Fall in Love with Dallas

Updated September 2026

Dates: September 19 - November 1
Location: Dallas Arboretum | 8525 Garland Road

No trip to Dallas is complete without visiting the Dallas Arboretum, and this is especially true each fall when their nationally acclaimed pumpkin festival is in full swing. This year, the Pumpkin Village transforms with Harvest Hues, reimagining modern and contemporary artists. More than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash fill the garden, including six Pumpkin Houses honoring Basquiat, Rothko, Bourgeois, Mondrian, MC Escher, and Pollock and Krasner.

Prefer an evening out? Pumpkins and Pints returns October 2, 2026, from 6-9 pm, with craft beer, wine, and food trucks among the pumpkins. Reserve your time slot for the ultimate fall date night.

Dates: September 25 - October 18, 2026
Location: Fair Park | 3809 Grand Ave

Fall in Dallas means fair season. The State Fair of Texas brings 24 days of Big Tex, deep-fried everything, livestock shows, midway rides, and live music. Get there early to beat the crowds, and save time to work your way through the fairgrounds' beer gardens and wine patios between rides.

Dates: October 1 - November 1
Location: NorthPark Center | 8687 N. Central Expressway

NorthPark Center’s Pumpkin Patch is a free fall event featuring festive displays, photo opportunities, storytimes, and family-friendly activities. The event also supports Community Partners of Dallas, with change collected from the Pumpkin Patch wishing well and Neiman Marcus Fountain donated to the organization.

Why go bobbing for apples when you can sip them straight from the tap! Did you know Dallas is home to some amazing cideries?

For a date night experience, make your way to the Bishop Cidercade. Pay admission to have access to a much larger menu of ciders and hard kombuchas on tap and play as many hours of free arcade games as you can handle!

Trinity Cider, located in the middle of the Deep Ellum neighborhood, offers several selections of ciders on tap. They always have standard selections, like the ever-popular 'Deep Ellum Dry,' and are known for their creative seasonal offerings, such as 'Black is Beautiful,' a stout cider with cacao nibs and cold brew, or 'Okay, Bloomer,' made with hibiscus and rose water. And you can celebrate the spooky season by ordering your cider "Casper-style" and adding a shot or four (if you dare) of their super-spicy ghost pepper-infused cider to your drink to kick it up a notch.

Is there anything that makes you want to wear a sweater and eat pumpkin-flavored everything more than a picturesque morning at the Farmer's Market? Every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Farmer's Market in Downtown Dallas is home to a bustling open-air market filled to the brim with gourd-geous pumpkins, produce, and the friendliest farmers you'll find in Texas.

There are also plenty of food trucks and local vendors offering treasures like artisanal soaps, local honey, and other Texas-made trinkets - the perfect takeaways from a trip well spent. So, grab a cup of coffee and a cardigan and go shopping and stock up on holiday goodies before the seasonal rush.

Dallas does a lot of things right, but one of the most beloved traditions is that of the weekend patio experience and fall is the perfect time to partake. Whether it's a cozy date or a spot to watch a game, here are a few Dallas patios that need to be on your fall itinerary:

• Paradiso | 308 N Bishop Ave
• The Rustic | 3656 Howell St
• The Backyard | 505 N Good Latimer Expy
• Katy Trail Ice House | 3127 Routh St

Insider's Tip: Book ahead and reserve a table well in advance, as all restaurants tend to book up fast due to limited seating and the popularity of football season!