Hello, October! Pumpkin patches, fall festivals, live music, and indoor adventures are filling the weekend with family fun. Whether you’re staying close to home or taking a day trip, here’s what’s happening in Baton Rouge and beyond.
Before heading out: Check the linked event pages for weather updates, schedule changes, and ticket availability.
Zachary Fall Fest
Friday, October 2 | 5:30–8:30 PM
📍 Downtown Zachary, along Lee, Virginia, and Florida Streets
🎟️ FREE admission
Kick off October with an evening downtown! Enjoy children’s activities, local vendors, and treats from participating businesses. The festivities also include Downtown Live with Chubby Carrier and the Virginia St. Pumpkin Patch at the Barn. Family-friendly costumes are encouraged!
Live After Five: After 8
Friday, October 2 | 5–8 PM
📍 Davis S. Rhorer Plaza, Downtown Baton Rouge
🎟️ FREE admission
Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of live music with After 8. This outdoor concert is an easy way to start the weekend with dancing and time together downtown.
St. Tammany Parish Fair
Friday–Sunday, October 2–4 | Daily schedules vary
📍 St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds, 1304 N. Columbia Street, Covington
🎟️ Admission and attraction charges apply; check the fair’s current schedule and pricing.
Make a day trip to Covington for carnival rides, fair food, agricultural exhibits, live entertainment, and a Louisiana tradition dating to 1910. The fair runs September 30–October 4, with plenty to explore during its closing weekend.
Schedule and admission details
Harvest Days at LSU Rural Life Museum
Saturday–Sunday, October 3–4 | 9 AM–4:30 PM daily
📍 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge
🎟️ Ages 12+: $12 | Ages 4–11: $10 | Ages 3 and younger: FREE
Online ticket fees may apply.
Step into Louisiana’s past with historic demonstrations, folk music, traditional games, and tractor rides. Families can watch blacksmithing, open-hearth cooking, spinning, woodworking, and other crafts throughout the museum’s historic village.
Harvest Days is listed as a rain-or-shine event.
Discovery Day: Louisiana Folklore
Saturday, October 3 | 9:30 AM–1:30 PM
📍 Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. Fourth Street, Baton Rouge
🎟️ Discounted admission: $5 per person; children ages 6 and younger FREE
Explore Louisiana’s legends and storytelling traditions through museum exhibits and a creative activity. Children can make their own spooky—or not-so-spooky—loup-garou and discover more Louisiana folklore with take-home worksheets.
Event details · Admission listing
Astronomical World of Harry Potter
Saturday, October 3 | 2–3 PM
📍 Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road, Baton Rouge
🎟️ Listed admission: $16 ages 13–64; $13 ages 12 and younger and 65+; FREE for members
Discover the astronomy behind familiar Harry Potter character names in the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium. It’s a fun indoor outing for families who enjoy both stories and the stars.
Boo-Gie Bash
Saturday, October 3 | 4–7 PM
📍 Addis Railroad Park, 4343 Harris Avenue, Addis
🎟️ FREE admission and children’s activities
Head across the river for an afternoon of family fun at Addis Railroad Park. Enjoy free children’s activities, with food and drinks available for purchase from local vendors.
SugarFest – Rain or shine
Sunday, October 4 | 11 AM–4 PM
📍 West Baton Rouge Museum, 845 N. Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen
🎟️ FREE admission
Celebrate Louisiana’s sugar cane harvest with historic demonstrations, live music, and activities for the kids. Explore traditional crafts, enjoy the museum grounds, and discover how sugar has shaped the region’s history.
FREE Mystery Kids Movie at Manship Theatre
Sunday, October 4 | Screenings at 12:30 PM and 1:50 PM
📍 Hartley Vey Studio, Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette Street, Baton Rouge
🎟️ FREE—reserve tickets through Manship Theatre
Enjoy a surprise movie with brighter lights, quieter sound, and a relaxed, sensory-friendly atmosphere. LSU Museum of Art will also offer arts and crafts in the lobby from 1–4 PM.
Parent note: The film is rated PG, with a listed Common Sense age recommendation of 10+.
Event details and free ticket reservations
Magnolia Mound Pumpkin Patch
Sunday, October 4 | 1–4 PM
📍 Magnolia Mound, 2161 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge
🎟️ FREE admission—just pay for your pumpkin!
Pick out a locally grown pumpkin, enjoy children’s activities, and spend a fall afternoon exploring Magnolia Mound’s historic grounds. A pumpkin patch outing right here in Baton Rouge!
Free First Sunday at LASM
Sunday, October 4 | 1–5 PM
📍 Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road, Baton Rouge
🎟️ FREE museum admission | Unlimited planetarium shows: $5
Spend Sunday afternoon exploring art and science galleries and enjoying hands-on activities together. LASM’s recurring Free First Sunday program offers a budget-friendly indoor outing, with planetarium shows available for an additional $5.
Event details and planetarium information