The best fall-themed festival in the United States happens every year in southern Indiana!

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West Side Nut Club Fall Festival

The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival is an Evansville tradition dating back more than 100 years.  According to the West Side Nut Club, the very first Fall Festival wasn't even a week-long event, it was a one-night event billed as a Halloween Carnival.

The first West Side Nut Club Fall Festival was billed as a Halloween Night, Halloween Carnival, masked ball and even one Nut Clubber compared it to the Mardi Gras. The event was a one night affair and consisted of a parade of costumed people that started at 8:00 p.m. followed by a Halloween Mask Ball lasting until 11:30. The crowd was estimated at 25,000.

Of course, as they say, the rest is history and the Halloween Carnival eventually became the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival we know and love today. These days the Fall Festival draws in more than 200,000 people annually! The Fall Festival takes place the first full week of October each year, and this year you can enjoy the fun festivities from October 2nd through the 7th.

Best Autumn Festival in the United States

A few weeks ago the Fall Festival was in the running to win the best fall-themed festival in the U.S. and the results are officially the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival won and has been named the number one Fall Festival in the United States by USA Today!  In a press release, members of the West Side Nut Club say they are honored and humbled by the award.

We are excited to announce that the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival is a winner in the 2023
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best Fall Festival. The West Side
Nut Club Fall Festival was one of twenty selected by and expert panel according to the USA
Today 10Best release.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated club members and the volunteers who
invest their time and energy into orchestrating this festival each fall. We also value the families
who come out to participate, as your enthusiasm and support are the true lifeblood of our Fall
Festival” said Joe Petitjean this year’s Fall Festival Chairman

The Fall Festival will happen again in just a couple of weeks down on Franklin Street, and we absolutely will see you there!