Dallas Fall Events Guide 2026: Top Free & Paid Things to Do
Here are the top 10 Dallas fall events that will have you counting down those August days until cooler weather arrives. And let’s face it, fall is a lot more fun with a festival or two on the calendar. Seasonal activities and outdoor fun are definitely on the agenda!
As an added bonus, we’re also providing the top 5 Dallas-Fort Worth fall events. So, get ready, get ready, get ready!
Have you ever been to one of those free block parties that had you dancing in the street? Or maybe you remember being a kid at the State Fair of Texas, licking sticky juice off your fingers and burning through dollars playing carnival games for cheap, plastic toys that brought you joy. Oh, the memories; we want more of that for you.
Listen . . . we have done SO much research and put SO much time into this post – you have literally “hit the jackpot”! This IS the most complete guide to Dallas fall events you’ll ever find – well, “ever” might be an overstatement, but you get what we’re saying. I mean, it’s a pretty comprehensive guide, and, you’re welcome!
Top 10 Dallas Fall Events
| Event | Estimated Date | Location | Free or Paid Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Autumn Moon Festival | Sept 12 | White Rock / Flag Pole Hill Park | Free |
| Viva Dallas Mexican Festival | Sept 12 | Downtown / Dallas City Hall | Free |
| Autumn at the Arboretum | Sept 19 – Nov 2 | White Rock / Dallas Arboretum | Paid (but free with garden admission) |
| State Fair of Texas | Sept 26 – Oct 19 | Fair Park | Paid |
| Oktoberfest Dallas | Oct 24 | White Rock / Lake Highlands area | Paid |
| Dallas Brew Festival | Oct 24 | The Cedars / Old City Park | Paid |
| Dallas Día de los Muertos Parade | Nov 1 | Downtown / Dallas City Hall | Free |
| Chefs For Farmers | Nov 6 – 8 | The Cedars / Old City Park | Paid |
| Greek Food Festival of Dallas | Nov 6-8 | North Dallas / Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church | Paid |
| Deep Ellum Block Party | Nov 21 | Deep Ellum | Free |
Dallas Fall Events: Summaries
Dallas Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (Sept. 12)
Dallas Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebrates Asian culture, food, music, dance, and community at Flag Pole Hill Park near White Rock Lake. This family-friendly festival includes local vendors, cultural performances, and plenty of space to enjoy the evening outdoors. If you’re seeking a free Dallas fall event that feels festive without being centered on pumpkins, beer, or Halloween, add this festival to your list.
Viva Dallas Mexican Festival (Sept. 12)
Viva Dallas Mexican Festival is the City of Dallas’s Mexican Independence celebration, bringing music, food, cultural performances, and community festivities to Dallas City Hall. The free event usually includes a Grito ceremony and an extremely lively downtown atmosphere, making it a strong early-fall event for Hispanic Heritage Month (and one of the better free cultural festivals in Dallas).
Autumn at the Arboretum (Sept 19 – Nov 2)
Autumn at the Arboretum always features a seasonal display of pumpkins, gourds, flowers, and photo-worthy garden scenes. Past displays have included themed pumpkin villages and creative fall installations, making it a city-favorite for families, visitors, and anyone who wants the full Dallas fall experience.
Special Mention: Hispanic Heritage Celebration (Sept 13 – 14)
The Arboretum is also celebrating Hispanic Heritage, with two full days of food, local vendors, live music, family-friendly activities, and a Quinceañera Fashion Show. The event takes place September 13–14 at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden near White Rock Lake.
State Fair of Texas (Sept 26 – Oct 19)
The State Fair of Texas is one of Dallas’s biggest fall traditions, bringing fried food, rides, games, live music, exhibits, and Big Tex to Fair Park. It runs from late September through mid-October and is one of the most anticipated fall events in Dallas.
Dallas Brew Festival (Oct 24)
Dallas Brew Festival takes over Old City Park with more than 50 breweries, 150 beers, food trucks, lawn games, and 80s and 90s cover bands. Admission includes beer samples from participating breweries, making this more of an adult fall event than a family outing.
Oktoberfest Dallas (Oct 24)
Oktoberfest Dallas brings German food, beer, music, and family-friendly activities to Flag Pole Hill Park near White Rock Lake. The event is hosted by the Exchange Club of Lake Highlands and includes a Kid Zone, live entertainment, food vendors, beer, wine, and plenty of space to bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Dallas Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival (Nov 1)
The Dallas Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival brings live music, food, arts and crafts, a Catrina contest, and a colorful evening parade to Dallas City Hall. The parade starts at 7 PM and features artistic floats, cultural pageantry, and probably the most visually striking outfits in the city. It’s 100% free, city-sponsored, and one of the most unique events to add to your Dallas fall calendar.
Chefs For Farmers (Nov 6 – 8)
At $99 (early-bird pricing), Chefs For Farmers is the most expensive Dallas fall event on this list, but it just might be worth it. It’s a 21+ Dallas food and wine festival at Old City Park featuring unlimited food and drink tastings from chefs, farmers, and beverage talent. Meet local culinary talent and vote for your favorite bite of the festival.
Greek Food Festival of Dallas (Nov 6 – 8)
The Greek Food Festival of Dallas is a longtime Dallas tradition hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. The festival celebrates Greek culture, food, and Orthodox faith with gyros, souvlaki, Greek pastries, cooking demos, church tours, dancing, a kids tent, and the Agora marketplace.
