Falling for fall: A guide to October festivals in Southeast Missouri

Dexter Fall Festival

Between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, come to Stoddard Street in Dexter, Missouri, for a day of fun activities. Craft and food vendors will be there to welcome the public, and Rainbow Rentals will have blow-up bounce houses for children to play. There will be pumpkin painting, among other games. A chicken scratch game will take place at 3 p.m., offering additional fun for the youngest festival-goers.

Live music will fill the day as four different bands perform. In addition to the food offered by various vendors, a pie-eating contest will give people the opportunity to fill their stomachs. For those into quilting, there will be a quilt show at the Nutrition Center.

Saxon Lutheran Memorial Fall Fest

Travel back to the 1840s for a day in Frohna, Missouri, on Oct. 11. The festival starts at 9 a.m. and features numerous pioneer skill demonstrations, from butter churning to rope making to muzzleloader shooting. There will be a pumpkin contest and a corn-picking contest, and festival volunteers will be dressed in period clothing. Many crafters and artisans will be there to sell custom-made items.

Various activities for the whole family will be available, including horse and buggy rides. Homemade pies and doughnuts will be among the foods offered to satisfy all appetites. Admission to the festival is free, but donations will be welcomed.

Jackson Oktoberfest

The Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization will present Oktoberfest on Oct. 11, a free-admission harvest celebration for adults and children. From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., celebrate with German-style food, a biergarten with two beer stations serving craft and Bavarian beers, and live music at the Courthouse Square in Jackson.

This year's Oktoberfest will also celebrate Jackson's bicentennial. The Crusin' Jackson Classic Car Show will start at 10 a.m. Family fun will be available with a costumed pet parade at 3 p.m. and face painting for children.

Downtown Cotton Festival & Antique Tractor Show

On Oct. 11, head to the American Legion Park in historic downtown Sikeston, Missouri, for a day of fun with your family. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy Southern food, live music and the downtown farmers market. Kids will have fun picking up fresh cotton or attending the kids pedal tractor race. They can also visit the Depot Museum to see the toy tractor show.

Arts and crafts will be on display and the whole family can attend the Halloween Dog Costume Contest at noon to see the scariest or cutest costumes. The public will also get the chance for an up-close view of vintage tractors.

Old Appleton Fall Festival

Starting at 9 a.m. on Oct. 11, visit historic Old Appleton to enjoy a family-friendly event. Free to the public, the third annual Fall Festival will feature food, arts and crafts from more than 20 vendors. Live music will fill the street as Rustic, a local acoustic classic rock band, performs from noon to 3 p.m. Come eat some fish, potato ribbons and other homemade goods while walking around the outdoor market.

Sponsored by the Old Appleton Brushhawks, the event will last until 4 p.m. and proceeds from the food sold by the Brushhawks will go toward Christmas food baskets for people in need.

Rural Heritage Days

Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, will celebrate the past with its family-oriented fall festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25. Rural skills and traditions are at the center of the celebration, and the event will offer demonstrations of plowing, folk dances, fur trading and more. There will be something for everyone, from children's games to outdoor cooking of traditional food such as apple cider and apple butter.

Baseball fans will have fun witnessing an old-time baseball game, and festivalgoers will be able to see craft demonstrations in the shops of the historic district, including chair caning, paper filigree, wool spinning and knitting.