Autumn is one of the most beautiful times in and around Kentucky, full of colorful leaves, seasonal traditions and, maybe best of all, fall festivals.

Small towns and bigger cities come alive on the weekends (and sometimes during the week) with celebrations of food (the World Chicken Festival in London), drink (the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown), culture (the Chinese Moon Festival in Lexington), music (there are a gazillion) and more.

And this year, the biggest festival of all is coming to Lexington: the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

We've gathered a flotilla of festivals where, for the next few weeks, you're sure to find something to savor.

THIS WEEKEND

Kentucky Corn Maze. Through Oct. 31. Opens at 5 p.m. Thu., Fri.; 10 a.m. Sat. Life Adventure Center, 570 Milner Rd., Versailles. $10 ages 13 and older, $5 ages 5-12, free for ages 4 and younger. www.kycornmaze.com.

Roots and Heritage Festival. Through Sept. 12. Downtown Lexington. A celebration of Lexington's black culture, including live music and an outdoor market. Parade 11 a.m. Sept. 11. Free. Additional festival-related events run through Sept. 28. www.rootsandheritagefestival.com.

Scarecrow Fest 2010. Through Oct. 30. The Mall at Lexington Green, 161 Lexington Green Cir., Lexington. Free. (859) 576-4804. www.themallatlexingtongreen.com.

Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival. Through Sept. 12. Terrapin Hill Farm, 3696 Mackville Rd., Harrodsburg. Concerts throughout the weekend, food, hayrides. Two-day pass, $50, available at the gate. Parking $5 a vehicle. www.terrapinhillfarm.com.

Constitution Square Arts Fest. Sept. 10-12. Constitution Square State Historic Site, 134 S. Second St., Danville. Art vendors, live music. http://constitutionsquareartsfest.org.

Jessamine Jamboree. Sept. 10-11. Downtown Nicholasville. Arts & crafts, food, talent show, children's activities, music. (859) 881-3820, www.nicholasvillenow.org.

J.P. Fraley's Mountain Music Gatherin'. Sept. 10-11. Carter Caves State Resort Park, Caveland Dr., Olive Hill. Paid admission required for concert and jam sessions Fri. afternoon through Sat. night, $4-$10; pass for all programs $25. www.fraleyfestival.com.

Mainstrasse Village Oktoberfest. Sept. 10-12. MainStrasse Village, Main St., Covington. www.mainstrasse.org.

Bi-Water Farm & Greenhouse Autumn Fest. 9 a.m. Sept. 11, noon Sept. 12; open daily Sept. 18-Oct. 31. 877 Cincinnati Rd., Georgetown. Apple cider, fresh apples, fried apple pies. (502) 863-3676. www.biwaterfarm.com.

Fayette County 4-H Festival. Sept. 11. Masterson Station Park, 3051 Leestown Rd., Lexington. Free. (859) 257-5582. http://fayette4h.com.

Penn's Store Great Outhouse Blowout & Country Cruise-In. Sept. 11. Penn's Store, 257 Penn's Store Rd., Hustonville. www.pennsstore.com.

Cincinnati Hispanic Fest. Sept. 11-12. Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 7801 Anthony Wayne Ave., Cincinnati. Free entry, $5 parking. (513) 948-1823. www.cincinnatihispanicfest.org.

Mystery Train Ride: Trick Track Murder, presented by Bluegrass Mystery Theater. 1:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 1:30 p.m. Sept. 12. Bluegrass Railroad Museum, 175 Beasley Rd., Versailles. $12, $11 seniors, $10 children ages 2-12 . (859) 873-2476. www.bluegrassrailroad.com.

SEPT. 13-19

Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Sept. 14-19. Downtown Bardstown. www.kybourbonfestival.com.

Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival, featuring Ralph Stanley, the Grascals, Marty Raybon, more. Sept. 14-18. Poppy Mountain, 8200 U.S. 60 E., Morehead. $15-$45 one day, $115 whole festival. (606) 784-2277. www.poppymountainbluegrass.com.

Cow Days. Sept. 17-18. Greensburg. Arts and crafts, food, carnival and a life-size plastic cow that kids can milk. www.greensburgonline.com

Festival Latino de Lexington. Sept. 17-18. Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza, 120 N. Limestone St., Lexington. Free. (859) 288-2925. www.lexingtonky.gov/parks.

