Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City runs September 11 through October 31, 2026, making it one of the longest fall events in the Ozarks, and one of the few that skips scare actors and haunted houses entirely. If you’re trying to pin down exact dates, what’s actually new this year, or whether it’s worth a trip in the festival’s final weeks, here’s the full rundown.
The short version: it’s a daytime craft-and-pumpkin festival that turns into a glowing after-dark pumpkin display once Pumpkins In The City starts on September 18, all included with a regular Silver Dollar City ticket.
Quick Answer
Harvest Festival 2026 at Silver Dollar City runs September 11 to October 31 in Branson, Missouri. It’s included with regular park admission, has no haunted houses or scare zones, and combines daytime craft demonstrations and cowboy entertainment with an after-dark pumpkin display called Pumpkins In The City, which runs nightly from September 18 through the end of the festival.
What’s New for Harvest Festival 2026
Silver Dollar City didn’t announce a new ride, house or walkthrough built specifically for Harvest Festival 2026. What is new is the sponsor lineup: Humana presents the overall festival, and Pumpkins In The City carries presenting sponsor Mercy. The park’s bigger headlines for this stretch of its multi-year expansion, the 262-room Silver Dollar City Resort (on track to open in 2027), the Showboat Branson Belle’s rebrand to Silver Dollar City’s Showboat, and a redesigned Old Time Christmas parade, belong to other seasons, not Harvest Festival.
On the food side, 2026 menus lean into fall comfort food: pumpkin funnel cakes, warm apple dumplings topped with pumpkin caramel sauce and ice cream, pumpkin spice-rubbed ribs, and chicken and sausage gumbo over cheddar grits show up alongside the usual pumpkin pie, spiced cider and pumpkin coffee. A Tasting Passport is typically offered on select dates if you want to sample several dishes in one visit.
Dates, Hours and How Much of the Festival Is Left
The festival’s run splits into two stretches. From September 11 to 17, Harvest Festival is daytime-only: crafters, cowboy programming and food, with the park closing at its regular time. From September 18 through October 31, Pumpkins In The City extends the day with glowing pumpkin displays, night rides and a nightly dance party in the Plaza.
Silver Dollar City doesn’t operate every day in the fall, and hours shift through the season, so the operating calendar on the official site is the only reliable source for a specific date. Because the festival closes October 31, anyone planning a visit in its last couple of weeks should check that calendar closely, some October weekdays are closed days.
Daytime Crafts, Cowboys and the Echo Hollow Concerts
By day, hundreds of visiting craftsmen set up throughout the park alongside Silver Dollar City’s resident artisans, covering blacksmithing, glassblowing, pottery, leatherwork, copper art, stained glass and more. Cowboy programming brings western music and storytelling to the streets, and Cowboy Camp has featured guest appearances in past years, so it’s worth checking the daily schedule.
The 2026 festival’s Echo Hollow Amphitheatre lineup brought three concerts, each included with admission: Diamond Rio on September 12, Aaron Tippin on September 19 and Sara Evans on September 26, with reserved seating available for select shows. All three were one-time dates within the festival run, not a recurring nightly act, so those specific concerts won’t repeat later in the season.
Pumpkins In The City After Dark
Once Pumpkins In The City starts on September 18, more than 20,000 pumpkins light up the park, including the Garden of Giants display in Wilson’s Farm, where pumpkins can top 1,000 pounds. Master carver Barry Brown works in real time, and the park runs a nightly dance party in Pumpkin Plaza.
This is still not a Halloween scare event. Silver Dollar City doesn’t run haunted houses or scare zones for Harvest Festival, and guest costumes aren’t part of the event. That makes the after-dark hours comfortable for young kids and grandparents, not just thrill-seekers. If you want an actual haunt, look at parks that run dedicated Halloween scare zones instead.
Tickets, Parking and Planning the Trip
Harvest Festival is included with any regular Silver Dollar City admission ticket, there’s no separate festival ticket to buy. Ticket types (single-day, multi-day, season passes) and current prices change from season to season, so check the official Silver Dollar City site before you book.
Parking follows the park’s normal setup: general parking is free with a tram or bus to the gate, and a paid preferred/premier lot sits closer to the entrance if you want less walking. Accessible parking is available near the main gate for guests who need it. Because fall is one of the park’s busiest seasons, arriving early and booking lodging a few weeks out will save you both parking-lot time and a scramble for a room.
Tips for a Late-Festival Visit
Midweek days are generally quieter than weekends, but confirm the park is actually open on your chosen weekday before you build a trip around it, not every date in the Harvest Festival window is an operating day.
Plan for two sessions if you want both halves of the event: crafts and food during the day, then a break before returning after dark for the pumpkin displays. Bring layers. Ozark fall afternoons can run well above evening temperatures, and once the sun sets during Pumpkins In The City, it cools off fast.
Photos
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
A fan and a mist in one, rechargeable. Very popular in queue lines once the afternoon sun hits.
Harvest Festival 2026 at Silver Dollar City FAQs
When does Harvest Festival 2026 end?
October 31, 2026, with the after-dark Pumpkins In The City portion running nightly from September 18 through that closing date. The park’s daily operating calendar still applies, so confirm your specific date is a scheduled day before you go.
Is Harvest Festival included with regular admission?
Yes. Craft demonstrations, cowboy programming, Echo Hollow concerts and the Pumpkins In The City displays are all included with a standard Silver Dollar City ticket. There’s no separate festival ticket.
Is Harvest Festival too scary for young kids?
No. Silver Dollar City doesn’t run haunted houses or scare zones for this event, and guest costumes aren’t part of it. Ride height requirements still apply for coasters like Outlaw Run and Fire In The Hole, so check those if you’re bringing smaller kids.
Are the Echo Hollow concerts still happening?
The 2026 lineup, Diamond Rio, Aaron Tippin and Sara Evans, played on September 12, 19 and 26 respectively. Those were one-time dates within the festival and won’t repeat later in the run, though daytime music and cowboy entertainment continue through October 31.
What time does Pumpkins In The City start each night?
It begins in the early evening as the park’s regular daytime hours wind down, with the Plaza dance party and pumpkin lighting kicking off around dusk. Exact timing shifts with sunset and the park’s posted hours, so check the daily schedule on arrival.
Can I wear a Halloween costume to Harvest Festival?
No, Silver Dollar City doesn’t permit guest costumes at the park, which fits with Harvest Festival being a pumpkin-and-craft event rather than a Halloween haunt.
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