There’s no shortage of great activities in Boston during the autumn months, and October is jam-packed with family friendly festivals, concerts and other worthwhile events. Here are some of our favorites:

Topsfield Fair
America’s oldest agricultural fair runs from October 2-12. Just 30 miles north of Brookline, take your kids out for a day of good, old-fashioned country fair fun. Enjoy agricultural exhibitions, a traditional midway with carnival rides and games, wonderful dedicated activities for kids, a spectacular flower show, giant pumpkin contest, and much, much more. For complete details, go to topsfieldfair.org.

Vanessa Trien at the Coolidge
This Saturday, 10/3 at 10:30am, Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys are back at the Coolidge for a movin’ and groovin’ show with original kids’ music the whole family will enjoy. Tickets are available for presale online at coolidge.org/kids or by calling 617-734-2501 – we do recommend you purchase in advance to avoid any disappointment on the day of the show (Vanessa’s last show at the Coolidge sold out very quickly).

Scarecrow Workshops at Allandale Farm
Every Thursday in October, at 3pm (rain or shine), Allandale Farm is hosting scarecrow-making workshops. Bring child-size clothing to outfit your scarecrow, and $20 to cover the cost of the workshop and all other materials. The workshops are an hour long and good for kids ages 4 and up. Register in advance by calling John Lee at 617-524-1531 or email allandalefarm@verizon.net.

Coolidge Corner Sidewalk Sale
Mark your calendar, there’s going to be another epic Sidewalk Sale in Brookline. October 17-18 from 11-4, come to Coolidge Corner to scoop up amazing deals at many local merchants.

Zoo Howl
We had a blast last year at Zoo Howl, a great October event at the Franklin Park Zoo. This year’s event is scheduled for October 24-25 from 11-3. There will be haunted happenings, creature encounters, creepy crafts, ghoulish games and a trick-or-treat trail. Best of all, many zoo animals get to play with a pumpkin. It’s really fun to see how the different animals interact with it.