88 Fun and Creative Fall Festival Ideas For Your Church

With cooler weather, changing colors, and fun traditions, there’s lots to love about the fall season. With school and work in full swing, hosting a Fall Festival is the perfect opportunity to connect with your community. Lucky for you, we’ve got tons of ideas for making it an outstanding, memorable event.

From pumpkins to kid-friendly activities to food, we’ve broken down 88 fall festival ideas. And we even threw in some trunk or treat car decorating ideas. Feel free to browse, save this post for later, and leave additional ideas and wins you’ve experienced in the comments below!

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Hosting Your Fall Festival

Hosting a church fall festival is a wonderful way to bring your community together.

Planning Your Event

Start by gathering a planning team. This team should include people with different skills, such as organizers, decorators, and people good at public relations. Once your team is in place, set a date and time for the festival. Make sure it doesn’t conflict with other local events.

Next, decide on a location. The church grounds are a great choice if they have enough space. Ensure there is plenty of room for all the activities you plan to have. If space is limited, consider partnering with a nearby park or school.

Create a budget to cover all your expenses, like decorations, food, and entertainment. Look for ways to save money, such as asking for donations or borrowing equipment. Be sure to plan for safety by having first aid kits and a designated area for lost children.

Organizing Activities and Entertainment

A fall festival is all about fun activities and entertainment. Plan a variety of games and activities to appeal to all ages. The rest of this article is focused on all kinds of ideas to inspire you and your team.

Food is another important part of the festival. Offer a mix of snacks and treats that fit the fall theme, like caramel apples, popcorn, and hot cider. You might also consider having a chili cook-off or a bake sale. Ask church members to contribute homemade goodies to share.

Entertainment can include live music, a talent show, or a pumpkin carving contest. Invite local bands or choirs to perform, or ask church members to showcase their talents. If you have the space, set up a small stage for performances. A bonfire can also be a great way to end the evening, allowing everyone to gather, sing songs, and enjoy the warmth.

Promoting the Event

To ensure a good turnout, it’s important to promote the festival well in advance. Start by creating colorful flyers and posters to place around the church and in local businesses. Use social media to reach a wider audience. Create an event page on platforms like Facebook, and encourage church members to share it with their friends and family.

Make announcements during church services and include information about the festival in the church bulletin. Send out emails and newsletters to keep everyone informed. If possible, get a local radio station or newspaper to mention the event.

Word of mouth is also very effective. Encourage your church community to invite their neighbors, friends, and coworkers. The more people talk about the festival, the more excitement will build.

On the day of the event, have clear signs directing people to parking and different activities. Set up an information booth where visitors can ask questions and get a schedule of events.

By following these simple steps, your church fall festival can be a successful and joyous event that brings your community closer together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the season, share faith, and create lasting memories.

Pumpkin Fall Festival Ideas

Pumpkins are a must for any fall festival fun party. From decor to games and treats, here are some ideas to get your pumpkin theme going.

1. Pumpkin Decorating – Have a pumpkin decorating contest. You can paint, carve, or use other materials like stickers, stamps, and crafty decor.
2. Pumpkin Bean Bag Toss – Cut the tops off several pumpkins and do a tossing game with bean bags or ping pong balls. You can have different prize levels based on distance.
3. Pumpkin Throw – Get the heaviest pumpkin you can find and have a pumpkin throw contest (think shotput). This one is especially fun for teenagers and parents!
4. Pumpkin Piñata – Fill a piñata with fall candy and let the kids get after it. If you have a longer event, you could do a pinata once an hour.
5. Pumpkin Bowling – Set up regular plastic bowling pins or fall-themed items like mini scarecrows and use the roundest pumpkins you can find as bowling balls. You can even drill three finger holes to make it more like the real thing.
6. Pumpkin Weigh In – Gather a group of irregularly sized pumpkins and do a weigh-in to see which is the heaviest. You can have one grand weigh-in at the end of the event or have weigh-ins throughout the harvest festival where the closest guesser in each group gets a prize.
7. Pumpkin Guts Treasure Hunt – This one is for those folks (mainly kids) who love gooey pumpkin guts. Cut the top of a pumpkin and hide some small trinkets and treasures inside. Blindfold the kiddos and let them reach in and pick out a prize.
8. Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin – Just like the classic birthday “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” you can use a real pumpkin, poster, or cut out. Have laminated eyes, noses, and facial features with tape on the back, and let blindfolded kiddos attempt to make a pumpkin face.
9. Pumpkin Slime – Slime is always a hit! Make a big batch of pumpkin slime for them to play with during the fall festival or as a take-home prize.
10. Pumpkin Bake Off – From pumpkin pie to pumpkin brownies, there are tons of delicious fall recipes to choose from. Have a bake-off and let everyone vote on their favorite pumpkin recipe.
11. Pumpkin Patch – If you’re fortunate enough to live near a pumpkin patch, you can host an event there. Church members can pick their own pumpkins and then use them for the other activities on this list.

