November 2018 Bucket List
Fun and affordable things to do in the U.S. this month!
SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA
Chastain Park Arts Festival
Head over to Chastain Park’s fall arts festival to enjoy a variety of 185 different artists’ creations on November 3–4. You and your family will have the opportunity to watch live artist demonstrations and participate in hands-on arts activities. This free event will also have a children’s area and food trucks!
King of Pops Field Day
Help King of Pops show their appreciation for Atlanta by attending their 8th annual Field Day. The day will be full of field games, a free pop or two, and even a popsicle eating contest! On November 11 from 2–6 p.m., you can enjoy a sweet treat on this fall day with your friends and family. The festivities will take place outside of King of Pops’ new headquarters on Old Fourthward. Bring a lawn blanket and come hang out!
NORTH CAROLINA
Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze
Get lost in this seven-acre corn maze with over 2 miles of paths to navigate through (but don’t worry, there are clues to help you throughout the maze)! To add to the festivities, there is a hayride, a pumpkin patch, corn-hole games, mini mazes, hiking trails, and tours of the historic site. The maze is only open until November 4, so hurry and make plans to attend.
Pumpkin Prowl
Celebrate fall in the wildest way you can think of by reconnecting with wildlife at the Conservators Center! Starting at 11 a.m. on November 17, you can decorate and carve pumpkins for the zoo’s staff members to place inside of the animal’s environments, enjoy food from local vendors, and let your kids participate in the autumn themed field activities. The fall decorated animal park opens at 1 p.m. for you to walk through and watch the creatures discover their newly decorated fall environment that you had a hand in creating.
SOUTHWEST
CALIFORNIA
Woofstock 90210
Let your pup prance around at Woofstock 90210 at Boxbury Park Community Center in the City of Beverly Hills on November 4. The exciting (and free) festival runs from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. and features pet adoptions, food trucks, live entertainment (for owners and pets), local veterinarians, and pet vendors. This event is sure to get your pups barking!
Knott’s Merry Farm
Are you eager to get the winter holidays started? Get a jump start on your holiday festivities by heading over to Knott’s Merry Farm for a Christmas celebration perfect for all ages including festive food, holiday crafts, nightly snow in the Ghost Town, live entertainment, and twinkling lights. The park transforms into a Winter Wonderland on select days in November-December. Check out their website for exact days of the Winter Wonderland transformation!
TEXAS
Texas Renaissance Festival
Head to the Texas Renaissance Festival for a weekend full of 16th century entertainment! The festival features medieval themed entertainment such as bagpipes, fiddlers, candle-making, and glassblowing. Check out the festival’s website for a full list of themed weekends you and your family can dress up for! The gates open at 9 a.m. every weekend in November and children are granted free entry on Sundays. Purchase your tickets ahead of time online to get a discounted price.
Chisholm Trail Museum’s 15th Annual Pioneer Days
Historic buildings, gunfighters, cowboys, pioneers, Native Americans, Civil War re-encampment, food, and art — Chisholm Trail Museum’s 15th Annual Pioneer Days gives you an inside look at what life was really like during the Pioneer days. Bring your family to the free event on November 16–17 from 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. and dress up as a pioneer or a cowboy if you want the full effect!
MIDWEST
ILLINOIS
Wilder Mansion Holiday Market
Start your holiday shopping early this year at the 8th annual show at the Wilder Mansion sponsored by Elmhurst Park District. You will find one-of-a-kind artisan and seasonal gifts at this market including mixed media, jewelry, fiber, pottery, and wood. The market is open November 2-3 and admission is free!
Chicago Thanksgiving Parade
What better way to start off Thanksgiving day than spending it at the parade downtown? Start a new tradition this year and attend the parade that features popular inflatable balloons, the nation’s most entertaining performers, marching bands with melodic tunes, and so much more. The parade is on November 22 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
MINNESOTA
North House Fold School Winterer’s Gathering
Celebrate the landscape, history, and stories of winter travel and traditions of the North at the Winterer’s Gathering. This event has so many festivities that you and your family will not want to miss. There will be a snowshoe shuffle dance, an arctic film festival, a deep freeze chili swap, and course offerings specializing in sewing, blacksmithing, woodworking, and more! The gathering is from November 16 to 18.
Outdoor Adventure Expo
The outdoors are calling! Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo will feature a various selection of programs about Arctic Expedition and details on Hiking/Backpacking, as well as and an action-packed selection of films from the Banff Centre’s Mountain Film Festival. The expo begins on November 17 and lasts until November 19. Admission to the expo is completely free.
NORTHEAST
NEW YORK
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Join the tradition of watching the epic, inflatable balloons float through Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Along with the infamous balloons, there will be marching bands, clowns, floats, and all sorts of other performers making their way through the parade!
Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting
Kick start your holiday festivities by joining the crowds to watch the annual lighting of the tree at the Rockefeller Plaza on November 28. The tree will be on display at the plaza between West 48th and 51st streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The tree lighting is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Or if you don’t want to brave the crowds or the winter weather, watch the lighting via live broadcast. The tree will remain lit on the plaza until January 7.
MASSACHUSETTS
Plymouth Thanksgiving
Be a part of a nationally ranked Thanksgiving celebration of our nation’s history at the annual Plymouth Thanksgiving! There will be a family festival, a Thanksgiving parade, waterfront activities, a historic village, and so many other unique Thanksgiving festivities! The celebration is held the weekend before Thanksgiving (November 16–17) in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Franklin Park Turkey Trot
Trot your way through the largest Thanksgiving Day race in the City of Boston in the 6th annual Turkey Trot in Franklin Park. The scenic 3.1 mile (5K) route offers gorgeous, historical views of the park! All ages are welcome to participate!
NORTHWEST
OREGON
Wild Arts Festival
Celebrate the natural world in arts and books at the 2018 Wild Arts Festival! Mingle with famous artists whose mediums include painting, sculpture, jewelry, woodworking, and glass art all while observing different wildlife. The Festival takes place in Montgomery Park in Portland, Oregon on November 17 and 18.
Turkey Trot at the Oregon Zoo
Burn some calories and make room for the afternoon Thanksgiving feast by starting off Thanksgiving morning running (or walking) in the Turkey Trot. The 4 mile route finishes inside the Oregon Zoo at the Elephant Plaza and offers “Tot Trot” fun for kids too! The race on November 22 begins at 8 a.m.
WASHINGTON
Free State Park Day
The 140 Washington State Parks are offering two days in November where you and your family can pack a picnic and explore the parks for free without a Discover Pass. On November 11 and November 23, take your clan to explore the exquisite views offered by Washington’s finest outdoor recreation facilities!
Woodland Park Zoo WildLights
Let it glow at the WildLights Woodland Park Zoo holiday light festival. The festival offers the experience with indoor animal exhibits that you hope for at the zoo accompanied by a twinkling light show. The Seattle wild light show will leave you with a unique and satisfying Winter Wonderland feeling! Tickets go on sale November 1 and parking is free. The festival runs from November 23-January 5.
