Fall doesn’t really happen in Florida...but we’ll still roll out the hay bales and heirloom pumpkins and make it happen anyway.
The best way to do that is to visit a local fall festival: a carefully curated glimmer of photogenic autumnal delights, from tractor rides to s’mores roasting, pumpkin painting and more. If there are adult beverages for sale, it's all the better. But which fall festivals in Florida serve alcohol, be it pumpkin beer, mulled wine or specialty cocktails?
While certainly not a comprehensive list, we’ve compiled a few of the best ones here. Keep reading for the best fall festivals in Florida to visit this season where you can get family pics and delicious sips at the same time.
Image courtesy of Southern Hill Farms.
For those in Central Florida, Southern Hills Farms is a U-pick wonderland of strawberries, blueberries, big-as-your-face sunflowers and more, and their fall festival does not disappoint. The price of admission is on the steeper side at just under $30 a pop, but with all there is to do on the farm, it’s well worth it for an entire day of fall fun.
Southern Hill Farms Blueberry Smashes (image courtesy of Southern Hill Farms).
Address: 16651 Schofield Rd, Clermont, FL 34714
Dates: Select Thursdays from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and every Friday from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. between Sept. 27 and Nov. 23.
Cost: Tickets are required in advance for all guests 3 and older and cost $28.92 each.
Stuff to do: Fun zone with carnival rides and a petting zoo, tractor rides, live music, U-pick sunflower and zinnia fields, 5-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch barn with pumpkins of all sizes and colors for purchase, fire pits for roasting s’mores and food trucks with Southern Hills’ famous apple cider donuts, blueberry lemonade, pumpkin muffins and more.
Stuff to drink: Southern Hill Farms’ specialty beverages offered at their Beer Shed this fall include their:
Blueberry Sour Ale
Strawberry Blonde Beer
Oktoberfest Beer
Pumpkin Beer
Frozen Blueberry Smash (the farm's famous blueberry lemonade blended with sauvignon blanc).
Rules to keep in mind: Cashless event. Pets not permitted. No outside food, alcohol or coolers.
Image courtesy of Lake Catherine Blueberries.
Address: 5849 Lake Catherine Road Groveland, FL 34736
Dates: Fridays from 6 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. between September 29 and October 28.
Cost: Parking and admission to the farm is free. Tickets to the fall scavenger hunt maze ($8 per person, kids 3 and under free), haunted Halloween maze ($17 in advance, $19 on-site) or dark forest ($24 in advance, $26 on-site) are available for purchase separately.
Stuff to do: Pumpkin patch with pumpkins available for purchase (free pumpkin painting supplies available as well), photo ops with vintage tractors, haunted maze, dark forest trail, live music, playground, fire pits with s’mores packages for purchase, farm store and food truck.
Stuff to drink: Lake Catherine Blueberries has a full liquor bar year-round, but you can expect signature cocktails, specialty fall cordials, beer and wine at the fall festival as well.
Rules to keep in mind: No outside food or beverages permitted (including water bottles). No pets allowed.
Image courtesy of Showcase of Citrus.
If you haven’t visited this roadside attraction on Highway 27 in Clermont, this fall is the perfect time to bring the whole family. Showcase of Citrus is open year-round, offering U-pick citrus, as its name suggests, but also monster truck tours of the property, a gem mine, food trucks, farm animals and exotic animals (including capybaras for capy-obsessed kiddos) and a country store with refreshing orange creamsicle treats. Don’t miss their twist on this classic as an adult Halloween beverage: the Boozy Screamsicle.
“From frightfully fun flavors to boo-tiful brews, each drink is crafted to make your night a little more spook-tacular!” Event Coordinator & Media Manager Jocelyn Christian said.
Address: 15051 Frank Jarrell Rd. Clermont, FL 34714
Dates: Daily beginning September 19. Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m., 365 days a year. Haunted monster truck rides happen every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., also beginning September 19.
Cost: Parking and admission are free. Haunted monster truck rides are $25 per person.
Stuff to do: Pumpkin patch with pumpkins for sale, decorative photo ops, haunted monster truck rides, seasonal treats, and the farm’s regular activities.
