Grand Rapids Fall Activities

U-picks, Farms & Wineries

Grand Rapids is the Apple Capital of Michigan, one of the nation’s top three apple-producing states. Celebrate the fall harvest with us:

• Pick your own apples (and pumpkins) at family farms on The Fruit Ridge, one of the world’s finest agricultural regions.
• Enjoy fresh-pressed apple cider and fresh-baked donuts at local farms and cider mills.
• Shop local farm markets for just-picked apples and other fall crops.
• Take a guided tour of area wineries to sample wines made with locally grown grapes and other fruits.
• Visit 20+ Fruit Ridge Markets for corn mazes, hayrides, petting zoos & more.

Halloween and Fall Events

Whether you’re intent on a family-friendly Halloween or you’re all about the scary stuff – or both – Grand Rapids is the place to be in October:

• Kids and families will love the Pumpkin Train (Oct Saturdays & Sundays), Zoo Goes Boo (Oct 16-18, Oct 23-25 & Oct 30-Nov 1), Ada’s Pumpkin Prowl (Oct 23) and Hallowee-Ones at Meijer Gardens (Oct 31).
• Thrill-seekers can experience 50,000 sq. ft. of pure terror at The Haunt, venture into a serial killer’s workshop at Abandoned Acres Farm and try to evade hordes of the walking dead in the Zombie Dash 5K (Oct 24).
• Visit our Halloween page for more  – including trunk ‘n treats, ghost tours, corn mazes and other haunted attractions, and costume parties (like Monster Mash Theme Night at SILVA on Oct 17). There will be many more events and activities added to the page as the holiday grows near.

Live Music

From huge superstar concerts to intimate acoustic performances, Grand Rapids offers something for every music fan this fall:

• See an outdoor concert at the new Acrisure Amphitheater before its inaugural season comes to an end – 9 fall shows include Pitbull (Sep 10), Mumford & Sons (Sept 22) and Dan + Shay (Oct 2).
• Join 12,000 or so of your fellow fans at a Van Andel Arena concert: Alabama (Sep 12), The Red Clay Strays (Oct 3), Bring Me the Horizon (Oct 8), Anthony Hamilton (Oct 16), Zach Top (Oct 17), Gavin Adcock (Nov 14) and Pentatonix (Nov 15).
• Enjoy a theatrical spin on some of your favorite music when Circle Theatre presents Déjà Vu: The Music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Sep 8) and Turn It On Again: The Music of Genesis (Sep 14).
• Check the concert schedules of DeVos Performance Hall, GLC Live at 20 Monroe, The Intersection, Midtown, The Pyramid Scheme, St. Cecilia Music Center and The Big Room at Silva for nationally known touring acts coming to town.
• Visit our Music page to find many more concerts – in restaurants and breweries, at festivals and on farms, and all around town. You can also search our Events page for Music and Free Music – just click the category boxes at the left hand of the Calendar.

Performing Arts

Fall in Grand Rapids brings all manner of performing arts to local stages:

• Broadway Grand Rapids hosts touring musicals straight from New York: Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen (Sep 15-20), The Notebook (Oct 13-18) and Maybe Happy Ending (Nov 10-15).
• Sister Act at Circle Theatre is the feel-good musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film. Sep 3-19.
• Broken Wings: A Frida Kahlo Story is a Grand Rapids Ballet production inspired by the life and art of the legendary Mexican painter. Oct 16-8 & 23-25.
• Opera Grand Rapids’ Three Decembers is a chamber opera based on Terrence McNally’s unpublished play Some Christmas Letters. Nov 6-7.
• Grand Rapids Civic Theatre presents Annie, the classic crowd-pleasing musical about the little orphan who finds a new home and family. Nov 20-Dec 19.
• The Grand Rapids Symphony kicks off its 97^th season with Simon Trpceski Plays Prokiev (Sep 25-26) – and follows up with seven more shows through November.
• Actors’ Theatre, the off-Broadway of Grand Rapids, stages two thought-provoking plays: Do You Feel Anger (Sep 10-19) and The Singularity Play (Oct 8-17).

Sports

Whether you like to watch or participate – or both – Grand Rapids has your athletic bases covered this fall:

• Cheer on the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team, a Detroit Red Wings affiliate, as they kick off a new season – Oct 9 is the home opener at Van Andel Arena, with 10 more home games to follow through November.
• Attend the final two games of the 2026 Grand Raggidy Roller Derby season, Sep 26 and Nov 7.
• Swim, bike and run in the Annual Rhoades McKee Reeds Lake Triathlon, which also offers a duathlon, aqua bike, sprint championship and more. Sep 12.
• Race across the Grand River and around downtown GR in the LMCU Bridge Run – it offers both a 10-mile run and 5K run/walk. Sep 20.
• Take advantage of two opportunities to qualify for the Boston Marathon via the Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon (Sep 13) and Grand Rapids Marathon (Oct 18).
• The Dirty Duel Trail Race at Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery offers two 5K routes: Long & Difficult or Short & Brutal – pick your poison! Nov 14.
• Join in the fun of the 33^rd annual Grand Rapids Turkey Trot 5K, always held on Thanksgiving morning (Nov 26 this year).

Family Fun

Grand Rapids is filled with opportunities for kids and families to play their way:

• Meet 2,000+ animals, ride a zipline, tackle a sky trails rope course & more at John Ball Zoo, open through Nov 22.
• Explore the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden at Meijer Gardens, a hands-on outdoor adventure for curious kids and their families.
• Learn through play at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, a hands-on learning space for kids ages 2-10.
• See Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, Bigfoot and more fan-favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks in fiery action at Van Andel Arena, Sep 19-20.
• Experience the Greatest Show on Earth in person when Van Andel Arena brings Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus to town, Oct 29-Nov 1.

Fall Foliage Color Tours

Fall is a fantastic time to feast your eyes on Grand Rapids’ natural beauty:

• Take a self-guided fall color tour or scenic drive that showcases the region’s lush forest canopy, abundant apple orchards and charming countryside.
• Visit local parks for a late-season picnic beneath an umbrella of red, yellow and orange leaves.
• Wander the trails at Blandford Nature Center, Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Millennium Park  to see fall’s effect on all manner of native plants. 
• See fall colors reflected in the deep blue waters of Lake Michigan amidst forested sand dunes at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park and Saugatuck Dunes State Park.

Food, Drink & Restaurant Week

Discover why Grand Rapids is a Top 20 U.S. Foodie City and the Craft Beverage Capital of America:

• Savor the flavors of fall at local restaurants and craft beverage destinations.
• Get the Flights of Flavor digital pass to find the city’s best food & drink pairings – and earn prizes for trying them.
• Treat your palate to fall’s fuller-bodied beers – including pumpkin-infused brews –  at 35+ local breweries. 
• Get the Beer City Brewsader® app to earn a FREE t-shirt for visiting 8 local breweries. 
• Enjoy new takes on the ultimate comfort food dish during Michigan St. Poutine Week (Sep 16-27).
• Taste the city with special meals and surprises during Restaurant Week GR (Nov 6-14).
• Attend the International Wine, Beer & Food Festival (Nov 20-21) to sample 1,200 wines, beers, ciders & spirits from around the world, as well as the great food from local restaurants.

Search All Events Happening This Fall