Autumn at the Arboretum

Dallas, Sep. 17–Nov. 23, 2016

There’s nothing quite like the sight of pumpkins to signal the arrival of fall. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden welcomes this most lovely of Texas seasons with Autumn at the Arboretum and its marquee Pumpkin Village display. The Arboretum trucks in more than 90,000 pumpkins, squash, and gourds from Floydada to build the village’s artful pumpkin houses and colorful, natural displays, which also incorporate hay bales and cornstalks. Along with myriad photo opportunities, the Arboretum offers pumpkins for sale at the Tom Thumb Pumpkin Patch, a hay-bale maze, and various seasonal floral displays and activities.

State Fair of Texas

Dallas, Sep. 30–Oct. 28, 2016

The State Fair of Texas charges up for its annual sensory spectacle and homage to Lone Star heritage this month with a bountiful slate of classic State Fair fun and intriguing new offerings. Along with favorites like Big Tex, the carnival Midway, live music, deep-fried fare, college football games, and the Auto Show, this year’s State Fair will feature The Taylor Swift Experience memorabilia exhibit at the Hall of State, the gravity-defying Xpogo pogo-stick performance, and Lone Star Stampede, a new Wild West show. And that’s barely scratching the surface.

2016 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas

Austin, Oct. 21–23, 2016

Fall is the time for fans to come to Texas for the 2016 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The Grand Prix returns to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas October 21–23 for its fifth year with three days of racing along a 20-turn, counter-clockwise circuit. The weekend also includes a Saturday-night concert featuring Taylor Swift and a Sunday-night concert featuring The Weeknd.

Photos: (from top) courtesy Dallas Arboretum, Will van Overbeek, Matt Wetzler