Feel that cool breeze in the air this morning? It’s not just because of the several consecutive days of rain we’ve just had. It is the winds of a changing season.

In all seriousness though, today is the first day of fall, with the Autumnal Equinox marking the start of the fall season in the Northern Hemisphere + the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Starting today, the days will become shorter as dusk falls earlier, until the December Solstice when the days begin to stretch out again.

Louisville comes alive with the changing seasons — trees from Cherokee Park to Tom Sawyer display their kaleidoscopic hues, the thrift store sweaters that were too hot to wear in the summer become first-pick when deciding what to wear, and we celebrate the harvest season with tons of local events.

In the spirit of the spooky season, we’re giving you a roundup of fall-themed activities to enjoy in and around the city.

🍂 Festival

Harvest Homecoming | Fri., Oct. 1-Sun., Oct. 10 | Various times | Downtown New Albany | Free | Come together with the Southern Indiana community to celebrate the changing of the seasons with food, live music + vendors.
Belknap Fall Festival | Fri., Oct. 8-Sat., Oct. 9 | Douglass Loop | Free | Check out this fun, free, and family-friendly neighborhood fall festival featuring live music, local artists, food trucks, and local brews.
St. James Court Art Show | Fri., Oct. 1-Sun., Oct. 3 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Historic Old Louisville | Free | Peruse a plethora of local artists’ booths while you soak up the crisp fall air in Old Louisville.

🍂 Drink

Pumpkin Lattes from Heine Brothers’ | Heine Brothers has 3 different pumpkin spice varietals you can try with varying levels of spice and sweetness.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Oatmeal Porter | This pumpkin beer from Chimera Brewing Co. goes by the name “Jinxx,” with a portion of every pour going toward New Roots, which provides organic produce to families of all income levels.
Apple Harvest Latte | In addition to its own pumpkin spice latte, Sunergos Coffee is also serving up an Apple Harvest Latte + apple cider.
Fall Drinks at Brew & Sip Coffee Bar | Brew & Sip Coffee Bar offers a pumpkin latte of course, but also does lattes a la sweet potato pie, praline, salted caramel + a salted caramel apple cider.
Apple Spiced Honey | Bean Roastery and Cafe does a fall latte with vegan spiced pumpkin sauce, but for those looking to switch it up with another seasonal classic, try this apple drink as a latte, chai latte, coffee, or tea.

🍂 Outdoors

Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run Louisville 5K | Sat., Oct. 9 | 9 a.m. | 1330 Mulberry Pike, Shelbyville, KY | $44 | Fill your lungs with crisp air as you run or walk 3.1 miles through Mulberry Orchard + get a free, small pumpkin included with your registration.
Jack O’Lantern Spectacular | Sat., Sept. 30-Sun. Oct. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | Iroquois Amphitheater | $12+ | Feast your eyes upon 5,000 hand-carved jack o’ lanterns + scores of pumpkin masterpieces created by local artists.

🍂 Pick

Pumpkin Picking Time | Ongoing | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Joe Huber’s Family Farm & Restaurant | $.60/pound | Ride out to the pumpkin patch and get your fix on pickable pumpkins + head back to the family restaurant for a bite at Huber’s fall buffet.
Pumpkin Picking & Apple Tour | Ongoing | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Mulberry Orchard, 1330 Mulberry Pike, Shelbyville, KY | Free | Catch a lift on Mulberry Orchard’s hayride out to the pumpkin patch + pick apples from the more than 7,000 fruit trees on the farm.
Apple Picking | Ongoing | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Hidden Hollow Orchard, 3200 Apple Hill Rd. | Prices vary | See the horses and pick some apples for $.35 a pop, $5 for a medium-sized bag + $7 for bags larger than 10 lbs.
U-Pick Pumpkin Patch | Sat., Sept. 25-Sun., Sept. 26 | 12-6 p.m. | Sunny Acres Farm, 6516 Echo Trl. | Free | Pick pumpkins, see animals, shop the farm’s store + let your kids run around on the playground.
Shady Lane Farm | Weekends Sept.-Oct. | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Shady Lane Farm, 340 C E Smith Ln., Shepherdsville, KY | Free | Pick pumpkins from Shady Lane’s patch, catch a hayride, venture through a corn maze + explore all that this Bullitt County farm has to offer. Please note the farm only accepts cash.

🍂 Eat

Pumpkin Loaf | Please & Thank You’s pumpkin loaf is back for the season + ready to go in your belly.
Pumpkin Chai Latte Croissant | Wiltshire Pantry has done it again with its delicious treats, this time with a mouthful of autumn flavors.
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream | The Comfy Cow took its super popular Pumpkin Spice ’N Everything Nice ice cream and added a decadent swirl of chocolate cheesecake batter to create this new classic. If you’re already thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, try their Granny’s sweet potato casserole flavor.

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