So, fall rolled around again last year, and honestly, I was feeling a bit stuck. Same old routine, you know? Work, home, maybe watch some TV. The leaves were changing, sure, but I wasn’t really feeling the season. I decided I needed to actually get out and do something different, experience some of that autumn vibe everyone talks about.
I didn’t do any crazy planning. Just kind of looked around to see what was happening nearby. Saw some flyers, checked a couple of local town websites, asked a neighbor what they usually did. Didn’t want anything too complicated, just something to break the monotony.
Oktoberfest Fun
First thing I stumbled upon was an Oktoberfest event in the next town over. Never really been to one properly. I drove over there on a Saturday afternoon. It was packed, way more people than I expected. Lots of long tables, folks dressed up in those traditional outfits, looked kinda fun but wasn’t for me. I grabbed a big pretzel – seriously, it was huge – and tried one of their beers. Found a spot on the end of a bench and just watched everyone. The music was loud, lots of accordions and oompah stuff. It was okay, maybe a bit much for me after an hour or so, but definitely different. I felt like I’d actually done something seasonal, you know?
Harvest Festival Vibes
A couple of weeks later, I heard about a local harvest festival at a farm just outside of town. That sounded more my speed. This was much more chill. Way more relaxed.
- I walked through the pumpkin patch. Didn’t buy one, too much effort to carve, but it was nice seeing all the shapes and sizes.
- Tried some fresh apple cider, warm, with a cinnamon stick. That was really good.
- They had a small corn maze. I went in, got slightly turned around for about ten minutes, then found my way out. Felt like a kid again, simple fun.
- Saw some craft stalls, people selling homemade jams and knitted things. Didn’t buy anything but enjoyed looking.
This one felt more like fall to me. Less about the party, more about the actual harvest season stuff. I spent a good few hours there just wandering around, enjoying the crisp air.
Halloween and Beyond
Then, of course, there’s Halloween. I’m not big on crazy costumes anymore, but I always get a kick out of seeing the neighborhood kids all dressed up. I made sure to buy some decent candy this time – none of that cheap stuff. Sat out on the porch for a bit, handed out treats. Simple, but it connects you to the community, feels like part of the season’s rhythm.
Later in November, things quiet down, leading up to Thanksgiving prep. That’s more of a family thing, cooking, getting ready. But exploring those earlier festivals really set the mood. It wasn’t about finding the “best” according to some list, it was just about getting out there and trying things.
Looking back, just making that little bit of effort to check out those local events made a difference. Broke the routine. Made me appreciate the change in seasons a bit more instead of just letting it pass by. Sometimes you just gotta push yourself out the door, even if it’s just to the next town over for a giant pretzel.
