Ohio Sauerkraut Festival
Fall festival · Ohio
Downtown Waynesville shuts down Main Street every second weekend of October for a sauerkraut-themed street fair that has grown to hundreds of craft booths and food stalls. The 2026 dates are October 10 and 11, with the small brick storefronts of this southwest Ohio village dressed for fall the whole weekend.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 9am-6pm; always the second full weekend of October
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: October 22–October 26
Color builds from October 9 · mostly bare by November 15
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Ohio Sauerkraut Festival’s own coordinates and elevation (233 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Ohio Sauerkraut Festival on the map
More things to do in Ohio
Circleville Pumpkin Show
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 24
Circleville has run this four-day October festival since 1903, drawing 300,000-plus visitors downtown for giant-pumpkin weigh-offs and Lindsey's Bakery's roughly 400-pound pumpkin pie. Billed as 'The Greatest Free Show on Earth,' it's one of the country's largest pumpkin festivals.
Don’t miss: Running since 1903 · giant pumpkin weigh-offs · world's largest pumpkin pie
Hocking Hills State Park
State parkPeak October 24
Ohio's first state land purchase in 1924 has grown into 2,356 acres of sandstone gorges, recess caves, and waterfalls around Old Man's Cave. Hemlock and hardwood ridges turn mid-to-late October, drawing hikers along trails linking Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave.
Don’t miss: Old Man's Cave gorge · Cedar Falls and Ash Cave · hemlock-lined trails
Cedar Point HalloWeekends
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 23
One of America's oldest amusement parks, open in Sandusky since 1870, turns its midway into haunted mazes and zombie-themed shows on fall weekends through early November, alongside a daytime trick-or-treat trail for kids. Roller coasters run by day; the scares take over after dark.
Don’t miss: Haunted mazes and scare shows · kid-friendly trick-or-treat trail · weekends through early November
Holmes County Amish Country
Historic townColor nearby peaks October 21
Berlin anchors the largest Amish settlement in the world, a patchwork of Holmes County farmland where buggies share the road with cars past cheese houses and furniture shops. The Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center's 'Behalt' cyclorama mural tells the community's story against turning farmland.
Don’t miss: Largest Amish settlement in the world · buggy-lined country roads · 'Behalt' cyclorama mural
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When is Ohio Sauerkraut Festival open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Oct 10 – Oct 11. Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 9am-6pm; always the second full weekend of October. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Ohio Sauerkraut Festival peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 22–October 26 (best estimate October 24). Color starts around October 9 and is mostly bare by November 15.
- What is Ohio Sauerkraut Festival best for?
- A small-town Ohio street festival near Dayton and Cincinnati.
- How do I get to Ohio Sauerkraut Festival?
- The closest city is Cincinnati, about 37 mi away. It's part of Ohio's fall lineup.
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