Fall Festivals, Pumpkin Patches and Hayrides on the Peaceful Side 

Written by: Emily Huffstetler 

As the leaves turn, the Peaceful Side celebrates Appalachian heritage and the harvest season. September and October bring festivals to Townsend, along with corn mazes, pumpkin patches and hayrides around Blount County and nearby communities. 

Fall Festivals in Townsend 

The Townsend Fall Heritage Festival returns Sept. 25-26 at the Greater Smokies Event Grounds, next to the Townsend Visitor Center. Crafts and demonstrations run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and music kicks off at 11 a.m. 

The festival features traditional and contemporary bluegrass and mountain music, clogging and square dancing, arts and crafts, Appalachian demonstrations and old-fashioned games. Admission is free. Parking costs $10 per day, and proceeds benefit the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department. 

On Sept. 26, the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center hosts its Blue Ribbon Country Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fair includes livestock, competitions, vendors and demonstrations of open-hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, wood turning and blacksmithing. A $20 parking donation is suggested. 

That same weekend, the Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum holds its Fall Railroad & Heritage Festival Sept. 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Visitors can see trains and tractors, watch history demonstrations, browse craft vendors and enjoy music and food. The event is free to attend.

A free shuttle service provided by the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center will connect all three festival locations Sept. 25-26. Two buses will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and make additional stops around Townsend. 

Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes 

Maple Lane Farms in Greenback hosts its annual corn maze weekends from Oct. 2-31, marking the attraction’s 28th year. This year’s eight-acre maze celebrates America’s 250th anniversary. The farm also has a pumpkin patch, daytime and nighttime tractor-pulled hayrides, sunflower fields, inflatables, cornhole, campfires, face painting, photo areas, a barn store, music and food vendors.

For a spookier experience, the Haunted Woods and Barn, presented by Tennessee Terror, runs Oct. 2-3, 9-10, 16-18, 23-25, 29, 30 and 31. The Haunted Maze will be open Oct. 16-18, 23-25 and 29-31.

Elsewhere in Greenback, Hyde Farms has a pumpkin patch, corn and hay mazes, hayrides and farm animals. Its 2026 dates have not yet been announced. 

In Lenoir City, Deep Well Farm opens its pumpkin patch and corn maze Sept. 19. A wagon ride takes visitors to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Other activities include play areas, farm animals, slides, climbing areas, a corn crib and an obstacle course. Upcoming dates are Sept. 19-20 and Sept. 26-27. October dates are posted on its website.

Also in Lenoir City, Blackburn Farm Pumpkin Patch is open Oct. 1-31. Visitors can pick pumpkins, walk through a corn maze and take a hayride. The farm has additional activities, food and treats and a boutique. 

In Corryton, Oakes Farm starts its fall season Sept. 19 with a corn maze, hayrides to the pumpkin patch and more than 25 other farm attractions, including animals, flower fields and food stands. Tickets are on sale now.

For pumpkins and other seasonal goods without a farm outing, visit Amburn’s Market, Fall Harvest Farms or Horn of Plenty Marketplace in Maryville.  

Hayrides in Cades Cove

Cades Cove Riding Stables, near the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop Road, continues its operating season through Nov. 30. 

Hayrides depart at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. They last approximately 1.5 to three hours, depending on traffic. Horseback rides and horse-drawn carriage rides are also available. 

Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and storyteller of the Greater Smokies region. She holds a Master of Science in Conservation Education from Mississippi State University.