Interactive Harvest Party Games and Activities

When it comes to outdoor fall festivals and harvest parties, the sky is the limit for crafty activities, games, and other ideas to entertain and engage your guests.

1. Face Painting – Set up a fall-themed face painting station for the kiddos (and adults!) to enjoy. You can also include temporary tattoos, hair paint, glitter tattoos, and more.
2. Scavenger Hunt – Hide fall items around the party area for the guests to find. You can have different prize levels for those who find all the items, the most items, or items in the shortest amount of time.
3. Corn Maze – Set up a small corn maze for the kids to navigate through. You can make it interactive by hiding pumpkins, scarecrows, and other scavenger hunt items throughout the maze.
4. Hay Ride – This is a Harvest Party classic! If you have access to a hay wagon or truck, load it up with hay bales and take your guests for a ride around the block or through the fall foliage.
5. Dunk Tank – Have a fall-themed dunk tank for guests to take turns trying to dunk a friend.
6. Apple Bobbing – Fill a tub or large vessel with water and add apples. Let the guests take turns trying to bite into an apple while their hands are behind their backs. The first person to grab the most apples wins! If this doesn’t feel very sanitary, you can try to get the apples out with nets – just be sure to make it challenging.
7. Donut (or Pie) Eating Contest – Another festival favorite! See who can eat the most donuts (or pie) in a certain time.
8. Candy Guess – Collect a bunch of fall candy like candy corn and have guests guess how many pieces are in the jar.
9. “Dress a Scarecrow” Relay – Have teams fully dress a scarecrow as quickly as possible. Set up the scarecrows at a distance. Each team member can take one piece of clothing, run down and put it on the scarecrow, then run back and tag their teammate.
10. Photo Booth – Have a fall-themed photo booth set up with props for guests to take pictures.
11. Petting Zoo – You can hire a local farm or petting zoo company to bring goats, bunnies, mini donkeys or ponies, and other animals.
12. Pony Rides – Similar to the petting zoo, you can hire a local company to bring ponies for guests to ride.

Dress Up Fun for Fall Festivals

Calling all princesses and superheroes! Kids (and many adults) love the opportunity to dress up in a fun and creative Halloween costume. Here are a few ways to encourage everyone to dress up.

1. Costume Parade – Have everyone dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes for a family-friendly parade.
2. Pet Halloween Costume Contest – Nothing is cuter than a dachshund in a hot dog bun–or pets dressed up in general! You can have all sorts of fun with a pet dress-up day.
3. Costume Pageant – Have people show off their fall festival costumes in a pageant-style format. You can have different categories like the best homemade costume, most creative costume, funniest costume, and more.
4. Halloween Dance Party – Put on some family-friendly tunes and have a dance party! You can even theme it out.
5. Group Costume Contest – Get groups of friends or family together and come up with a creative group costume. You could do a movie theme, TV show theme, or a punny fall-themed costume.
6. The Masked Pastor – Similar to the popular show “The Masked Singer,” have well-known church staff and leaders dress up, then people have to guess who they are.

Music For Fall Festivals

Music sets the atmosphere, so here are some fall festival ideas to get the party started. Whether you have live musicians, a DJ, or just a great soundtrack, music can bring energy to the environment.

1. Live Band or DJ – Hire a local band to play fall-themed songs, Halloween favorites, or simply songs that set the right tone for your fall festival. You could even have a dance floor set up for guests to enjoy.
2. Karaoke – Have a karaoke contest where guests can sing their favorites. You can have different prize levels for the best overall performance, most fall-themed song, best duet, and more.
3. Lip Sync Battle – Have teams of guests perform a lip sync battle. This is always a crowd favorite!
4. Rap Battle – You may have seen this on the youth group circuit, but rapping Dr. Seuss books can make for a hysterical performance. Have some rappers prepped ahead of time to demonstrate, and let the crowd step in.
5. Silent Disco – Although this isn’t offered in all areas, it’s becoming increasingly popular. Guests wear wireless headphones and dance the night away with personal control over their channel and playlist.
6. Harvest Party Talent Show – This is a fall twist on the classic talent show. Have guests sign up to perform fall-themed talents like pumpkin carving, apple pie making, or telling jokes.

Fall Festival Food

It’s not a party without food – and there are tons of great options for fall-themed event food. Here are some creative fall party ideas to consider.

