Clear Lake Harvest Festival
Fall festival · Iowa
Main Avenue in Clear Lake closes to traffic for one October Saturday of wine and beer samples, a farmers market, hayrides, and a grape stomp, with the lake itself a short walk away once the crowds thin out. The 2026 festival runs October 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., downtown Main Avenue
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: October 16–October 20
Color builds from October 3 · mostly bare by November 8
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Clear Lake Harvest Festival’s own coordinates and elevation (381 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Clear Lake Harvest Festival on the map
More things to do in Iowa
Maquoketa Caves State Park
State parkPeak October 20
Thirteen caves, more than any other Iowa state park, riddle the wooded, limestone-bluffed ravines here, first protected by a local women's club starting in 1921 and dedicated a state park in 1933. Roughly 370 acres of hardwood forest color up around the cave trails each October.
Don’t miss: 13 caves, most of any Iowa state park · limestone bluffs and ravines · hardwood forest trails
Center Grove Orchard
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 21
The Black family has grown apples on this Cambridge farm since 1986 and opened it to the public in 1994; today it holds 6,000 trees across 31 varieties on 18-plus acres. Fall brings U-pick apples, a corn maze, hayrides, and a pumpkin patch just off I-35 outside Des Moines.
Don’t miss: 6,000 apple trees, 31 varieties · corn maze and pumpkin patch · public since 1994
Howell's Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 22
A greenhouse and pumpkin patch about 25 minutes south of Des Moines, where a paid 'Fall Fun' admission covers a wagon ride to the patch, a corn maze and a Kiddie Korral play area with a giant slide, pedal tractors and a corn box. The site is still showing last year's September-6 opening, so 2026 dates aren't set.
Don’t miss: Wagon ride, corn maze and Kiddie Korral · Just south of Des Moines · Pick-your-own pumpkins
Wilson's Orchard & Farm
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 21
Established in 1980 just north of Iowa City, this pick-your-own orchard and farm is open to visitors February through December and turns its own apples into cider at an on-site ciderhouse and bakery. Autumn is the peak, with pick-your-own apples, a farm market and apple-cider treats.
Don’t miss: Pick-your-own apples since 1980 · On-site ciderhouse and bakery · Open February through December
Frequently asked
- When is Clear Lake Harvest Festival open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Oct 3 – Oct 4. Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., downtown Main Avenue. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Clear Lake Harvest Festival peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 16–October 20 (best estimate October 18). Color starts around October 3 and is mostly bare by November 8.
- What is Clear Lake Harvest Festival best for?
- A small-town Iowa festival day near Clear Lake.
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