From blues and bluegrass to oysters and pumpkins, family travelers can find plenty of reasons to travel to Cape Cod in October. The Cape is at its most beautiful in autumn, when cranberry bogs have turned red and roadsides are lined with colorful fall foliage. Mark these dates on your calendar:
Saturday, Oct. 5
The Mashpee Oktoberfest is about a lot more than the authentic German Bier Garten. Kids will like face painting and pumpkin decorating, and everyone will like the food choices, live music and popular stein race.
Sunday, Oct. 6
American Roots Music fills Truro Vineyards with the sounds of bluegrass and folk music at Vinegrass Music Festival. Food trucks keep everyone well fed.
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12 and 13
Nauset Beach comes alive again in fall for The Outermost Roots & Blues Festival, filled with top-name performers and family-friendly activities to keep the kids happy.
Saturday, Oct. 12
The historic Bourne Farm nature sanctuary in West Falmouth hosts a full day of family activities during Pumpkin Day at Bourne Farm. Kids can ride a pony, bounce in the bounce house, create crafts, go for a hayride, pick pumpkins and meet farm animals in the petting zoo.
Saturday–Monday, Oct. 12–14
The three-day Yarmouth Seaside Festival has something for everyone, with stage shows, rides, games, crafts, live music and fireworks on the beach. Kids’ favorites are the Mad Science and Animal Adventures tent shows.
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 and 20
The kids may not enjoy oysters at Wellfleet OysterFest, but they’ll like the live music and Family Fun area with kid-friendly crafts, games and a bounce house. Adults will find cooking demos and a raw bar filled with Wellfleet’s famous oysters.
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