There is so much to do this fall season! Check out this guide to fall in Ames for all the fall festivities you could want!
Spirits in the Gardens
Reiman Gardens’ popular fall celebration is back, with even more spooky fun on two weekends (Oct. 13-15 / Oct. 20-22). See 1,000 hand-carved jack-o-lanterns throughout the 17-acre botanical garden. Friday nights are great for adults!
Pumpkin Express
All aboard for a trip to the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad’s pumpkin patch on The Pumpkin Express, Oct. 7, 14, and 21. At the patch, kids hop off the train and select their perfect pumpkin. Grownups will appreciate the eye-popping scenery over the Des Moines River valley.
Cyclone Football
Fall weekends were made for football! Celebrate the Cyclones (and all things Iowa State and Ames) on these game days: Nov. 4 (Kansas / Homecoming), and Nov. 18 (Texas).
Jack Trice 100
The year-long commemoration of Jack Trice, Iowa State’s first Black athlete, who died of injuries sustained in a football game in 1923, ends this fall. Iowa State University, University Museums, and Cyclone Athletics commemorate Jack’s brief life and enduring legacy.
Halloween tricks & treats
Get the most out of those Halloween costumes at these trick-or-treat events:
- Spirits in the Gardens (Oct. 14-15, Oct. 21-22)
- Trick or Treat at Dakins Lake (Oct. 21)
- Trick or Treat in Downtown Ames (Oct. 27)
- Halloween Spook-tacular at Hickory Grove Park (Oct. 28)
- Trick or Treat Night in Ames (Oct. 31)
The great outdoors
Savor the season with these outdoor offerings from the Iowa Arboretum and Story County Conservation:
- Halloween Hides & Creepy Caches (Oct. 13)
- Fall Color Walk (Oct. 14)
- Creatures of the Night (Oct. 27)
On stage at Stephens Auditorium
The fall entertainment season is starting with a bang at Iowa State’s Stephens Auditorium. Check out this lineup:
- RuPaul’s Night of the Living Drag, Oct. 13
- “Long Island Medium” Theresa Caputo Live, Oct. 14
- iLuminate, Oct. 21
- Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, Oct. 24
- Singer Wynonna Judd, Oct. 27
- Popular comedian Matt Rife, Nov. 2.
Sneak peek: Merry & Bright Holiday Weekend
Mark your calendars for December 1-3! This Ames-area winter celebration features community activities throughout Story and Boone Counties. Highlights include the Reiman Gardens Winter Wonderscape Holiday Light Show, Main Street Ames Snow Magic Kickoff, Iowa State University’s Winterfest, Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad Santa Express, Ames TUBACHRISTMAS, and much more.
Written by Rachel Gantt, Marketing & Communications Intern
