Fall Festivals a Train Ride Away

Shorter days, crisper evenings and pumpkin spice lattes mean one thing. It’s fall festival time!  So snag your seat, score a deal, and check out these five must-attend October events.

Richmond Folk Festival
Coming into it’s 12th year, the Richmond Folk Festival will feature 30+ performing groups including fan favorites from past festivals. The FREE festival, which is held from October 7-9 on Richmond’s riverfront, is a celebration of American culture through music, dance, crafts, storytelling and food. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend this year’s event, which likely means traffic and tight parking situations. We say leave the car at home, let us handle the driving on this one. Book 14 days in advance and save 25%.
Route: Northeast Regional

Wide Open Bluegrass Festival
Do you dance to the beat of bluegrass music? Then you’re going to want to follow the rhythm of the rails to Wide Open Bluegrass, an urban music festival held in downtown Raleigh. The festival’s three main stages will host dozens of bluegrass performers from morning to night from September 27 – October 1. In addition, there will be a free street festival that will feature more bands, vendors and food from the North Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship! Feeling lucky?
Routes: Carolinian/Piedmont and Silver Service/Palmetto

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
For 45 years, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world have flocked to the Balloon Fiesta to watch hot air balloons paint the beautiful skies of the Land of Enchantment.  The Fiesta, which is held the first week in October, is designed for kids of all ages with opportunities to meet balloon pilots, take in live music on the fiesta’s main stage or experience the thrill of your very own balloon ride.
Route: Southwest Chief

Leavenworth Oktoberfest
Leavenworth, Washington is a traditional Bavarian village nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Cascades Mountains. Ranked as one of the United States’s best Oktoberfests, attending Leavenworth Ocktoberfest might just be the next best thing to experiencing the event in Munich. What started as a weekend festival has evolved into a festival celebrated over several weekends throughout October, complete with a traditional keg tapping ceremony and live entertainment from bands hailing from across the country and Germany.
Route: Empire Builder

Avofest
The 30th annual California Avocado Festival is three days full of peace, love and guacamole! Home to the world’s largest vat of guacamole, this FREE festival isn’t just chips and dip, it is one of California’s largest free music festivals featuring more than 75 acts on four stages. Bring the entire family to enjoy great food, arts and crafts and a block party designed especially for the kiddies. Choose the greener way to travel and take the Pacific Surfliner to Avofest. All aboard!
Route: Pacific Surfliner

What’s your favorite October event? Tell us in the comments below!