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9 Great Things to Do in Pennsylvania in September

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September is a great month for traveling in Pennsylvania. As the seasons shift from summer to autumn and the kids head back to school, the events this month will give you one last time to have some summer fun before the weather begins to turn cold again.

Take some time to explore my top picks for things to do in Pennsylvania in September, and then get out and explore this great state.

(Article Updated August 10, 2023, for Pennsylvania events in September 2023.)

Great Allentown Fair in Allentown – August 30 – September 4

The York Fair is the oldest fair in PA.
Fairs are one of the most fun ways to experience PA in September.

The Great Allentown Fair, one of the country’s oldest fairs, returns this September to the Lehigh Valley for its 171st year.

The fair will feature everything you expect from a great county fair including carnival rides, delicious food, competitions, and much more. There will even be drive-in last light shows several evenings.

In addition to the other festivities, there will also be a ton of live entertainment, including a demolition derby and concerts by Styx, Nelly, and Keith Urban.

Find out more about the fair on their website.

La Festa Italiana in Scranton – September 1-4

Things to do in PA in September: La Festa Italiana
La Festa Italiana is held in downtown Scranton.

La Festa Italiana brings thousands of visitors into downtown Scranton for this annual Italian festival.

Visitors can listen to live music, eat delicious Italian food, and shop for Italian-themed gifts, all while enjoying the beauty of downtown Scranton’s Courtyard Square.

And, if you need to burn off some calories from all of the delicious Italian food, there will also be a 5k race.

For more information on La Festa Italiana, visit the event’s website.

Kipona Festival in Harrisburg – September 3-5

Kipona Festival is a great thing to do in Pennsylvania in September
A great fireworks show is a highlight of the annual Kipona Festival in Harrisburg.

Kipona Festival, an annual tradition in downtown Harrisburg, will return once again this Labor Day Weekend for its 107th year. This three-day festival features many great vendors and lots of delicious food along the banks of the Susquehanna River.

There will also be a Native American Pow-Wow, wirewalkers, live entertainment, and more. The event will also be highlighted by a great fireworks show on Sunday night.

For more information, visit the festival’s website.

Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square – September 9-10

Head to the Mushroom Capital of the World in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, for their annual Mushroom Festival. Drawing upwards of 100,000 people every year, this festival is a fantastic destination for those that love mushrooms.

Visitors can watch the mushroom eating contest, sample a variety of mushroom-themed foods, watch mushroom cooking competitions, check out the kids activities, and much, much more.

For more information, check out the festival’s website.

September 11 Anniversary Memorial in Shanksville – September 11

Visiting the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, Pennsylvania
The Flight 93 National Memorial will feature a commemoration event this September.

Believe it or not, 2023 marks the 22nd anniversary of the September 11th attacks. At the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, they are holding their annual ceremony to commemorate this tragedy.

While events are still being ironed out for this year’s event, in the past there have been candles placed out on the site, including a large spotlight into the sky, on the night of September 10th.

Then on the morning of the 11th, the annual remembrance ceremony will be held at the crash site.

For more information on the events happening during this commemoration, visit the National Park Service’s website. For those that can’t make it to Shanksville, the ceremony will also be live-streamed.

Washington and Greene Counties Covered Bridge Festival – September 16-17

Things to do in PA in September: the Washington and Greene Counties Covered Bridge Festival
White Covered Bridge is one of the beautiful covered bridges featured during the festival.

Held at 10 different sites within these two southwestern Pennsylvania counties, the Washington and Greene Counties Covered Bridge Festival will be returning in 2023. This festival celebrates a few of the approximately two dozen historic covered bridges in the two counties.

The event is held at 10 different covered bridges in Washington County and Greene County and features vendors, delicious local food, and live entertainment, as well as the chance to explore these beautiful and historic structures.

For more information, visit the event’s website.

Celtic Classic Highland Games and Festival in Bethlehem – September 22-24

The Celtic Classic Highland Games and Festival will once again be held in Bethlehem, PA this September. Featuring many stages with continuous music, a parade, a haggis competition, Celtic vendors, a pipe band competition, and kid’s crafts, there’s a bit of something for everyone at this Scottish festival.

The highlight of the festival, however, is the US National Highland Athletic Championships. Come out and cheer on the athletes as they compete in a variety of unusual athletic events.

For more information about the festival, visit CelticFest.org.

Bloomsburg Fair in Bloomsburg – September 22 -30

The best Pennsylvania Fairs to experience this year
The Bloomsburg Fair is one of the largest fairs in PA.

Now in its 168th year, the Bloomsburg Fair is one of the largest fairs in Pennsylvania. Drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, there’s something for the whole family to enjoy at this great event.

In addition to the normal fair trappings of great food and fun rides, visitors can catch live music, ride a ski lift, check out livestock, and much more. There will also be great concerts throughout the event including by Brantley Gilbert and Richard Marx.

For more information, visit BloomsburgFair.com.

Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival – All Month

People at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival
The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival is held every September weekend. (Photo used courtesy of Discover the Burgh)

The annual Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival returns this year and will be held every weekend in September (as well as the last weekend in August). 

The festival is held in West Newton, a short distance southeast of the city, and will transport you to a Renaissance-era European village, complete with era shops, restaurants, and costumed actors. There are also dozens of fabulous shows held every day.

For more information, visit the festival’s website.

Looking for other things to do in Pennsylvania? Check out our list of things to do in Augustthings to do in PA in October, and our favorite fall festivals in Pennsylvania.

Do you know of a great event happening in Pennsylvania in September? Let us know in the comments section below!

Do you have an upcoming event that you would like to promote in a future monthly edition? Click here for more information and to submit your event.


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5 thoughts on “9 Great Things to Do in Pennsylvania in September”

  1. Love reading through Uncovering PA! We’re going to be in the Laurel Highlands and Pittsburgh area from September 27 through October 1st. Are there any Fall Festivals closeby during that timeframe?

    Reply
  2. There is an event in Somerset called “Mountain Craft Days”. September 9-11, 2022. They have crafts, food & demonstrations how they were done things in the 18th and early 19th century. They are dressed in that era clothes. Very interesting & educational.

    Reply

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