Pumpkins, Puppets and Painting: Patagonia hosting fall festival

click to enlarge Pumpkins, Puppets and Painting: Patagonia hosting fall festival
[Hannah Hernandez]
"we're looking forward to returning to our fall festival theme," says amanda staples, artistic program director at saaca.

The Patagonia Fall Festival is finally at a post-pandemic point. Capacity was limited from 2021 to 2023. The 35th annual event, save 2020, which was postponed due to COVID-19, will look like 2019. More than 130 vendors will be on hand 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13, at Patagonia Town Park.

“We’re looking forward to returning to our fall festival theme,” said Amanda Staples, artistic program manager at SAACA (Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance). “The last few years, we were the Sky Islands Festival, but now we’re back, and we're making sure that there will be a variety of things to do.”

There are a plethora of events, many aimed at families. There will be a kid’s sack race both days, as well as pumpkin painting and a pumpkin scavenger hunt. 

click to enlarge Pumpkins, Puppets and Painting: Patagonia hosting fall festival
[Hannah Hernandez]
There are a plethora of events aimed at families.

Spinal Tap won’t be present but the award-winning Red Herring Puppets will perform Saturday, Oct. 12. 

The Patagonia Fall Festival is a multicultural event with Chinese dance, military brass band music, Polish dance, Flamenco and Balkan-Aegean music. Jam Pak, a children’s blues and bluegrass band, will perform.

There will also be several strolling performances, including juggling, magic, hula hooping and a kid's musical parade.

click to enlarge Pumpkins, Puppets and Painting: Patagonia hosting fall festival
[Hannah Hernandez]
Lovely art will be on display at the patagonia fall festival.

“There’s something for everybody at fall festival,” Staples said.

The festival also features annual fundraising events for the Patagonia Public Library and Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue. 

The Patagonia Volunteer Fire Department will host a cook-off that includes a burger burn, and there will be a beer garden.

click to enlarge Pumpkins, Puppets and Painting: Patagonia hosting fall festival
[Hannah Hernandez]
The patagonia fall festival will feature music of all kinds

Part of the attraction is that Patagonia will offer a relative respite from the unrelenting Tucson heat. “It’s a couple degrees cooler,” Staples said. “It’ll be shady at the park, which is lush and pretty. You’ll also experience a small-town feel here.” 


35th Patagonia Fall Festival

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13

WHERE: Patagonia Town Park, 325 McKeown Avenue, Patagonia

COST:Free admission

INFO: patagoniafallfestival.org