10 Unique Fall Festivals Worth a Trip

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico

When: October 5–13, 2013

While the Rio Grande is lined with the golden autumn foliage of the Bosque Trail, the colors of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta take to the skies. It's the world's largest hot air balloon festival, with more than 500 balloons flying during the nine-day run. See the mass ascension of all the balloons at once, or watch the Special Shape Rodeo, complete with a Darth Vader balloon and bumblebee balloons known as the Bee Family. There are also night glows followed by fireworks and concerts. The best spot for viewing is in Balloon Fiesta Park next to the International Balloon Museum.

Don't Miss: Outdoor adventure in comfortable fall weather. Go balloon chasing on a bike or float in a kayak or canoe down the Rio Grande, where it's not uncommon to see balloons descend and dip their baskets into the water right next to you.

Dia de los Muertos, Mexico

When: November 1–2, 2013

A huge holiday in Mexico, Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, dedicates the first two days in November (All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day) to welcoming back the spirits of the dearly departed. Altars are built and grave sites are decorated into works of art, with candles, purifying incense, brightly colored marigolds, and creative displays of loved ones' favorite foods to help guide the spirits back. You'll find late-night grave-site parties and elaborately decorated altars in public squares throughout Mexico, but the city of Oaxaca is one of the most renowned spots to celebrate this traditional holiday.

Don't Miss: Riviera Maya's celebration. Close to Playa del Carmen and Cancun, the eco-archaeological park Xcaret honors the dead with music, dance, and food. Crowds of locals and visitors gather to walk by torchlight past altars and into a graveyard warmed by the heat and light of thousands of candles.

Jidai Matsuri, Kyoto, Japan

When: October 22, 2013

For a quick history lesson on Kyoto's 1,200-year past, there's no more visually stunning and entertaining display than the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages), where time literally marches on in chronological order through the old streets of Kyoto. From your spot on the curb, watch thousands of people in period dress representing every era pass by in a grand pageant. You'll see the costumes and customs of the samurai, commoners from feudal times, and women in elaborate kimonos. A military band strikes up ancient imperial court tunes as the masses stream from the palace to the Heian Jingu Shrine in one of Kyoto's biggest festivals of the year. Inside Asia runs tours during the festival.

Don't Miss: Leaf peeping in temple gardens and across Japan's mountainsides. The peak period is late October through late November, when skies are dry and temps hover around 70 degrees.

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, Croton-on-Hudson, New York

When: October–November 2013

New York's Sleepy Hollow Country lights up the season with more than 5,000 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns during the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze. The elaborate display at the historic Van Cortlandt Manor in the Hudson Valley runs 25 nights to sell-out crowds. Sip on hot apple cider as you walk through the Tunnel O' Pumpkin Love or check out the carved dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park-themed section. Special sound effects, synchronized lighting, and an original soundtrack add to the glowing spectacle. New this year is an exhibit of more than 20 pumpkin-inspired sculptures created by local artists.

Don't Miss: This fall's other Sleepy Hollow-themed events. Tour the Horseman's Hollow haunted house at Philipsburg Manor and see a dramatic retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow performed in the candlelit Old Dutch Church across the street. Washington Irving's grave site at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is within walking distance.

Lewes Bonfire, Lewes, England

When: November 5, 2013

On one night each year—November 5—Brits build enormous bonfires to mark the uncovering of Guy Fawkes' gunpowder plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the 17th century. And the biggest celebration of all happens in Lewes, where more than 80,000 people come to see raucous parades with full costumes, flaming torches, fireworks, drum beats, and burning effigies of Fawkes made from old clothes and newspapers. Lewes Bonfire also commemorates the town's Protestant history when 17 burning crosses are carried through town in memory of the 17 martyrs burned at the stake in the Marian persecutions in Catholic England. In Sussex, the official bonfire season runs 10 weeks every fall and various area societies organize pyro-themed festivities. The Battle Bonfire Society's annual parade lights up the infamous Battle of Hastings site late into the night.

