Fall Fun, Frights & Folklore in Bedford County
From pumpkin patches and apple orchards to haunted attractions and legendary local tales, discover all the ways to celebrate fall in Bedford County, PA.
One of the best parts of a fall visit to Bedford County, PA? All of the fun for all ages during our busy fall festival and Halloween event season. Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to take those perfect pumpkin patch photos with the kids, jump at the scares of a haunted hayride, or discover your own local folklore, we’re a must-visit.
Fall Family Fun
Ridgetop Orchards: A massive family orchard featuring dedicated “U-Pick” apple days.
- Activities: Pick-your-own apples, a giant corn pit, a corn maze, and a pumpkin playground. They also host popular “Flashlight Nights” in the corn maze on October weekends.
- Goodies: Fresh baked hand pies, apple cider donuts, and hand-dipped ice cream.
- Halloween: Fright Night in the Cornmaze each year with kid-friendly scares
Old Bedford Village: This living history museum shifts into a full autumn wonderland during October.
- Activities: Multi-weekend Pumpkinfest which includes autumn hayrides, scarecrow making, pumpkin carving, apple cider pressing demonstrations, and old-fashioned festival games.
- Murder Mystery: Bring your flashlight, interview the suspects and solve the mystery!
Boyer Orchards: A multi-generational orchard providing sweeping autumn views and extensive harvest activities.
- Events: Their annual Fall Festival (typically mid-October) features live music, local food trucks, and fresh apple butter production.
- Activities: Fresh apple orchard picking, a dedicated kids’ corn play bin, pumpkin decorating, apple crafts, and fall games like apple tic-tac-toe and pumpkin ring toss.
Halloween Events
Bedford County Players production of Sweeney Todd Oct. 2-11, 2026
An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance with a highly unorthodox, yet effective, approach.
Burkett’s Haunt
Bedford County’s signature Halloween attraction, where you’ll journey through the Haunted Woods and try to escape the Haunted Corn Maze, where every twist and turn could lead to your next nightmare.
Halloween at the Omni
- Haunted History Tours – Omni Bedford Springs Experience the untold stories of Omni Bedford Springs Resort with a ghost tour led by professional archaeologist, anthropologist and actor, John Sabol. Let history come alive as this unique investigation opens the memories left behind. 60 minutes and must be reserved by 3:00 p.m.
Local Haunts
Jean Bonnet Tavern
You can have spirits alongside spirits at Jean Bonnet Tavern. According to local records, a highway robber and horse thief was captured and hanged inside the building in the late 1700s. Guests taking photographs in the pub have captured dark, looming shadows standing in the exact corner where the execution supposedly took place.
The Russell House (Downtown Bedford)
Located directly across from the county courthouse, this grand historic building once served as a funeral home and later as county office space.
- The Jump-Roping Telephone Cords: In the late 20th century, the haunting here became so intense that county tax employees refused to enter the building alone. Most famously, telephone cords were reported as detaching themselves and wildly swinging through the air like jump ropes.
- The Exorcism: The paranormal activity was so severe and disruptive to local government work that the Bedford County Commissioners officially hired an exorcist from Lancaster County to bless the building, which successfully quieted the spirits.
The Old Anderson Cemetery (Juliana Street)
Groundskeeper folklore tells of a little girl dressed in a bright yellow dress carrying a matching yellow rose. She has been seen skipping down the gravel paths and placing the rose onto the Anderson gravesite. When onlookers blink or turn their heads, she instantly disappears, leaving no trace behind.
