Embrace traditional Celtic heritage in Cape Breton

You can’t talk about fall on Cape Breton Island without mentioning Celtic Colours International Festival, a nine-day musical and cultural romp that brings the island community together. Gaelic-speaking Scottish Highlanders brought music, dance and language to the eastern edge of North America nearly three centuries ago, and it has been passed down the generations to form part of today’s living culture.

Mabou native Dawn Beaton, the festival’s artistic director (and a talented fiddler), says: “Fall in Cape Breton is tough to beat. The highlands burst into colour, accompanied by the sound of fiddles, guitars, Gaelic singing and step-dancing.

“Celtic Colours takes place every October and offers an island-wide window into this culture, with concerts held in community halls, schools, churches and theatres. As you drive the island, look for workshops and community turkey dinners, or join in on a family square dance or milling frolic.”

- Shelley Cameron-McCarron

Watch the buffalo roam in South Dakota

Autumn in the Black Hills revolves around one thing: buffalo. Custer State Park’s annual round-up, held on the last Friday of September, sees visitors flock to watch cowboys wrangle the 1,400-strong herd and visit the park’s annual craft market, says Lydia Austin, visitor services supervisor at the park.

“Wildlife in the Black Hills was once hunted to extinction by miners and homesteaders. So, when the park reintroduced buffalo in 1914, we let them roam free, but they soon began eating us out of house and home. It was decided then that we needed to manage the herd.

“We did this at first by butchering them, which took off during the Second World War because buffalo meat wasn’t part of the rationing programme. Then, by the 1960s, more and more people were starting up ranches, so we rounded up the buffalo for an auction instead. It took off.

“Now you can buy everything here from street food and bull whips to actual buffalo during this period. But it all stems from the annual drive, which is still a vital part of herd management in the park.”

- Gareth Clark

Look to the skies in Utah

On 14 October, an annular eclipse tears across the skies of a large chunk of North America, between Texas and Oregon. Lying slap-bang in its path is Utah, the state with the highest concentration of certified Dark Sky areas in the world, explains Jason Trump of Salt Lake City’s Clark Planetarium.

“During an annular eclipse, the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun, so you’re left with this incredible ring of fire that hangs in the sky. If you’re in the optimum location, this can take place for around four or five minutes, but the entire eclipse lasts up to three hours and the viewing path runs right through the central part of the state.

“To see it, head either to Natural Bridges National Monument, the world’s first International Dark Sky Park, or Bryce Canyon NP, which has incredible red-rock hoodoos as its backdrop – plus, you get clear views of the Milky Way at night. The latter also runs regular constellation tour programmes, full-moon guided hikes and has astronomy rangers who can point out all the constellations if you’re interested in night-sky tourism.”

- Gareth Clark

Celebrate Day of the Dead in San Antonio

San Antonio’s Day of the Dead celebrations in late October and early November are now the biggest in the USA. Given the city’s large Hispanic population (63%), it’s no surprise, says local chef Johnny Hernandez, who helped start the downtown festival less than two decades ago.

“The festivities have grown year on year. La Villita, the historic downtown and birthplace of San Antonio, now sees over 75,000 people arrive for the festivities, and many head straight to the riverside to watch the parade of themed barges.

“The main festival is on Alamo Street, with vendors, DJs and three performance stages, as well as the Culinaria Tasting Texas food festival, run by the James Beard Foundation. We also have an amphitheatre (Arneson River Theatre) where you can hear mariachi bands perform live.

“If you want to learn about the holiday, which is centred on remembering the dead, the festival runs workshops for visitors. These allow you to see how the traditional altars (ofrendas), which are assembled for departed loved ones, are made and what their different elements mean.

“But don’t just stick to downtown. Try to visit the cultural centres in the old Hispanic neighbourhoods, which have been celebrating this day for over 50 years. Both the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and Centro Cultural Aztlan organisation put on incredible art and altar exhibitions in the community.” GC

- Gareth Clark

Celebrate Indigenous culture
in Puerto Rico

In mid-November, the town of Jayuya commemorates the original inhabitants of Puerto Rico: the Taíno. Concepción Cruz, who is on the board of directors for Jayuyano Alberto Suárez Martínez Cultural Center, explains what it means to modern Puerto Ricans.

“In 1969, the Cultural Center, which is a non-profit founded to promote, protect and defend our culture, developed the Festival Indigena Jayuya to honour the Taíno as the guardians of our town. In doing so, it unites everyone on the island by opening our doors to thousands of Puerto Ricans and visitors of every nationality.

“During the festival there will be hundreds of local artisans with links to Taíno customs and traditions, while young people of Indigenous descent dress in colourful outfits, designed and made using materials such as seeds, vines and stones.

