Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes an exciting wave of events coming to the Kootenays! From harvest festivals to major food events, there’s plenty to see and do this fall, so make sure you’re subscribed to get our recommendations straight to your inbox!
Check out these five fall events for something fun to do, arranged by date. By the way these are all recurring annual events, so if you can’t get to them all this year you’ll have another opportunity next fall. 🍂
Hills Garlic Festival (Sept. 29)
Hills Garlic Festival is held every year in New Denver – a real community event with roots that go back 30 years to the festival’s origins in the nearby community of Hills. What originally started as a simple potluck centred around garlic themed dishes has grown into a beloved festival that attracts thousands of visitors each year, offering culinary delights, cultural experiences, and family-friendly fun.
Garlic Market and Artisan Village
The main highlight of the Hills Garlic Festival is the bustling garlic market filled with fresh garlic bulbs, garlic-infused oils, and gourmet garlic-flavoured products. Local farmers and producers showcase their finest garlic offerings, providing visitors with staples such as garlic braids, seed garlic, and garlic salt.
In addition to the garlic market, the festival features an artisan village where visitors can explore unique handcrafted items, such as pottery, jewelry, and woodworking, created by talented local artisans.
Wildly Tasty, A Bit Wacky, Always Fun
You won’t find a bigger or more diverse array of garlic-inspired dishes than right here in New Denver! From garlic-roasted potatoes and garlic bread to garlic-infused sauces and marinades, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
There’s even some super out-there dishes, such as chocolate covered garlic, garlic flavoured ice cream, and chocolate mint garlic milkshakes. There’s both the weird and wacky and the traditionally delicious here, and that’s part of what makes this event so special!
For the last 30 years, the festival has also been a lively showcase for local performers! You’ll find plenty of live entertainment, including live music performances, dance demonstrations, and cultural presentations, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Family-Friendly Fun and Community Engagement
The Hills Garlic Festival is a family-friendly fall event with plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Children can enjoy face painting, crafts, and performances by Flyndini the Magician, while adults can participate in garlic related contests, garlic themed poetry contests, and more.
The festival is a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the New Denver. Connect with locals and friends, share stories, and be a part of the community aspect that makes life in the Kootenays so special.
Especially this year, when the Slocan Valley was blanketed with smoke from a crazy fire season, the annual Hills Garlic Festival is perfect opportunity to support local businesses, enjoy a day of fun and entertainment, and learn about the history and science of garlic.
Kootenay Mushroom Festival (Oct. 12)
If you know where to look (and what to look for), the Kootenays are a mushroom lover’s dream, and Kaslo Mushroom Festival is where all the most passionate mushroom enthusiasts congregate each fall for a day that celebrates the region’s abundant and diverse mushroom population.
This unique festival attracts mushroom enthusiasts, nature lovers, and food lovers from far and wide, offering a fun combination of educational experiences, culinary delights, a mushroom themed market, films, and more! See the full event page here.
Mushroom Foraging and Identification Workshops
One of the highlights of the Kaslo Mushroom Festival is the opportunity to participate in guided mushroom foraging expeditions led by experienced mycologists!
Explore the surrounding forests and learn to identify different species of wild mushrooms, gaining knowledge from others about their characteristics, habitats, and potential uses. These take place in various places around Kaslo and the surrounding area, but the principles will be applicable all across the Kootenays (and beyond!).
Culinary Delights and Mushroom-Themed Activities
The Kaslo Mushroom Festival is a real treat, offering a variety of mushroom-inspired dishes to keep fungi lovers happy. You’ll find tasty creations such as mushroom sausages, mushroom soup, mushroom-filled pastries and mushroom-based sauces. There’s something for everyone to enjoy. The festival also features cooking demonstrations where local chefs showcase their culinary skills and share their favourite mushroom recipes for you to add to your repertoire.
Beyond these tasty delights, the Kaslo Mushroom Festival offers a range of mushroom-themed workshops to keep visitors entertained. Workshops cover identifying, growing, preserving, and cooking with mushrooms. Aside from all manner of food-related educational sessions, there’s also workshops on basket weaving (mushroom drying trays), felting, and medicinal mushroom usage! Check out all the mushroom workshops here!
Mushroom Dinner @ Kaslo Hotel
After a full day of foraging and workshops at the Kootenay Mushroom Festival, why not try a special three course dinner at the Waypoint Restaurant in the historic Kaslo Hotel!
Enjoy live entertainment and a cozy evening celebrating local mushroom flavours! You’ll need a separate ticket for this, and you can get tickets to the festival and dinner here.
