The Jacksonville Arboretum's first Family Fall Fest has a pumpkin patch Oct. 25; the Zoo's Spooktacular runs 12 nights; the Jacksonville Fair is Nov. 5-15.
Last checked Oct. 14, 2026. This page is updated each year. Every listing links to the organizer’s own page: the Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the Cummer Museum, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair and the City of Jacksonville. Prices are as the organizers publish them.
Fall in Jacksonville runs from Halloween nights at the Zoo through a new pumpkin patch at the Arboretum to the county fair in November. Here is what is confirmed for 2026.
Updated Oct. 14: the city now lists Treats at the Plaza for 1 to 5 p.m., and the JaxParks movie night moved to Friday, Oct. 23.
Who to call
- Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens: 1445 Millcoe Road; events
- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens: 370 Zoo Parkway; Spooktacular
- Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair: 13601 Normandy Blvd.; jacksonvillefair.com
- City events: 630-CITY (904-630-2489)
Pumpkin patch
Family Fall Fest at the Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Sunday, Oct. 25, 4 to 7 p.m. The Arboretum’s first fall festival has a pumpkin patch, a trunk-or-treat, plein air artists, hands-on nature activities, food trucks and music. Admission is $3; members get in free. It is part of the Arboretum’s first Biergarten and Fall Fest Weekend: an adults-focused Biergarten with local craft breweries, food trucks, artisan vendors and lawn games is Saturday, Oct. 24, with tickets sold separately. Details and tickets.
Running a public pumpkin patch in Jacksonville? Send the dates, hours and address through our contact page and we will add it once we can confirm it.
Fall festivals and Halloween nights
- Spooktacular, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Oct. 10, 15-18, 22-25 and 29-31. The Zoo’s 39th Spooktacular is a one-way trail of lights and Halloween scenes after dark, with timed entry from 6 to 7:30 p.m. or 7:30 to 9 p.m. and a sensory-friendly night Sunday, Oct. 11. Tickets online only, $25 to $40 depending on membership; buying a day ahead saves $5. Rain or shine.
- Ghoulish Gallery and Garden Night, Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, 829 Riverside Ave., Thursday, Oct. 15, 5 to 8 p.m. Free admission. Gallery hosts dress as artworks from the collection and hand out trunk-or-treat style prizes; come in costume. The museum has moved to self-paid parking in its lots. Details.
- JaxParks Movie Night, “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Friday, Oct. 23, free at 6 and 8 p.m. at the Artist Walk, 718 Riverside Ave.
- Treats at the Plaza, Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 to 5 p.m., the city’s free trunk-or-treat at Riverfront Plaza. See trick-or-treat hours.
The Jacksonville Fair
Gate times, the concert lineup, deal days and directions are on our Jacksonville Fair page.
The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair runs Nov. 5-15, 2026, at its new 82-acre-plus home on the Westside, 13601 Normandy Blvd. It has a new amphitheater with 11 days of national acts. From the fair’s ticket page, early bird prices through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 4:
| Ticket | Early bird | From Nov. 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $10 | $15 |
| Child, 6 to 12 | $5 | $10 |
| Senior, 65 and up | $5 | $10 |
| Mega Pass (admission and unlimited rides) | $25 | not listed |
Amphitheater concerts, food, drinks and shopping are not included in admission or the Mega Pass. There is also a rodeo, with separate tickets.
What this means for you
- Pumpkin patch: the Arboretum, Sunday, Oct. 25.
- Buy Spooktacular tickets a day ahead to save, and fair tickets by Nov. 4.
- Check road closures before you drive.
Related: things to do this month, trick-or-treat hours and the scoreboard.
Frequently asked questions
Where is there a pumpkin patch in Jacksonville?
The Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, 1445 Millcoe Road, has a pumpkin patch at its first Family Fall Fest, 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Admission is $3, and members get in free.
When is the Jacksonville Fair in 2026?
The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair runs Nov. 5-15, 2026, at its new home, 13601 Normandy Blvd. Early bird adult tickets are $10 through Nov. 4.
What fall festivals are in Jacksonville this October?
The Arboretum’s Biergarten and Family Fall Fest weekend Oct. 24-25, Spooktacular at the Jacksonville Zoo on 12 nights, the Cummer Museum’s free Ghoulish Gallery and Garden Night Oct. 15 and the city’s Treats at the Plaza on Oct. 31.
Is the Cummer Museum free for Halloween?
Its Ghoulish Gallery and Garden Night, 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, has free admission, the museum says, with costumed gallery hosts and trunk-or-treat style prizes.
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