20 Things To Do Around The Brazos Valley This Fall
Article + Photos Courtesy of | Jennifer Satterfield, jennifersatterfield.com
While the temperatures are still a bit warm, there are plenty of things to do this Fall in and around the Brazos Valley.
The start of the Fall season begins with a wide range of gatherings from the kickoff of Aggie Football season to festivals, pecan orchard tours, wine tastings, and artisan markets! If you find yourself wondering what there is to do in Aggieland, here are the top twenty places to visit and things to do this Fall with your friends and family.
1. The Hullabaloo Blues Fest returns for a second year in a row featuring blues artists, family fun, food trucks, and the Keeshea Pratt Band on the stage at Lake Walk this Labor Day Weekend! (Saturday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 4th)
2. The 37th Annual Kolache Festival is held on the second Saturday in September every year on the square in Downtown Caldwell. Plan a day trip on Saturday, September 10th to enjoy the kolache eating contest, kolache baking championship, a 5K Kolache Krunch run, the crowning of the Miss Kolache Festival, and the sounds of Polka music. Don’t forget to enjoy all the homemade kolaches you can eat and free admission.
3. 1st Annual Sand Sculpting Competition & Festival in Hearne Friday, September 16th through Sunday, September 18th at the historic Hearne Depot. Enjoy three days filled with music, crafts, and food vendors… and lots of sand!
4. The Farm Patch, located in Bryan, is an open-air produce market and greenhouse, and tops the charts as a place to visit for locally grown produce and the most “instagrammable” Pumpkin Patch every Fall. Gather the family for a visit, take Fall photos, and pick out your carving pumpkins.
5. The Texas A&M Agronomy Society’s Aggie Corn Maze benefitting the on-campus food bank, 12th Can is located at 2605 F&B Road in College Station and is typically held at the end of October. Check their Facebook page for the exact dates, times, and donation requests.
6. Brazos Valley Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning in Downtown Bryan.
7. Enjoy a tasting menu right from locally sourced ingredients under the stars at the Ronin Farm in Bryan during the Ronin Harvest Full Moon Dinner.
8. Visit Peach Creek Vineyards in College Station this Fall for their annual Alpacas and Wine event on Saturday, October 1st and Saturday, November 12th.
9. The Brazos Valley Fair and Rodeo kicks off Friday, October 14th with a BBQ and Steak cook-off, welding competition, car show, tractor pull, and more! Followed by the Fair and Rodeo on Friday, October 21st at the Brazos County Expo Center in Bryan.
10. Bring your pup and enjoy a cup of seasonal joe at the P.O.V. Coffee House, located next to the Stella Hotel at Lake Walk in Bryan.
11. First Fridays in Downtown Bryan. Join the fun year-round in Downtown Bryan on the first Friday of every month.
12. A short drive from Bryan, schedule a Pecan Orchard Tour at Royalty Pecan Farms.
13. Visit the 44 stops on the Bryan Taco Trail and win prizes from Destination Bryan.
14. A short drive to Navasota, visit the WildFlyer Mead Company and BeeWeaver Honey Farm for tastings, tours, and food trucks.
15. Visit The Local Fall Markets at Lake Walk in Bryan on Tuesdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM featuring local artisans, fresh food such as bread and honey, and handmade soaps and jewelry. Bring your whole family, including your pups!
The Local Fall Market Schedule:
September 13th, 20th, 27th
October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
November 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th
16. Plan a staycation and visit the newly restored P.A. Smith Navasota Hotel or stop by to take a tour to view the breathtaking 6-foot chandeliers and beautiful marble floors. Stay the weekend for shopping and fun in Downtown Navasota, while enjoying the sounds of jazz every Tuesday evening at the hotel. Sip on a carefully crafted cocktail at Hamer’s Speakeasy hidden behind a stairway, named after the Texas Ranger Frank Hamer.
17. Get the Halloween costumes ready for the 3rd annual Halloweentown in Downtown Bryan on Friday October 28th from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Admission is free and guests can enjoy a costume contest, photo stations, kid’s crafts, food, and more!
18. Shop unique gifts just in time for the holiday season, hostess gifts, or a thoughtful thank you gift basket at Blackberry and Honeysuckle in Downtown Navasota. Find Texas-made products and locally sourced gifts by owner Krystal Garza who has carefully crafted and designed the perfect gifts for all seasons of life.
19. Tour and stop to take Fall pictures at the 27-acre Texas A&M University Leach Teaching Gardens, while also learning about Texas native plants and the important role that horticulture has in our community.
20. Escape the daily grind and visit the newly opened Chapelton Vineyards on the 75-acre Lynn Ranch for a Texas wine country retreat in Washington, Texas. Look for upcoming chef wine pairing dinners, charcuterie board classes, and wine tasting events this Fall.
Jennifer Satterfield is the founder and editor for Growing Up Texas, a Southern lifestyle blog. Find design inspiration through Jennifer’s colorful stories and her travel adventures. A resident of the Brazos Valley for over twenty years, Jennifer is passionate about telling the stories of local residents and business owners and believes that the Brazos Valley is truly the best place to live! jennifersatterfield.com