7 Weird Fall Festivals and Events to Add a Twist to Your Fall 2018

Autumn is right around the corner, which means get prepared for pumpkin spice everything and fall festivals galore!

Most towns are gearing up for traditional events celebrating Halloween and Oktoberfests. But if you want a break from pumpkin carving and apple-picking, we’ve got you covered.

Check out seven fall festivals that will let you take a walk on the weird side.

Hudson Valley Garlic Festival

If blood-sucking vampires, zombies, and ghouls aren’t your cup of tea, try the Hudson Valley Festival instead. On September 29th and 30th, Cantine Field in Saugerties, NY hosts a weekend of garlic goodness.

A local favorite for more than 25 years, the Garlic Festival features puppet shows, fall music, Morris dancers, craft vendors. and more. Tickets are $10 for each day of the event.

Voodoo Experience 2018

There are a lot of fall music festivals, but can anything get weirder than a voodoo music fest in New Orleans?

This year’s lineup features major (and not-so-weird) acts like Mumford & Sons and Childish Gambino. But, if you’ve visited NOLA during any kind of celebration, you know first-hand how weird things can get.

Along with music, the Voodoo Experience features art, cuisine, and all the mystery you can handle. The three-day event happens October 26-28.

Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Parade

The story goes that Emma Crawford moved to Manitou Springs (outside of Colorado Springs) in 1889. Her goal was to cure her tuberculosis. Two years later, Emma died.

Per her wishes, her fiance and a few townspeople buried Emma on top of Red Mountain. Years of harsh winters and rainy springs unearthed her coffin and Emma’s remains and casket slid 7,200 feet down the mountain in 1929.

For the past 24 years, locals hold the Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Parade in her honor. This year’s event takes place on October 27th from noon-4pm.

Mothman Festival

Since 2002, thousands of Mothman believers flock to Main Street in Point Pleasant, WV for the Mothman Festival. This year’s event happens on September 15 and 16th. Enjoy vendors, attractions, and cosplay all centered about the cryptid legend.

Trailing of the Sheep Festival

If you’ll be in Idaho from October 10-14th, check out the Trailing of the Sheep Festival about three hours east of Boise. More than 1,500 sheep will participate in this year’s parade. There’s also the Championship Sheepdog Trials, lamb barbecue, and wool-spinning.

Daytona Beach Biketoberfest(R)

If motorcycle events don’t sound like the weirdest kind of festival, you’ve never cruised the Daytona Beach Biketoberfest(R). Think bike event, fall music festival, and Oktoberfest all rolled into one.

This year’s Biketoberfest(R) takes place October 18-21, 2018 in the heart of Daytona Beach. It’s loud, it’s crazy, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Daytona Beach is one of the five closest beaches to Orlando, so why not make the hour drive northwest? When you think of Disney, you imagine your family fighting the heat and crowds in the spring and summer. But a Disney World fall is quite an experience!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs now until Halloween and requires separate ticketing. It’s full of family-friendly weirdness like the Hocus Pocus Spelltacular and The Happiest Haunting on Earth Party.

The Weirdest Fall Festivals, Food, and More

The U.S. has tons of weird fall festivals to please every palate, so don’t feel stuck with the traditional. Speaking of palates, check out our entire section on weird foods.

Weirdomatic always brings you the weirdest in photos, news, and entertainment.

Weirdomatic is the place where all weird things come to life through the amazing world of photographs – a corner of our wild imagination or the whimsical face of the reality?