Don't Miss: Autumn views of Bodiam Castle and the countryside's fall foliage along the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Phuket, Thailand

When: October 5–13, 2013

In the 1800s, when a visiting Chinese opera troupe came to Thailand to perform for tin miners, the entire company fell ill with an unknown malady. But the singers kept to a strict vegetarian diet to honor two emperor gods, and the sickness disappeared. So began the ritual vegetarianism that's still celebrated throughout Thailand during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. Of all the festivals, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is one of the country's most outrageous. Locals adhere to a strict diet and perform bizarre rituals—think body impalement, bladed-ladder climbs, and hot-oil baths—with the hope that the gods will purify their bodies and bestow good luck on the community. Fireworks and drum shows run throughout the festival, but stall after stall of vegetarian pad thai, spring rolls, and deep-fried dumplings are the real reasons to go.

Don't Miss: Fall discounts at Phuket's most popular beach. In the autumn, Patong Beach's four-star Amari Coral Beach resort has package deals for less than $200 per night.

Blue Food Festival, Bloody Bay, Tobago

When: October 13, 2013

A humble root vegetable that turns light gunmetal blue when cooked is the object of affection at Tobago's annual Blue Food Festival. Watch the festival's 25 chefs transform dasheen, one of the island's signature delicacies, into tasty blue creations that range from pizzas to ginger snaps, kebabs, and ice cream. Bars pour dasheen wine and punch, and you can hit the prepared-foods section to take home your favorite blue foods. There's also live music, local art, and cooking competitions with chefs from nearby villages vying for Best Dasheen Dessert and Best Dasheen Beverage.

Don't Miss: Autumn in Tobago. In October, a climatic phenomenon called Petit Careme brings comfortable temperatures and long stretches of brilliant sunshine that interrupt the rainy season.

Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, Jinju-si Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea

When: October 1–14, 2013

One of South Korea's most popular festivals, the annual Jinju Namgang Yudeung (Lantern) Festival sees hundreds of glowing lanterns floating on the Namgang River, paying tribute to the Jinjuseong Battle of 1592 when lanterns were used as military signals during a Japanese invasion. After the war, locals continued to set lanterns adrift in remembrance of those lost at battle, a tradition that continues today at the festival. Marvel at the intricately designed shapes of tigers, musical instruments, and other Korean symbols. Then attend a demonstration and make your own lantern to send down the river. Be sure to walk through the tunnel of 27,000 wish lanterns, each tagged with the yearning of a festivalgoer.

Don't Miss: Tours of the famous Jinjuseong Fortress. See the ornate architectural detail and the wartime trench that was dug centuries ago. Take in the autumn air on a hike in the surrounding hills.

Festival of Lights, Berlin, Germany

When: October 9–20, 2013

After nightfall each evening for two weeks in October, Berlin transforms into a wonderland of color at the Festival of Lights, one of the world's largest illumination festivals. Artists and designers use the city's landmark buildings as canvases, splashing creative projections onto the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Berlin Cathedral. You can see it from a tour bus, or from a boat, bicycle, Segway, horse-drawn carriage, or balloon on an open-air "lightseeing" tour. Hear live jazz music on the theme of light at the festival's Jazz in den Ministergarten event. On the first Saturday of the festival, many of the illuminated buildings stay open until midnight for special events.

Don't Miss: The start of the new opera, theater, and concerts seasons in Berlin. Fall is also when art markets, including ABC Art Berlin Contemporary, Preview Berlin, and Berliner Liste, attract art collectors from around the world.

Celtic Colours International Festival, Cape Breton Island, Canada

When: October 11–19, 2013

More than 50,000 Highland Scots immigrated to Cape Breton Island when they were forced to leave their farms 200 years ago, but you'll still hear Cape Breton residents speaking Gaelic and fiddling lively jigs today. The island is North America's last surviving pocket of Celtic culture, and there's no better time to experience it than at the Celtic Colours International Festival under autumn's gorgeous canopy. During the nine-day festival, more than 250 events throughout the island celebrate Celtic music and culture. Catch a concert at the Louisbourg National Historic Site or meet the musicians as they drop in for late-night jam sessions at the Gaelic College in St. Ann's. Workshops will teach you the language, dance moves, and how to play a traditional Gaelic instrument.

Don't Miss: The fall foliage. The Celtic Colours International Festival happens during the foliage peak, when Cape Breton's Cabot Trail and the Cape Breton Highlands National Park boast striking maples and brilliant birches.

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