Branson Fall Festivals & Special Events 2026: September & October

September & October Events at a Glance

🏍️ For Motorcycle Fans: National H.O.G. Rally & Full Throttle Branson Bike Week

🎃 Biggest Fall Festival: Silver Dollar City Harvest Festival

🍂 Great for Families: Shepherd of the Hills PumpkinFest

🎨 For Something Local: StateoftheOzarks Fest in Hollister

🛍️ Downtown Fall Weekend: Downtown Branson Fall Festival

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Something Different: Harvest Moon Festival & Highland Games in Forsyth

🧶 For Craft Fair Lovers: Ozark Craft Fair

🌲 Saturdays in October: Cedar Fest at Big Cedar Lodge

⭐ My Take: September has some HUGE one-time events this year, but if you’re coming specifically for fall, October is when almost everything is going on at once.

Before you buy tickets for anything on this list, check my Branson Discounts & Deals page. I have discounts for several Branson shows and attractions, and you don’t have to sit through a timeshare presentation to use them!

SEE ALL MY BRANSON DISCOUNTS & DEALS

September 2026 Events in Branson

National H.O.G. Rally & Full Throttle Branson Bike Week

September 10–12, 2026

If you see a LOT more motorcycles than usual around Branson this weekend, this is why. 😂 Downtown Branson will be right in the middle of the action with live music, vendors, food and rides through the Ozarks.

I’ve already put together a complete guide with my favorite rides, places to eat and spots to hang out while you’re here.

READ MY BRANSON BIKE WEEK 2026 GUIDE

Silver Dollar City Harvest Festival

September 11–October 31, 2026

This is the BIG fall event in Branson. Silver Dollar City brings in visiting craftsmen and seasonal food during the day, and after dark the park changes with Pumpkin Nights and more than 20,000 pumpkins.

If I could only visit Silver Dollar City once a year, I’d choose Harvest Festival over Christmas. I said what I said, and I stand by it!

READ MY COMPLETE SILVER DOLLAR CITY HARVEST FESTIVAL GUIDE

StateoftheOzarks Fest

September 12, 2026 | 9 AM–5 PM

This one happens right down the road on Downing Street in Hollister. You’ll find local artists, craftsmen, food and plenty of things that feel very Ozarks. If you like finding the smaller local events instead of only doing the big Branson attractions, put this one on your list.

It’s only happening for one day, so you’ve only got one shot at it!

STATEOFTHEOZARKS FEST INFORMATION

Shepherd of the Hills PumpkinFest

September 12–October 31, 2026

PumpkinFest at Shepherd of the Hills is one of the bigger family fall events in Branson. Pumpkins Aglow is back after being added last year, and new for 2026 is Sleepy Hollow: The Headless Horseman Rides Again. There are plenty of daytime fall activities too, so you can easily spend several hours here.

I also have a 15% discount for eligible Shepherd of the Hills shows and activities available through my link.

GET 15% OFF SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS

READ MY COMPLETE PUMPKINFEST GUIDE

Guns N’ Roses at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena

September 12, 2026

September 12 is going to be BUSY around here! Guns N’ Roses brings its 2026 World Tour to Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale.

If you’re coming for the concert, fantastic. If you’re NOT, I’d still want to know it was happening before I made dinner plans or tried to head south of town that evening.

CHECK OUT THE VENUE

Downtown Branson Fall Festival

September 25–26, 2026

I probably spend more time in downtown Branson than the average visitor does, and fall is one of my favorite times to wander around down there.

During the Downtown Fall Festival, you’ll find sidewalk sales, store specials, fall photo spots, strolling musicians, face painting and cider. Grab lunch, do a little shopping and make an afternoon of it!

READ MY DOWNTOWN BRANSON FALL FESTIVAL GUIDE

McKenna Family Farm

Typically late September through early November

If you want a real pumpkin patch, this is the one I’d put on your list. McKenna is a simple family farm a few minutes outside Branson with pumpkins, beautiful mums, produce, old trucks and tractors for pictures and sometimes baked goods.

It isn’t fancy. It isn’t flashy. That’s exactly what makes it so precious!

They generally open toward the end of September and run through the beginning of November.

READ MY MCKENNA FAMILY FARM GUIDE

October 2026 Events Near Branson

Silver Dollar City Harvest Festival, Shepherd of the Hills PumpkinFest and McKenna Family Farm are all still going in October. But October also brings a few events of its own.

Ozark Craft Fair

October 2–4, 2026

If you were looking forward to the Shepherd of the Hills Craft Fair, they are not having it this year. But if you don’t mind driving about 40 minutes north of Branson to Ozark, this is the alternative I’d look at.

The Ozark Craft Fair has been around for more than 50 years and brings more than 350 vendors to Finley River Park. It’s free to attend, and this is one of the rare events I’m including that’s a little farther outside Branson because it makes sense for anyone who loves a good fall craft fair.

