Fall events to enjoy near The Grove Frisco in Frisco, Allen, Plano & McKinney

Fall events in North Texas are plentiful as pumpkins, especially in the Four Corners cities area surrounding The Grove Frisco, an award-winning new home community. 

We call our location the “Four Corners” because it’s where our hometown of Frisco meets the surrounding cities of Allen, Plano and McKinney. With four times the fun, it wasn’t easy to limit our favorite fall events to 12 top picks, but we did it.

While we have our own active calendar of social events for residents here at The Grove Frisco, it never hurts to have more fun nearby, and the following events are open to the public. Most are free, while some require tickets; please check the links provided for details. 

Live Music in Plano’s Arts District

There are four live music concerts planned for fall in McCall Plaza, an outdoor performance space in the heart of the Downtown Plano Arts District. Check out the calendar for concerts coming up from September through November. This appealing outdoor venue is conveniently located within walking distance of shops, restaurants and bars in downtown Plano, so you can enjoy a complete evening out. 

Autumn at the Arboretum

“One of America’s best pumpkin festivals” is how Fodor’s Travel describes Autumn at the Arboretum, a 17-year tradition at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden that runs from Sept. 18 through Oct. 31. This year’s theme, “A Fall Fairy Tale,” will feature more than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds and squashes from Floydada, the pumpkin capital of Texas, with highlights including Cinderella’s Carriage, a Pumpkin Village of themed houses, and a maze for younger visitors. There will also be reinterpretations of classic fairy tales like Jack & The Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs and One Thousand and One Nights. We know Dallas isn’t one of our Four Corners cities, but this gourd-eous event is worth the drive.

McKinney Oktoberfest

McKinney gets a jump on Oktoberfest, with their 15th annual Oktoberfest starting Friday, Sept. 23, and continuing through Sunday, Sept. 25. McKinney’s historic downtown will be transformed into an Alpine wonderland with authentic German food, local and imported beer, live music, games and much more. The Arts and Crafts Marktplatz will feature traditional handmade wares, and the Goodwill Games area will host contests including Weenie Dog and Wannabe Weenie Dog Races, Human Beer Puppets, and Bier Stein Races. There’ll be a Bavarian Experience Stage, carnival rides and games, and a Crape Myrtle Run with 10K, 5K and one-mile options.

Frisco Oktoberfest

Happening on Saturday, Oct. 1, Frisco’s third annual Oktoberfest kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with a traditional keg tapping, followed by activities including a beer stein hoisting competition, a brat eating contest, keg rolling races, and a Mr. and Ms. Oktoberfest contest. Two stages will feature live music until 10 p.m. There’ll be plenty of seasonal beers on tap along with brats, pretzels and other Oktoberfest favorites. The Marktplatz will feature local vendors selling clothing, jewelry and other curated goods. Join the fun at downtown’s quaint Frisco Square.

Frisco Arts Walk & Run

Set for Saturday, Oct. 1, the Frisco Arts Walk & Run invites you to walk or run through the scenic Texas Sculpture Garden at HALL Park. Along the way, you’ll be treated to pop-up performances by musicians, dancers, vocalists, actors and visual artists. You can also get a sneak peek of the future spot of the Frisco Performing Arts Center. There’ll be collectible arts-themed medals for all finishers, with gorgeous glass art trophies for the winners. Funds raised benefit local Frisco arts groups.

Plano Food + Wine Festival

Attention foodies! The fifth annual Plano Food + Wine Festival takes place Saturday, Oct. 22 at Legacy West, serving up more than 100 award-winning wines from 30 featured wineries, food from a curated selection of local restaurants, and culinary demos from local chefs. You can choose from a variety of ticket levels that allow you to taste everything that tempts your tastebuds.

RIP Fest & Apparition Expedition

RIP stands for “Rest in Plano,” and this Halloween-themed festival will be bigger and better for 2022. The spooky fun starts Saturday, Oct. 22 from 5-10:30 p.m. in downtown Plano. This frightful celebration features artisans, performers, musicians, and frightfully delicious food. The popular Apparition Expedition gives visitors a peek into Plano’s paranormal past, with walking tours through the city’s haunted history.

Halloween at the Heard

Few Halloween festivities are more family friendly than Halloween at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney. On Saturday, October 22, from 6-10 p.m., the Heard will transform into a spooky but safe environment where kids can trick-or-treat along the eerie Dinosaurs Life! Life-Size Animatronic Dinosaurs trail, highlighted by a 46-foot T-Rex and 10 of his friends. Other activities include a family-friendly movie on the Heard’s outdoor amphitheater stage. Special Halloween tickets are required.

Frisco Fire Safety Town Fall Festival

On Friday, Oct. 28, from 6-9 p.m., Frisco Fire Safety Town celebrates its annual Fall Festival, with performances by the Frisco Fire Clowns, and tours of the recently renovated Safety House. Frisco Fire Safety Town is a unique hands-on educational facility created to teach children of all ages how to play safe, avoid injuries, and how to respond during emergencies. Safety Town is a mini-Frisco with small buildings that resemble local businesses and landmarks. In addition to special events, tours are offered year-round.

Trick or Treat Trail in McKinney

McKinney’s Trick or Treat Trail happens on the weekend before Halloween, Oct. 29-30, in Towne Lake Park. It features trick-or-treating around the scenic lake, plus a kids zone with games and activities, a costume contest for people and pups, a pumpkin derby race, and food trucks.

Trick or Treat the Square in Frisco

On Saturday, Oct. 29, enjoy Frisco’s favorite free Halloween event with Trick or Treat the Square, at Simpson Plaza in Frisco Square from 1-4 p.m. Kids will love carnival games, inflatables, horse-drawn wagon rides, spooky treats and, of course, trick-or-treat candy. Costumes are encouraged, and young goblins can score even more goodies by trick-or-treating and surrounding businesses.

Halloween Ice Skating in Allen

Get free skate rental at the Allen Community Ice Rink when you wear a Halloween costume on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 11:45 to 1:45 p.m. Come celebrate the spooky season with themed activities, a costume contest and prizes.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Arboretum