1. Caramel Apple Bar – Set up a DIY bar for people to make caramel apples. You can have different toppings like nuts, candies, chocolate chips, and more.
2. Pumpkin Spice Bar – Have all the fall favorites in one place with a pumpkin spice bar. This could include pumpkin spice muffins, trail mix, and pie, and you could throw in other fall flavors like cinnamon and apple.
3. Chili Cook-Off – This is always a hit! Set up a chili cook-off with categories like best meatless chili, traditional chili, and most unique chili.
4. Pumpkin Latte Bar – Set up a self-serve station with all the fixings for fall’s favorite drinks like apple cider, pumpkin lattes, and hot chocolate.
5. Corn on the Cob – This fall classic can be served grilled, boiled, or roasted. You can serve it with the fixins’ or let people experiment with unique toppings like chili powder, cheese, and bacon bits.
6. Smores Bar – Set up a self-serve smores bar for fall’s favorite fireside treat and then have a (closely monitored) fire for people to roast and assemble. Or, guests can package up their goodies for a take-home treat.
7. Food Trucks – Hire some local food trucks to come and serve fall-themed foods like pumpkin spice lattes, caramel apples, chili, and corn on the cob.
8. Candy Bar – If you’re not doing trunk or treat, this is a great way to give out Halloween candy. Set up a variety of candies and let people fill up a bag with their favorites.

Fun Ideas for Older Kids at a Fall Festival

Will your teenagers still be excited to attend a family harvest festival? Lots of fall activities are games for kids, but what about those in their teens? With these fun games, they’re sure to have a great time (although we can’t guarantee they’ll admit it).

1. Fall Festival Slingshot Contest – See who can launch mini pumpkins, apples, and corncobs the furthest using a slingshot.
2. Pumpkin Chunkin’ – Like the event above, see how far you can launch a pumpkin using contraptions like a trebuchet, slingshot, or human-powered catapult.
3. Lawn Games – Keep older kids busy with cornhole, horseshoes, and ladder ball. Set up plenty of lawn game stations, so they don’t have to wait in line.
4. Teen-Level Corn Maze – Set up two corn mazes, an easy version for younger kids and a challenging intricate maze for older kids.
5. Obstacle Course – Combined with the corn maze or standalone, set up a fall-themed obstacle course with bales of hay, apple crates, and more. The fastest time wins!
6. Flag Football Game – Get a group of teens together for a dress-up (or not) flag football game.
7. Fall Festival Game Show – Set up a fall-themed Minute to Win It, Price is Right, or Family Feud showdown.
8. Video Game Tournament – Set up a gaming system with a multi-player family-friendly game; Mario Kart or EA Sports have good options.
9. Build a Scarecrow or Fall Wreath – Have all the materials on hand for guests to build a scarecrow or Fall wreath to take home (you could let the moms jump in on this too).
10. Next Level Pumpkin Decorating – Gather unique craft supplies and bring in a professional artist who can share more advanced carving and painting techniques.

Fall Festival Indoor Activity Ideas

If you live in an area where the weather is unpredictable, never fear! You can still adapt many of the fall festival games and activities on this list to an indoor setting. That would include:

1. A Fall Ball – Get dressed up to dance and sing the night away.
2. Pumpkin Decorating – Put down a large drop cloth, and let your guests get creative.
3. Karaoke – If you’re doing a combo event, this might be an ideal activity to feature inside.
4. Cookie Decorating – Set up a fall-themed cookie decorating station for your guests.
5. Scavenger Hunt – You can do this indoors or outdoors, depending on the size of your venue and the number of people attending.
6. Selfie Photo Booth – Set up a fall-themed selfie station with props like hay bales, pumpkins, and fall leaves.
7. Fall Pageant – Let the creatives in your church provide some fun fall-themed entertainment.
8. Fall Carnival Games – The options are endless here, and most games are suitable for an indoor setting. There are easy ways to adapt games for a fall theme, like a ring toss onto corn cobs or a pumpkin putting green (where you have put the ball into the pumpkin’s mouth).
9. Food fun – Do a pumpkin pie “cake” walk (like musical chairs, but with edible prizes).
10. Popcorn and Big Screen – Whether you choose a family-favorite movie or a football game, get everyone together to enjoy the big screen and set up a popcorn bar complete with fall-flavored toppings.

Bible-Based Harvest Fest Ideas

Your fall festival is an amazing opportunity to share the gospel and teach biblical truths. Here are some creative ideas to do just that. Consider taking some of the games and activities listed above and adapting them to include Bible verses or references to scripture stories, for example:

1. Scripture Scavenger Hunt – Have people find Bible verses that have been written in various locations around the party, such as a sign stuck in a hay bale or a verse painted on the side of a pumpkin.
2. Gratitude Gifts – Decorate a card, bookmark, or other small gift items with a Bible verse and reasons you’re grateful.
3. Service Project – Find ways to serve others in the community, whether that’s a canned food collection, decorating cards to send to a nursing home, collecting candy for deployed military personnel, or signing up to do a community project.
4. Bible-Themed Games – For example, do a slingshot or bag toss that features the story of David and Goliath. Have a life-size Noah’s ark for little ones. You could have a prize, handout, or guidebook that shares the biblical story associated with each game.
5. Bible-themed Fall Crafts – Set up a station with candy corn or pumpkin crafts that tie into gospel or biblical messages.

