It’s no wonder why people from around the world flock to New England during our resplendent autumn months. Festivals abound, the harvest is bountiful and Mother Nature is at her finest. Newport and its surrounding eight coastal communities welcome visitors from near and far to experience the spoils of the season:
Oct. 10-31: Trinity Church Pumpkin Patch Pumpkins, food, music, crafts and more at Trinity Church on Queen Anne Square. trinitynewport.org
Oct. 10: Festa Italiana: Festival in the Park Savor Italian food and novelties, music, dancing, raffles plus a children’s storyteller and musician. discovernewport.org/events-calendar
Oct. 12: Newport Columbus Day Parade The Grand Marshal will lead the parade, which steps off at St. Joseph’s Church on Broadway at noon, to the Columbus Monument at Memorial Boulevard and Bellevue Avenue.
Oct. 14, 21 & 28: Broadway All-Star Chef’s Challenge Four local restaurants will create exciting, farm fresh dishes based on theme ingredients each week—you won’t leave hungry. Featured restaurants: Tavern on Broadway, Boru Noodle Bar, Pour Judgement and Hope Food & Spirits. Ten tickets available per event. nptfoodtours.com
Oct. 15: Vineyard Vinyasa Yoga “UnWine-d” at Newport Vineyards with Thames Street Yoga followed by a wine tasting onsite. newportvineyards.com
Oct. 16: Lenny Clarke makes his Newport Comedy Series debut with comedian Tony V. newportcomedy.com
Oct. 16-18, 23-25: Fortress of Nightmares at Fort Adams Experience the Tunnels of Terror, try your hand at Zombie Laser Tag or take in the Killer Film Fest. Those 12 and under can head to the Kids Fun House for snacks, crafts and trick-or-treating. halloween.fortadams.org
Oct. 17: Halloween Movie Night at Ballard Park Movies under the stars includes showings of Hotel Transylvania and Young Frankenstein preceded by a children’s costume parade. ballardpark.org
Oct. 17: Fall Family Open House at the Herreshoff Marine Museum/America’s Cup Hall of Fame Complimentary admission to the museum, tours, family activities, outdoor games, hot cider, snacks, shopping, raffles and more. herreshoff.org/events
Oct. 17-18: 25th Annual Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival Taste chef’s creations from a record number of participating restaurants and fine food vendors including: Matunuck Oyster Bar, Pour Judgement, Speakeasy Bar & Grill, The Black Pearl, SaltWater, Rhode Island Shellfisherman’s Association, Shuckin’ Truck, Gilded Tomato Artisanal Pizza, Boru Noodle Bar, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, Wharf Pub and Diego’s. Enjoy face-painting, pumpkin painting and other children’s activities alongside the Oliver Hazard Perry, Rhode Island’s brand new 200-foot official sailing education vessel. bowenswharf.com
Oct. 25: A Taste of Bristol and Beyond Bristol’s premier food and wine event unfolds at Linden Place Museum with more than 40 restaurants, caterers, local vineyards and breweries. Guests will enjoy gourmet samplings in the fabulously decorated ballroom and tented gardens of this magnificent estate. lindenplace.org
Oct. 25: Citizen’s Bank Pell Bridge Run One of the most unique road races in the Northeast! Once a year pedestrians are allowed to run or walk across the Claiborne Pell Bridge from Jamestown to Newport in this 4 mile run/walk. pellbridgerun.com
Oct. 31: Annual Halloween Walkabout Dress in your best costumes and stroll all the shops of downtown Bristol for an afternoon of trick-or-treating. explorebristolri.com
Oct. 31: Farmfest at Mount Hope Farm Experience historical tours, Native American storytellers, reenactment militia, farm animals and hayrides at this family-friendly event which also includes the year-round Farmer’s Market in the barn, live music and food with a host of activities for kids of all ages. mounthopefarm.org
Oct. 31: The Perfect Pumpkin Party at the Audubon Environmental Education Center An annual day of pumpkin fun. Visitors can try their hand at pumpkin golf, pumpkin ring-toss and pumpkin art. Buy a pumpkin from their “patch” and decorate it with provided art supplies. asri.org
Nov. 6-15: Newport Restaurant Week With more than 50 participating restaurants throughout Newport County, Restaurant Week has grown into one of the most anticipated (and mouth-watering) events of the season. Seasonal menus, local farm fresh dishes and seafood caught right off Rhode Island’s shores make for extraordinary lunches and dinners. Make reservations early! discovernewportestaurantweek.org
Stay and save with a host of Last Minute Deals and themed Getaway Packages including food and wine, spa pampering, girlfriend getaway, artisan, romance and mansion-hopping. Find details here: discovernewport.org/stay-and-save
ONGONING SEASONAL ACTVITIES
Enjoy live music at Newport Vineyards weekend afternoons through October from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and live jazz music at Greenvale Vineyards on Saturdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. through November.
Escobar’s Annual Corn Maze This eight-acre corn maze featuring a Wizard of Oz theme is a family favorite as are the hayrides and the Hay Play area. Halloween party on Oct. 24. Maze open through Nov. 7. escobarshighlandfarm.com
Busking at Bowen’s Fall Series Live acoustic music at Bowen’s Wharf. Various dates throughout October. bowenswharf.com
Apple Picking Area farms with pick-your-own programs include Sweet Berry Farm and Rocky Brook Orchard in Middletown, Young Family Farm and Old Stone Orchard in Little Compton and many more. blog.discovernewport.org
Ghost Tours Take a lantern-led evening stroll down historic Newport’s shadowy lanes and discover the ghosts, ghouls and legends of our haunted city. ghostsofnewport.com
For a complete calendar of events, visit: discovernewport.org/events-calendar