Casey County Apple Festival. Sept. 18-25. Liberty. Arts and crafts, food, live music, children's activities, parade and a carnival. www.caseycountyapplefestival.org.

Chinese Moon Festival. Sept. 18. MoonDance at Midnight Pass Amphitheater, Inside Beaumont Centre Circle, Lexington. (859) 224-8072. www.kycaa.org.

Falls Fossil Festival. Sept. 18-19. Falls of the Ohio State Park, 201 W. Riverside Dr., Clarksville, Ind. Vendors selling fossils, minerals, crystals, books, jewelry, crafts and food. Children's activities. (812) 280-9970 www.fallsoftheohio.org.

Fourth Annual Lexington-Bluegrass Pagan Pride Festival. Sept. 18. Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington, 3564 Clays Mill Rd., Lexington. www.lexpaganpride.org.

Midway Fall Festival. Sept. 18-19. Main St., Midway. Vendors, food, music. www.midwayfallfestival.org.

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati. Sept. 18-19. Downtown Cincinnati. World's largest chicken dance, German food and drinks, live music. www.oktoberfestzinzinnati.com.

St. Andrew Orthodox Church Heritage Festival. Sept. 18. Saint Andrew Antiochian Orthodox Church, 1136 Higbee Mill Rd., Lexington. Free. (859) 277-1763. www.standrewlexington.org.

SEPT. 20-26

Mountain Heritage Festival. Sept. 20-25. Whitesburg Crafts, food, working moonshine still, corn milling, soap making.

Alltech Fortnight Festival. Sept. 23-Oct. 10. Concerts at venues across Kentucky. The event kicks off with Little Feat, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Lexington Opera House ($34.50-$42.50). www.alltechfortnightfestival.com.

World Chicken Festival. Sept. 23-26. Downtown London. Free. 1-800-348-0095. http://chickenfestival.com.

Cave Run Storytelling Festival. Sept. 24-25. Cave Run Lake, 5195 Ky. 801 S., Morehead. Daily admission $10-$20 at the gate, $5-$15 through Sept. 12, weekend packages available. 1-800-654-1944. www.caverunstoryfest.org.

Christ the King Oktoberfest. Sept. 24-25. Cathedral of Christ the King, 299 Colony Blvd., Lexington. Free. www.ctkoktoberfest.com.

Georgetown Equine Expo. Sept. 24-Oct. 10. Factory Stores of America, 401 Outlet Center Dr., Georgetown. Free for expo; performance tickets sold separately. (859) 433-2628. www.georgetownequineexpo.com.

Great American Dulcimer Convention. Sept. 24-25. Pine Mountain State Resort Park, Pineville. $8 a person for evening concerts. Saturday morning lessons and afternoon concert are free and open to everyone. 1-800-325-1712, www.parks.ky.gov.

Jesse Stuart Weekend. Sept. 24-25. Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, Lodge Rd, Greenup. 1-800-325-0083. www.parks.ky.gov.

Marion County Country Ham Days. Sept. 24-26. Lebanon. www.marioncountykychamber.com/hamdays.html.

Morgan County Sorghum Festival. Sept. 24-26. Downtown West Liberty. Free. (606) 743-3330. www.morgancoky.com.

Spotlight Lexington. Sept. 24-Oct. 10. A free festival featuring live broadcasts from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park, concerts and food. The three main downtown venues will be Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza, 120 N. Limestone; Cheapside Park, 251 W. Main St. and Triangle Park at S. Broadway and W. Main St. www.lexingtonky.gov/spotlightlexington.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Sept. 25-Oct. 10. Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Pkwy. The world championships for eight equestrian sports. Ticket prices vary. Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com or 1-888-934-2010. For more info, go to www.alltechfeigames.com.

Bowling Green International Festival. Sept. 25. Circus Square Park, 601 State St., Bowling Green. $3 ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and younger. (270) 904-6339. http://bgInternationalFest.com.

Clover Bottom Baptist Church Fall Festival & Bake Sale. Sept. 25. Clover Bottom Baptist Church, 6321 Fords Mill Rd., Versailles. (859) 873-4636.

Commonwealth Gardens Harvest Festival. Sept. 25. Riverview Park, Wilkinson Blvd, Frankfort. $5 suggested donation. (502) 875-8687. www.visitfrankfort.com.

Fort Thomas Merchants and Music. Sept. 25. 1038 S. Fort Thomas Ave. at River Rd., Fort Thomas.

