If you are looking to get outside and have some fun this autumn, check out the great leaf-viewing opportunities, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and fall events in Festival Country Indiana, located just south of Indianapolis.
Festival Country is home to awesome corn mazes. The first is at Kelsay Farms in Whiteland. This farm offers a complete fall experience a straw bale mountain that the kids love to climb, a corn maze, kiddie train rides, a baby animal barnyard, hayrides, pumpkins and a barn full of corn grain to roll around in. The farm is open Sept. 27 through Oct. 27.
Next, The Apple Works in Trafalgar is the spot to find fresh-off-the-tree apples, as well as apple dumplings, caramel apples and more. This orchard is also home to live music, train and wagon rides, food vendors, a U-pick pumpkin patch and more each weekend in September and October. Add in kids attractions like pony rides, a farm playground and a petting zoo, and it all adds up to a good time.
There’s no better way to enjoy the season than a fall drive through Festival Country, which is between Indy and Brown County. Check out this fall drive put together by locals who know Festival Country. The leaves usually start changing color in late September, are at peak color from mid-October to mid-November.
While you’re driving around Festival Country to view the fall leaves and find the perfect pumpkins, be sure to check out the hundreds of scarecrows that decorate Franklin and Edinburgh as part of Scarecrow Madness. The entire area turns plain scarecrows into works of art, creating everything from a Dolly Parton scarecrow to an E.T. scarecrow to amazing recreations of the Beatles.
If you want to get out of the car and enjoy the colors in a more active way, enjoy a nature walk at Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area, Johnson County Park, and Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow. Kayaking at Blue’s Canoe Livery in Edinburgh is another favorite, which, in the fall, usually stays open on weekends through September, but call or check their Facebook page.
This is also the perfect time to head out to Mallow Run Winery and enjoy some wine and cider tasting on a crisp autumn day. Festival Country is also home to a thriving craft brew scene. The wineries and brewpubs can be found here.
Finally, Festival Country Indiana earned its name by being the place for festivals and events, so check out the many great fall events. Enjoy a fall weekend getaway by staying at a B&B or hotel in Festival Country.