Fall is a season worth celebrating. With the leaves changing colors, the weather cooling down and the holidays quickly approaching, fall in Bloomington is a special time of year to spend with your loved ones. Bloomington is home to tons of fall themed activities that make for a perfect seasonal date. Take advantage of what the city has to offer this year by checking out some of these fall date spots.
Fowler Pumpkin Patch
A pumpkin patch trip is one of the best ways to celebrate fall with your partner. While not technically located in Bloomington, Fowler Pumpkin Patch lies between Green County and Monroe County and offers a farm of full pumpkins to choose from. Fowler also features an animal barn, hayrides and a corn maze. Make a day out of it and plan on spending some quality time at each spot. Start off at the animal barn and pick your favorite animal to pet. Then, make your way to the hayride and chat with your date while you enjoy the autumnal view. Finally, try out the corn maze. Make up a fun game that requires you to split up and find each other, or race to the end of the maze. Finish the day off by picking out your favorite pumpkin. Then, carve the pumpkin together at home or use it to bake pumpkin seeds.
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The Annual Kiwanis Indiana Balloon Festival
Make sure to save the date for this upcoming fall festival because it’s filled with plenty of entertaining activities. The Kiwanis Indiana Balloon Festival will take place Oct. 26- Oct. 28 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. The festivities include train rides, balloon rides, a beer and wine garden, fireworks and more. With so much to do, Kiwanis makes for a fun filled date this season. You and your significant other can stop at the beer and wine garden for a drink or try some new food from a variety of vendors. Nothing is more romantic than ending the night on a hot air balloon ride — imagine: it’s just you and your significant other in the air far away from anyone else. This is a great place to spend quality time with your person and enjoy an eventful fall day. Make sure to buy your tickets now on the Buskirk Chumley Theater website, where you can also check out the schedule.
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Bloomington Farmers Market
Every Saturday through the end of November, Bloomington’s farmers market will occur from 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. at the Showers Commons on Morton Street. This is one of my favorite weekend activities, and what better way to spend it than with your significant other? It will close for the winter soon enough, so make sure to take advantage of it this fall. Many local vendors gather around the commons to sell goods and delicious food locally grown and made in Indiana. They offer an eclectic selection of fruits and vegetables, dairy products and even fresh meats such as beef or pork. I always need to search for a good jar of salsa, jam or sweet pickles. There are even a couple of vendors who sell a variety of flowers that you can buy for your better half. Especially on a sunny Saturday morning, go on a peaceful stroll with your partner and check out the local vendors at the Bloomington community farmers’ market.