Living in South Florida, it seems that we are in a never-ending hot summer. Given that, we do not get to truly experience the other seasons nature offers. We do not experience fall’s adventure of seeing leaves change color, picking apples and feeling air that’s not too hot or too cold. Still,this does not mean you cannot invest into the Fall spirit. South Florida offers quite a few ways to celebrate autumn:
Festivals & Events
September 22 marks Fall’s commencement, and though we do not experience climate differences, you can attend celebrate with festivals and events. Flamingo Gardens hosts the Fall Harvest Festival every weekend in October with themed events each day. The festival is from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features free hayrides, contests, bounce houses, games, crafts, music, food and even a pumpkin patch. Concerning pumpkin patches, South Florida provides more than one. Batten’s Farmers Market in Davie supplies not only naturally grown produce and pumpkin patches but hosts a fall festival and a petting zoo September through October. Additionally, the Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Festival occurs Oct. 13-14, where you can find a Pumpkin Food Court and a Pumpkin Beer Garden for $20 general admission.
Foods to Eat
When thinking of Fall foods, two common ingredients spring to mind: apples and pumpkins. Thus, many companies release autumnal sweets and treats that might make you believe it is fall with one bite despite the South Florida heat. One celebrated and well-loved fall flavor is pumpkin, so pumpkin-flavored foods are everywhere. Pop Tarts has released a Pumpkin Pie flavor, Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, WholeFoods came out with Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Sandwich Cremes and Ben & Jerry’s Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream. On the same tangent, we see Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks, Pumpkin Spice Cheerios, Pumpkin Spice energy bars from RXBAR and even Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Milk Chocolate Truffles from Lindt. Other foods contain another common fall ingredient: apples. Two common apple treats are caramel apples and apple cider, but companies are getting creative with how they incorporate apples into the mix: Hershey released Caramel-Filled Milk Chocolate Apples, Talenti now has Caramel Apple Pie Gelato, Hot Tamales came out with Cinnamon Apple Candies and Werther’s Originals put Caramel Apple Soft Caramels on the market.
Ways to Celebrate at Home
There is nothing better than coming home from a long warm day to a cozy, fall-inspired space. The easiest place to start maybe with candles. Bath & Body Works has released an entire line of fall-scented candles including fragrances like Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, Autumn, Marshmallow Fireside, Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, Leaves, Pumpkin Apple and much more. Another way to bring fall in your home is with decorations. Target has already started getting into the autumn spirit with decorative pumpkins — both plush and ceramic — along with pumpkin LED string lights, wreaths, and even more fall-scented candles. The season also calls for the start of holiday films like “Hocus Pocus”, “Addams Family Values”, “Dead Poets Society”, “Good Will Hunting” and all the Harry Potter movies.
Of the four seasons, autumn represents the preservation of life and preparation for winter. It is celebrated with pumpkins, flannels, apples, colorful leaves and coziness. Despite not experiencing “sweater weather” and other fall adventures, sunny South Florida still furnishes many ways to get into the fall spirit.
