The fall season brings along with it colorful leaves, cooler weather, football and bonfires. But for many metro Atlanta new home residents, the best part about the season is the many fun-filled, family-friendly fall festivals that occur. So, gather the kids, grab your camera and head out the door to enjoy some of fall’s best events.

• Fall-O-Ween Fest – Held at Swift-Cantrell Park in Kennesaw on Oct. 12, kids will enjoy inflatables, train rides, carnival games, crafts, a trick-or-treat trail and displays of scarecrows and carved pumpkins. There will be a costume contest open to all ages, even your furry best friends. After the events, the city of Kennesaw will continue their Outdoor Movie Series with a screening of Hotel Transylvania at 7:30 p.m.
• 42^nd Annual Georgia Apple Festival – For many, the apple festivals mark the true beginning of fall. Held in Ellijay during the second and third weekends of October, the event celebrates Georgia’s apple capital with more than 300 vendors showcasing handcrafted items, on-site demonstrations, a parade and an antique car show.
• Gold Rush Days – A long-standing tradition in Dahlonega, thousands of visitors come together in celebration of Dahlonega’s 1828 discovery of gold. Regularly voted as one of top 20 events in the southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, the festival consists of more than 300 art and craft exhibitors, a parade, children’s activities, fashion show, gold panning contest and plenty of other entertainment. This year’s event is being held Oct. 19 and 20.
• Oktoberfest – No fall festival list is complete without mentioning the annual Oktoberfest event held in Helen. From now through Oct. 27, visitors to Helen can browse the shops, relax in a beer garden or enjoy the beautiful scenery during the day, then head to the Festhalle in the evenings for German bands, food, beer and fun.
• Boo at the Zoo – Known as Atlanta’s favorite fun family Halloween festival, the event allows kids to sample the treats, sights, characters and adventures of the Zoo Boo Town at Zoo Atlanta. The event is being held the third and fourth weekends of October from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
• Snellville Fall Festival – Held on Oct. 26 from noon until 9 p.m. at the Snellville Town Square, the festival will feature arts and crafts, cake and pie contests and the city’s scarecrow contest winners will be announced.
• Pumpkin Festival – This popular fall festival is held at Stone Mountain Park on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays now through Oct. 27. The park has family-friendly events for everyone, including Spookley’s A-MAZE-ING Adventure Maze, Pumpkinpalooza game show, pie eating contest, trick-or-treat scavenger hunt, costume dance party, crafts in the pumpkin patch and much, much more.

With the fall season now in full swing, there is no shortage of events that promise fun for the whole family. For more information on other events occurring in the metro Atlanta area, check back here.