10 fall festivals and outings in the Springfield area you won't want to miss

Check out some fine art, tour a historic (and some say haunted) mansion or be part of a bicentennial celebration.

There's a fall festival or outing for you in and around Springfield.

Here's a sampling of what's going on.

Edwards Place Fine Art Fair

The 36th annual Edwards Place Fine Art Fair features artists from around the country exhibiting a variety of media Sept. 21 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sept. 22 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

There are tours of the historic Edwards Place, a 190-year-old Italianate mansion. The fair features live music and food and beverage vendors. A used book sale benefits the Michael Victor II Art Library. 700 N. Fourth St. springfieldart.org. 217-523-2631. Free.

While in the neighborhood, visit historic homes in the Enos Park neighborhood in various stages of renovation. Tours are from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 21. Tickets available at the booth at the art fair. 217-553-4629. $10.

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Clayville Fall Festival

Visitors to the Clayville Fall Festival Sept. 21-22 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) can join in on the bicentennial celebration of the Broadwell Inn and Tavern. The inn, according to an online history, served as a stagecoach stop and public house catering to stagecoach passengers, freight caravans, freight carriers, cattle drivers, circuit riders and others.

The name stems from Whig Party statesman Henry Clay and the Broadwells, the namesake of the inn, were prominent Whig participants. An 1842 Fourth of July celebration there drew another early Whig advocate, Abraham Lincoln.

The fall festival includes Civil War camps with the 10th Illinois Infantry Regiment, the 108th Illinois Infantry Field Hospital and others. Chris Camp (The Whip Guy) will be giving demonstrations and Batterton and Edwards will provide the music. Pleasant Plains, Illinois 125. clayville.org. 217-481-4430. Free.

Buzz Bomb Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in September? Why not, especially when Buzz Bomb Brewing Company will be serving up several German styles of beers, along with other local breweries, and the musical headliner is the legendary Supersuckers.

The Sept. 21 outdoor festival will also include food, vendors, games and children's activities.

Other bands include Left Lane Cruiser, Aage Birch, Sonic Sunday, Master Bastard and Prairie State of Mind. Minors are allowed outside but must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to go inside Buzz Bomb. 406 E. Adams St. buzzbombbrewingco.com. 217-679-4157. $10.

International Route 66 Mother Road Festival

The Mother Road Festival routinely draws some 1,200 classic and antique cars and other vintage vehicles to downtown between Washington and Capitol streets and Fourth and Seventh streets Sept. 27-29.

It kicks off with the Route 66 City Nights Cruise from the Capitol City Shopping Center on Dirksen Parkway to downtown at 6:15 p.m. Friday. Dennis Gage will be filming an episode of Motor Trend TV's "My Classic Car on Saturday. Chris Jacobs, a host of "Overhaulin'" on Motor Trend TV, will also be appearing.

There's a burnout competition, a 5K run and a Miss Mother Road contest. Wowie Zowie, Wreckless Whiskey, Pizzazz Dance Band and Horizon Band will provide the music over Friday and Saturday. Route66Fest.com. 217-553-5271. Free to spectators.

Oak Ridge Cemetery Walk

Dead men (and dead women) do tell tales. Some of the best will be heard on “Echoes of Yesteryear: A Walk Through Oak Ridge Cemetery” sponsored by the Sangamon County Historical Society.

Actors dressed in period costumes will portray figures at his or her gravesite. That includes con artist and international hustler Reed “Kid” Waddell (1860-1895), who actually sold the Brooklyn Bridge. He will be portrayed by Pat Foster. Ellen Huntington Henkle(1853-1919) was, in her day, considered to be Springfield’s best singer. She will be portrayed by Linda Schneider.

The walk between gravesites is about half a mile. Sept. 29. Noon. Oak Ridge Cemetery, 1441 Monument Ave. sangamonhistory.org. 217-525-1961. Free but donations are welcome.

Fall Harvest Festival

Lincoln Memorial Garden's annual Fall Harvest Festival includes artisan demonstrations and exhibits and gets started on Oct. 12 with a concert by duo Tater Tots (Kristi Lecocq and Micah Walk).

It runs Oct. 12 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Oct. 13 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 East Lake Shore Drive. lincolnmemorialgarden.org. 217-529-1111. $8.

Artisan & Antique Market

The Artisan & Antique Market, put together by the owners of the Ursuline Music Conservatory, the Dream Center and the Brinkerhoff Mansion, offers up over 150 vendors, food trucks, a jump house, live music and more from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

Some say the mansion, built for a contemporary of Abraham Lincoln's and known as "the Castle," is haunted by George Madoc Brinkerhoff Sr. himself.

Sixth Street between Keys Avenue and Eastman Avenue. Visit the Brinkerhoff Mansion Facebook page. Free.

Carve for the Carillon/Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

Bring your carving tools and your imaginations to Carve for the Carillon from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 12-13 as a run-up to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular the following weekend around the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon and Washington Park Botanical Garden.

The Springfield Park District supplies the pumpkins (while they last). It's a free event, but donations will be accepted.

The pumpkins will be on display from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 18-19. On Oct. 20, you can take away a decorated pumpkin for a donation. 1740 W. Fayette Ave. carillon-rees.org. $7-$10 (discount tickets at Ashley HomeStore Outlet, 1987 Wabash Ave.).

Springfield Area Highland Games & Celtic Festival

You can experience Scottish culture without having to cross the pond at the Springfield Area Highland Games & Celtic Festival at the Sangamon County Fairgrounds in New Berlin Oct. 19.

Athletes compete in traditional Scottish sporting events like the caber toss, hammer throw and stone put. Enjoy live performances of bagpipe music and Scottish dances, food and drink, like haggis and single malt whisky, plus crafts and storytelling.

316 W. Birch St., New Berlin. centralillinoiscelts.com. $8-$20.

New Salem Fall Festival

Period-clothed interpreters demonstrate daily tasks at the reconstructed village, such as candle dipping, soap making, blacksmithing, spinning wool, gardening and natural dyeing at the Fall Festival at Lincoln's New Salem from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 26.

Abraham Lincoln spent about six years of his early adulthood living in the village, about 20 miles northwest of Springfield.

15588 History Lane, Petersburg. lincolnsnewsalem.com. 217-632-4000. Free.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; [email protected]; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Here are 10 fall festivals and outings in the Springfield area