Taking the Kids: 10 fall festivals for families

For more ideas, check out the Taking the Kids Guide to Fall Fun Adventures.

Here are 10 fall festivals with something for everyone:

Morton, Illinois. Morton is home to Libby's Pumpkin Festival, the state's premier family festival, offering a Big Wheel race, boxcar derby, pumpkin bike tour and more. This year, the festival, running Sept. 14 through 17, celebrates its 50th year.

In New York State, The Thousand Islands, for example, is holding its 34th annual Apple Harvest Festival, September 30 through Oct. 2, featuring 300 crafters, amusements rides and live entertainment. It's a fitting celebration to begin the season.

Join thousands of visitors in tiny Warrens, Wisconsin, (two hours northwest of Madison) for the Warrens Cranberry Festival Sept. 23 through Sept. 25. Wisconsin is the leading cranberry producer in the United States, and people here celebrate the harvest with all things cranberry -- food, contests, marsh tours and, of course, a parade.

The Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival is held Sept. 25 in Stowe, Vermont, where contestants of all ages use gravity powered catapults of their own design to launch pumpkins as far as possible. There's music, a chili cook-off, kids' activities and more.

Sonoma County Harvest Fair runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 in Sonoma, California, and invites everyone to join in the World Championship Grape Stomp, along with cow milking contests, pumpkin tosses, an Easy Bake Oven Bake-Off, as well as music and art shows.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta runs Oct. 1 through Oct. 9 and is considered the world's premium balloon event. Among the 500 hot air balloons expected, there will be 108 specially shaped balloons representing nine countries, as well as signature morning mass ascension launches, balloon glows, a flying competition and more.

Elk Fest, Oct. 1-2 in Estes Park, Colorado, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, celebrates the annual Elk Rut with bugling contests, archery, elk-inspired arts and crafts, Native-American storytelling and more.

In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the first two weekends in October, the National Apple Harvest Festivalcelebrates all things apple in the heart of Pennsylvania apple country. There are lots of crafts, a Kid Country Barn, petting zoo, puppet show and plenty of orchards nearby to pick your own bushel.

The 20th annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival gets underway Oct. 6 in Ketchum, Idaho, and continues all weekend in Hailey and Sun Valley with the Trailing of the Sheep Parade. The parade on Sunday down Ketchum's Main Street offers an up close look at 1,500 sheep as they take part in their annual migration to winter pastures.

Half Moon Bay, California, celebrates being "the Pumpkin Capital of the World" with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival Oct. 15 through Oct. 16 with experts carving giant pumpkins, the world's biggest pumpkin sculpture, costume contests and, of course, the chance to pick your own pumpkin.

So who wins the prize in your family? It's never me!

For more ideas, check out the Taking the Kids Guide to Fall Fun Adventures.

(When you are taking the kids out to dinner this September, you can support "Dine out for No Kid Hungry" and help end childhood hunger. All you need to do is stop by any of the thousands of participating restaurants and take part -- just $1 can connect a child with up to 10 healthy meals. Just plug in the city or zip code here and you can find plenty of restaurants to choose from.)

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)