Whether you’ve lived in Collin County your entire life, or, you find yourself still emptying boxes from another State, a love for the people of our local communities unites us all.  As the temperature begins to drop and the leaves begin to fall, opportunities to connect with our community members abound all around Collin County.  A blend of natural beauty, festive events, and charming backdrops make the cities around the county the perfect place to embrace the new season.

It’s never officially Fall until you’ve enjoyed a pumpkin patch, and, there are plenty to choose from.  5G Farm in McKinney boasts a patch of 7,000 pumpkins! For a small admission fee visitors can enjoy a corn maze, hayrides, a petting zoo, and more. Vendors at the patch offer handcrafted items and fall favorite treats. Barton Farms in Van Alstyne will not only host you for pumpkin patch fun, but will actually bring the patch to your through their “Farm to Porch” Fall decor offerings.

If Fall Festivals are more your thing, you won’t want to miss this weekend’s Oktoberfest in downtown McKinney.  There aren’t many places you could find better beer, food, art, and fun than here.  October 5th sees the return of Annafest in Anna.  This event offers western games, armadillo races, live music, mouthwatering food, and photo ops with a live longhorn.  If you live in the southern part of Collin County you might prefer heading to Murphy Maize Days for live music, carnival rides and games, and incredible food.

Friday Night Market in Celina offers live music, local vendors, and fresh produce. These free-to-attend Markets offer a great way to get outside and connect with friends while 60 vendors proudly promote their homemade, handmade, and homegrown items.  The Market is open every first Friday from March until November and the fall evening make it a perfect place to hang out.

Once you’ve had your fill of festival food it might be time to get moving.  The Audie Murphy Hero Run offers a 5K and a fun run in Farmersville.  The Boot Scoot run in Plano gives you the opportunity to compete in a 5K, 10K, or get your thrills by running in your Halloween costume. The McKinney Monster Dash wraps up their 5K with a costume contest and keeps the fun going with a downtown Spooktacular Brews and Boos beer walk where you can sample 20 different craft brews.

Car aficionados won’t want to miss the Ratrodtober Fest hosted by Tupps Brewery in October.  Grab a group of friends, check out some incredible cars, and enjoy some awesome autumn brews.  Live music, games, and even a pine car derby will make this a unique event you won’t want to miss.

Have the kids been hiding from the summer heat by sitting inside on screens every afternoon?  Get them out and blow their minds at Cirque Carré October 17-20.  They’ll see thrilling acrobats, graceful aerialists, mesmerizing contortionists, and jaw dropping jugglers. 

Obviously, Fall in Collin County brings the phenomenon that is Texas high school football. Communities around Collin County are able to claim state championships and facilities that rival some college programs. The energy is electric, the competition fierce, the band mighty, and the crowd buzzing so that every touchdown feels monumental.  Here, high school football is more than a sport, its a legacy of honor and pride. Check-out a local high school game for an experience that showcases the heart and soul of Collin County.

Fall in Collin County is truly a vibe of beautiful colors, incredible smells, and community connection.  Enjoy a game, take a drive, pick a pumpkin, but whatever you do stay tuned to collincounty.com and be sure to subscribe to the email newsletter.  Each week you’ll learn about coming events that will only make you love Collin County and the people in it even more!