Getaway Guide To Festival Time

Talk about climate change! When the climate around here changes from summer to fall, the harvest is in, the seasonal beers have been rolled out and there isn't much to do with a corn field but create a haunted maze, the region becomes festival crazed. From Oysterfests on the Chesapeake Bay, Ski Area Fests, Scary Halloween Fests to Octoberfests, this month is one of the slap-happiest on the calendar. So what's going on at our favorite weekend destinations? Here's just some of it.

SPRING MOUNTAIN

757 Spring Mount Rd.
Spring Mount, PA 19478
spring.springmountainadventures.com

Closest to home, October bring out the need for a good haunting at Spring Mountain Ski Area near Schwenksville. For the weeks leading up to Halloween, Spring Mountain becomes "Scream Mountain." with a chilling tour through a frighteningly designed haunted house, a walk on the wild side down the darkened mountain after a nighttime chairlift ride to the summit. Then there's the "Haunted Hayride and of course, a zip line tour in the dead of night. The hayride and chair lift to the summit will pry a mere $25 from your fingers.

BLUE MOUNTAIN

1660 Blue Mountain Drive
Palmerton, PA 18071
skibluemt.com

If you're still pouting about the storm related cancellation of the last Oktoberfest weekend at popular Blue Mountain, put on a happy face. The mountain is unleashing it's "Monsterball Bash" on Saturday, October 24th. A bit of costumed mountainside madness kicks in for a day and evening of music, food and tom-foolery with prizes for best costumes and a chance to visit the mountain in blazing color before the first snowfall and the sound of skis and boards envelopes the slopes. Admission is free, but sorry kids, it's an "adults only" affair.

SHAWNEE MOUNTAIN

401 Hollow Rd.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
shawneemt.com

Those modern chuck-wagons along with bands and beer will be rolling up to Shawnee Mountain this weekend for the annual fall Pocono Food Truck Festival. They'll be coming from the canyons of New York and the streets of Philly to serve up specialties that range from the adventurous to the traditional. You want a cheesesteak? It's there. But if you want to venture into the exotic flavor of Spain, wander over to My Hola Paella for a taste of that rice based magic. The background is the mountain and it's enhanced with invigorating chair lift rides. Adult day admission is $12.50 at the gate, $8.50 for kids and parking is on the house. A 2-day admission tag is $17.

SHORE POINTS

Both Sea Isle City and Cape May will be in the midst of Octoberfest celebrations this weekend. Another chance to dive into a sampling of local wines and beers, go pumpkin shopping at local farms and take in the music and sights. At Cape May that includes one of the most spectacular fall bird migrations on the east coast.

ST. MICHAELS, MD

213 N. Talbot Street
St. Michaels, MD 21663
cbmm.org/events/annual-festivals-and-special-events/oysterfest

You love slurping oyters, but don't have a clue about shucking them. It's learning time at the annual Oysterfest in St. Michaels on the Maryland eastern shore. Those succulent Chesapeake Oysters are being heaped and hosed on the docks up and down the bay. It's prime season. I know. I had my fill last week in Annapolis. On October 31st, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on the St. Michaels waterfront will be the focal point of an oyster harvest celebration. Beside oyster stews, fried oysters, oysters Rockefeller and just raw on the half shell, there'll be live local music, cruises on the harbor and Miles River plus a good look at the vessels that defined the life of those Maryland watermen who made our culinary lives so enjoyable.

There are other Octoberfest events around the region. Seek them out for weekend getaways or just fascinating day trips.

Enjoy!