As it starts to get colder and the leaves begin to change here in Happy Valley it’s time to bundle up, cook your favorite soup and get ready for Halloween season. Instead of staying in on the weekends wishing you could still be outside, VALLEY has your guide to your perfect fall weekend activities.
Harner Farm
Around 30 minutes from campus we have the first location, Harner Farm. Known for great fruits and vegetables, this farm is a great place for a group of you to go apple picking before the season ends and it gets too cold out. Not only do they have apple picking, but you can also get your fix of apple cider and sweet fall treats to take home and enjoy as well. If you have a little extra time to spare, you can also enjoy their Halloween-themed corn maze or feed some friendly farm animals too.
Wasson Farm
Take a shorter trip off campus and find our second location, Wasson Farm. Focused completely around hayrides and pumpkins, Wasson celebrates “Fall Fest” days every Saturday and Sunday of October starting this upcoming weekend. Fall Fest is only $6 per person, and you each get a hayride out to the never ending pumpkin patch. Then you can also pick any size pumpkin you like from a small decorative pumpkin to a large Charlie Brown pumpkin, all included in your one ticket. After you load your group’s pumpkins into the car, you can head over to the market area where you can enjoy homemade soups, fresh apple butter and other baked goods. After indulging, get lost in their corn maze or pet some of their cute farm animals as your last stop of the day.
Fall Festival
Downtown State College’s annual Fall Festival will be coming back this year on Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. running down all of Allen Street. With free pumpkins and stations full of crafting supplies, you can show off your carving skills or decorate a pumpkin to sit in your apartment window. The Fall Festival will also have farm animals, bounce houses, photo stations and lots of food vendors, including Duck Donuts and Rosie’s Pierogies.
Haunted Trail
For those who are more into the paranormal scene, you can check out the Haunted Bog Walks at Black Moshannon State Park on Oct. 12 and 20. With groups split up and only a flashlight in hand, you will be led through a half mile trail along a boardwalk throughout the park with creatures jumping out at you at every turn. If the half mile trail wasn’t scary enough for you, you can register again for the Lake Loop trail that takes you through a longer trek off the beaten path that is full of surprises and even less light than the first. Both of these haunted walks also include pre-walk bonfires and post-walk candy buckets.
