Michigan state park fall harvest festivals: Camping dates in 2023
We're approaching some of the most beloved weekends at Michigan state park campgrounds. Harvest festivals held each fall are filled with Halloween costumes, campsite decorations, trick-or-treating, hay rides, pumpkin carving and contests. Campers look forward to the weekends all year. This year, they kick off Sept. 15.
One park that won't have a harvest festival this year is Fort Custer Recreation Area in Augusta. The park will close Sept. 11 for improvement projects.
Bay City State Park in Bay City won't have its normal Fall Harvest events this year because the campground will close Sept. 5 for renovations, according to a post on the park's Facebook page. Instead, the park will host a Trunk-or-Treat in conjunction with its Mother Nature Trail event Oct. 7 in the day use parking lot. Participants are asked to decorate their vehicles.
More: Bay City State Park campground to close for renovations
More: Michigan state park, recreation area campground closures in 2023
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources allows campers to book campsites six months in advance for stays up to 15 days, so that means some people locked up reservations for harvest festivals months ago.
Fall harvest festivals are typically open to registered campers only.
Reservations can be made at MiDNRReservations.com or call 1-800-447-2757.
More: Michigan campers grumble about enforced state park check-in time
Here's a list of the Michigan state park fall harvest festivals in 2023.
Michigan state park fall harvest festivals 2023
Fayette Historic State Park A Paranormal Event: Sept. 15-16
Mears State Park Luminous Trail: Sept. 15-16
Van Riper State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 15-17
Wells State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 22-23
Holland State Park Fall Festival: Sept. 22-24
Onaway State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 22-Sept. 24
Proud Lake Recreation Area Harvest Festival: Sept. 22-24
Van Buren State Park Pumpkinfest: Sept. 22-Sept. 24
Van Riper State Park Harvest Fest Weekend 2: Sept. 22-24
Brimley State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 23
Tahquamenon Falls State Park Harvest Fest: Sept. 29
South Higgins Lake State Park Annual Harvest Fest: Sept. 29-30
Young State Park Harvest Festival Weekend: Sept. 29-30
Pinckney State Recreation Area Bruin Lake Halloween Havoc: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Proud Lake Recreation Area Harvest Festival: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Seven Lakes State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Sleeper State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Traverse City State Park Harvest Festival: Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Algonac State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-7
Lakeport State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-7
Sleepy Hollow State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-7
South Higgins Lake State Park Annual Harvest Fest: Oct. 6-7
Brighton Recreation Area Harvest Festival Weekend: Oct. 6-8
Seven Lakes State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-8
Sleeper State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-8
Waterloo Recreation Area Sugarloaf Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-8
Bay City State Park Mother Nature Halloween Trail/Trunk or Treat: Oct. 7
Wilson State Park Harvest Fest: Oct. 7
Fayette Historic State Park Annual Fayette Fall Fest: Oct. 7
Aloha State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 7-8
Port Crescent State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 7-8
Algonac State Park Harvest Festival: Oct. 13-14
Sleepy Hollow State Park Ichabod Crane Weekend: Oct. 13-14
Tawas Point State Park Harvest Festival Weekend: Oct. 13-14
Harrisville State Park Haunted Halloween Weekend: Oct. 13-15
Hayes State Park Hayes Haunting: Oct. 13-15
Holly Recreation Area Holly Harvest Festival: Oct. 13-15
Waterloo Recreation Area Sugarloaf Harvest Festival: Oct. 13-15
Lakeport State Park Trick-or-Treating: Oct. 14
Holly Recreation Area Holly Harvest Festival: Oct. 20-22
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan state park fall harvest festivals: 2023 camping dates
