9 events for your weekend calendar

Close up of big pumpinks on sale in a farm market in autumn. (Albert Pego/Shutterstock)

By Katy Savage

October 2, 2025

A version of this story appeared in the Granite Post’s newsletter. Subscribe here.

Fall in New Hampshire means pumpkins on porches, apples in baskets, and festivals popping up in nearly every town. Whether you’re looking to wander through a pumpkin-filled village, sip a local brew, or hear from nationally known authors, there’s no shortage of ways to soak up the season. Here are nine events happening across the Granite State this week.

🎃 Return of the Pumpkin People
Jackson — Oct. 1–31
An annual townwide display of pumpkin people and fall-themed activities.
More info

🎨 MacDowell Downtown Series: Brent Watanabe
Peterborough — Friday, Oct. 3
Artist and creative coder Brent Watanabe presents projects combining traditional art forms with emerging technologies.
More info

📚 NH Book Festival
Concord — Oct. 3–4
Festival featuring more than 50 nationally recognized authors and poets, keynote events, free author panels, book signings, food trucks, children’s activities, and vendors.
More info

🍎 Applefest
Nashua — Oct. 4–5
Outdoor family event at Sullivan Farm with games, apple picking, scarecrow-making, face painting, hay rides, crafts, and food.
More info

🍂 Fall Crafts Fair and Festival
Laconia — Saturday, Oct. 4
Ladies of the Lake Annual Fall Crafts Fair with over 75 juried artisan crafters, annual wreath festival, food truck, raffles, and bake sale.
More info

🍺 Annual Exeter Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival
Exeter — Saturday, Oct. 4
Spend the afternoon sampling bold chili recipes, browsing handcrafted goods, and discovering the creativity of local makers and cooks.
More info

🧶 Mount Washington Valley October Craft Fair
North Conway — Saturday, Oct. 4
Arts and crafts fair with 100 exhibitors in front of the Scenic Railroad at Schouler Park. Crafts, food, demos, and music both days.
More info

🎃 Pumpkin Festival at Charmingfare Farm
Candia — Oct. 4, 5, 11, 12, & 13
Family festival featuring pumpkin picking, wagon rides, barrel train rides, scarecrow stuffing, corn play area, hay bale maze, farm animals, pony rides, costumed characters, live music, and demonstrations.
More info

🥨 19th Annual Oktoberfest Dinner with Live Oompah Music
Troy — Sunday, Oct. 5
This event includes hors d’oeuvres, German dinner with a vegetarian option, and live Oompah music. BYOB. Reservations required.
More info

Author

Katy Savage

Katy Savage is the Granite Post's newsletter editor. Katy is an award-winning reporter with more than 10 years of experience working in daily, weekly, and digital news organizations as both an editor and reporter. Katy is a New England native and has a passion for telling stories about where she grew up.

Have a story tip? Reach Katy at [email protected]. For local reporting in New Hampshire that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Katy's newsletter.

View all posts

CATEGORIES: THINGS TO DO

Support Our Cause

Thank you for taking the time to read our work. Before you go, we hope you'll consider supporting our values-driven journalism, which has always strived to make clear what's really at stake for New Hampshirites and our future.

Since day one, our goal here at Granite Post has always been to empower people across the state with fact-based news and information. We believe that when people are armed with knowledge about what's happening in their local, state, and federal governments—including who is working on their behalf and who is actively trying to block efforts aimed at improving the daily lives of Granite State families—they will be inspired to become civically engaged.