There’s something special about fall in Berks County. As the temperatures cool and the leaves begin to change, communities across the county come alive with festivals celebrating everything from fiery food and German heritage to local agriculture, art, music, antiques, history, and independent film.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or looking for a reason to experience something new close to home, we've rounded up the can’t-miss festivals and major events happening throughout Berks County this fall.
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Taste of Hamburg-er Festival — September 5
Location: Downtown Hamburg
Kick off September with one of Berks County’s tastiest traditions! The Taste of Hamburg-er Festival takes over downtown Hamburg with grills serving creative takes on the classic burger. Along with plenty to eat, visitors can enjoy live music, makers and vendors, drinks, kids’ activities, and plenty of festival fun.
It’s an easy way to spend a full day exploring Hamburg — just be sure to arrive hungry!
Chile Pepper Festival — September 11–12
Location: William Delong Memorial Park, Bowers
Things heat up in Bowers during the Chile Pepper Festival. This two-day celebration is all about peppers and the foods they inspire, bringing together vendors with hot sauces, salsas, spicy specialties, and other unique products.
For those who really love the heat, the festival offers plenty of opportunities to put your spice tolerance to the test. Add live music to the mix, and you have one of the most flavorful festivals of the fall.
Courtesy of Building a Better Boyertown
Boyertown’s Oktoberfest — September 11–12
Location: Downtown Boyertown
Raise a stein to the start of Oktoberfest season in downtown Boyertown! Boyertown’s Oktoberfest celebrates the area’s German heritage with beer, food, live entertainment, vendors, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Make some time before or after the festival to walk around Boyertown and explore the shops and attractions that make this historic community worth a visit.
Berks County Farm Market & Festival — September 12
Location: Berks County Heritage Center
Celebrate the people, products, and traditions behind Berks County agriculture at the Berks County Farm Market & Festival. Local farmers and artisans come together to showcase fresh produce, handmade products, and the county’s agricultural heritage.
The setting at the Berks County Heritage Center makes this event especially fitting, giving visitors a chance to experience local history alongside the flavors and traditions of Berks County farming.
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West Reading Fall Fest — September 19
Location: Penn Avenue, West Reading
Penn Avenue becomes one big street party during West Reading Fall Fest. The festival fills downtown West Reading with vendors, food, drinks, live entertainment, and family-friendly fun.
Spend the day browsing vendors, listening to music, grabbing something to eat, and visiting the businesses along the Avenue. It’s one of the biggest community celebrations of the season and a great excuse to spend a Saturday in West Reading.
Berks Fiddle Fest — September 20
Location: Fleetwood Park, Fleetwood
Music takes center stage at Berks Fiddle Fest, a celebration of fiddling, Americana music, and community at Fleetwood Park.
The festival features live performances, fiddle competitions, opportunities for musicians to jam together, and vendors. Bring a chair, settle in, and enjoy a day filled with music and community.
Renninger’s Antique & Collectors’ Extravaganza — September 25–26
Location: Renninger’s Antique & Farmer’s Market, Kutztown
Treasure hunters, this one is for you. The fall Antique & Collectors’ Extravaganza at Renninger’s brings an incredible variety of antiques, vintage pieces, collectibles, furniture, jewelry, art, books, ceramics, toys, primitives, and unexpected finds to Kutztown.
Part of the fun is never knowing what you’ll discover. Give yourself plenty of time to browse — you may arrive looking for nothing in particular and leave with a new favorite piece.
Happily Ever Exploring
Heemet Fescht — September 26
Location: Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Kutztown
Celebrate the traditions that have helped shape Berks County at Heemet Fescht, a festival dedicated to Pennsylvania Dutch farm life, folk culture, and the fall harvest.
“Heemet” means “home” in Pennsylvania Dutch, and the festival embraces that idea through traditional arts, music, demonstrations, crafts, and opportunities to learn more about regional folk culture. Held at the historic Sharadin Farmstead, it’s a wonderful way to experience a piece of Berks County heritage firsthand.
Cultural Diversity Festival — September 26
Location: Reading City Park
Travel the world without leaving Reading during the Cultural Diversity Festival. This family-friendly celebration highlights the many cultures represented throughout Berks County through music, dance, food, performances, and interactive experiences.
It’s an opportunity to learn about different traditions, discover new flavors, and celebrate the people and cultures that make the Reading community so vibrant.
Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest — September 30–October 4
Location: Reading Liederkranz, Reading
If there’s one fall celebration Berks County is especially known for, it’s the Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest.
The festival brings the sights, sounds, and flavors of Germany to Reading with authentic German food, beer, music, dancing, and entertainment. It’s a longtime local tradition and a destination-worthy celebration of German culture.
Come hungry, wear your dancing shoes, and get ready to say, Prost!
Holiday Fine Art & Craft Festival — October 10
Location: Hamburg Field House, Hamburg
Start your holiday shopping early while supporting talented artists at the Holiday Fine Art & Craft Festival, presented by the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen.
Juried artisans fill the Hamburg Field House with handcrafted pieces, making this a great place to find one-of-a-kind gifts, artwork, and locally made treasures.
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Pumpkin Palooza at GoggleWorks — October 11
Location: GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading
Fall gets an artistic twist during Pumpkin Palooza at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.
The family-friendly celebration features colorful handblown glass pumpkins along with live demonstrations, art activities, and seasonal fun. Instead of heading home with an ordinary pumpkin, you might find a handcrafted glass one that can become part of your fall décor for years to come.
Heritage Day Fall Festival — October 18
Location: Daniel Boone Homestead, Birdsboro
Experience fall as it might have looked centuries ago during the Heritage Day Fall Festival at Daniel Boone Homestead.
The historic site comes alive with demonstrations of traditional trades and skills, hands-on activities, living history, artisan vendors, and opportunities to explore the historic property. It’s a fall festival and a history lesson rolled into one memorable afternoon.
IX Art Show: Imagine This — October 21–25
Location: GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading
Step into another world during the IX Art Show, an internationally recognized celebration of imaginative realism held at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.
The five-day event brings more than 90 artists together across three floors and 18,000 square feet of exhibition space, showcasing extraordinary works created in traditional media.
Courtesy of Swartz Farm
Swartz Farm’s 7th Annual Fall Fest — October 24
Location: Swartz Farm, Mohnton
Enjoy a classic fall day on the farm at Swartz Farm’s 7th Annual Fall Fest, complete with hayrides, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, mini cows, Valais sheep, a bounce house, and plenty of family fun. Meet the animals, snap some festive fall photos, and make a few new autumn memories along the way.
Courtesy of Reading FilmFEST
Reading FilmFEST — November 6–8
Location: Reading, PA
Celebrate the art of independent filmmaking at Reading FilmFEST, a three-day festival bringing filmmakers and movie lovers together in downtown Reading. Catch a diverse lineup of films, meet the creative minds behind them, and experience the city’s growing arts and culture scene.
Make a Fall Weekend of It in Berks County
One festival is a good reason to visit Berks County. A whole season packed with food, music, art, culture, history, and community celebrations is an even better one.
Plan your trip around a favorite event, then leave some extra time to explore. Grab a meal, browse local shops, take in the changing fall scenery, and discover another corner of Reading and Berks County while you’re here.
Your fall adventure is waiting in Reading & Berks County!
*Images taken by Sarah Lucas unless noted otherwise.