“We also celebrate the game of batu [a Taíno ball game]. Locals will play drums and fototos [shells that emit sounds], used by the Taíno as a communication tool, while the Dancers of the High Land will perform to the sound of areytos, religious singing, dancing and poetry.

“In the Nemesio R Canales Public Square that weekend, you can also find bohío huts and areas that recreate the life and work of the Taíno, plus there will be lots of typical Puerto Rican food and drink to try.”

- Gareth Clark

Set sail for Mystic, Connecticut

“Mystic was once one of the biggest wooden shipbuilders in America,” says Peter Armstrong, president of the Mystic Seaport Museum. “These days it’s the quintessential New England town: all the shops are independent, life revolves around the water, and the colours in fall are magnificent.”

The museum spans the river for a kilometre, recreating a 19th-century seafarers’ village. It rents out boats and even has its own shipyard – “Probably the last on the East Coast,” says Peter, who recommends sailing beneath the tree-lined banks of the Mystic River or strolling the riverside to Gravel Street to spy the old captains’ houses.

Autumn is also festival season. In October, the museum welcomes a folk festival and food fair to the waterside. The 15th of the month also sees fireworks light up the city’s cantilevered Bascule Bridge, while the Taste of Mystic food fest returns to Olde Mystick Village in early September.

“But when it comes to food, you can’t visit in fall without stopping by Clyde’s Cider Mill,” says Peter. “Its cider doughnuts and biscuits are superb.”

- Gareth Clark

Raise a beer at Oktoberfest in Kitchener, Ontario

Kitchener was known as Berlin until 1916, and German influence – dating back to the late-18th-century Mennonites who arrived here from Pennsylvania – remains strong in this Canadian city. It also claims to have the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world, and the festival’s executive director, Tracy Van Kalsbeek, says people “really feel they’re in Germany”.

“It‘s the 55th year of the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, and although our German heritage is a major part of it, our community looks very different now. Oktoberfest is an important cultural event that celebrates our [region] as it is today, but also brings people together to experience Bavarian culture and German flair.

“Besides Oktoberfest, fall in the Waterloo region is a great time because it’s harvest, with plenty of field-to-fork experiences on offer,” adds Tracy. “We still have good weather, most of the attractions are open and there’s the Grand River where visitors can kayak or canoe. Our hiking trail system is also great, and when the fall colours are in bloom, it’s a beautiful time of the year to be outside.”

- Jim Bamboulis

Get spooky in Salem, Massachusetts

The ‘witch city’ of Salem is famed for its long history of magical happenings, making it an especially spooky spot to explore come Halloween.
“Autumn is simply a special time, as people are enjoying the spirit of Salem during one of the largest Halloween celebrations in the world,” says Leanne Marrama, tarot reader, witch high priestess and co-owner of the Pentagram Magick Shop.

“People walk the streets in costumes starting in September. Magical experiences include the Witch Walk at Crow Haven Corner and the Haunted Happenings parade with vendors, music, food and performances. Halloween Samhain is also one of the four quarterly festivals where witches celebrate and communicate with their ancestors.”

- Lola Méndez

Join a powwow in North Dakota

September witnesses the return of North Dakota’s United Tribes International Powwow, which brings together Indigenous peoples from across North America to compete in traditional dances. But it’s more than just a stage, says Jason Morsette, interpretive guide for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikawa Nations.

“We use powwows as a way to celebrate our traditions, religions and ways of life through singing and dancing. But when you think about how history played out for the Native Americans, a lot of our peoples were scattered, so it’s also a way to keep in touch with family members.

“The United Tribes powwow has been around for years, dating back to when Bismarck’s military base was first given over to the Native Americans in 1969. They turned it into an education facility, and the students got together to create a powwow for all the tribes. It’s now a competition, so the money that visitors spend in attending the event goes to creating a prize fund.

“There are five reservations in North Dakota and ten different tribes. Many also hold their own powwows, and there is nothing to prevent outsiders from visiting; it’s mostly intertribal dancing, so come and enjoy the music.”

- Gareth Clark

Sip Chardonnay in Santa Barbara, California

When the annual grape harvest is in full swing and the foliage takes on the colours of the California sunset, it’s an ideal time to explore Santa Barbara‘s wine country. Vineyards are abuzz with activity as grapes are picked, crushed, pressed and fermented, producing elegant, sophisticated wines for the 100-plus tasting rooms across the county’s six official wine sub-regions.

Set among 44 vine-filled hectares on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, Fess Parker Winery transforms its grapes into award-winning syrah, riesling, pinot noir and chardonnay. Established in 1989 by late American actor Fess Parker, known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in a pair of 1950s TV series, the winery is now owned by his daughter, Ashley Parker Snider.

