Are you looking for ways to make the most of fall in Omaha? Maybe you want to spend a Saturday afternoon surrounded by live music and vendors, or you’re hunting for that perfect pumpkin patch experience with the family. However you want to celebrate the season, the Omaha metro has more fall festivals than most people realize, and we’ve rounded up the best ones happening right now.
How We Found the Best Fall Festivals Near Omaha
To build this list, we looked at fall festivals happening in and around the Omaha metro throughout the September–November season. We evaluated each one on variety of activities, accessibility and pricing, geographic spread across the metro and nearby communities, and overall community reputation. We also prioritized festivals that offer something distinct, whether that’s a one-of-a-kind experience, a long-standing local tradition, or a great entry point for families and newcomers.
We’ve organized this guide into two sections: festivals happening within Omaha city limits (or close enough to feel like home), and festivals worth the short drive outside the metro.
Think we missed a fall festival near Omaha? Let us know.
Fall Festivals In and Around Omaha
Vala’s Apple & Cider Festival
If you only make it to one fall festival in Omaha this year, Vala’s Apple & Cider Festival is a strong contender for that slot. Running September 4–30 at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch in Gretna, this festival is built around freshly pressed apple cider in every form imaginable: sweet cider, hard cider, and a guided sunset cider tasting tour for adults who want to go deep on the experience. Beyond the cider, the grounds come alive with live festival entertainment, apple picking, and photo opportunities throughout the property.
- Perfect For: Families looking for a full-day fall outing; adults who want a guided cider tasting experience
- Address: 12102 S 180th St, Gretna, NE 68028
- Cost: General admission required for farm entry; sunset cider tasting tickets sold separately
- Parking: Free lot on-site
- Hours: Sun–Thu: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
Vala’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival
Once the Apple & Cider Festival wraps up, Vala’s shifts into full pumpkin mode for the month of October, one of the most anticipated fall traditions in the metro. The pumpkin patch itself is a classic, but the festival schedule is what sets this apart from a standard pick-your-own experience. Witch Night Out takes over Oct. 2–4, trick-or-treating runs Oct. 30–31, and the season wraps with Pumpkin Destruction Day on Nov. 1. Throughout the run, expect live pumpkin-themed entertainment, hayrack rides out to the patch, and seasonal food specials.
- Perfect For: Families with young kids; Halloween enthusiasts who want a full fall experience
- Address: 12102 S 180th St, Gretna, NE 68028
- Cost: General admission required for farm entry ($27-$46)
- Parking: Free lot on-site
- Hours: Oct. 1–31 | Sun–Thu: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
Junkstock
Junkstock is one of Omaha’s most beloved fall events, and if you haven’t been, it’s worth clearing your calendar for a weekend. Held over two back-to-back weekends, Junkstock is a sprawling outdoor market and festival that blends vintage and antique vendors with live music, food trucks, and a Gas & Gears car show that draws automotive enthusiasts from across the region.
- Perfect For: Vintage and antique shoppers; a fun weekend outing with friends
- Address: Sycamore Farms, 1150 River Road Dr, Waterloo, NE 68069
- Cost: Free (children 12 & under) | $18–$35 for admission
- Parking: Free lot on the farm
- Hours: Oct. 2–4 & Oct. 9–11 | Fri: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. (early bird 9–11 a.m., separate ticket) | Sat: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. | Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Oktoberfest at Crescent Moon & Huber Haus
Crescent Moon’s Oktoberfest is the real deal for anyone craving an authentic celebration, this is the 25th annual year for one of Omaha’s longest-running fall traditions. The beer garden pours genuine German Oktoberfest biers (Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Weihenstephaner, Spaten, and more), while the food lineup includes Frank Stoysich brats, house-made schnitzel, roasted chicken, and Bavarian-style pretzels. Live polka and accordion music runs both days, alongside contests like a pretzel toss, a yodeling contest, and a dog costume contest for well-behaved, leashed pups. If you want an even more traditional cultural celebration, the German American Society also hosts its own “German Day” Oktoberfest on September 18th, worth checking out too.
- Perfect For: Beer and food enthusiasts; anyone looking for a festive, communal fall outing
- Address: 3578 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68131
- Cost: $5/day, cash only (under 21 free with a parent, no entry under 21 after 9 p.m.); ticket packages also available
- Parking: Ride shares recommended, or park in the ParkWiz lot (the former Mutual of Omaha lot) for $5 for 24 hours, per Crescent Moon’s own recommendation last year
- Hours: Fri, Sept. 25: 4 p.m.–Midnight | Sat, Sept. 26: Noon–Midnight
Porchfest Omaha
Porchfest is one of Omaha’s most genuinely unique fall events, a free, community-run festival where live performances take over neighborhood porches across the city. Music is the centerpiece, but Porchfest also features poetry, art, comedy, food trucks, games, and pop-up markets. The 2026 event marks the festival’s 10th anniversary, with more than 90 performances across 13 stages throughout the Gifford Park neighborhood.
- Perfect For: Music lovers and art fans; anyone who wants a free, walkable fall outing
- Address: Gifford Park Neighborhood, 33rd & California St, Omaha, NE
- Cost: Free
- Parking: Street parking throughout the neighborhood
- Hours: Oct. 4, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Heartland Plein Air Arts Festival
The Heartland Plein Air Arts Festival is one of the more under-the-radar fall events in the metro, and it’s a special experience for anyone who appreciates art in an unexpected setting. Running Sept. 13–19 across Douglas and Sarpy Counties, the festival brings together over 20 nationally recognized artists who paint outdoors in real time at more than 20 scenic locations, a centuries-old tradition called “plein air” painting. The week wraps with a free public exhibition and sale.
