September 4, 2026

By Wendy Carlson
Photographs by Anne Day

If you love scarecrows, cider, pumpkins, hayrides, and all things autumnal, head to the Northwest Corner on Columbus Day weekend for Salisbury’s 69th Annual Fall Festival, held October 9–11. One of the oldest autumn festivals in the region, the event has grown from its humble beginnings as an antique show into a town wide celebration, says Jeanette Weber, who first got involved in 2011.

Last year, more than 70 local organizations, artisans, schools, churches and businesses participated, with hundreds of volunteers running booths, overseeing activities, preparing food and keeping the weekend moving. Weber estimates more than 2,500 people attended on Saturday alone—a number that keeps climbing. The draw is the range: there’s something here for every age, and visitors come from far and wide to find it.

The festival kicks off Friday with a “Sip and Stroll,” where visitors fuel up with cocktails and appetizers at local stores before the weekend gets underway. Through the heart of town, bargain hunters sift through attic treasures, browse the book sale, admire the quilt show and historical displays, and sample local cuisine. Artisans sell handmade jewelry, pottery, textiles, leather goods and baked goods. On Saturday, catch performances by the Joint Chiefs, the Salisbury Band and other musicians, or try your hand at karaoke. Families gravitate to Library Street for hayrides, face painting, magic shows, pumpkin painting, games, antique car rides, and dance performances. Lining the street: homemade scarecrows competing for awards across several categories.

What makes a winner? Not necessarily the most elaborate— or the scariest. “One year the winner was a very tiny ghost,” Weber says. After 69 years, Salisbury’s Fall Festival still has a few surprises up its sleeve. —salisburyfallfestival.org