“Los Olivos in the fall has the best of everything,” says Ashley. “The days are still warm and the light takes on a golden hue in late afternoon, highlighting the vineyards‘ red and gold leaves. Once the sun goes down, a nip in the air makes sipping wine in front of a wood-burning fireplace even cosier.”

Several wineries also pair tastings with live music, and the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival brings more than 70 wineries and 30 local eateries together to mark the grape harvest in style in October.

- Amy Bizzari

Go crazy for cranberries
in Wisconsin

Nearly 125 years ago, Jamie Biegel’s great-grandfather started a cranberry farm on the banks of the Wisconsin River, near the little town of Wisconsin Rapids; now, as the co-owner of the Dempze Cranberry Company, she’s the fourth generation to grow fruit there.

“October is our favourite time of year because that’s when all our efforts come to fruition in the harvest. We flood the marshes to make the berries float – it makes it easier to rake them up – and we love sharing [stories] about cranberries with visitors,” says Jamie.

Cranberries have a long history in this area, and were used by its Indigenous peoples in medicines, as dyes for clothing and blankets, and as stuffing for game birds. Today, Wisconsin growers produce more than half the world’s cranberry crop, and the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens – at the terminus of the 80km-long Wisconsin Cranberry Highway – delves deeper into the fruit’s history.

- Diana Lambdin Meyer

Start grape-stomping in Oregon’s Willamette Valley

Mayor of McMinnville, Oregon, Remy Drabkin was born and bred in the wine country of the lush Willamette Valley, where she has gone on to found not just the Remy Wines winery, but the world‘s first Queer Wine Fest.

“We harvest wine grapes in September,” says Remy, “so the smell of grape pomace heavily fragrances the Willamette Valley during this time. Producers offer grape-stomping, and release parties often celebrate their new vintages.

“The local wineries host end-of-harvest collaborative dinners called La Paulée; this is a tradition born in France, where winemakers have come together after the harvest for generations to drink special bottles of wine from their personal cellars and share a feast.”

It’s also the time for local, late-summer vegetables like delicata squash and cinderella pumpkins. “End-of-summer Oregon tomatoes will knock your socks off,” adds Remy.

- Lola Méndez

Meet local artists on Canada’s Sunshine Coast

British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast meanders along waterfront coves and inlets and lies just 40 minutes by ferry from Vancouver. Dozens of painters, potters, textile designers and other artists have settled in its small towns, drawn by the Pacific seascapes and quieter life.

To celebrate this artistic community, Linda Williams founded the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, an open-studio event that’s been drawing art-lovers to the coast each autumn since 2010.

“This year, we‘ve got 170 venues and over 250 artists, from Langdale all the way to Earls Cove,” says Linda. “You wander in, meet the artist, get inspired, and then you‘re off to the next one. Some are private studios, some are bigger venues where three or more artists get together. It becomes a giant treasure hunt.”

While most visitors come during the sunny summer, meeting the artists is a good reason to brave fall’s more variable weather. “Early in the morning, you get that gorgeous mist over the water. If it‘s beautiful, the colours are outstanding. If it rains, our forests love it,” says Linda.

- Carolyn B Heller

Sip bourbon in Bardstown, Kentucky

In mid-September, before locals flit off to their houseboats on the cool waters of Lake Cumberland, the grounds of Bardstown’s Spalding Hall are taken over by the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, when some 40-plus distilleries fill its Great Lawn. There’s nothing like it, says Jeffrey Crowe, director of the Heaven Hill Distillery/Kentucky Experiences.

“Kentucky is the bourbon capital of the world: 95% of it is made right here in this state. We locals are naturally proud of it, so the Bourbon Festival is almost comparable to the Kentucky Derby in that the excitement starts building up in the weeks beforehand.

“Visitors will find tastings, classes, mixology tips and food and drink here. It’s a bit like the Bourbon Trail, which runs across the state, except that takes days to explore whereas you have everything in one space here. You can even sample and taste special products that the distilleries don’t normally offer.”

- Gareth Clark

Celebrate cinema at New Orleans Film Festival

Not only is New Orleans one of the oldest cities in America, but it combines acclaimed cuisine, characterful architecture and classic jazz with an irrepressible arts scene. Amid the cooler temperatures of fall, the city showcases more than 145 films at the New Orleans Film Festival, which is now in its 33rd year.

Sarah Escalante, executive director of the New Orleans Film Society, says: “The city is home to a vibrant and diverse independent film culture. This community shows up in a big way at the festival, welcoming guests from out of town and cheering on fellow artists. There’s nowhere like New Orleans, and the film community matches that unique quality.

