It’s harvest time, and nothing says FALL quite like Festifall at the Garden! Our two-month celebration of the changing seasons features pumpkins, scarecrows, campouts, nature hikes, and more. As the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to change color, there’s no better place to connect with nature and enjoy the beauty of autumn.
Check out the list of this year’s Festifall events below. And don’t forget to sign up to receive our weekly emails with all the latest updates from the Garden!
Open Daily
Scarecrow Trail
September 2 – October 31, 2023
A must-see fall feature at the Garden! The Scarecrow Trail is a family tradition featuring a bounty of fun, friendly scarecrows created by local community members. Wacky, whimsical, and wondrous, these are certainly not your average ‘crows!
Pumpkins
October 1 – 31, 2023
The pumpkins come out in October! You will find seasonal displays of locally-grown pumpkins throughout the Garden.
Fall Displays
September – October 2023
You will see signs of the season throughout the Garden in beautiful displays of late-season perennials such as asters, black-eyed Susans, sunflowers, and ornamental grasses. Perennial mums and deciduous trees will also be showing off their colors, so you won’t want to miss the show!
Historic Tractor and Wagon Photo Op
September – October 2023
The historic 1949 Ford Tractor will be back this year, complete with its wooden-wheel flatbed wagon. Located in the Cedar Glade, this is a great spot for a picture-perfect fall family photo.
Programs & Events
Fall Plant Sale
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Did you know that fall is the best time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials in your garden? The season brings a mix of warm soil and cool air for grass, and the moisture helps trees and shrubs establish their root system. Here’s your chance to purchase what you need for your autumn planting!
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Huntsville Symphony Orchestra
September 21, 2023
Join us as members of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra in conjunction with their Music in the City program to delight us with beautiful music in the Garden Atrium.
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Family Field Trips
October 14, 2023- Habitats
October 21, 2023- Looking at Leaves
Come have fun with the whole family with Fall Family Field Trips! Discover engaging STEM concepts while exploring and enjoying the Garden with these guided programs. The program lasts for 2 hours and includes a guided tour in the Garden and hands-on activity stations. The program is appropriate for families with children from ages 2-13.
Learn more about Habitats…
Learn more about Looking at Leaves…
Planting a Foundation for Backyard Diversity and Wildlife Habitat
September 23, 2023
Trees and shrubs can provide many benefits in your home landscape. We will discuss how to select a variety of woody plants that can form a foundation for your backyard ecosystem. Learn some tips for planting several different stock types, and how proper maintenance will result in well-established and healthy plants.
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Monarch Tag and Release
September 30, 2023
On September 30, we will be “tagging” 100 monarch butterflies (putting a tiny sticker on their dorsal wings) and then releasing them into the Garden, and we need your help! Join us for a presentation about monarchs and their migration, followed by a hands-on tagging of the butterflies. We will even share how you can track the butterflies you tag to see if they make it to Mexico!
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Pooches and Pupkins Featuring the Pooch Parade
September 30, 2023
Ghosts and Ghouls aren’t the only ones up and about this Halloween season! Bring your pups to the garden and spend the day. Come see what’s got all the dogs barking for the Pooch Parade.
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Hamburgers and Hayrides
October 4, 2023
Enjoy a delicious Grilled Lunch before setting off on a hay-bound journey to the back of the Garden! Relax as you trundle along on your visit to the autumnal Huntsville Botanical Garden
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October 5, 2023
The Auburn Raptor Center from the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine is bringing their popular show back to the Garden during Fall Break. This all-ages program is a great opportunity to experience live raptors up close while learning about their natural history and vital ecological roles
October 13, 2023
New to camping? Don’t feel like traveling far to spend a relaxing evening outdoors? Join us for our Garden campout! We will have a hot dog dinner, s’mores to roast over the fire, a story at bedtime, and a chance to experience the Garden on a guided night hike.
October 14, 2023
Join us for a special opportunity to meet our featured artist, Anna Zoladz, on October 14th from 10 am to 1 pm. Anna, a talented artist from Huntsville, invites you to explore her latest exhibition titled ‘Extant.’ This captivating showcase delves into the world of Alabama’s indigenous plant species, highlighting their crucial roles within our ecological system.
October 14, 2023
Learn how to create a festive floral design for the fall season. Participants will create a small pumpkin centerpiece to take home while learning the basics of floral design.
October 19, 2023
Autumn is coming! A natural wreath in your home will add the perfect festive touch for the season, and by knowing what to grow in your own home landscape, your decoration will be both festive AND convenient. In this hands-on class, your instructor, Rebecca Turk, will cover key trees and shrubs to grow as well as how to make a grapevine wreath with natural materials.
Minimizing Your Maintenance class
October 21, 2023
Want to attract more birds, more pollinators, mitigate storm water, and boost biodiversity in your garden? Dreading taking care of all your fall pruning? Wait right there! Come learn in this 90 minute course about how doing less maintenance in your garden will create a bigger impact for your backyard ecosystem.
October 21 & 28, 2023
Join us at the Garden from 10 a.m. to noon on October 21 & 28 for spooky (not scary!) fun at BOOtanica, the best Huntsville Halloween event recommended for little ghosts and goblins ages 2-10 and their favorite adults. Featuring a Monster Mash DJ dance party, refreshments, games, crafts, coloring, a scavenger hunt in the Garden, a costume parade, and candy to take home, your children are sure to love this Halloween celebration. Parents will love this safe daytime event perfect for little ones and complete with scarecrow and pumpkin photo ops located throughout the Garden.