OZARK CRAFT FAIR INFORMATION

Harvest Moon Festival & Highland Games

October 3rd, 2026 | Forsyth, Missouri

This one is over in Forsyth, about 20–25 minutes from Branson, and it’s definitely something different! You’ll find the Highland Games along with food, vendors and other activities at Shoals Bend Park.

And if you’ve never watched people throwing giant logs around in kilts, there’s your October Saturday. 😂

HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES INFORMATION

Sycamore Creek Fall Roundup

Weekends October 3–November 1, 2026

Sycamore Creek’s Fall Roundup is one of my hidden fall gems around Branson. You’ll find the corn maze, hayrides, pumpkins, barnyard animals, jump pad, giant slide, fire pits, hot cocoa and apple cider slushies.

It has a much more relaxed feel than some of the bigger attractions around town, and that’s exactly what I like about it.

READ MY COMPLETE SYCAMORE CREEK FALL ROUNDUP GUIDE

Cedar Fest at Big Cedar Lodge

Saturdays in October

I already love Big Cedar in the fall, so Cedar Fest just gives me another excuse to go out there! Cedar Fest happens on Saturdays in October, and you don’t have to be staying at Big Cedar to go.

There are different activities happening around the property, so I put everything you need to know in a separate guide.

READ MY COMPLETE CEDAR FEST GUIDE

Halloween Events Around Branson

Throughout October

Branson isn’t really a Halloween destination, and truth be told, Halloween isn’t really my thing either. 😂 But there ARE haunted attractions, ghost tours, family-friendly Halloween activities and special events happening around town throughout October.

Rather than dump all of those into this article too, I’ve already put them together for you.

SEE MY COMPLETE HALLOWEEN IN BRANSON GUIDE

Save Money on Your Branson Fall Trip

Before you start buying tickets, check my Branson discounts!

I have discounts for shows, attractions, places to stay and other things to do around Branson, and you don’t have to sit through a timeshare presentation to use them.

I work directly with many of these Branson businesses, so this is always one of the first places I’d check before booking anything.

SEE ALL MY BRANSON DISCOUNTS & DEALS

Planning Your September or October Branson Trip?

Before you pick your weekend, there are a few things I’d look at first.

Want to save money? Start with my Branson Discounts & Deals page before you buy attraction or show tickets. I have discounts for several places around town, and I’m always adding new ones.

Trying to avoid the busiest weekends? My Fall Crowd Calendar breaks down when I expect Branson to be packed and when things should calm down.

Coming for the fall colors? My Fall Color Guide goes through when we typically start seeing the leaves change, when I expect the strongest color and some of my favorite places to see it.

Wondering what to pack? September and October can feel VERY different around here, so my Fall Weather Guide will help you figure out what you’re likely to need.

Need somewhere to stay? I also have a guide to some of my favorite places to stay in Branson this fall.

Want everything in one place? Start with my Fall in Branson, Missouri 2026: Everything You Need to Know guide. That’s the main hub for all of my fall information.

SEE ALL MY BRANSON DISCOUNTS & DEALS

[FALL IN BRANSON: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW]

BRANSON FALL CROWD CALENDAR

[BEST FALL COLORS IN BRANSON]

[BRANSON FALL WEATHER GUIDE]

[WHERE TO STAY IN BRANSON THIS FALL]

Frequently Asked Questions About Branson Fall Events

Are there free fall festivals near Branson?

Yes! You don’t have to buy another attraction ticket every single day of your trip. StateoftheOzarks Fest is a one-day street festival in Hollister, and the Ozark Craft Fair is free to attend.

This is one reason I like mixing some of these smaller local events in with the bigger Branson attractions.

Will special events make Branson more crowded?

They absolutely can. A motorcycle rally, major concert or festival can affect traffic, restaurants and hotel availability even if you aren’t attending it.

If avoiding crowds matters to you, take a look at my Branson Fall Crowd Calendar before choosing your dates.

SEE MY BRANSON FALL CROWD CALENDAR

When should I visit if I want fall festivals AND fall colors?

October is your best bet if you want both.

Most of our big fall festivals are going strong by then, and we usually start seeing more color as we move through the month. The timing of the leaves changes a little every year depending on the weather, so I have a complete guide that walks you through what I typically expect throughout October and when I’d choose to visit.

READ MY BRANSON FALL COLOR GUIDE

What is the weather like for outdoor events in September and October?

September can still feel a whole lot like summer around here. October usually starts feeling more like fall, but temperatures can swing quite a bit between morning and afternoon. Layers are your friend!

I have a separate guide with average temperatures and what you can expect throughout the season.

READ MY COMPLETE BRANSON FALL WEATHER GUIDE

Where should I stay if I’m coming for one of these events?

That depends on which event you’re coming for. Someone spending most of the trip at Silver Dollar City may want to stay on a completely different side of town than someone attending an event at Thunder Ridge or spending most of their time downtown.

SEE WHERE TO STAY IN BRANSON THIS FALL

What if I’m coming at the very end of October?

Then you might want to start looking at Christmas too! Branson changes seasons FAST, and by early November Christmas shows, lights and seasonal events are already starting.

START PLANNING CHRISTMAS IN BRANSON