Fall Things to Do in Moore County, NC (2026 Guide)
Fall in the Pines 2026: The Best Things to Do in Moore County, NC This Fall
Looking for things to do in Moore County this fall? Pumpkin patches, October festivals, Halloween events and cozy coffee stops across Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, Carthage, Cameron, Vass and Whispering Pines are all right here.
I checked more than 15 local calendars so you don't have to. You're welcome.
Fall in the Sandhills is a whole mood. The humidity finally packs its bags, the longleaf pines smell like a candle you'd pay $40 for, and every weekend has something going on. The hard part isn't finding plans. It's keeping up with them. So I put my favorite fall picks in one place.
Save this page, send it to your fall bestie, and stop being the one who texts "what should we do this weekend?" in the group chat.
Quick note: Dates are for fall 2026. Events can change, so check the host's page before you load up the car.
Pumpkin Patches Near Pinehurst and Southern Pines
The best pumpkin patches in Moore County are Kalawi Farm in Eagle Springs, White Hill Farms in Cameron and C.V. Pilson Farm in Carthage. All three are about 20 to 25 minutes from Southern Pines.
In Moore County
Kalawi Farm, Eagle Springs: Corn maze, hayride to the patch, the super slide and Ben's ice cream. Open Friday to Sunday, 10 to 7, through November 1. This is the big-day-out pick.
White Hill Farms, Cameron: Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayride, jump pad, corn pit and a farm stand. Great for little ones who need to burn off some energy before nap time.
C.V. Pilson Farm, Carthage: The easy porch-pumpkin and mums stop, plus ice cream. Open weekdays, so it's perfect when you want pumpkins without the Saturday crowds.
Worth the drive
Gross Farms, Sanford (about 35 min): A 10-acre corn maze and the giant pumpkin jump. Open through November 1.
Huckleberry Trail, Siler City: Open through October 25.
Tart's Mega Corn Maze, Dunn (about 50 min): Open the latest of the bunch, through November 14. Procrastinators, this one's for you.
Gallberry Farm, Hope Mills, and Naylor Family Farms, Fuquay-Varina: Both open through November 1.
Drive times are approximate from Southern Pines.
Fall Festivals in Moore County, NC (October 2026)
The biggest fall festivals left this October are the Sardine Festival in Aberdeen, the Moore County Agricultural Fair in Carthage and the Holly Arts & Crafts Festival in Pinehurst.
Date | Event | Where |
Oct 9 | Sardine Festival | Aberdeen Lake Park, Aberdeen |
Oct 10 | Vass Fall Festival | Vass |
Oct 13–17 | Moore County Agricultural Fair | Carthage |
Oct 15–25 | NC State Fair (worth the road trip) | Raleigh |
Oct 17 | Holly Arts & Crafts Festival + PineyFest | Village of Pinehurst |
Oct 24 | Fall-O-Ween | Malcolm Blue Farm, Aberdeen |
Oct 24 | Kinderfest + Oktoberfest | Village of Pinehurst |
Yes, the Sardine Festival is real. Yes, you should go. Trust me on this one.
And October 24 is the Super Bowl of fall Saturdays around here. You can't do it all, but you can make a plan (more on that below).
Halloween Events and Trunk-or-Treats in Moore County
The top Halloween events in Moore County are BooFest in downtown Southern Pines, the Aberdeen Candy Crawl and the Whispering Pines Haunted Trail.
Date | Event | Where |
Oct 16 | Candy Crawl + Movie by the Lake | Aberdeen |
Oct 23 | Trick-or-Treat & BooFest | Downtown Southern Pines |
Oct 24 | Scarecrow Fest | Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, Pinehurst |
Oct 24 | Haunted Trail (family-friendly hour 5:30–6:30) | Whispering Pines |
Oct 30 | Moore County Trunk-or-Treat | Carthage |
Oct 31 | Trunk or Treat | James Creek Cider House, Cameron |
Oct 31 | Monster Mash Dash 5K | Pinehurst |
Mom tip: The Haunted Trail's early hour is the not-too-scary version. Save the full fright for the big kids (and the grown-ups who swear they aren't scared).
Free Fall Activities in Pinehurst and Southern Pines
There's plenty of free fall fun in Moore County, because pumpkins are expensive enough.
Live After 5 concert, Pinehurst (Oct 9): Free live music in the village. Bring a chair and your favorite people.
Scarecrow Stroll, Sandhills Horticultural Gardens (all October): Revolutionary-era scarecrows in honor of America's 250th. Easy, pretty and stroller-friendly.
Trick-or-Treat Trail, Weymouth Woods (Oct 25): Halloween in the longleaf pines. It doesn't get more Sandhills than that.
Southern Pines Farmers Market (Saturdays): Local produce, fall goodies and live music.
Downtown trick-or-treating at BooFest (Oct 23): Free candy and the cutest costume parade in town.
Where to Get Your Fall Coffee Fix in Moore County
My go-to coffee shops for a cozy fall morning are Maisonette and Swank Coffee Shoppe in Southern Pines, Agora Bakery + Cafe in Pinehurst and Moore Coffee Company in Carthage.
Maisonette, Southern Pines: Grab a latte and stroll Broad Street.
Swank Coffee Shoppe, Southern Pines: A downtown classic.
Agora Bakery + Cafe, Pinehurst: Coffee and pastries. Need I say more?
Moore Coffee Company, Carthage: New in 2026, and already worth the drive.
Pumpkin spice is a personality trait this time of year, and I won't be taking questions.
Want the Whole List? Get My Free Fall in the Pines Guide
This post is the highlight reel. My free Fall in the Pines Guide has the rest:
10 locals-only hidden gems (including a secret parents' night out)
My game plan for October 24: four events, one Saturday
Little-kid favorites that don't involve chasing a toddler through a corn maze for three hours
Date night picks and slow-paced fall ideas
Every free event in one list
Download the free guide or comment PUMPKIN on my Instagram, @jordanbreasseale, and I'll send it your way.
Thinking about making Moore County home? Fall is the best time to fall for it. I'm Jordan Breasseale, a Pinehurst and Southern Pines real estate agent, and I'd love to show you around. Reach me at jordan@jordanncrealestate.com or 910-712-4747.
Finding Home. Finding Community.
Fall in Moore County: FAQ
What are the best pumpkin patches near Pinehurst, NC? Kalawi Farm in Eagle Springs, White Hill Farms in Cameron and C.V. Pilson Farm in Carthage are all about 20 to 25 minutes from Pinehurst and Southern Pines. Kalawi has the biggest lineup, with a corn maze, hayrides and a super slide.
What Halloween events are in Southern Pines? Downtown Southern Pines hosts Trick-or-Treat & BooFest on October 23, 2026. Weymouth Woods also has a Trick-or-Treat Trail on October 25.
What fall festivals are in Moore County in October? October 2026 brings the Sardine Festival in Aberdeen (Oct 9), the Vass Fall Festival (Oct 10), the Moore County Agricultural Fair in Carthage (Oct 13–17) and the Holly Arts & Crafts Festival in Pinehurst (Oct 17).
Are there free fall activities in Moore County? Yes. The Scarecrow Stroll at Sandhills Horticultural Gardens runs all October, Pinehurst's Live After 5 concert is October 9, and the Southern Pines Farmers Market has live music on Saturdays.
When is the best time to visit Pinehurst and Southern Pines in the fall? Mid-to-late October. The weather cools off, the festival calendar is packed, and October 24 alone has four family events.
Comments