It’s almost spooky season, aka one of my favorite seasons. I do not play when it comes to this time of year.
I dressed up as Barbie for like six years when I was little. Last year I carved a pumpkin to look like Post Malone. I’ve even done spooky-themed shoots with couples. So take it from your spooky-obsessed photographer friend – these are the things you need to be doing this fall in Denver.
Soak in the Aspens
I’m talking about trees people. If you haven’t seen aspen trees in the fall, you HAVE to. From September – October their leaves turn the prettiest color of yellow, and it honestly takes my breath away. There are quite a few places you can go in Colorado to see them, but my favorite spots are Keystone and Estes Park, where you can easily find a hike surrounded by aspens. If you’d rather drive, I def recommend the Peak to Peak Scenic and historic byway. It starts in Boulder and has unreal views of the Continental Divide and all its fall colors. The byway is less than 60 miles and has a couple of stop-off points for you to get some pictures for the Gram.
Anderson Farms Fall Festival
This festival makes my Midwest heart so happy. Head out to Anderson Farms in Erie (about 45 minutes from Denver) to make all of your basic-bitch fall dreams come true. From September 22 – October 31 you can explore their 25-acre corn maze, play with farm animals, and take a wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch to find your perfect pumpkin. If that sounds a little too G-rated for you, just wait. They also host Terror in the Corn, a spooky AF immersive experience where they drop you off in the middle of a haunted cornfield and you have to make your way back. OR you can shoot some zombies during their Zombie Paintball Hunt. Sounds like I just made your Halloween plans for you.
Glow at the Gardens
Come fall, visitors from all over show up to see the crazy amount of pumpkins they decorate the grounds with. Glow at the Gardens only runs from October 19 – 24, so don’t miss out! All of the pumpkins they use are harvested from local farms, and the carvings they create are insane! They even have musicians, dancers, and performing artists around the gardens to really make it an event you can’t miss.
Treat Street
I have a younger brother and niece who are both 6 years old, so I totally get the hype around trick or treating. Hell, I wish it wasn’t weird for a 28-year-old to go ask for candy. On October 23, take your little ones out to the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds for Treat Street, a family-friendly trick or treating event that will have games, a petting zoo, and of course candy! Bonus – if you wear a costume, your admission is free. Don’t worry, there’s plenty to keep adults entertained too, like live music and a beer garden.