Harvest Weekend at Shaker Village. Sept. 25-26. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd., Harrodsburg. $15 ages 13 and older, $5 ages 6-12, free for ages 5 and younger. 1-800-734-5611. www.shakerilvvageky.org.

International Equestrian Festival. Sept. 25-Oct. 10. Lexington Convention Center, E. Vine St., Lexington. Horse-themed shopping, seminars, demonstrations, more. $5. Horsecapitalproductions.com.

Kentucky State Parks Celebrate National Public Lands Day. Sept. 25. Volunteer to participate in tree planting or cleanups while learning about the importance of state parks. www.publiclandsday.org.

SEPT. 26-OCT. 3

Appalachian Harvest Festival. Oct. 1-3. Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, Renfro Valley. $5. 1-800-765-7464. www.renfrovalley.com.

Greenbo Craft Show. Oct. 2-3. Greenbo State Resort Park, 965 Lodge Rd., Greenup. Woodworking, baskets, quilts, soap. 1-800-325-0083, http://parks.ky.gov.

Hawktoberfest. Oct. 1-3. Pine Mountain State Resort Park, 1050 State Park Rd., Pineville. 1-800-325-1712. www.parks.ky.gov.

St. James Court Art Show. Oct. 1-3. Louisville. South of Central Park on St. James and Belgravia courts, and adjacent blocks of Magnolia Ave. and Third and Fourth streets. Free. Hundreds of exhibitors, food, drink, live music. www.stjamescourtartshow.com.

Buffalo Daze. Oct. 2. Stamping Ground Elementary School, 3233 Main St., Stamping Ground.

148th Commemoration of the Battle of Perryville. Oct. 2-3. Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, 1825 Battlefield Rd., Perryville. Dedicated to the memory of Kentucky's largest Civil War battle. Speakers, music and the two full-scale battle re-enactments. (859) 332-8631, www.perryvillebattlefield.org.

Country Festival & Back Forty Nature Walk. Oct. 2. Reed Valley Orchard, 239 Lail Ln., Paris. Free. (859) 987-6480. www.reedvalleyorchard.com.

Taste of the Levee Fall Festival. Oct. 2. Newport on the Levee, One Levee Way, Newport. www.newportonthelevee.com.

OCT. 4-10

Forkland Heritage Festival & Revue. Oct. 8-9. Forkland Community Center, 16479 Forkland Rd., Gravel Switch.

Hops on the Ohio Craft Beer Festival. Oct. 9. Purple People Bridge, Ohio River, Newport. $35 advance; $45 day of event, designated driver $10. www.cincybeerfest.com.

Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsman Fall Fair. Oct. 9-10. Indian Fort Theater, Ky. 21, 3 miles east of Berea. $5, free for children 12 and younger. (859) 986-3192. www.kyguild.org.

South Elkhorn Christian Church Fall Festival. Oct. 9. 4343 Harrodsburg Rd. Over 150 craft booths, food, live music. www.southelkhorncc.org.

OCT. 11-17

Mount Sterling Court Days. Oct. 15-18. Downtown Mount Sterling. www.mtsterlingcourtdays.net.

Salt Festival. Oct. 15-17. Big Bone Lick State Park, 3380 Beaver Rd., Union. Flint-knapping, pioneer life, salt-making, weaving and spear-throwing demonstrations, storytelling, music. (859) 384-3522, http://parks.ky.gov.

OCT. 18 AND BEYOND

Fiddler's Festival. Oct. 22-23. Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, Renfro Valley. $12-$13. 1-800-765-7464. www.renfrovalley.com.

Halloween "Haunted" train ride. Oct. 22-23, 29-30. Bluegrass Railroad Museum, 175 Beasley Rd., Versailles. $12, $11 seniors, $10 children 2-12. (873-2476. www.BluegrassRailroad.com.

Cincinnati Chocolate Festival. Oct. 24. Mayerson Jewish Community Center, 8485 Ridge Rd., Cincinnati. $5 a person, free for ages 3 and younger. (513) 703-6087. www.cincinnatichocolatefestival.com.

National Avenue Art Festival. Oct. 30. National and Ashland Aves. Art, live music, food. Free. (859) 254-0930. www.nationalaveartfest.com.

Scarefest Horror and Paranormal Convention. Nov. 5-7. The Lexington Center, 430 W. Vine St., Lexington. $15-$95. http://scarefestcon.com.