things to do near you

Things to do in Hartford and the Litchfield Hills this fall and Christmas

Okay so this is everything going on around Hartford and out in the Litchfield Hills this fall and then Christmas, the corn maze at Lyman Orchards and the apple festivals and the country fairs, then the Christmas Town Festival in Bethlehem and the silver lights in Meriden, all in one place. Tap anything you want to do and I'll put it on your bucket list for you, and if you want the addresses and the dates and all that, "make my plan" builds it and puts it on your calendar.

Last updated September 28, 2026. Dates come from each event's own page and I recheck them all season, but tap the link and double check before you load up the car.

Fall Christmas Any weekend More Connecticut areas
the big stuff

Fall in Hartford and the Litchfield Hills3 things

The ones people drive in from other counties for. Most of them run the whole season, so you don't have to pick a weekend yet.

Little kids
Lyman Orchards Corn MazeMiddlefield
through November 1
A four acre corn maze, about a mile of paths, plus apple picking at the orchard.
FreeLittle kids
Southington Apple Harvest FestivalSouthington
October 2 to 4 and October 9 to 11
Two weekends of apple everything on the town green.
Little kids
Harwinton FairHarwinton
October 2 to 4
Pig races, a rabbit costume contest, oxen, a magic show and the barnyard animals.
town by town

The little stuff, by town3 things

The city Halloween parties and the trunk or treats and the free stuff. Cities post their 2026 dates late, so anything marked "check the date" gets fixed the second it's announced.

Fall in South Windsor

FreeLittle kids
South Windsor Apple Fest
Saturday, October 3
A one day apple festival in town.

Fall in Riverton

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Riverton Fair
October 9 to 11
A small country fair up in the hills at peak leaf season.

Fall in Bethlehem

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Garlic and Harvest Festival
October 10 and 11
A harvest festival at the Bethlehem fairgrounds.
and the stuff at home

For the rest of your list

These don't need an address, tap them and they go on your list with everything else.

lights and trains

Christmas in Hartford and the Litchfield Hills2 things

The Christmas Town Festival already has its 2026 dates, and the rest show last year's windows.

FreeLittle kids
Bethlehem Christmas Town FestivalBethlehem
December 4 and 5
A Christmas festival in a town called Bethlehem, with a train ride for the kids, hayrides and music.
FreeLittle kids
Festival of Silver LightsMeriden
late November through New Year's · check the date
Over 300,000 white lights on more than 200 figures all through the park.
town by town

Town Christmas stuff

The town stuff, and I'll add the tree lightings as the cities post them in November.

Christmas in Hartford

FreeLittle kids
Hartford Winterfest
opens the Friday after Thanksgiving · check the date
Ice skating in Bushnell Park downtown.
and the stuff at home

For the rest of your Christmas list

This is the at-home stuff, tap them and they go on your list with the lights and the train.

put it on the wall

Turn your Christmas picks into a real bucket list

Tap the lights and the trains and the town stuff you want and pick the Christmas design you like, and I'll hold onto your picks. The Christmas lists are coming soon, and the second they're up your picks drop straight into the slots.

See the Christmas designs (coming soon)
no tickets, no dates

Good any weekend0 things

The stuff that doesn't need a date, for the Saturday when nothing's going on.

people ask me

Hartford and the Litchfield Hills fall and Christmas questions

When is the Southington Apple Harvest Festival in 2026?

October 2 to 4 and October 9 to 11, 2026 on the town green.

When is the Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival in 2026?

December 4 and 5, 2026.

Amy
who's writing this

Hi, I'm Amy.

We roadschool six kids out of a van. I'm just a mom with a Ford Transit and a lot of opinions about corn mazes, so if something on here is wrong, or your town's party is missing, email me at hello@bellebucket.com and I'll fix it.

put it on the wall

Turn your picks into a real bucket list

Tap the ones you want and I'll drop them onto whichever fall design you pick, then you add your own stuff (birthdays, carving pumpkins, whatever your family does). It prints big, like 24x36 big, and it hangs on the wall all season.

See the fall designs

If you run one of these events and want it on here, or something's off, email hello@bellebucket.com. I'd love to have you.

0 on your list