Fall preview: What to see and do this month to enjoy autumn

Oct. 2—The leaves are ready to change and the heat of the summer has waned, which means fall has arrived — and with it, some of the biggest festivals of the year in the Joplin area.

One of the largest and oldest is the Maple Leaf Festival, a weeklong celebration of Carthage's history and signature tree. It runs Oct. 13-21.

The Maple Leaf Festival started in 1965 as a marching band festival. In 1966, city leaders expanded that event and called it the Maple Leaf Festival, after Carthage's festive city tree.

The highlight of the week is the annual Maple Leaf Parade on the third Saturday of October, which this year is Oct. 21. It is organized by the Carthage Chamber of Commerce; chamber President Julie Reams said the parade looks to be bigger than ever.

The Maple Leaf Festival Rodeo, on Oct. 13-14 at the Carthage Saddle Club Arena at Municipal Park, will kick off the festivities. The week prior to the parade will feature activities and events including the Maple Leaf pageants Oct. 14-15.

This year's baby and toddler pageants will be held in Central Park as part of the Oktoberfest event Oct. 14.

Oct. 15 will see a host of events in Central Park including a chili cook-off at noon and a chicken pageant at 2 p.m. The Little Miss and Mister pageant will be in the Carthage R-9 Auditorium, followed by the Maple Leaf Queen pageant.

Reams said this year's festival will feature events every evening between opening weekend and the parade Oct. 21.

Details and a full schedule of events: carthagechamber.com/maple-leaf.

Fall into nature

Fall will be in all its splendor both on the ground and in the sky this year.

Foliage in the area is just beginning to turn, a clear sign that fall is arriving. In Missouri, the fall color progression starts earliest in the northern and western parts of the state, according to the state Department of Conservation. Elm leaves are showing signs of yellowing, while the Virginia creeper is starting to show red and purple.

A typical fall color season can last from six to eight weeks. Predicting the peak of fall color can be tricky because many variables factor into the season.

Meanwhile, the first freeze in Southwest Missouri usually arrives Oct. 21-31, according to the National Weather Service.

The middle of the month will be marked by a solar eclipse Saturday, Oct. 14. The eclipse begins at 10:23 a.m., reaches maximum at 11:54 a.m. and ends at 1:33 p.m.

"An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth," according to NASA. "Because the moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the sun and does not completely cover the sun. As a result, the moon appears as a dark disk on top of a larger bright disk, creating what looks like a ring around the moon."

While the eclipse's path will stretch from Oregon to Texas, Southwest Missouri residents could see 60% to 70% maximum obscuration of the sun. This type of eclipse will not return to this continent until 2039.

Roundup of events

There are plenty of fall- and Halloween-themed events scheduled in the Four-State Area this month. Unless otherwise noted, admission is free and open to the public.

Friday, Oct. 6:

—Hot Air Balloon Regatta, Columbus (Kansas) Industrial Park. The evening glow starts at 6:45 p.m. Ballooning events continue through the weekend alongside the Columbus Day Festival. Cost: $5 for parking.

Saturday, Oct. 7:

—Neosho Fall Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Newton County square, 100 N. Wood St. Highlights include a pancake breakfast, food and craft vendors, live music, a kids zone, farmers market and car cruise. Details: 417-451-8050.

—Porchfest, noon to 7 p.m., Joplin's North Heights neighborhood. Hear nearly 50 bands perform on front porches and in lawns throughout the day, with food trucks and artisan booths also expected.

—Girard (Kansas) Fall Festival, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., mostly on the Crawford County square. Events include a pancake feed, 5K and fun run, car and tractor show, parade, inflatables, bean feed, pedal tractor pull and cornhole tournament.

Friday, Oct. 13:

—"Spider Web Wonders," 10 a.m. to noon, Prairie State Park, Mindenmines. Children 5 and older are invited to learn about the world of spiders and the wonder of their webs. Registration is due by Friday, Oct. 6. To register, call 417-843-6711.

—Apple Butter Makin' Days, on the Mount Vernon square. The main attraction is the apple butter, cooked using methods over a century old and in big copper kettles over open fires. The festival also features pedal tractor pulls, terrapin races, a pet parade and bubble gum blowing contest. Activities continue Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14-15. Details: www.mtvchamber.com.

Saturday, Oct. 14:

—Autumn hike along the Wildcat Park trail system, 9 a.m. to noon, Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center, 201 Riviera Drive. This will be around a 4-mile hike with some rugged terrain; wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a water bottle. Registration is required at mdc.mov.gov. Details: 417-629-3434.

—"Petals and Pumpkins," 11 a.m. to noon, Spiva Center for the Arts, Cornell Complex, 212 W. Seventh St. Join Justin Thomas, of The Wild Flower, to make fall arrangements with flowers and pumpkins. Register at spivaarts.org/classes. Cost: $40. Details: 417-621-9813.

—"Halloween Black Cat," 2 to 5 p.m., artCentral, 1110 E. 13th St., Carthage. Children and their parents/guardians can paint a black cat for Halloween. Cost: $20. To register, call 417-529-5272.

—Scammon (Kansas) Family Fall Festival, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., downtown Scammon. Event features food, gospel music, entertainment, bounce houses, vendors and more.

Wednesday, Oct. 18:

—"Trees: Fall Color," 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Join this online workshop with naturalist Jordi Raos as she discusses what causes leaves to change color, which plants have the showiest color and some great places to visit this fall. Register at mdc.mo.gov.

Thursday, Oct. 19:

—Pumpkin painting, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Joplin Public Library, 1901 E. 20th St. Children ages 5-12 are invited to decorate an artificial mini pumpkin. Wear clothes that can get messy. Supplies are limited to the first 30 children. Details: 417-623-2184.

—Third Thursday, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., downtown Joplin. Enjoy local artisans, music, entertainment and food. This is the final Third Thursday of the season. Details: 417-501-9649.

Saturday, Oct. 21:

—International Observe the Moon Night, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., George Washington Carver National Monument, Diamond. Join a park ranger for an outdoor presentation, with interactive activities, to observe and understand the moon. Details: 417-325-4151.

—S'mores & Pours, 7 p.m., Joplin Empire Market, 931 E. Fourth St. At this special night market, make s'mores, paint pumpkins, drink apple cider or hot chocolate and shop the market's vendors. Details: 417-501-9649.

—"Where Can I Birdwatch?" 9 to 10 a.m. Join this online workshop with staff from the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center to learn about where you can go to see birds during their fall migration. Register at mdc.mo.gov. Details: 417-629-3434.

Wednesday, Oct. 25:

—"Bats at the Library," 4 to 5:30 p.m., Joplin Public Library, 1901 E. 20th St. Join several naturalists to lean about the species of bats that live in Missouri; afterward, make a bat mask to take home and explore a bat "cave." Register at mdc.mo.gov.

Globe staff writers John Hacker, Roger Nomer and Emily Younker contributed to this report.