Community Engagement and Sustainability
The Kaslo Mushroom Festival is a celebration of community and sustainability. The event brings together locals and visitors, fostering a sense of connection and shared appreciation for the natural world. The festival also promotes sustainable mushroom harvesting practices and raises awareness about the importance of preserving the region’s ecosystems. Check it out, it’s going to be incredible!
Linden Lane Farms Pumpkin Fest (Oct. 10-13, 17-20)
There’s something about pumpkins in the fall that’s just heartwarming community fun. Maybe it’s the fall colours, or the cozy sweaters, or the satisfaction of picking out that perfect pumpkin.
Whatever that magic is, Linden Lane Farms Pumpkin Fest is a charming annual event held in Krestova, celebrating the arrival of autumn with a festive atmosphere and plenty of family-friendly activities. This charming pumpkin festival is a delightful experience for visitors of all ages, with its corn maze, family fun and games, artisan and food vendors, and adorable livestock.
Pumpkin Picking and Farm Exploration
The heart of the Linden Lane Farms Pumpkin Fest is the Pumpkin Patch creation, where visitors can wander through rows & piles of colourful pumpkins and select the perfect one to take home.
In addition to pumpkin picking, visitors can explore the farm grounds and discover hidden gems, such as charming hay bales, scarecrows, and other autumnal decorations. It’s an Instagram-worthy event, and a great opportunity to take some charming fall photos!
Family-Friendly Activities and Entertainment
Linden Lane Farms Pumpkin Fest offers a variety of family-friendly activities to keep everyone entertained. Children will enjoy fun fall games, meeting the animals, while adults can relax and enjoy the festive atmosphere, and peruse the artisan market for handmade goods. It’s a good time to start some early Christmas shopping! Live music, games, and a corn maze often add to the excitement of the event.
Delicious Food and Treats
No fall event is complete without delicious food and treats. Linden Lane Farms Pumpkin Fest brings in a variety of food vendors offering seasonal favourites, such as pumpkin-flavoured mini donuts, apple slushies, and warm beverages.
While you’re here, stock up on produce from the farm with seasonal fruits and veggies. Linden Lane Farms has incredible kale, beans, tomatoes, chard, squash, and more – all farm fresh.
Community Support and Sustainability
Linden Lane Farms Pumpkin Fest is a community-focused event that supports local businesses and promotes sustainable farming practices. Pink, blue, and white decorative pumpkins sold at this event are donated towards childhood cancer research, and has raised over $14,000 so far.
The pumpkin Fest (as well as the rest of the farm) has been operated by the Carr family since 1978, and the event features Kootenay artisans and vendors selling their handmade goods. Shop local this year and get a pumpkin that matches your style: cute, weird, or colourful! Life should be fun 🎃
Nelson Burger Month (Nov. 1-31)
Kicking off a trend that has led to burger months in Castlegar and Trail/Rossland, Nelson Burger Month remains one of the Kootenay’s most anticipated events of the year!
This month-long competition showcases the creativity and passion of local restaurants and chefs, who compete to create the most delicious and innovative burgers each year.
Customers have one month to try as many burgers as they want, before voting for their favourite by November 31st!
Best Burger in Nelson
Burger month has multiple winners, with one entry crowned as Nelson’s Best Tasting, Most Unique, as well as the burger with Best Presentation.
With 35+ burgers to try, it’s really worth making a trip to try some of these creations, like the 2023 Best Tasting Winner, Broken Hill “Slam Dunk Burger”: House ground brisket and chuck patty. Bothwell smoked gouda, confit garlic & caramelized onion horseradish aioli, and a red wine onion jam. Set between a French dip style herb and garlic bun from our friends at Kootenay Bakers. Served with red wine demi jus for dipping.
Nelson Burger Month Menu
The 2024 Nelson Burger Month menu can be found here as of Nov. 1st, and will feature 40 contestants, all competing for bragging rights as Nelson’s best burger! We’ll be updating that post as soon as the menu is unveiled. Make sure to subscribe so you can be the first to see the 2024 burger entries!
Nelson Burger Month Winners
We’ll be celebrating the 2024 burger month winners after the event concludes November 31st. The 2023 Burger Month Winners are
Best Tasting: Broken Hill – Slam Dunk Burger
Best Presentation: Black Cauldron – Baroness of the Bayou
Most Original: Black Cauldron – Baroness of the Bayou
If you’re looking for more to do this fall, you can find more fall events on our Kootenay events calendar, and you can find activity ideas here for all ages, locations, and interests!
