September 22nd officially marked the first day of fall. I’ve always loved the cool air, changing leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes that come along after summer ends. Many of us know, the transition to autumn means the blistering cold and snowstorms of winter are not far behind. I took some time to make a list of things that we can
1. Scarecrows in the Garden.
September 16th through October 31st, Minnesota’s Arboretum places hand-crafted scarecrows, by experts from Bachman’s and the Arboretum’s staff, throughout their fall displays. I might label it something of a “Scarecrow Art Gallery.” There are more scarecrows made by visitors and staff surrounding a pumpkin house decorated for the season. A few blocks away, there is also a sculpture garden that you could check out. The Arboretum’s website has all the information you need on the event.
2. Renaissance Festival.
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is a long-standing tradition in Minnesota, this being it’s 46th year. The live armored jousting, 7 themed weekends, 16 stages of live entertainment, 250 artisan booths, food fit for a king, mermaids, fairies, and more, attracts an annual crowd of over 300,000. It’s open through October 2nd; which is this coming weekend.
3. Fall Leaves.
Everything green is soon going to be all different shades of red, yellow and orange. People come to Minnesota from all over the country to see the changing autumn leaves. We have tons of walking trails, state parks, and waterfall locations that are perfect for experiencing the transition of the trees. Minnehaha Falls would be my go-to spot, living in Minneapolis and all, but some other places in the area I would recommend are Shadow Falls Park, Witch’s Hat Tower, and a trail in Minneapolis called “Quaking Bog.” Also, here are some places to check out that are a little farther drive; Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Taylors Falls, and Willow River Falls.
4. Bake.
It’s the season of apple pies, banana bread, caramel apples, and pumpkin everything! Pumpkin pie, cookies, bread, lattes… You could bake with your family, bake alone and share with your friends, bake with your friends and share with the beautiful people that work in the StepUP office, etc., etc.
5. Apple Orchard.
Fall is apple season, and there is no better apple than an apple fresh from the orchard. In my experience, apples from the orchard are bigger and tastier, and there is a huge selection of apples you may have never even heard of. I grew up in Lindstrom, and one I always went to was the Pleasant Valley Orchard. A Minneapolis website put together a list of apple orchards near Minneapolis.
6. Pumpkin patch.
Pumpkins are the mascot of fall, and going to a pumpkin patch is a tradition you don’t want to miss. Picking out your pumpkin, decorating it, carving it; it’s all a part of the spirit of autumn. There’s also a matching list the pumpkin patches near Minneapolis.
7. Football.
We do have that new U.S. Bank Stadium you could go catch a Vikings game at. Although, I heard tickets are super expensive so it might be cheaper to order food and watch the game at home. Also, Augsburg’s football season runs through November. You could attend a game to show school spirit and watch some football. The Auggie’s football schedule and stats can be viewed on the Augsburg Athletic’s website.
8. Stock up on sweaters.
It’s time to put the bro tanks and crop tops away; it’s sweater season. Sweaters are quite literally the perfect outdoor fall attire, while simultaneously being the perfect indoor winter attire. You could go pay full price for a nice sweater, or you could do what I do and go thrifting. For some reason, thrift shops always have the biggest, comfiest sweaters. Don’t wait too long to update your fall wardrobe, all the good ones might be gone!
9. Haunted House.
It is a little early for Halloween, but it’s never too early to pay for people to scare you. Minnesota has tons of attractions that do just that. The Soap Factory’s haunted basement starts September 30th and runs through Halloween night. It’s in downtown Minneapolis and I’ve heard it’s the best haunted attraction in Minnesota. Some others include Valleyscare, Pine Haven’s Haunted Hayride, Trail of Terror, and Fright Farm.
-Connie K.