Fall Festival Decoration Ideas

When it comes to setting the right tone for your Fall Festival, the décor is everything. Transforming your space into an autumn wonderland can be done with a few creative touches. Below are ten unique ideas to get your festive space looking perfect for your event:

1. Autumn Leaf Garland – Collect colorful fall leaves or buy faux leaves from a craft store. String them together to create beautiful garlands to drape across walls, doorways, or tables.
2. Hay Bale Seating – Set up hay bales as seating areas. Top them with cozy blankets or flannel for a more comfortable and festive touch. They can also be used as rustic tables for snacks or displays.
3. Mason Jar Lanterns – Fill mason jars with fairy lights or candles. You can also add acorns, corn kernels, or pinecones for an added touch. Place them around your venue to create a soft, warm glow.
4. Cornstalk Columns – Stand tall cornstalks up against pillars, lampposts, or entryways and tie them with festive ribbon or twine to give height to your decorations.
5. Pumpkin Centerpieces – Hollow out pumpkins and use them as vases for autumn flowers like chrysanthemums or sunflowers. Alternatively, fill them with various sizes of pinecones, colorful leaves, or berries.
6. Wooden Crate Displays – Stack wooden crates to create rustic displays. Fill them with pumpkins, gourds, apples, and corn to give a bountiful harvest feel.
7. Chalkboard Signs – Use chalkboard signs to direct attendees, announce events, or share festive quotes. Frame them with autumn foliage or berries for added charm.
8. Apple Basket Arrangements – Fill wooden baskets with apples and sprinkle some cinnamon sticks among them. Not only do they look festive, but they also give off a lovely aroma.
9. Scarecrow Welcoming Committee – Set up a few scarecrows around the entrance area, each holding welcoming signs or directions. Dress them up in different outfits for variety—perhaps even a biblical character or two!
10. Fall Wreaths – Create or buy autumn wreaths adorned with leaves, berries, twigs, and burlap. Hang them on doors, walls, or even lay them flat on tables as centerpieces with candles in the middle.

Remember, the key is to harness the rich colors, textures, and scents of the season. With these decoration ideas, your Fall Festival will undoubtedly be an atmospheric, memorable event that everyone will talk about for seasons to come!

Trunk or Treat Car Themes

Finally, the ideas covered in this post could all be included in a Trunk or Treat event as well as a fall festival. So, we wanted to share some of the best Trunk or Treat car themes we’ve come across. These themes range from biblical references to pop culture references and are all super flavorful and fun!

1. Candy Land
2. Noah’s Ark
3. Veggie Tales
4. Dinosaur and Jurassic Park
5. Star Wars
6. Pirates
7. Mario Bros
8. Under the Sea
9. Charlie Brown
10. Superhero

Decorating your car for a trunk or treat event can be a lot of fun! Here are some simple tips to make your car stand out and delight all the trick-or-treaters.

1. First, choose a theme. It could be from our list above, or something else you find fun! Once you have a theme, gather decorations that fit. You can find many items at dollar stores or craft stores.
2. Next, consider the layout. Make sure your decorations are safe and don’t obstruct any doors or windows. Use tape or string to secure items so they don’t fall off.
3. Don’t forget the candy! Place it in a decorated bowl or container that matches your theme.
4. Lastly, get into the spirit! Dress up in a costume that goes with your theme. Play some fun music to create a festive atmosphere.

With these simple tips, your trunk will be a hit at the trunk or treat event!

Fall Festival Ideas

Fall is a wonderful time of year, and celebrating the season is so much fun! From hayrides and pumpkin patches to harvest festivals and thanksgiving services, there are countless ways to enjoy this special time of year. These activities not only provide fun and fellowship but also offer opportunities to grow in faith and serve the community.

As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, let us embrace the season with joyful hearts, giving thanks for the blessings we have. Whether it’s through a simple craft night or a large community event, fall is the perfect time to create lasting memories and strengthen the bonds within our church family. So, gather your loved ones, plan some fun activities, and make the most of this beautiful season together.

We hope this list has inspired you to throw an incredible Fall Festival for your community. Be sure to share other great ideas with us in the comments below! We’ll see you next time for our winter, summer, and spring activities!

More on Celebrating the Holidays at Your Church

• Church Halloween Events Ideas: Bold Move or Blasphemy?
• 7 Ways To Get Past The Small Church Mentality
• 25 Best Youth Group Games Your Students Will Love
• Church Icebreaker Games: 11 Ideas Guaranteed To Build Community
• 20 Fun and Exciting VBS Games to Try this Summer!

About The Author