Mahoning County’s Ultimate Guide to Fall
Okay, we’ll say it: IT’S FALL Y’ALL! Sweater season has officially arrived & we’re here to make sure you don’t stay on the couch for another movie marathon. Instead, visit Youngstown & Mahoning County for the many fall-tastic happenings. Keep scrolling for our ultimate guide to fall – festivals, pumpkin pickin’ & spiced lattes included.
Raid the stores for lederhosen and practice your guten tag – Oktoberfest is next week and you won’t want to miss it. The new Rhine Haus Bier Hall (opening soon) is celebrating big September 28-30 with their first-ever Youngstown Oktoberfest. Expect authentic German cuisine, live music, pretzel tosses, beer belly contests and a lot more on Phelps Street in downtown YO, right next to Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts. If you get lost, just follow the polka music & pierogi scents.
Mahoning County fall fests = your one-stop shop for all things fall. Pick any weekend from now until October 28 and celebrate the season at White House Fruit Farm. Their Fall Celebration Weekends include a petting zoo, pony rides, food vendors, caramel apples, cider, donuts – the list goes on. It’s family-friendly and extremely popular among locals and visitors. The fall fare continues with Molnar Farms’ Fall Fest on Saturday, September 29 from 9am-5pm. Find home décor from 20+ featured vendors. The Boardman Rotary is hosting its 42nd Annual Oktoberfestival on Sunday, September 30. Check it out at Boardman Township Park from 9am-5pm (pro tip: wear comfortable shoes). And if you’re one of those “it’s not fall until October” kind of people, then wait until the Fall Festival happening at Lamppost Farm on Saturday, October 6. It’s open to all ages, with hayrides, games, demos & fall food for purchase.
We can’t promise you’ll find the Great Pumpkin, but we can at least tell you where to find lots of pumpkins n’ patches in Mahoning County. During the first three weekends of October, visit Mill Creek MetroParks Farm for their Pick a Pumpkin events. It includes a tractor ride ($1) out to their patch, a pumpkin ($3) and decorating session. White House Fruit Farm’s pumpkin pavilion is also now open to visitors. But, for those that are ready to get elbow-deep in pumpkin goop, head to Fellows Riverside Gardens for Pumpkin Carving October 11-13. All carved pumpkins will then be showcased in their Pumpkin Walk at Twilight on Sunday, October 14 (date night anyone?).
Disclaimer: the following events might lead to nightmares. Haunted house lovers and fans of fear, the Canfield Scaregrounds is where you need to be. Open every weekend from September 28 – October 31, the Canfield FairScaregrounds is home to six terrifying attractions (think: barn of evil, haunted circus, zombie massacre). For ticket prices and discounts visit canfieldscaregrounds.com. In other spooky news, you can take a tour of the historic Oak Hill Cemetery on Saturday, October 27. Enjoy The Twilight Zone performed on stage at the Hopewell Theatre, or see The Addams Family performed by YSU Theater October 19-28.
This season, local shops are pulling out all of the stops when it comes to fall-themed goodies. Here’s where you need to go:
- Branch Street Coffee Roasters: check their Instagram for all the deets on their new fall flavor releases
- High Octane Coffee Co.: try their pumpkin iced latte & specialty ice cream
- Handel’s Ice Cream: seasonal flavors include caramel apple, pumpkin pecan & pumpkin ripple (lots of locations)
- White House Fruit Farm: pumpkin donuts (the best), pumpkin roll, apple cider, pies & anything else you could possibly want
- The Orange Avocado: a quaint juicery now serving pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin pie smoothies
Make the most out of this season and get your fall on while in the Youngstown area! Out of date night ideas? See a performance at Hopewell Theatre. Ready to carve pumpkins? Pick the perfect one from the MetroParks Farm’s patch. Craving sweets? We bet those White House pumpkin donuts are calling your name. To stay up-to-date on upcoming fall events in Youngstown & Mahoning County, visit our Facebook page or take a look at the Mahoning County Convention & Visitors Bureau website!