Fall and Winter Events Light Up Tallahassee, Fla.

Tallahassee, Fla. — As the final days of summer approach, leaves begin to fall and anticipation rises for the area’s hottest events spanning from football Downtown Getdowns to Brewfest beer festivals. For more information and to discover why it all comes together beautifully, visit VisitTallahassee.com. Downtown Getdown and Friday Night Block Party: All Friday evenings prior to Saturday home games, Florida State University and Florida A&M University football fans join a favorite Tallahassee tradition -- the Downtown Getdown on Adams Street and Friday Night Block Party in Kleman Plaza. The celebrations include live music, local food and drinks, street performers, kid’s activities and more. Downtown Getdowns and Friday Night Block Parties are held Sept. 13, 20, Oct. 4, 25, Nov. 1, 15 and 22. For more information, visit www.uwbb.org.

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Asian Festival: Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lewis and Bloxham Parks, learn about the ancient traditions of Asian culture at the 9th Annual Experience Asia Festival. Music, dance, arts and crafts, and Asian cuisine will be featured. Visit www.asiantlh.org for more information. New Leaf Market Farm Tours: On Oct. 19-20, 41 farms open their doors for guests to see local farms in action during the sixth annual New Leaf Farm Tours. Enjoy tours, which include barnyard animals, fresh-baked goods and refreshments. Attend different workshops, see community gardening and talk to farmers committed to organic production. For more information on participating farms, directions and times, visit www.newleafmarket.coop. I Am Dracula: Vampires in the Great Depression: Friday, Oct. 25, villain fans unite at The Knott House Museum during the screening of the famous 1931 film classic, Dracula, while learning the history of early horror films and competing in the always-favored Halloween costume contest during an outdoor evening of family fun. Film critic and Internet personality Eric Rodriquez, “The Blockbuster Buster,” begins his lecture at 6:30 p.m. with the film screening at 7 p.m. Admission costs $3 and includes popcorn -- cold drinks will be available for purchase. Enjoy a free house tour following the film. For more information, go to www.museumoffloridahistory.com.

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Halloween Howl: Oct. 25-26, families welcome the ‘spooktacular’ season with the Tallahassee Museum’s 19th annual Halloween Howl from 6-10 p.m. Venture through the dark woods of the Haunted Trail or enjoy trick-or-treating throughout the grounds. Travel through the Not-So-Spooky Trail and play The Carnival Games. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children or $10 for adults, $8 for children who are museum members. Visit www.tallhasseemuseum.org for more information. St. Mark’s Monarch Butterfly Festival: Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge holds the 2013 Monarch Butterfly Festival, where guests view thousands of monarch butterflies during their migration across the Gulf of Mexico to wintering grounds in the mountains of Mexico. St. Marks volunteers provide free educational sessions for guests to learn more about these beautiful creatures, while also offering butterfly tagging demonstrations, butterfly garden walks, themed crafts and a plethora of vendors. Visit www.fws.gov/saintmarks/ for more information. North Florida Fair: From Nov. 7-17, the 72nd North Florida Fair makes its way to Tallahassee for an influx of great food, fun and laughter. Located at the North Florida Fairgrounds, the fair includes agricultural exhibits, petting zoos, magic shows, amusement rides, games and vendors. On weekdays, gates open at 5 p.m. On weekends, gates open at 12 p.m. Visit www.northfloridafair.com for more details. Goodwood Jams: On Friday, Nov. 8, Goodwood Museum and Gardens hosts the second annual Goodwood Jams benefit for music and food enthusiasts. Entertainment includes Donna the Buffalo, Tishamingo and Dread Clamipitt, and variety of food from various local food trucks. The event supports the preservation of the house, grounds and education programs of Goodwood Museum and Gardens. Doors open at 4 p.m., live music begins at 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.goodwoodjams.com. Brewfest Tallahassee: Saturday, Nov. 9, beer lovers rejoice at the 7th Annual Tallahassee Brewfest presented by the Sunrise Rotary. With more than 230 different beers from 30 breweries, local food vendors and live music, the festival is held from 5-9 p.m. at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. VIP guests sip and savor special tastings an hour before general admission. Sample and learn about the variety of beer styles and listen to live music. Tickets are available Friday, August 23 for $29.99. Guests must be 21 years old to enter and all persons will be asked to show valid ID. Visit www.brewfesttallahassee.com for additional details. Imagining La Florida: Ponce de León and the Quest for the Fountain of Youth: From Nov.19-Feb. 23, the Museum of Florida History offers an interactive exhibit that uses models, tablet computers, and immersive elements to explore Florida’s history from the preparation of Juan Ponce de León’s voyage from Spain to the establishment of Fort Mose in 1739. Organized by Acción Cultural Española of Spain and the Spain-Florida Foundation 500 Years, and curated by Dr. J. Michael Francis, the exhibit is a collaboration of the Spanish Embassy in Washington D.C., and the Spanish Consulate in Miami. For more information visit www.museumoffloridahistory.com. Giving Thanks: 17th-Century Apalachee & Spanish Foodways: On Saturday Nov. 30, Mission San Luis -- the only reconstructed Mission in the state -- offers demonstrations of traditional cooking with native and European plants from the gardens and fields. Mission staff members, dressed in clothing from the period, conduct demonstrations from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn how the New and Old Worlds came together to create our cross-cultural cuisine. For more information visit www.missionsanluis.org. 2013 Winter Festival of Lights and Annual Jingle Bell Run: Saturday, Dec. 7, escape to a winter wonderland spectacular from 3-10 p.m. in downtown Tallahassee. The celebration starts with a downtown lighting ceremony, followed by the Jingle Bell Run -- a 3K run attracting more than 3,000 runners -- and a nighttime holiday parade. Children show off their ice skating skills and compete in ornament making contests. Live entertainment and dining opportunities are also offered. Find more information at www.talgov.com/parks/parks-winter.aspx. Market Days: Dec. 7-8, one of the largest and finest arts and crafts shows in the Southeast, Market Days, features more than 300 arts and crafts vendors to showcase and sell original and handmade creations at the North Florida Fairgrounds. The event benefits the Tallahassee Museum. Visit www.marketdays.org for more information. “Just One More” Invitational Arts Festival: Dec. 14-15, celebrate the 18th annual holiday art show in Downtown Tallahassee from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Free to the public, the festival includes live entertainment and more than 70 artists showcasing their crafts, while children learn to create their own art during “hands-on” activities. Find more information at www.tallahasseedowntown.com. Winter Solstice Celebration: Dec. 15, families experience a new holiday tradition from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. by joining Mission San Luis in observing the “sun standing” at its southernmost position in the sky. Children listen to Native American storytellers, and join in a drum circle. Also shop for fine crafts from local artisans. Visit www.missionsanluis.org for more information. Downtown Tallahassee New Year’s Eve: Kick off 2014 at a free, community-wide celebration in Kleman Plaza. With live music entertainment, food and drinks, celebrate while watching the ball drop on the big screen to ring in the New Year. Event starts at 7 p.m. Find more information at www.downtowntallahasseenewyearseve.com.

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