8 things to do in Jackson Hole this October: A Local’s Calendar
October is Jackson Hole’s quiet season, and one of the best-kept secrets for locals. The summer crowds are gone, the aspens turn gold and there’s still plenty going on around the valley. Here are eight things I’d put on your calendar this month.
1. Farm to Fork Festival (Oct 2 and 3, Center for the Arts)
Friday night opens with a food and fishing film festival at the Center Theater, with doors at 5:30 p.m. Saturday brings an end-of-season harvest market and hands-on cooking workshops.
2. Oktoberfest at Snake River Brewing (Oct 3)
A Jackson fall tradition at the brewpub, with live music, Bavarian food and their Oktoberfest beer on tap.
3. Last weekend for the Aerial Tram (Oct 4)
The Aerial Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort closes for the season after Sunday. If you’ve been meaning to ride it up, this is your weekend.
4. Murie Ranch Art Festival (Oct 9 to 11)
Three days of art, workshops and talks at the historic Murie Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. Many of the drop-in activities are free.
Aspen meadow below the peaks in Grand Teton National Park in fall
5. Pumpkin Saturday (Oct 10)
Two free events on the same day. Dornans’ Pumpkin Patch in Moose runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with local food and face painting. Pumpkins on Fire at the Center for the Arts runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with live raku firing of ceramic pumpkins.
Pumpkins stacked on hay bales at a fall pumpkin patch]
6. Cowgirls at the Cowboy (Oct 22 to 24)
Three nights of country music at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with Emmylou Harris on Saturday. Tickets run $35 to $500.
Silhouette of a cowboy holding a guitar at sunset
7. Free day in Grand Teton National Park (Oct 27)
Park entry is free all day for U.S. residents. Oxbow Bend is worth the stop this time of year, while the aspens are still turning.
Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park in fall, with the Tetons behind
8. Halloween on Town Square (Oct 31)
Trick-or-treating runs 3:30 to 6 p.m., with trunk-or-treat on Center Street. After that, the costume crawl at the Cowboy and the Silver Dollar starts at 7:30 p.m.
A pile of carved, glowing jack-o’-lanterns
Bonus: many Jackson restaurants run two-for-one dinners in October, so it’s a good month to try somewhere new.
Which one are you doing? If you’d like my favorite off-season restaurant picks, or you’re thinking about making Jackson Hole home year-round, send me a message. I’m happy to help!
[Photo: bull-moose-fall-grass.jpg. Alt text: Bull moose in golden fall grass]
Bull moose in golden fall grass
Parker Bertles, Engel & Völkers Jackson Hole.
Photos: Unsplash (free license). Sterling Lanier, Shelley Pauls, Patrick von der Wehd, Alex Moliski, Royce Fonseca, Mark Duffel, Priscilla Du Preez, Vamshi Vangapally, Jamo Images and Zachery Perry.
