As the heat of summer releases its grip, it’s time to relax into fall fun. How will you celebrate the most popular season? In Waco, we have a packed calendar full of annual events that make the most of the sunshine. Use this list to plan your best fall yet, from family-friendly festivals to beer-fueled Oktoberfests.
Don’t worry if you’ve missed an event this fall—these events come back year after year.
Magnolia Silobration
Each October, the Magnolia Silos celebrate their birthday with Silobration. The main event is free and open to all, with a vendor fair that welcomes over 50 great artisans and creators selling goods like art and paper products, jewelry and accessories, apparel and home decor, and more. Browse the food truck park to find a hearty snack and something to drink.
You can also visit the year-round shops on the property, including Ferny’s Retro Plant Shop, Chapter One for paper goods, No. 16 for crafts and outdoor goods, Tried & True for bags and jewelry, Vie Bien Aimee for bath and body products, and Reverie for women’s clothing.
Throughout the day, there will be live music from the Silos Stage, welcoming great artists from Texas and beyond. And past events have had even more to do, like a roller rink, Ferris wheel, and carnival games. Check their website to find out what’s in store for the next Silobration.
In addition to all this free fun, there are ticketed events as well. These change from year to year, but past Silobrations have offered an evening with Chip and Joanna Gaines, a guided tour of the Silo’s grounds, and a rooftop pass to Magnolia Market with great views of the Silos and a lounge for relaxing.
LuluBelle’s Fall Market Days
Each fall, immersive event design company LuluBelle’s hosts a delightful fall market in the Silo district, packed with local Waco vendors. You can shop a wide array of artisan booths for bath and body goods, modern and vintage clothing, home decor, jewelry, kid’s toys, and more. Browse for yourself, or get a jump start on holiday shopping!
Different years often come with different themes. The 2023 event teamed up with The Backyard Bar, Stage & Grill for an Oktoberfest celebration featuring German beer and food.
The event dates usually coincide with the Magnolia Silobration, so you can visit both events on the same day!
Western Belle Farm Pumpkin Festival
The Western Belle Farm Pumpkin Festival is an annual celebration of fall family fun. Located in nearby West, Texas (famous for their Czech kolaches), this event celebrates the changing of the season with an old-fashioned day on the farm.
Go for a wagon or barrel train ride, and feed the farm animals at the petting zoo. Ride the mini zip lines, bounce on the giant jumping pillow, and enjoy live music. Kids love the giant corn bin—it’s like a sandbox filled with corn kernels instead of sand. There are over 20 activities here, including a pumpkin patch where you can purchase pumpkins. You can also launch pumpkins and apples out of cannons!
The farm is decked out with plenty of festive photo ops, so it’s a perfect place to take fall photos with the family. When you get hungry, enjoy street tacos, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and fall-themed beers from the Cantina.
Some years include a corn maze, but the past few summers (including 2023) have been too hot and dry for growing. Regardless, there will still be plenty of fun.
The Western Belle Farm Pumpkin Festival usually runs from the end of September through early November each year. Check their website for exact dates.
Homestead Craft Village Fall Festivals
Homestead Craft Village is a local community dedicated to a slower way of life. Low-tech farming and handmade crafts are the focus here, from pottery made on a kick wheel to grains ground on a water-powered gristmill.
While the village is open year-round, it also hosts two major events each fall that you don’t want to miss.
Sorghum Festival
Each Labor Day, Homestead Craft Village celebrates their Sorghum Festival. This event highlights sorghum syrup, a sweetener that was common throughout rural Texas in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
At the festival, watch the village artisans make the sweet stuff from start to finish. Using raw sorghum grown on their land, they press the cane in a 100-year-old, horse-powered mill. Then they cook the sap over a wood fire into a golden-brown syrup. You can taste samples on freshly baked cornbread, made onsite from stone-ground cornmeal.
Each year also includes demonstrations of handicrafts from the community’s skilled artisans, from fine woodworking to basket weaving and more.
Annual Homestead Fair
Give thanks at the Annual Homestead Fair, a celebration of all things agricultural and handmade. This special event welcomes over 20,000 attendees each year on the weekend after Thanksgiving Day. The 2023 festival will include even more fun, with three full weekends of education, crafts, food, and music.
Aspiring homesteaders can attend demonstrations and seminars to learn about raising poultry, caring for and milking goats, and farming with draft horses. Visit the beekeeping exhibit for tips on caring for your own hives, or watch a demonstration on butter and cheese making.
There are hands-on activities too, like dipping beeswax candles or hand-painting your own bowl or pot. Shop handmade goods created by the skilled artisans, and enjoy delicious multicultural food from the food court like Mexican tamales, Indian curries, and brick oven pizza.
Exact events vary from year to year, so check their website for details!
Central Christian Church Pumpkin Patch
Browse thousands of pumpkins at the annual Central Christian Church Pumpkin Patch, a Waco tradition since 2006. The patch is open daily through the month of October. You can also check their event calendar for special events throughout the month. Past years have included S’mores Night and Picnic & Movie Night for fall-themed fun just outside of downtown Waco.
Cameron Park Brew at the Zoo
Spend a lovely fall evening with cold beer from around Waco and wild animals from around the world! Cameron Park’s Brew at the Zoo invites you to wander among the cages after dark, beer-in-hand. Some of Waco’s favorite local brewers like Bare Arms Brewing, Brotherwell Brewing, Waco Ale Company, and Southern Roots Brewing Co. will be onsite to share samples. This annual event also features food trucks and live entertainment.
Halloween Weekends at Camp Fimfo
Outdoor adventure park and campground Camp Fimfo becomes Halloween central during the month of October. Book a weekend stay in one of their temperature-controlled cabins, rustic campsites, or RV sites. Or just visit for the day to take advantage of fun Halloween activities like spooky movie nights, Halloween crafts, costume contests, trick or treating, live music, and a haunted trail beset by ghouls and ghosts. Kids love the “Magic Pumpkin” experience where they plant a pumpkin seed and see what grows…
Overnight and day guests can do it all with the Chills & Thrills Halloween Pass, which gets access to popular activities and must-have souvenirs. Check their calendar before you book, as some events are limited to specific days. And since Texas Octobers are pretty warm, you can also visit the onsite pools and water playground for swimming and splashing!
Oktoberfests Across Town
Many parts of Central Texas have strong Czech and German roots, so Oktoberfest celebrations are a seasonal mainstay. While specific events may vary from year to year, there are some local spots that always say “prost” to this German celebration.
At Dancing Bear Pub, Oktoberfest becomes Oktobearfest. Your admission ticket gets you a half-liter stein, plus beer tickets so you can fill it up with Oktoberfest beers from Texas breweries. You also get a beer brat, potato salad, tangy kraut and a big chewy pretzel.
At Southern Roots Brewing, the party goes on for three days with great beer, live music, and traditional German food. Enjoy a German brat topped with sauerkraut, or a Bavarian-style pretzel with beer cheese. But at this brewery, it’s all about the beer. Try their Fest Bier, a slightly sweet and perfectly malty Oktoberfest beer. Or visit on Kölsch Service Night for unlimited 10-ounce refills of kölsch.
