Autumn's Arrived in Champaign-Urbana IL

Autumn's Arrived in Champaign-Urbana IL

Finally, the first day of autumn has arrived! Time to bring that favorite fleece jacket out of storage and load up on leaf bags from the grocery. Temperatures are cooling down around here and the leaves are just starting to change color. So exciting :-)

If you're looking for a great way to kick off the fall season, then head over to Sleepy Creek Vineyards in Oakwood, IL this weekend for the Salt Fork River Art Festival. Along with an array of art to be admired and purchased, there will be local wine, food and live music. Admission is free! The festival takes place Saturday Sept. 24 from 10am-6pm and Sunday the 25th from 11am-4pm.

Soon you'll need to stock up on pumpkins for carving and decoration, and the best place to go for that around here is Curtis' Orchard in southwest Champaign. At Curtis' Orchard you can pick your own pumpkins right out of the patch! They have traditional orange pumpkins in all sizes as well as other ghoulish varieties (you'll see what I mean once you start exploring the pumpkin patch!). While there, you can also purchase cider, apples, fresh pies, and other fall goodies.

Another great spot to get your fill of autumn is Urbana's Market on the Square, open Saturday mornings 7am until noon. Fall season produce such as acorn and butternut squash, apples and pears are now available. You'll also find pumpkins, gourds and hearty cool-weather plants for your gardens. Be sure to arrive early to get your pick!

As always, there's plenty to see and do around Champaign-Urbana, so I hope you'll have the opportunity to get out there and enjoy this beautiful season! Happy Autumn!