Happy September! The ninth month of the year brings with it cooler temperatures, changing leaves, pumpkin-spiced everything… and a whole lot of festivals! From cultural celebrations and fall festivals to art fairs and street food fests, the month is packed with family-friendly events that are perfect for getting out and enjoying the glorious autumn weather.
Check out our guide to September Festivals around Cincinnati:
Fall on the Farm at Blooms and Berries (pictured)
Sept. 22-Oct. 31
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop experience, Blooms and Berries in Loveland delivers. This beautiful farm is spacious and offers a wide variety of activities for all ages. You pay one price to participate in most of the fun, such as a hayride to the pumpkin patch, corn maze, cow train ride, play area and story time. It’s very organized and the perfect spot for overall fall family fun.
Ohio Renaissance Festival
Sept. 1-Oct. 28 (Weekends and Labor Day)
There are 30 acres in Harveysburg, Ohio like nothing from this century. Visit and step back in time to 16th Century England. Jousts, jugglers, jesters and minstrels are part of the more than 100 performances daily on 12 stages. This is a family-friendly event filled with nostalgia, tradition… and giant turkey legs!
Deerfield Township Touch a Truck
Sept. 8 from 10 am-2 pm at the Deerfield Towne Center
Deerfield Township’s annual Touch-A-Truck event will be better than ever this year! Climb in a variety of vehicles, enjoy a huge inflatable slide and receive fun giveaways at this free community festival. Bear Paddle, Skiddadles and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital will be there with fun giveaways and activities — and the Fastrax Skydivers will drop in around 12:30 pm!
Old West Fest
Sept. 8-Oct. 14 (Weekends)
This is perhaps the most unique fall festival around; the Old West Fest transports visitors back in time to a historic American era: the Wild West. Kids will enjoy train rides, panning for gold and games such as the Santa Fe Slingshot, Beginner Bow and Arrow and Lucky Levi’s Lasso. Cowboy hats and boots definitely encouraged!
Cincinnati Parents: Use the code PARENT and get $2 off when you purchase Old West Fest tickets online!
Country Pumpkins Fall Festival
Starts Sept. 8
If you’re looking for an authentic farm experience, along with all of the festive activities, then Country Pumpkins in Dry Ridge, Kentucky is the spot for you. Located on a working dairy farm, you turn onto a gravel road to reach it and the hayride to the pumpkin patch takes you right past the barn where the cows are milked. You’ll still find an amazing corn maze, a barrel ride, corn boxes, and other fall festival favorites, but the farm maintains its authentic charm, making it one of the area’s favorites.
Mason Heritage Festival
Sept. 15 from 10 am to 4 pm at Mason Municipal Campus
Mark your calendars for the annual Heritage Festival and Parade taking place on Saturday, September 15 at the Mason Municipal Center Campus! The event will feature kids’ activities, carnival games, crafts, vendors, music entertainment and more! The event will begin at 10 am with the annual parade followed by activities and entertainment until 4 pm. The event is free and open to the public and is sure to include fun for all ages!
Shaw Farms Fall Festival
Sept. 15 through Halloween
Shaw Farms’ Fall Festival is full of fun and exciting activities that will delight the whole family! Whether you’re wanting to jump and jive to our bluegrass band or take a scenic ride around the farm in a nostalgic horse-drawn hayride, the fall festival is a great place to celebrate the season!
Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire
Sept. 15 and 16 at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds
Cincinnati Museum Center’s (CMC) family-friendly showcase of imagination, design and ingenuity will once again take over the Hamilton County Fairgrounds on September 15th and 16th. Part of MAKE Magazine ‘s larger Maker movement, the Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire is part science fair and part county fair, bringing together tech inventors, engineers, hobbyists, educators, artists and more. Together, these makers display their creations and share their passion for conceiving the unthinkable and doing the impossible. Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire will also feature instructional workshops, local food trucks and vendors so kids can take a piece of the experience begin their own maker journeys. Admission is free for CMC members and just $7 in advance for non-members.
Wool Gathering Festival at Young’s Dairy
Sept. 15 and 16
Join us for an awesome festival of fibers at the 23rd Wool Gathering at Young’s Dairy. Observe sheep, llamas, alpacas, cashmere goats, Angora rabbits and other wool-bearing animals at the show. There will be shearing demonstrations, wool spinning, weaving and much more to see and learn. There are over 100 vendors from several surrounding states. Admission to this event is free – bring the whole family! Hours will be 10am to 6pm Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
Sept. 21-23 in Downtown Cincinnati
Cincinnati (or Zinzinnati) is a proud German city, most evidenced by our annual Oktoberfest. Not only is ours the largest Oktoberfest in the country, it’s also the best (that’s a fact!). There’s the Running of the Wieners race, World’s Largest Chicken Dance, live entertainment and tons of family friendly fun. Of course, the main event at Oktoberfest is the food – and if you want schnitzel, sauerkraut, sausages, bratwurst and authentic German ales, well, you’ve come to the right place!
Fall Festival at Niederman Family Farm
Sept. 21-Oct. 28
Niederman Family Farm is a fall tradition for many Cincinnati families and for good reason. One price gets you access to a wide variety of activities from a large corn maze to hayrides, a barrel train, enormous jumping pillow and much more. The sweet treats are also a highlight here, especially the famous cinnamon sugar donuts!
CFTA Street Food Festival
Sept. 22 at Summit Park
Head to Summit Park for a day of food and fun!
The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Island
Sept. 29-Oct. 28 (weekends only)
The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Island is all treats and no tricks when it comes to family-friendly fun including live entertainment, mazes, trick-or-treating and so much more! Guests of all ages will enjoy the Halloween-themed festivities, sure to make memories that will last a lifetime.
County Applefest
Sept. 29 in Downtown Lebanon
Lebanon Country Applefest is a quintessential fall festival. On September 29th, head to Historic Lebanon for Applefest, a celebration of autumn’s official fruit, complete with vendors, artisans, live music, and, of course, lots of delicious food.
Burger Farm Fall Pumpkin Festival
Sept. 29-Oct. 28
Call it the ‘best bang for your buck’ — the Fall Pumpkin Festival at Burger Farm features one price for admission that gets you access to over 30 different attractions and numerous picture opportunities designed for the whole family.
Neltner’s Farm Fall Festival
Sept. 29-Oct. 28
From the moment you drive up to the parking lot at Neltner’s, you know it’s going to be something special. This stunning farm is located in a scenic valley in Northern Kentucky and each area of the farm is lovelier than the next. You’ll love the covered bridge, the valley views from the hillside pumpkin patch and the sight of brightly colored leaves, falling around you as you enjoy their homemade chili. No wonder this farm is also a popular spot for weddings!
Liberty Township Fall Festival
Sept. 29 at Liberty Park
Enjoy fall family fun at its finest in Liberty Township, Ohio! This annual fall festival has tons of activities for all ages to enjoy. Make a free craft, play on inflatables and listen to live entertainment by The Sunburners. Don’t forget to stop by the local vendors and food trucks for more fun! FREE.
Pyramid Hill Art Fair
Sept. 29 and 30
Pyramid Hill is home to a beautiful 300+ acre sculpture park and outdoor museum that showcases momentous sculptures created by local and national artists. Each year in late September, Pyramid Hill invites over 70 artists from around the country to showcase their creations during the popular Art Fair showcase event. The Art Fair draws skilled artisans selling hundreds of unique handmade creations ranging from metal work to mixed medium paintings. Admission is just $5/car.