“It’s the best time of the year for film-lovers who like to discover the works of storytellers first-hand, attend parties and meet fellow film buffs. Over half of our line-up is dedicated to stories from artists based in the American South.”

- Misty Milioto

Go behind the scenes of Chicago's landmarks

Autumn might just be the time when Chicago is at its all-round best, before the winter weather sets in. Veronica Arreola, councillor for Chicago’s 24th district and director of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives at the University of Illinois, says: “[This] is when all our sports overlap: baseball – the Cubs and the White Sox – and men’s and women‘s soccer are winding down, while basketball, hockey and [American] football are starting up. Chicago also does Halloween well – there are haunted tours and pumpkin patches throughout the area.”

Spend time leaf peeping in its parks or get a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of the city’s most significant landmarks during Open House Chicago, a public festival that sees hundreds of buildings open their doors for visitors and locals to enjoy self-guided history and architecture tours free of charge.

- Priscilla Blossom

Marvel at glass art in Seattle

“The Pacific Northwest is the glass capital of the United States,” says Raya Friday, an Indigenous glass artist of the Lummi Nation. She is also the education and outreach supervisor at Pilchuck Glass School, which was co-founded in the 1970s by celebrated Washington-born artist Dale Chihuly, who launched the region’s glass art movement.

Today, the Seattle area sparkles with the work of several hundred artists, especially during Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience, the city’s autumn festival of glass art. “Artists open up their studios who otherwise would not,” says Raya.

“It’s a ‘who‘s who’ tour of this industry.”
Highlights include visits to The Boathouse, Chihuly’s private waterfront studio and hot shop, as well as a grand gala at popular visitor attraction Chihuly Garden and Glass.

Glass-blowing demonstrations, lessons and programmes featuring female, LGBTQIA+ and Indigenous artists take place across the city too. Glass, adds Raya, “is a medium that plays with light, and [in fall], the light in the city is gorgeous.”

- Carolyn B Heller

Savour the best Atlantic shellfish on Prince Edward Island

Many residents of Canada’s Prince Edward Island (PEI) earn their living from the land or the sea. In autumn, when fish and shellfish are in season and the summer beachgoers have gone home, PEI also hosts two gourmet events that make ‘Canada’s Food Island’ even more delicious.

Chef and restaurateur Liam Dolan conceived the PEI International Shellfish Festival nearly 30 years ago. “We have the best mussels and oysters in the world, but nobody was telling that story,” he says. “So we created the biggest kitchen party in Canada, with the world’s largest oyster bar.”

Chefs come from across North America to shuck oysters or make chowder. There’s ample seafood to taste, plus music and entertainment daily. It also whets the appetite for the two-week-long Fall Flavours Festival, where island-wide culinary events range from lobster parties and fish fries to food-focused bicycle rides and tastings at local cideries and distilleries, all celebrating the bounty of PEI.

- Carolyn B Heller

Enjoy the fun of the fiesta in Alabama

"Alabama is great in the fall. It never gets too cold and we have a number of events that land at this time,” says Kyle Sullivan of film production company Screen Door Pictures. One of those is Fiesta Birmingham.

“[It’s] the state‘s largest celebration of Hispanic cultures,” says Kyle. “There‘s food, dancing, Aztec dancing (my favourite!) and music, booths and tents. Alabama has long been the poster-child for overt racism, but the truth is much more complicated than the stereotypes. We have a diverse Hispanic population, and Fiesta Birmingham is a spot on the calendar when those folks can shine.”

Sullivan also recommends Birmingham’s sizeable Día de los Muertos celebration at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, another worthy stop on any visit.

- Priscilla Blossom

Get creative with Maine's arts scene

Early October sees the breweries, workshops and studios of Maine’s creative community open their doors for the statewide Maine Craft Weekend. It’s a good time to meet the people behind the work, says Kate Anker of Portland art-studio collective Running With Scissors.

“We’re a closed-door space, so we’re not typically open to the public. That’s why festivals like this appeal. A lot of people walk into a store, pick up a pot and have no idea what goes into it, how it’s made or the thought processes behind it. This is about sharing that knowledge.

“We will have demos and interactive experiences, as well as painting on pre-made ceramic vessels that we’ll fire up. But there’s plenty more to see in Portland. The First Friday Art Walk, a self-guided tour of the city’s music, art and food scene, is a particularly good starting point.

“Download the Creative Portland App, which lists places that don’t get much exposure. The Indigo Arts Alliance [an arts space for Black and Brown artists] will also open their studios for the festival, plus there are great breweries and the Maine Craft Portland retail gallery to visit.”

- Gareth Clark