Des Moines Fall Festivals 2022
The leaves will begin changing colors and temperatures will be dropping, which means it is my favorite season of all, Fall! This time of year is a time for fall family fun whether that be taking a drive to take in the fall foliage, heading to the pumpkin patches and picking the perfect pumpkin, taking a bite out of a fresh apple, or horse rides, or any other fun activities. I have creates a guide to Des Moines Fall Festivals the whole family will enjoy on an autumn day in the Des Moines area.
Looking for Halloween events? Keep your eyes on the Des Moines Halloween Events Guide which will include corn mazes, haunted houses, and more that will be updated later this season for 2022.
Keep an eye on our FREE events calendar for all these events and more this season. Would you like to add your fall family festival or another event to the calendar? Please fill out this form!
Windsor Heights Fall Festival | 2022 Sponsor
September 23 & 24
Colby Park in Windsor Heights
The City of Windsor Heights is excited to host the all-new Windsor Heights Fall Festival on September 23-24, 2022. Our Fall Festival aims to provide fun and free activities for residents and families across the metro.
Here’s a taste of what you can expect:
Friday, September 23rd: Live music, including the Hoover Jazz Band, food trucks, bounce houses, and community group booths – ALL FREE!
Saturday, September 24th: Morning events: Firefighter Association Pancake Breakfast*(8-11:30 am), WHAMM 5k* (Windsor Heights Annual Mini Marathon at 9 am), and Yoga (10 am).
The Windsor Heights Parade is sponsored by the Windsor Heights Chamber of Commerce and will kick off the afternoon activities starting at 1 pm. Bounce Houses and Petting Zoo from 3-7 pm, and bus tours of the University Avenue Redesign from 3-6 pm. The 2022 Windsor Heights Fall Festival headliner concert by Jimmy the Weasel is sponsored by the Windsor Heights Foundation, and will start with Business and Citizen of the year recognition at 5:30 before the music starts at 6 pm! Enjoy a little R&B, soul, and vintage rock ‘n’ roll, with food trucks, wine and beer, and community booths followed by the best fireworks show in the metro!
Nearly all events are FREE, pancake breakfast tickets are $5, or $20 for the entire family, and WHAMM registration is $15.
September
Apple Festival at Penoach Winery
September 17
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Enjoy the Fall Festival at Penoach Winery. Horse and wagon rides, face painting and balloon animals, and vendors featuring a variety of crafts, free live music, food, and produce. Take a look at their website for more details as they are announced.
World Food & Music Festival
September 16-18
The 2022 World Food & Music Festival will return to Western Gateway Park for its 18th year on Sept. 16 – 18, 2022. This annual event will host nearly 50 vendors from 27 countries across the globe and provide vibrant live entertainment and interactive culinary opportunities for visitors.
Beaverdale Fall Festival
September 16 & 17
Enjoy a fall festival with the Beaverdale community! More details will be released soon. Please keep an eye on the website for this family-friendly event.
Apple & Pumpkin Fest at Will’s Family Orchard
Saturday, September 17 (9 – 6 p.m.) & Sunday, September 18 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
Saturday, September 24 (9 – 6 p.m.) & Sunday, September 25 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
On-farm Store, u-pick apples (currently unavailable), u-pick pumpkins, gourds, beautiful mums, apple cider, cider donuts, orchard-fresh food, & “Fun Farm” activities for all ages. Fun Farm activities have a low cost which include hay wagon rides, corn maze, corn pool, slides, water pump duck races, grain wagon hoops (new this year), and toss games. They also have a few barnyard animals to check out!
Windsor Heights Fall Festival
September 23 & 24
Looking for free fun for the entire family? You don’t want to miss out on Windsor Heights Fall Festival, on September 23rd & 24th! Live Music, Petting zoo, Bounce houses, Pancake Breakfast, WHAMM 5k Race, Parade, Fireworks, and more.
Vintage and Made Fair
September 24
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dallas County Fairgrounds
Support multiple local vendors at this handmade, vintage market. Similar to a flea market, but so much better! Shop vintage home décor, handmade goods, jewelry, outdoor accents, seasonal items, food trucks, live music, and everything you need to create a vintage and handmade lifestyle. Never too early to begin holiday shopping!
