The leaves are changing colours, the weather is turning crisp, and the harvest is in. Alberta is beautiful in the fall, whether you’re indoors or out.
The Great White North Pumpkin Fair
Enjoy this transitional season with some great places, events, and celebrations that run before the snow settles in. Here is our list of 30+ things to do in Alberta this fall.
The Great White North Pumpkin Fair
Get to Smoky Lake during the week before Thanksgiving weekend. The growers of Alberta and surrounding provinces bring their pumpkins, squash and gourds to participate in the Smoky Lake Great White North Pumpkin Fair and Weigh-off.
Golden Larches
Oktoberfest
Western Canada’s largest Oktoberfest celebration debuting at Fan Park @ ICE District. For the first time ever at this scale, Edmontonians will have the chance to immerse themselves in the rich heritage of Oktoberfest—experiencing the warmth and hospitality of Germany right here in the heart of ICE District.
Pumpkins After Dark
The event offers a walk through all sorts of unique and lit-up pumpkin art. Featuring over 6,000+ hand-carved pumpkins, witness the magic of pumpkins coming to life during this nighttime family-friendly walk-through experience.
September 20 – October 30, 2024, in Calgary
September 27 – October 31, 2024, in Edmonton
Corn Mazes
Nothing says fall quite like a corn maze, and there are plenty of them throughout Alberta. Whether you want to head to the exceptional Kraay Family Farm (“Home of the Lacombe Corn Maze”), the Edmonton Corn Maze in Spruce Grove or the Calgary Farmyard, you’ll love the feeling of being lost in the prairies this fall.
LitFest
LitFest is Canada’s first and only nonfiction festival where writers share true stories. Edmonton’s downtown stages feature authors and their thought-provoking books. Panels, readings, performances, and workshops start conversations.
Alberta Prairie Railway Harvest Pumpkin Fest
Enjoy Fall aboard Alberta’s Prairie Railway! Experience the vibrant beauty of autumn with golden, orange, and red landscapes whizzing by, and choose your perfect pumpkin. The ride also includes live entertainment and food!
Centrosaurus Bonebed Hike
You will follow a stream bed into the Natural Preserve to see beautiful geologic formations and observe wildlife and plants as well as fossils. Join an expert Alberta Park guide on a challenging hike through badlands and valleys to a dinosaur bonebed, unravelling Cretaceous history and preservation secrets at Dinosaur Provincial Park.
Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival
Get to High River for the annual Balloon Festival. Balloons from around Canada and the world will fly in High River. The highlight of this event for the community is the Night Glow, which sees balloons inflate and “glow” for spectators, with opportunities to meet the pilots, get up close to the balloons, and enjoy the visiting food trucks.
Halloweekends
Every weekend at Calaway Park is a Halloweekend! Between 11 am and 5 pm, bring the kids to the park in costume for some trick-or-treating and spooky rides. Put a twist on your Calaway Park visit with these spooky weekend events.
Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival
Every fall, the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival shares tales of enthralling journeys and ground-breaking expeditions told by authors, photographers, adventurers, and filmmakers from around the world. Whether you’re a hardened explorer or an armchair traveller, the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival will captivate and kindle your spirit for adventure and the mountains. Explore far-off lands, spark your imagination, and delve deep into the profound and often life-changing stories. You’re sure to leave feeling moved and inspired.
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park / Áísínai’pi National Historic Site of Canada
While this provincial park is great to visit any time during the year, the soft glow of fall accentuating the shades of brown and gold on the rocks is extra special. This provincial park, located southeast of Lethbridge, is a great way to get out and explore the natural side of Alberta. This park is both a nature preserve and a protected area for its many indigenous rock carvings and paintings — the greatest concentration on the North American Great Plains.
Metal Art Show & Sale
The Metal Art Show & Sale invites you to immerse yourself in a world of metal craftsmanship. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet remarkable artists showcasing and selling their unique creations, including jewellery, custom knives, and sculptures crafted from sterling silver, copper, and Damascus steel. The event promises not just a shopping experience but a visual treat encompassing a range of indoor and outdoor decor and chainmaille pieces, all housed in the Aviation Display Hangar at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, adding a touch of history to the artistic display.
Savour in Vermillion
Look to Vermillion for a stylish wine, scotch, beer and food event on November 15th. Savor is a festival that is as mouthwatering as it sounds and invites expert tasters and people looking for a new experience to enjoy this sensory event. A celebration of the culinary scene in Vermillion, Savor is an adults-only festival that brings a real treat to the end of the season.
Gateway to the Stars
Experience the wonder of Elk Island’s night sky. In the heart of the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve, escape the city and gaze upon the countless stars in our galaxy with a friendly park interpreter.
Calgary’s Wordfest
Though Wordfest has year-round programming, this festival culminates in a week-long reader’s festival that runs in October from the 16th to the 21st. With workshops, readings, and panel discussions, this is an event that lights up Calgary’s literary scene. Writers and readers alike will enjoy the programming, so check out who’s coming to this year’s October Wordfest. Details
Haunted Pumpkin Festival
Visit Prairie Gardens Adventure Farm in Bon Accord and enjoy the best of Fall and Halloween. An autumn outing to the pumpkin patch and this charming month-long Halloween festival is an annual tradition. Enjoy a family-friendly haunted house, hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches (both outdoors and indoors), pumpkin foods, caramel apples and more!
