CLEVELAND (Sept. 16, 2019) – The official start to the fall season is right around the corner, and Northeast Ohio is brimming with autumn adventures and activities for residents and their visiting family and friends. From outdoor activities amidst the fall foliage to Halloween happenings and other only-in-CLE events, Destination Cleveland recommends locals take this time to explore Northeast Ohio and continue being tourists in their hometown.
FALL FUN
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
Lake Metroparks Farmpark is embracing the autumn season with themed weekends focused on hands-on harvest fun. During the Apple Butter & Cider Weekend, families can take part in the apple cider-making process and sample a variety of apples. During the Corn & Pumpkin Festival, guests can help husk, shell and grind corn, make handmade corn husk dolls and paint pumpkins.
- 8800 Euclid Chardon Road, Kirtland
- Apple Butter & Cider Weekend, Saturday, Sept. 21 - Sunday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Corn & Pumpkin Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5 - Sunday, Oct. 6; Saturday, Oct. 12 - Sunday, Oct. 13,
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Locals can climb aboard the
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to experience fall’s changing colors in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Special autumn train rides include the Fall Flyer, Family Fun Loop: Pumpkin Party and the Super Royal Halloween Train. And Clevelanders who are 21 and over can book their tickets for the Oktoberfest and Spooky Brews “Ales on Rails” beer tastings.
- Akron Northside Station, 27 Ridge St., Akron
- Rockside Station, 7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence
- For more information on Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad schedule, visit www.cvsr.com
Patterson Fruit Farm
Just 30 minutes outside of Downtown Cleveland,
Patterson Fruit Farm gives residents the chance to participate in a favorite fall pastime – apple picking. Guests can venture into the orchard and choose from a variety of apples that are prime for picking. Throughout September and October, Clevelanders can also join in outdoor Fun Fest activities like pumpkin painting, nature hikes and corn mazes.
- 8765 Mulberry Road, Chesterland
- Fun Fest, Now – October 27
HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS
Cedar Point
Whether it’s chills and thrills or family-friendly fun, Cedar Point’s
HalloWeekends offers two un-BOO-lieveable options for guests. At The Great Pumpkin Fest, families can trick-or-treat with the PEANUTS gang, watch The Great Pumpkin Parade and check out The Magical House on Boo Hill. For those who don’t shy away from scares, Haunt at HalloWeekends features haunted mazes, outdoor scares zones and de-fright-ful live shows.
- 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky
- Fridays - Sundays, Now - October 27
Greater Cleveland Aquarium
Avast, ye landlubbers! The Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s “
Captain NEO’s Hauntaquarium” is back for another year of not-so-spooky fun. This pirate-themed, family-friendly event includes an indoor trick-or-treat treasure trail, animal encounters and a DJ dance party. Guests can even watch the SCUBA dive team show off their Halloween costumes underwater! New this year, the Greater Cleveland Aquarium will offer a sensory-friendly evening for families.
- 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland
- Hauntaquarium: Friday - Saturday: Oct. 18 - 19; Oct. 25 - 26, 6 - 9 p.m.
- Sensory-friendly night: Sunday, Oct. 27, 6 - 9 p.m.
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is bound to put a spell on guests at the
Family Halloween Spooktacular concert. Residents can celebrate Halloween with an afternoon of musical magic that will include songs like Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” and Saint-Saens’ “Danse Macabre.” Guests are invited to wear their best Halloween costumes and participate in the costume contest.
- 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
- Family Halloween Spooktacular, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
For a not-so-scary Halloween experience, families can make their way to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for “
Boo at the Zoo.” Kids can show off their best dance moves at the Monster Mash Dance Party, navigate the hay maze, collect candy along Trick or Treat Way and get up close with some of their favorite animals. Adults 21 and over can check out the new “
Brew at the Zoo” event. Residents can eat, drink and be scary at this after-hours Halloween-themed affair with Cleveland’s best craft beers, live music and animal encounters.
