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October 2026

Fall was made for days on the farm. Fill the season with trips to Durham Region for crisp country air, colourful landscapes and the flavours of the harvest. 

Gather at the Farm makes it easy to plan your autumn outings by bringing together the farm experiences, markets and seasonal events happening just a short drive from downtown Toronto. Get happily lost in a corn maze, hunt down the perfect pumpkin and make time for baked goods, tasting rooms and roadside stops that make a fall drive even more rewarding.

Whether you have a few hours or a whole weekend to explore, Gather at the Farm is your guide to making the most of harvest time in Durham Region. 

Ready to get corn-fused? Getting lost is part of the fun this fall when you take on Durham Region's corn mazes. Find 12 of the best spots to test your sense of direction—some are a simple stroll, some are seriously huge, and some will have you solving puzzles. Choose your corn maze challenge.

Start the car, there are apple fritters to find! Your next fall drive through Durham may be the sweetest road trip yet. Bring your appetite when you take this ultimate apple fritter crawl to some of the region's must-try bakeries and farm markets. Sample your way from stop to stop and decide who makes your favourite fritter!!

Get to the core of the fun this fall with Durham Region's Apple Adventure. Pick them from the tree, sip them in a tap room or enjoy them baked into tasty treats. However you like them apples, there's a delicious day out waiting for you.

If the 'Practical Magic' sequel has you feeling a little witchy this fall, why not conjure up a movie-inspired weekend? 

Find all the ingredients for a spellbinding fall getaway, from crystals and readings to botanicals and crafts. Indulge in chocolate for breakfast, gather your coven for midnight margaritas or see what spirits you might stir up at a paranormal event. 

It's the kind of fall weekend Sally and Gillian would approve of—no family curse required.

Let Open Skies inspire your next getaway to Durham Region. Whether you're looking to eat, explore, unwind or stay, Durham Tourism's adventure planner has everything you need to turn a free afternoon, day trip or weekend away into something memorable. Discover what's under Open Skies and see where fall takes you.

Gilmore Girls is one of those shows that just feels like fall. But instead of bingeing another season from the couch, take your Stars Hollow dreams on the road with a visit to Port Perry. With coffee shops, bookstores, sweet treats and a beautiful park gazebo, you'll find plenty of stops that will have you feeling like you stepped into your favourite fall episode. Start your Gilmore Girls-inspired day.

Shift into scenic and chase the fall colours by bike. Autumn is a beautiful time to explore Durham Region's cycling routes. With 13 rural on-road routes to choose from, you'll wind past farmland, forests and waterfronts, with plenty of places to stop along the way. Along the way, make time to stop in one of our charming downtowns, refuel at a farm market and discover bike-friendly businesses ready to welcome cyclists. Find your perfect fall ride.

Durham Region gets seriously spooky in October! Discover a whole lineup of Halloween attractions and after-dark adventures to experience once the sun goes down. 

From eerie encounters and ghostly tales to haunted happenings and frightful attractions, choose something that delivers a few playful chills for all ages, or go all in on an experience designed to make you scream. Just don't say we didn't warn you! 

Local Business Highlights

Chica Banda has traded its wheels for a permanent home on Simcoe Street North in Oshawa. The Mexican street food favourite is keeping the classics you know and love, along with a new menu waiting to be explored. Meet your next craving.

Vintage treasure hunters, take note. Rose and Jewel returns to downtown Bowmanville on October 15, bringing its curated collection of vintage clothing, accessories and unique finds to a brand-new space on King Street. Get a sneak peek of the collection.

A new reason to get crafty has opened in downtown Bowmanville. Craft & Gather is a creative studio that gives you the space, tools and inspiration to sew, knit, paint and create! Bring your own project, pick up a ready-to-make-kit, sign up for a workshop or bring your friends for a maker party. Plan your visit.

Craving something beyond your usual order? Mazar Restaurant in Pickering offers traditional home-style Afghan dishes in a beautiful setting. Come hungry for fragrant Qabuli Pulao and charcoal-grilled kabobs. Scroll for a look at what's cooking.

Add a sweet stop to your next visit to Port Perry. Templeman's Toffee is bringing its award-winning toffees and caramels to its very own storefront on Water Street. Stop in while exploring downtown, sample a treat and pick up a few favourites for the road. Discover your next sweet obsession.

Turn your next meal out into a Mexican getaway. El Caballo Bayo has opened its doors in Ajax, promising authentic, freshly made Mexican food with big flavours, music and warm hospitality. Add this to your foodie to-do list.

Book your next night out with the Autumn Book Drunkard Festival. The impressive lineup brings more than a dozen authors for conversations, book launches and one-of-a-kind literary experiences at locations throughout Uxbridge. Running from October 1 to December 7, this year's guests include Jody Wilson-Raybould, Mary Berg, Linwood Barclay, Brad Gushue and more. Get tickets. 

Pair your fall shopping with a trip to the pumpkin patch. Picks & Giggles fall market returns to Maple Grove Orchards on October 3 and 4. Shop from more than 40 small businesses, pick our own pumpkin and find your way through the corn maze, all included with admission. Follow for market previews. 

Turn back the clock to one legendary night in rock 'n' roll history. Dream Co. Theatre brings Million Dollar Quartet to the Whitby Centennial Building from October 14 to 18, recreating the famous 1956 jam session that brought Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins together. View showtimes. 

There's plenty to fall for at Pickering's Fall Fling. Head to Millenium Square on October 17 and 24 for two afternoons of pumpkin painting, miniature train rides, crafts, live music and local shopping. Each Saturday brings something different, so check the schedule to know what's happening when you visit. 

See what Chef Alex Page is cooking up at the Uxbridge Farmers' Market on October 18. Join us from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a free culinary demonstration and tasting featuring fresh, local flavours. Stick around for Pumpkin Fest, to explore more than 50 local farmers, makers and bakers, and enjoy pumpkins, giveaways, a scavenger hunt and live music. Find full event details. 

Sundance award-winner Hold Onto Me leads the lineup at Durham Region International Film Festival's (DRIFF) tenth anniversary. From October 22 to 24, film lovers can enjoy local and international films, filmmaker Q&As, an interactive workshop and a Local Culinary Showcase. DRIFF and Film Durham also present Myth2Market: The Future of Movie Making Summit, exploring the technologies and trends shaping film and television production. In honour of DRIFF's 10th year anniversary, festival-goers can win one of six Night-Out Giveaway Packages which includes: a one-night hotel stay (one room), restaurant gift card or voucher and two DRIFF tickets. Plan your DRIFF experience.

In Case You Missed It

Check out history in motion on October 17 with the Canadian Tank Museum's final live vehicle show of the season. Home to the largest operational military vehicle collection in North America, the Oshawa museum's impressive collection of tanks, military vehicles and equipment don't just tell stories from the past, they've also played a role in major film and television productions. Explore the museum's unique journey.

Take a trip back to the railway days in Durham Region with Railway Roots. The augmented reality experience features seven stops that reveal the people and places connected to the region's railway history. Along the way, uncover surprising stories of how the railway shaped local communities. Start your Railway Roots adventure.

These aren't your average breakfast potatoes. Chef Alex Page turns a breakfast staple into a celebration of Durham-grown ingredients. Start at Bragg Farms, where you can dig your own potatoes or pick some up at the farm store, then swing by Linton's Farm Market for locally grown corn. Bring it all home and let the cooking begin. Get the recipe. 

For unique trip ideas or to plan your perfect day, visit DurhamTourism.ca, or call 1-800-413-0017. If this information is required in an accessible format, contact Durham Tourism.