

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS:(PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE! CALL ‘DEB’ AT 800-335-3063)

$15 daily  |  $25  2-day pass

$10 daily  Military w/ID  |  $15  2-day pass

AUCTION TIMES:

Friday October 18  – 11:30am

Tickets on Sale 10:00am

Saturday October 19 –  9:30am

Tickets on Sale   8:00am

11. Balloons Over Branson

Balloons over Branson is a 3 day event with multiple balloons flying over the Branson area each morning with the opportunity for large groups of people to book and fly together.  You must make reservations in advance since space is limited.  Call 417-336-6060 for more information.

12. 6th Annual Veterans Trout Team Tournament

The Vietnam Veterans of America brings you the 6th Annual Trout Team Tournament.

Entry fee is $75.00, two person team. There will be cash prizes given away for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Lunch will be served and many other prizes will be awarded. Visit website or call for more information.

13. Boonanza

On October 26, head over to Branson Hills to experience BOOnanza! Enjoy a fall celebration complete with face painting, fall games, a haunted barn, candy trail, costume contest and so much more at the Branson RecPlex on October 26! Admission is only $1 per person.

14. Branson Landing’s Annual Safe Street Trick or Treat

Calling all ghosts, goblins, pirates and princesses. It’s your turn to Trick-or-Treat up and down Branson Landing’s Trick-or-Treat Street! This is the 13th Annual Safe Street Trick-or-Treat at Branson Landing where merchants participate – it takes place on Thursday, October 31st! Be sure to visit the businesses with the Halloween PUMPKIN Signs in their windows! These signs mark the participating “Trick-or-Treat” businesses located up and down the Branson Landing Promenade.

15. Trick-or-Treat TangerStyle

Calling all ghosts, goblins, ghouls, princesses and superheroes!  Join us for safe Trick-or-Treating on October 31st.  Tanger Shopper Services and participating stores will be handing out candy to our visiting ghosts & goblins 12 and under and TangerStyle Coupons for Mom and Dad from 5-7 pm.  Look for display decals on entrance doors of participating stores.