Stuff to drink: Showcase of Citrus regularly serves beer, wine, frozen wine slushies, mimosas and more, but check out their fall specialty cocktail menu to the left.
Rules to keep in mind: Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages permitted. Friendly, leashed dogs allowed.
Image courtesy of Great Scott Farms.
Sangria Wine Slushies (image courtesy of Great Scott Farms).
Address: 26216 County Road 448A Mount Dora, Florida 32757
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. between September 27 and November 16.
Cost: Tickets are required in advance for all guests 2 and older and cost $16 each online or $19 each on-site.
Stuff to do: Pumpkin patch with pumpkins available for purchase, 6-acre corn maze, 1-acre mini corn maze, photo ops with vintage trucks and tractors, castle playground, tractor farm tours, zip line for kids, super slide, gem mining, jumping pillow, corn pit, farm market and food vendors.
Stuff to drink: Beer, wine from local wineries and a house-made sangria wine slushie.
Rules to keep in mind: Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages permitted. No large coolers allowed (small ones are fine). Some food vendors are cash only. Friendly, leashed dogs allowed.
Image courtesy of The Ford Boca Pumpkin Patch Festival.
Pumpkin beer enthusiasts, get thee to Mizner Park on October 11 or 12. This fall festival boasts multiple pumpkin beer bars, as well as family friendly activities ranging from pumpkin decorating to a full carnival full of kiddie coasters, bumper cars, swing rides and more. There’s no better place in South Florida to get your fall sips and family pics in all at once.
“We always say fall doesn’t ‘happen’ in South Florida—so we build it,” said Vanessa Goodis, Executive Producer of the Ford Boca Pumpkin Patch Festival.
Apple Cider Mimosa (image courtesy of The Ford Boca Pumpkin Patch Festival).
Address: Mizner Park, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Dates: October 11 and 12. Tickets are available for three different time slots: October 11 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., October 11 from 4 p.m.-9 p.m. or October 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. All tickets are $32 each. Children under 3 years old get in free.
Cost: Tickets are required in advance for all guests 3 and older and cost $28.92 each.
Stuff to do: Pumpkin patch with pumpkins available for purchase, carnival, fall photo ops, pumpkin decorating kits, pumpkin food court, inflatable cornstalk maze and scarecrow village.
Stuff to drink: In addition to a smorgasbord of pumpkin beers, the festival also offers a lineup of signature fall cocktails, including:
Jack-O-Lantern: cinnamon whisky and apple cider with a dash of pumpkin pie spice
Boca Poison Apple: apple whiskey and cranberry juice
Pumpkin Patch Punch: spiced rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and pumpkin puree syrup
Black Cat Margarita: tequila, margarita mix, activated charcoal and fresh orange
Candy Corn Margarita: vanilla spirits and orange soda topped with candy corn
Apple Cider Mimosa: Champagne and apple cider with a cinnamon sugar rim
Pumpkin Apple Shandy: pumpkin beer, apple cider and a dash of pumpkin pie spice
Rules to keep in mind: Rain or shine event. Cashless event. Re-entry allowed. No pets allowed. No outside food or drink permitted.
Image courtesy of Raprager Family Farms.
Address: 16907 Boy Scout Road Odessa, FL 33556
Dates: Festival runs September 20-November 2. The exact dates and hours are as follows: September 20, 21, 27 and 28 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; October Fridays 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; October Saturdays 4, 11, 18, 25 and November 1 from 9 a.m.-10 p.m; and October Sundays 5, 12, 19, 26, and November 2 from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $15-17.95 per person if purchased online and $19.50 at the gate. Ages 2 and under get in free. Parking is free.
Stuff to do: Pumpkin patch with pumpkins available for purchase, pumpkin painting, 2-acre petting zoo and farm animal experience, bounce pillow, axe throwing, mechanical bull, hay rides (haunted after 5 p.m.), haunted maze, hay chute slide, kids inflatable maze, corn pit, butterfly garden, live entertainment, games and photo ops. Food and drink, face painting, pony rides and gem mining available for additional purchase.
Stuff to drink: Pumpkin beers, ciders and domestics.
Rules to keep in mind: Tickets sell out early, so online ticket purchasing is recommended. Bring cash for extra activities like pony rides and face painting.