Canadian Finals Rodeo
Fall Into Christmas Handmade Market
The Signatures Fall Into Christmas Handmade Market returns to Medicine Hat from October 18 to 20, 2024. Since its inception in 2005, this coast-to-coast celebration of Canadian craftsmanship offers a platform for artists, artisans, and designers to showcase their work. Visitors can immerse themselves in the creators’ journeys, physically experiencing the handcrafted pieces.
Get Fit in Fall
Explore Gravity Park in Grande Prairie on a mountain bike. Ride to the top of the mountain on the Bauer Triple Chair or challenge yourselves on the trails.
Fall Colours Drive
Take a road trip through Alberta’s most underrated scenic drive this Fall. Crowsnest Highway drive takes you from the dusty prairies of southern Alberta to the beautiful Rocky Mountains; there is much to see and do along the way, so plan to spend anywhere from a half day to several days enjoying every aspect of this journey.
Gaetz Lakes Bird Sanctuary
Lacombe Culture & Harvest Festival
Celebrate the culture of Lacombe with the Lacombe Culture and Harvest Festival on September 21. This annual event brings agricultural heritage to the forefront while celebrating arts and diversity. With over 30 events and activities, this festival — which takes place in various locations in Lacombe — will have you entertained the whole weekend.
Alberta Ballet in Grimm
Alberta Ballet presents a world premiere, choreographed by Stefania Ballone, exploring the darker elements of Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Featuring a new score by Taketo Gohara, this contemporary ballet delves into unsettling themes, offering an adult interpretation of childhood classics. The production arrives on stage, evoking thrills and chills ahead of Halloween.
The Canadian Badlands Pheasant Festival
If you like hunting, you won’t want to miss the Canadian Badlands Pheasant Festival. Four days of privatized hunting takes place in Stettler from October 18 to 20 for registered participants, and interactive learning sessions are available to hone your skills. At the end of the festival, watch the release of 300 hens to improve conservation and keep the population up for next year’s Pheasant Festival.
Banff Craft Beer Festival
The Cave and Basin National Historic Site is beautifully set at the base of the Canadian Rockies, and is now home to the world’s most beautiful beer festival. Throughout the night, sample amazing food from some of Banff’s best pubs and restaurants, try an offering of beers from Alberta’s own breweries and share stories with local brew Masters all while feeling good about supporting the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Banff Craft Beer Festival
Fall in Alberta Small Towns
Get out for a day or weekend this fall and take a road trip to some of Alberta’s small towns to find more fall scenery, great festivals, events, and food/drink. Alberta’s smaller towns are among some of the best fall scenery, so it’s best to make time for some outdoor exploration, photo ops, and natural sightseeing.
Fall Fun:
- Cochrane
- Canmore
- Kananaskis
- Medicine Hat
- Red Deer
- Southwestern Alberta
- East Central Alberta
- Hinton
- Grande Prairie
- Smoky Lake
Banff Pride Festival
Banff National Park will be home to 11 consecutive days of events and activities from October 4 to 14. The event lineup is topped off with Drag Superstars from RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Canada’s Drag Race.
Train of Terror
This Halloween, embark on the Train of Terror…if you dare! This is NOT your average relaxing Aspen Crossing Railway tour. Aboard the Train of Terror, you will have a heart racing experience as you go through haunted railway cars while travelling down the tracks – the ultimate moving train haunt in Canada.
Andrew Garlic Festival
Head to Andrew on the 2nd Saturday of October to take in all the attractions, including the bench show, children’s activities, beer gardens, contest activities, hay rides, food concessions, free garlic clove samples, show and shine, and more!
The Lloydminster Feastival
One of the rare cities in the world that straddles a border (this town is both in Alberta and Saskatchewan), celebrates local food with a Festival! Celebrate local eating in the prairies with this delicious market event. Meat, grains, and produce are all on display here, so bring your appetite
Savour the Southeast
Savour the Southeast is a food festival that celebrates everything local in Medicine Hat! Regional producers work together with local restaurants to create dishes inspired by what is grown and raised in Southeast Alberta! Check out some of the listed restaurants during this week to see their featured dish and enjoy the culinary experiences Southeastern Alberta has to offer!
Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival
Get ready to indulge at the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival this fall, hosted in both Calgary and Edmonton. Presented by Sobeys & Safeway Liquor, the event offers a rich selection of adult beverages and local dishes. Attendees can enjoy a variety of fine wines, premium spirits, and craft beers, alongside exquisite fare from local chefs. Established in 1998, RMWFF stands as Alberta’s premier food and beverage event, annually attracting over 25,000 enthusiasts from across Western Canada.
Celebrate Halloween
Celebrate Halloween by visiting spooky haunts in Edmonton, Calgary or any other city of your choice!
Visit Movie Locations
As the Halloween season is fast approaching, you can get some movie and TV show ideas from the creepy flicks filmed across Alberta. And it doesn’t matter what you find scary; there are a wide array of types of horror movies or shows filmed in Alberta: you’ll experience zombies, serial killers, the supernatural or ghosts, and some satirical takes on the genre.