Falling for events this autumn

Happy fall! We made it through the heat and humidity of summer and now it's time to take in the sights (nothing better than leaves changing colors) and sounds (of Halloween terror?) of autumn. These events should get you warmed up.

After last weekend's scarecrow festival at Peddler's Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska), you're likely in the mood for some more festive bodies of hay. Play a part in determining who takes home the title in a number of categories (which would be Peddler's Village: We are everything but ordinary, Traditional/Whirligig, Extraordinary Contemporary, KidsOnly!, Quite The Character, and Group Crow) for their Scarecrow Competition and Display, running now until Sunday, Oct. 26. Peddler's Village is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

We didn't start the fire. But someone in Manayunk did. Celebrate the start of the season with a community bonfire at Canal View Park (4430 Main St.) where 12 lit pontoons will float down the canal at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26. Throw your "wishing sticks" into the flames, check out some live animals, and see dance performances.

Warm up your throwing arms. Flyers tickets, a visit to the Preston and Steve show, and other sweet prizes are on the line at Saturday, Sept. 27's Wiffle Fall Classic. Starting at 9 a.m., teams of three (or four) will take the field at the East Norriton Township Softball Field (2501 Stanbridge St., East Norriton) to play four games minimum to raise money for the T21 Club, a group that organizes Down syndrome awareness events.

What would autumn be without a good old-fashioned scarecrow festival? Floral and Hardy (4007 Skippack Pike, Skippack) hosts scarecrow-making, and face and pumpkin painting on Saturday, Sept. 27, starting at 10 a.m.

It's fall gardening time. Bring your garden accessories, plants, tools and other useful gardening items to Greensgrow Farms (2501 E. Cumberland St.) for a garden swap/barter event at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27. Leave the crafts at home though — this event is solely for horticultural trading. Bringing your own table and chairs would be helpful, too since you'll be out there until 3 p.m. if you so desire.

Keeping with the gardening theme here is Tyler Arboretum's (515 Painter Rd., Media) late-season vegetable gardening morning. For 90 minutes, starting at 10 a.m., learn how to master fall gardening and cold-weather crop-growing tips.

Two days, two locations, lots of pumpkins. That's what you'll get at Garden State Discovery Museum (2040 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill) and Springdale Farms (1638 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill) during Pumpkin Palooza. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Sept. 28, families can pick pumpkins at both locations, while they can experience pony rides a moon bounce and face painting at the Discovery Museum.

You didn't think we'd wrap this up without another scarecrow or pumpkin mention, did you? Well you get both at Eagleville Park (100 Parklane Dr., Norristown) on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Lower Providence Township's Fall Festival. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., make scarecrows, pick pumpkins, go on hayrides, and more.

Kicking off at noon, hang with some of the animals at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Rescue (4 Sawmill Rd., Medford) on Sunday, Sept. 28. The afternoon also includes hikes, activities and live entertainment.