Illumifest
September 24; 4 to 9 p.m.
WDM City Campus
Illumifest kicks off at 4:00 pm, enjoy fare for purchase from on-site food vendors as well as a wide array of FREE festival activities, including:
- Hot air balloon rides
- Airbrush tattoos
- Balloon artist
- Inflatables
- Circus performances
- WDM Community Band performance
- Bingo
- Paper lantern painting
At 7:00 pm Faculty Lounge will take the Jamie Hurd Amphitheater stage for a free concert. Be sure to stick around until the end to enjoy a fireworks display to close out the evening.
October
Applefest
October 1
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Living History Farms
Join Living History Farms for a day of family fun celebrating the apple harvest season!
Visit their historic sites to see how past cooks would prepare and serve apple treats, such as apple butter, cake or pie, and cider. Print an apple recipe in the print shop, and purchase apple goodies and tasty treats from local food vendors. Plus you can see a Medicine Show at 1 and 2 p.m., and Historic Baseball at 3 p.m.
Apple & Pumpkin Fest at Will’s Family Orchard
Saturday, October 1 (9 – 6 p.m.) & Sunday, October 2 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
Saturday, October 8 (9 – 6 p.m.) & Sunday, October 9 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
Saturday, October 15 (9 – 6 p.m.) & Sunday, October 16 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
Saturday, October 22 (9 – 6 p.m.) & Sunday, October 23 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
On-farm Store, u-pick apples (currently unavailable), u-pick pumpkins, gourds, beautiful mums, apple cider, cider donuts, orchard-fresh food, & “Fun Farm” activities for all ages. Fun Farm activities have a low cost which include hay wagon rides, corn maze, corn pool, slides, water pump duck races, grain wagon hoops (new this year), and toss games. They also have a few barnyard animals to check out!
Middlebrook Farm Fall Fest
October 1
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Save the date for our annual Fall Fest at Middlebrook Farm! They will have live music, food trucks, a farmers’ market, face painting, pumpkin decorating, and more!
Music: Joshua Sinclair; Food Truck: Sabores de Mexico; Face painting by Ariel Paints
Fall Fest
October 1
3 to 7 p.m.
Polk City
Come join the family fun at The Square for the 2nd Annual Fall Fest!
Prior to this event will be the Friends of Polk City Park’s Biketober bike ride event, and afterward will be a Movie in the Park. Fenders will also be hosting their Oktoberfest event during this time.
Fall Festival Candy Crawl
October 8
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Grimes South Sports Complex
Mark your calendars for October 8th! The City of Grimes and Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa will celebrate the season with the Fall Festival. Enjoy plenty of candy, food trucks, a kid zone, demonstrations, great vendors, and activities for all ages on Saturday, October 8th from 10 am – 2 pm at the South Sports Complex. This family-friendly event will offer a sensory-friendly time from 10 – 10:30 am. Costumes are encouraged!
Raccoon River Rally
October 8
Noon to 6 p.m.
Raccoon River Park
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and the City of West Des Moines are ready to host another year of the Raccoon River Rally. Free admission for the community. Details will be released soon!
Fall Festival Candy Crawl
October 8
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Grimes South Sports Complex
Mark your calendars for October 8th! The City of Grimes and Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa will celebrate the season with the Fall Festival. Enjoy plenty of candy, food trucks, a kid zone, demonstrations, great vendors, and activities for all ages on Saturday, October 8th from 10 am – 2 pm at the South Sports Complex. This family-friendly event will offer a sensory-friendly time from 10 – 10:30 am. Costumes are encouraged!
Covered Bridge Festival in Madison County
October 8 & 9
Help celebrate the bridges at the Covered Bridge Festival. Crafts, foods, parade, activities, entertainment, antiques, and guided tours of the famous covered bridges. This festival is for everyone.
Deal’s Orchard Fall Festival
October 8 & 9
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Celebrate Deal’s Orchard 40th anniversary! Live entertainment, apple pie, and dumplings, corn pit, animals, jumping pillow, horse-drawn hayrides, pumpkin patch, paint pumpkins, spin art, giant slides, and so much more. Pony rides $4.
