Birmingham fall festivals: zoo Hoots & Howls Oct. 25 and 31, the Magic City Classic Oct. 31, and Dia de los Muertos at Sloss Nov. 2, $15 in advance.

Last checked Oct. 25, 2026. Updated each fall. Every listing comes from the organizer’s own page, linked below. Hosting a fall festival or pumpkin patch in Birmingham? Send us the details.

Updated Oct. 25: the Sloss BBQ Blast has passed; Dia de los Muertos ticket prices added.

Fall in Birmingham centers on two places: Sloss Furnaces, the city’s festival grounds, and the Birmingham Zoo, which runs daytime Halloween weekends through Oct. 31. The season’s biggest day is Saturday, Oct. 31, with the Magic City Classic and Halloween falling together.

Plan ahead

Hoots & Howls at the Birmingham Zoo

Sunday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The zoo’s daytime Halloween celebration has 10 candy stations, magic shows, animal presentations, a costume parade and contest, a Dino Dance party and lawn games. Zoo admission is required, and the Candy Trail wristband is $15 with rides or $5.50 without (zoo announcement). The zoo’s Dino Safari, with 23 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, runs through Nov. 1.

At Sloss Furnaces

  • Bowl Night: Molten and Mysterious, Friday, Oct. 30, gates at 5:30 p.m.: a cast iron bowl class and a historic night tour, costumes encouraged (city listing).
  • Dia de los Muertos Numero 24, Monday, Nov. 2, 3 to 8:30 p.m.: memorial altars, a puppet-led procession, a jazz funeral, music, dance and an artist market from Bare Hands Inc. Advance tickets are $15, rising to $20 online and at the gate on Nov. 2; children 12 and under get in free; pets and coolers are not allowed (festival page).

Native plant sale at Ruffner Mountain

Jefferson County Greenways holds its native plant sale every Saturday in October, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Ruffner Mountain, 1214 81st St. S. The last date is Saturday, Oct. 31 (Jefferson County Greenways). Ruffner charges a parking fee.

Magic City Classic, Oct. 31

The Classic parade starts at 8 a.m. at 18th Street North and 7th Avenue North, the tailgate runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Alabama A&M and Alabama State kick off at Legion Field at 2:30 p.m. (game day schedule). Full details are on our things to do this month page.

Pumpkin patches

As of Oct. 25 we had not found a pumpkin patch inside the Birmingham city limits with a 2026 date, hours and address published by its organizer. For fall produce in the city, the Alabama Farmers Market, 344 Finley Ave. W., is open to the public every day, and Pepper Place runs Saturday mornings, 7 a.m. to noon, through Dec. 12; see our farmers markets guide. We will add patches here as organizers publish them.

What this means for you

  • Go to the zoo Sunday, Oct. 25, if you want to beat the Classic crowds on Oct. 31.
  • Buy Sloss tickets ahead: Bowl Night on Oct. 30 sells online, and Dia de los Muertos is $5 cheaper before Nov. 2.
  • Send us your church or neighborhood pumpkin patch and we will list it.

Related: trick-or-treat hours, Friday night football and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

What fall festivals are in Birmingham in October 2026?

The Birmingham Zoo’s Hoots & Howls has two days left, Oct. 25 and Oct. 31, and the Magic City Classic parade and game are Oct. 31. Dia de los Muertos at Sloss Furnaces follows on Monday, Nov. 2.

Are there pumpkin patches in Birmingham?

As of Oct. 25 we had not found a pumpkin patch inside the city with a 2026 listing from its organizer. The Alabama Farmers Market on Finley Avenue West is open to the public every day.

When is Dia de los Muertos at Sloss Furnaces?

Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, from 3 to 8:30 p.m., presented by Bare Hands Inc. Advance tickets are $15 and rise to $20 online and at the gate on Nov. 2. Children 12 and under get in free.

When is the native plant sale at Ruffner Mountain?

Every Saturday in October, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Ruffner Mountain, Jefferson County Greenways says. The last one is Saturday, Oct. 31.