The bounty of harvest season has been honored in communities the world over since ancient times. The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated sometime between mid-September and early October, depending on the lunar calendar. Austria and Germany celebrate something called Erntedankfest, Harvest Thanksgiving, in late September or early October. Canadians traditionally observe Thanksgiving in October, while Americans hold Thanksgiving in late November.

Whatever the nation and whatever the date, many cultures use such holidays to acknowledge the importance of agriculture, family, and community. The Tri-Valley is no exception. Visitors and residents have many autumnal delights to enjoy now and over the next few months thanks to festive events and enjoyable activities.

Spooky Fun

Pleasanton’s Museum on Main will hold its annual Pleasanton Ghost Walk on October 22 and 23. This two-hour guided walking tour of Pleasanton’s most haunted sites along Main Street in the downtown area includes a short introduction about the history of paranormal activity in the area as well as potential encounters with spooks during the walk. This popular, family-friendly tour has been a Halloween tribute for more than fifteen years. A virtual, online version of the tour will be held October 30.

Autumn in the Tri-Valley boasts a wealth of pumpkin patches and related activities. Three are located in Livermore. Visitors to Joan's Farm & Pumpkin Patch will find hay bale rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin bowling, a pumpkin patch, Halloween photo opportunities, and more. Moore Pumpkin Patch & Christmas Trees features carnival rides, Halloween-themed photo opportunities, an animal observation corral, a seed-planting station, and wagons for pumpkin picking. G&M Farms offers a large corn maze (which will be haunted the night of October 30), hay rides, cow trains, jump pillows, a large selection of pumpkins, and, on weekends, pony rides. Visitors to The Wave in Dublin will experience a unique Halloween pumpkin picking event on October 23 (pre-registration required by October 20) at the Floating Pumpkin Patch. The fee covers both swimming and pumpkin decorating.

Harvest Pleasures

The annual Danville Fall Crafts Festival will be held in downtown Danville on October 23 and October 24. Now in its 29th year, the family friendly festival includes a children’s costume parade and features a classic car show, live entertainment, and dozens of artists specializing in a wide range of mediums, including jewelry, glass, ceramic, painting, and photography.

Local wineries are especially appealing this time of year, which brings cooler but not cold weather. “Wine tasting in the Livermore Valley Wine Country is a year-round activity, but visiting during harvest season while the vineyards start to take on their autumnal colors is an especially scenic time to plan a trip to our wine region,” according to Visit Tri-Valley. It is also a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the lovely landscape with a pet. The third annual Wine & Wags event scheduled for October 30 is tailored to wine-loving dog owners (and aspiring dog owners), who are encouraged to bring their dogs in Halloween costumes and visit their pick of 20 dog-friendly wineries. Wine & Wags includes a minimum of two tastings at each winery, a commemorative GoVine glass, and special activities, which include local animal rescue organizations promoting pet adoptions at each participating winery.

While the harvest season began in August for local wineries, the Tri-Valley has a notable agricultural history beyond grapes. For a time, which began in the 1860s, “grain farming overtook stock raising in significance,” according to author and historian Ken MacLennan in Pleasanton California: A Brief History. One way to honor that history is by shopping at a farmers market, which connects residents with some of the individuals so important to our regional food supply. Moreover, these popular shopping spots may offer craft beer, bread, wine, cheese, baked goods, flowers, and services such as knife sharpening as well as fresh, seasonal produce.

Fruits such as grapes, apples, persimmons, and pears along with vegetables such as winter squash and brussels sprouts are ripe and available this month. Jujubes are another treat. Available in autumn only from specialty growers, the fruit “has a date-apple-like flavor and texture” with an apple's crispness, according to the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association, which manages more than 50 certified farmers’ markets in the Bay Area. “First cultivated in China, India, and some Middle Eastern countries, this fruit has now found a fan base among California fruit growers and consumers throughout the state.”

One place to look for Jujubes is the Pleasanton Farmers' Market, where residents have been able to buy fresh produce and other products from local farmers and ranchers for more than 27 years. Another is the Livermore farmers market held at Carnegie Park on Thursdays until November 18; there is also a year-round market held on Sundays. Farmers markets can also be found in San Ramon, Danville, and Dublin.

The Alameda County Fair is being held in autumn this year, a unique experience for visitors. Traditionally, the fair takes place in June and is expected to return in June next year. In the meantime, take advantage of this special event, which runs between October 22 and October 31.

For more information about the Museum on Main’s Pleasanton Ghost Walk, please visit www.museumonmain.org/ghost-walk.html.

For more information about Joan's Farm & Pumpkin Patch, please visit joansfarm.com.

For more information about Moore Pumpkin Patch & Christmas Trees, please visit www.moorepumpkinsandtrees.com.

For more information about G&M Farms, please visit gmfarms.com.

For more information about the Danville Fall Crafts Festival, please visit danvillefallfest.com.

For more information about Wine & Wags, please visit www.lvwine.org/event/5486/wine-wags.

For more information about the Pleasanton Farmers’ Market, please visit www.pcfma.org/pleasanton.

For more information about the Alameda County Fair, please visit annual.alamedacountyfair.com.