- Perfect For: Art lovers and families with artistically curious kids; anyone looking for something different
- Address: Multiple locations across Douglas & Sarpy Counties; public exhibition at Venues at the Granary, 7401 Main St, Ralston, NE
- Cost: Free to watch artists paint throughout the week; free public exhibition and sale on Sept. 19
- Parking: Varies by location
- Hours: Sept. 13–19 | Public exhibition & sale: Sept. 19, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Fall Kite Festival in La Vista
The Fall Kite Festival at La Vista’s soccer complex is a fun, low-key afternoon for families, and at no cost to attend, it’s one of the easiest fall outings you can plan. The festival is exactly what it sounds like: kites everywhere, in every shape and size. The real crowd-pleaser is the candy drops, where kites release candy throughout the day for kids to collect.
- Perfect For: Families with young children; a casual, low-cost fall outing
- Address: La Vista Soccer Complex, 7346 S. 66th St., La Vista, NE
- Cost: Free
- Parking: Free lot on-site
- Hours: Oct. 11, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Fall Festivals Worth the Drive from Omaha
AppleJack Festival at Arbor Day Farm
Nebraska City is about 45 minutes south of Omaha, and the AppleJack Festival at Arbor Day Farm is the kind of event that makes the drive feel easy. Running over two weekends, Sept. 18–20 and Sept. 26–27, the festival is centered around the apple harvest at Arbor Day Farm, one of Nebraska’s most scenic and storied properties. You can pick apples, pick your own flowers, snack on fresh cider donuts, and let the kids explore Tree Adventure and Treetop Village.
- Perfect For: Families looking for a full-day road trip destination; apple and cider enthusiasts
- Address: Arbor Day Farm, 2611 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE
- Cost: Pricing typically varies by activity: orchard admission, Tree Adventure, and Arbor Lodge Mansion tours are ticketed separately
- Parking: Free lot on-site
- Hours: Sept. 18–20 & Sept. 26–27 | Hours varies based on location
Nelson Produce Farm Fall Festival
Nelson Produce Farm’s signature Fall Fest runs the length of the season, September 11 through November 1, and it’s built for families who want a full day on a working farm. Wander through more than 40 varieties of pumpkins across golden fields, tackle the corn maze, and fuel up on fresh apple cider donuts, homemade pies, and caramel apples. Beyond the pumpkin patch, the farm packs in a hay pyramid, jumping pillow, barrel train, fruit cannons, a mud kitchen, and an animal area where kids can feed the farm’s resident animals. On select Friday nights (Sept. 11, 18, Oct. 2, 9, 16, and 30), the farm hosts Flannel Fridays, with live music, line dancing lessons, firepits with s’mores, and a seasonal mocktail bar, a fun date-night or friend-group alternative to the standard daytime farm visit. Note: pets aren’t allowed on the property due to health certification requirements.
- Perfect For: Families who want a classic farm festival experience; date nights or friend group outings during Flannel Fridays
- Address: 10505 N 234th St, Valley, NE 68064
- Cost: General admission Tues-Thu: $15 | Fri-Sun: $20
- Parking: Free lot on-site
- Hours: Sept. 11–Nov. 1 | Closed Mondays | Tue–Thu & Sun: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 9 a.m.–9 p.m.
Scarecrow Fest at Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard
Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard in Nebraska City hosts its Scarecrow Festival on Sept. 26–Oct. 31, and it’s one of the more creative fall festivals within driving distance of Omaha. The main draw is a build-your-own scarecrow workshop and contest, a fun, hands-on event for families and groups, alongside a no-carve pumpkin decorating contest. Scarecrow-filled fields stick around for hayrack rides on Saturdays throughout October.
- Perfect For: Families with creative kids; wine lovers who want a fall outing with some personality
- Address: Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard, 5995 G Road, Nebraska City, NE
- Cost: Scarecrow kits $25; workshop participation free
- Parking: Free lot on-site
- Hours: Sept. 26– Oct. 31 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Crete Great Pumpkin Festival
Crete’s Great Pumpkin Festival is a small-town fall event with a lot of charm packed into a single weekend. About an hour southwest of Omaha, the festival features a Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest, a Scarecrow Competition, a Car Show & Shine, hayrack rides, carnival games, craft vendors, and more. The festival is generally held the first weekend of October each year.
- Perfect For: Anyone who loves a classic small-town festival atmosphere; families looking for an easy day trip
- Address: Downtown Crete, NE
- Cost: Free
- Parking: Street parking and handicap parking off of Norman Ave between 11th & 12th streets, south of Kuncl Funeral Home.
- Hours: Sun. Oct. 4 noon–5 p.m.
Harvest Moon Fall Festival (Chadron)
The Harvest Moon Fall Festival in Chadron, NE is a longer haul from Omaha, plan for about five hours if you’re coming from the metro, but it’s worth flagging for anyone with roots in the Panhandle or planning a Nebraska road trip this fall. Set for Oct. 3, the festival features a petting zoo, axe throwing, goat roping competitions, archery, live performances, face painting, and more than 100 vendors.
- Perfect For: Western Nebraska travelers or anyone road-tripping through the Panhandle this fall
- Address: Dawes County Fairgrounds, 2009 Gordon St, Chadron, NE
- Cost: Free
- Parking: On-site
- Hours: Oct. 3
Fall in Omaha doesn’t last forever, so take full advantage of the season while it’s here. Whether you’re staying close to home or making a day trip of it, these festivals are the best way to soak up everything the metro, and Nebraska, does best this time of year.
Looking for more ways to make the most of fall in Omaha? Check out these guides on Hurrdat ONE:
- Best Pumpkin Patches Near Omaha
- Best Apple Orchards Near Omaha
- Things to Do in Omaha This Fall
- Best Things to Do in Dundee
For more fall events and activities in Omaha, check out Hurrdat ONE.
