Fall Is In The Air (And So Is The Smell Of Apple Cider Donuts)

There’s a specific kind of magic that happens in King of Prussia once the temperature drops and the leaves start showing off.

Sweaters come out of hibernation, pumpkins start showing up on porches and suddenly every event within a ten-mile radius involves either apples, hayrides or a suspicious amount of flannel. We rounded up the best fall happenings on the calendar this season, from farm festivals to fireside history lessons. Grab a cider and start planning your weekends.

Apple Fest at Upper Merion Farmers Market
September 26 | 10 AM to 2 PM | Nor-View Farm
Kick off apple season the right way at the Upper Merion Farmers Market’s Apple Fest. Expect the market’s usual lineup of local produce and artisan goods with an extra dose of everything-apple, so come hungry and leave with a trunk full of fall’s favorite fruit.
More info

Sur La Table’s Fall Cooking Series
October 2, 1 PM | October 5, 4 PM | October 26, 7 PM | Sur La Table, King of Prussia
Sur La Table’s King of Prussia kitchen is running a string of hands-on fall classes this season. First up is Seasonal Cooking: Fall Apples, a full menu built around the season’s best fruit, from cider-braised chicken to a caramel apple tartlet that might just steal the show. Next is The Fall Harvest Table, featuring beer and maple glazed pork chops, a three-cheese cauliflower gratin and a persimmon orange upside-down cake for dessert. The series wraps with A Feast for Fall, a cider glazed pork tenderloin with apple-cranberry chutney, cornbread stuffing and a cranberry Lillet sorbet to close things out. Aprons provided, dishwashing not required.
Seasonal Cooking: Fall Apples | The Fall Harvest Table | A Feast for Fall

Community Fair and Fall Festival
October 3 | 12 to 4 PM | Heuser Park
The unofficial kickoff to fall in Upper Merion. Two stages of live music, a small army of food and craft vendors, hayrides to a pumpkin patch and enough inflatables to keep the kids busy while the adults browse the beer garden. Free, family friendly and dog friendly, too.
More info

Valley Forge Fall Campfire Series
October 3, 10, 17, 24 & November 7 | 7 to 8 PM | Muhlenberg’s Brigade, Valley Forge
Nothing says fall like a ranger, a firepit and a good story. This year’s Fall Campfire Series runs five Saturdays deep, each night built around a different slice of Valley Forge history. The Night Sky kicks things off with a tour of the constellations through the eyes of the people who once camped here, followed by Military Encampments of the Continental Army. Port Kennedy Bone Cave digs into the true story of the Ice Age fossils discovered right in the park, The Conway Cabal gets a little political with the plot to unseat George Washington, and the series wraps with Tales of the Mad Prussian, the wild true story of a soldier of fortune named Johan von Krafft. Bring a flashlight, a blanket and a camp chair, and check the weather line before you head out since these are canceled for rain.
More info

McKaig Nature Center Annual Trail Run & Chili Cook-off
October 4 | 8:30 AM | Old Roberts Schoolhouse
Bring the whole family for an action-packed day featuring the classic Trail Race, Kids Fun-Run, Monkey Rock Mile Walk and a legendary Chili Cook-off. After crossing the finish line, celebrate with a lively festival packed with everything you’ve loved from years past, plus a few exciting new surprises.
More info

Annual Cornhole Tournament
October 8 | 4:30 to 7 PM
Consider this your official invitation to settle the office cornhole rivalry once and for all. Food, drinks and friendly competition make this after-work tournament one of KOP’s most crowd-pleasing traditions, whether you’re in the bracket or just heckling from the sidelines.
More info

Fall Fun Festival at Nor-View Farm
October 10, 17 & 24 | 10 AM to 6 PM | Nor-View Farm
Cowboy hats encouraged. This western-themed farm festival brings mechanical bull rides, a corn maze, wagon rides and a pie eating contest that gets more competitive by the year. Bonus points if you show up dressed as a cowboy, cowgirl or farmer for a discount at the gate.
More info

October Friday Night Market
October 23 | 6 to 9 PM | Nor-View Farm
The Upper Merion Farmers Market trades its Saturday morning routine for a cozy fall evening under string lights, with local vendors, seasonal treats and the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to linger a little longer than planned.
More info