- 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland
- Boo at the Zoo, Friday - Sunday: Oct. 11 - 13; Oct. 18 - 20; Oct. 25 - 27, 5 - 9 p.m.
- Brew at the Zoo, Thursday, Oct. 10, 6 - 10 p.m.
I-X Center
Tricks and treats galore await kids of all ages at the
I-X Center’s Trick or Treat Street. In addition to 12 themed candy stations for trick or treating, the spooktacular celebration will showcase live entertainment including a ventriloquist show, a magic act and animal encounters with Jungle Terry. Other activities include ziplining, face painting and amusement park rides like the I-X Giant Ferris Wheel, bumper cars and State Fair Slide.
- 1 I-X Center Dr., Cleveland
- Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 - 20 and Oct. 26 - 27, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Cleveland Botanical Garden
Ghost, goblins and gardens, oh my! For a fa-BOO-lous family night out, locals can buy their tickets for the “
Bootanical Bash” at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume for trick-or-treating, games and a dance party. The Hershey Children’s Garden will be decked out with dazzling lights during this after-hours event.
- 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland
- Bootanical Bash, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18 - 19, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; reservations required
Bewitching Visits
It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus, right? Witches, wizards and their muggle friends can have a wicked awesome time checking out haunts like
Buckland Museum of Witchcraft & Magick,
Coven and
Cleveland Curiosities. From Salem Witch trials artifacts to tarot card reading to other oddities, Clevelanders can spend the day perusing these off-the-beaten path collections.
- Buckland Museum of Witchcraft & Magick, 2155 Broadview Road, Cleveland
- Coven, 1384 Bonneview Ave., Lakewood
- Cleveland Curiosities, 13375 Madison Ave., Lakewood
SPECIAL EVENTS
IngenuityFest
Focused on creating intersections of art, science and technology,
IngenuityFest is a must-attend event in CLE. This year’s theme, Dreamscapes, “brings to life an entire fantasy, vividly imagined by our creative community for a city reawakened and renewed.” Locals can marvel at the work of the year-round incubator space, IngenuityLabs, stroll through Vendor Village or participate in the interactive Makers Mecca. Other activities include the kid-friendly Ingenuity Dreamland & Imaginarium or the late-night Ingenuity Cabaret for adults.
- Hamilton Collaborative, 5401 Hamilton Ave., Cleveland
- Friday, Sept. 27, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m.; Saturday, Sept. 28, 1 p.m. - 1 a.m.; Sunday, Sept. 29, 1 - 6 p.m.
International Cleveland Community Day
Clevelanders can honor their heritage and celebrate their identities at the annual
International Cleveland Community Day at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The free festival features music and dance performances, art activities, in-gallery experiences and dialogues around the museum’s global art collection. The day will also include a Naturalization Ceremony to welcome new U.S. citizens as well as a lineup of short films from the New York International Children’s Film Festival.
- Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland
- Sunday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Cleveland Beer Week
Three cheers for beer! During
Cleveland Beer Week, residents can raise a glass to Northeast Ohio’s beer scene with special events throughout the region, including “Night at the Brewseum” at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, “Off-Shore Pour” aboard the Nautica Queen and a “Beer, Chocolate and Cheese Extravaganza” at Heinen’s Downtown. And locals should be sure to pack the
Cleveland Brewery Passport for their explorations to get stamps at participating breweries.
- Various locations, Oct. 19-26
For more fall or Halloween-inspired activities or to learn more about Destination Cleveland or new attractions and activities, please visit
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DON’T FORGET: Destination Cleveland’s Concierge Team is also available to help residents and their visiting family and friends explore the region. Contact our team through email at
[email protected], live chat at
thisiscleveland.com or stop in the Cleveland Visitors Center (334 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 44114) Mon. – Sat., 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. to plan your adventure.
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ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland’s destination marketing and management organization. This private, non-profit organization’s mission is to drive economic impact and stimulate community vitality for Greater Cleveland through leisure and business travel. Cleveland welcomes 19.2 million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.