Deep Ellum Block Party (Nov 21)
Deep Ellum Block Party is a neighborhood-wide music festival that fills Deep Ellum with local artists and live performances. The main stage is free (yes, free) with venue wristbands available for access to additional shows. It’s a great November event, and the entire neighborhood comes out for a killer fall festival lineup.
Top 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Fall Events
As you can probably tell, there is no shortage of Dallas fall events, but the fun doesn’t stop at the city limits! The broader DFW area is also packed with festivals, haunted attractions, cultural celebrations, and more outdoor events than you can count. Below you’ll find our top 5 picks for standout DFW fall events, followed by a comprehensive list of everything happening across the metroplex.
Pssst. There is an awesome special mention below not listed in this chart.
| Event | Estimated Date | Location | Free or Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addison Oktoberfest | Sept 17-20 | Addison Circle Park | Paid |
| Yesterland Spooktacular Nights | Sept 20-Nov 2 | Canton / Yesterland Farm | Paid |
| Pumpkin Nights | Sept 18 – Nov 2 | Arlington / Howell Family Farms | Paid |
| Cottonwood Art Festival | Oct 3-4 | Richardson / Cottonwood Park | Free |
| Japanese Fall Festival | Nov 7-8 | Fort Worth Botanic Garden | Paid / Free for FWBG members |
As you can probably tell, there is no shortage of Dallas fall events, but the fun doesn’t stop at the city limits! The broader DFW area is also packed with festivals, haunted attractions, cultural celebrations, and more outdoor events than you can count. Below you’ll find our top 5 picks for standout DFW fall events, followed by a comprehensive list of everything happening across the metroplex.
DFW Fall Events: Summaries
Addison Oktoberfest (Sept 17-20)
This is the one, y’all. If you only go to one event on this entire list, this the one. Addison Oktoberfest is one of the largest and most beloved Oktoberfest celebrations in the entire country, drawing massive crowds to Addison Circle Park every September. Gorge on authentic German food, overflowing steins, dachshund races, traditional music, and stein-hoisting competitions across multiple days. Pro-Tip: Thursday is free entry.
Yesterland Fall Festival & Spooktacular Nights (Sept 20-Nov 2)
If you and beer don’t mix, but you still want a memorable fall event, Yesterland Farm in Canton delivers. It’s two experiences in one: a daytime fall festival packed with sunflower picking, a pumpkin patch, pig races, and corn mazes, and events after dark during Spooktacular Nights, featuring zombie paintball, a haunted fun house, and fireworks. It’s one of the best DFW fall events the metroplex has to offer. Canton is about an hour east of Dallas but worth the trip.
Pumpkin Nights (Sept 18 – Nov 2)
Pumpkin Nights transforms Howell Family Farms in Arlington into an immersive walk-through experience built entirely from over 7,500 hand-carved pumpkins. It’s like a halloween-variant of the state fair but with themed displays instead of rides. Take pictures against fantastic works of pumpkin art, and enjoy a fire show after visiting all the craft and food booths . It runs from mid-September through early November, making it one of the longest-running fall experiences in DFW.
Special Mention: Cutting Edge Haunted House
Cutting Edge Haunted House in Fort Worth holds a legitimate claim to fame: it’s recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest walk-through haunted house. Housed inside a 100-year-old meat packing plant, the experience spans over 40,000 square feet of professionally designed scares, animatronics, and live actors. If you’re serious about haunted houses, put this one on your fall bucket list. However, you don’t have to wait until Halloween! They have (cheaper) blackout dates throughout the year.
Cottonwood Art Festival (Oct 3-4)
What started in 1969 as a small gathering of local artists has grown into a prestigious show — and it’s free! Every October, the Cottonwood Art Festival brings over 200 artists from across the United States to scenic Cottonwood Park in Richardson for a weekend packed with museum-quality work, live music on two stages, a craft beer garden, food trucks, and a children’s area where kids can make their own art!
Note: This spot was originally going to go to the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival, but with a location change and budget cuts shaking things up this year, we decided to go with a more stable pick.
Japanese Fall Festival (Nov 7-8)
Every November, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden transforms into a celebration of culture with the Japanese Fall Festival. Enjoy authentic taiko drumming, tea ceremonies, music, art and more. Tickets are only $12, and FWBG members get free entry!
FULL LIST
Think the list ends there? Not even close. We told you this was the most complete guide to Dallas fall events you’d find. Here’s where we prove it. Below you’ll find every fall event we could track down across the entire DFW metroplex — organized by month (and category and city). Promise made and kept, baby!
And there you have it! Over 100 fall events, three months of festivities, and a Metroplex packed with things to do. Pick an event and go. And if you’ve made it this far and trust that we know what we’re talking about — very good. We’d hate for all that research to go to waste.
You know what’s also a great fall activity? Pumpkin patches.
And do you know what we have? A dedicated guide to the best pumpkin patches in DFW, complete with everything you need to plan your visit. We’re not just talking gourds. Think farms, corn mazes, hayrides, photo ops, and cornucopias full of seasonal fun — it’s time to touch some grass!
And while you’re here, be sure to check out the rest of the blog. We have plenty more guides, events, and local recommendations to help you make the most of the season.
Happy Fall, y’all!
