After the Orchards Close: Emmett's Late-Fall Weekends Move Back to Main Street

Emmett's fall calendar comes down to one date this year. On Saturday, October 31, The Farm in Emmett is open on Black Canyon Highway for its second-to-last day of the season. That same afternoon, downtown storefronts are handing out candy for Boo on Main. The next day the farm season ends. From then until the tree lighting at Bowman Memorial Park on November 28, Emmett's weekends happen mostly on Main Street.

The orchards wound down early this year. Our summer guide to Emmett covered cherry season and the Blaser Park market. Both are over now. The Emmett Farmers Market set its 2026 season as June 3 through October 10. The 32nd Annual Harvest Festival & Street Fair filled downtown on September 26 and 27. What's left of fall is a short list of farm stops, then a run of downtown evenings.

The South Slope ran short in 2026

For anyone who picks apples every October, Candy Apple Orchard's own website tells the story of this year. The orchard sits at 4500 Harvest Lane, off South Slope Road. Its October 12 update said the Golden Delicious and Red Delicious trees were already picked clean, with a few Rome apples left for anyone willing to hunt for them. The orchard had expected a smaller crop from the start. Earlier in the season it limited school field trips "due to the lower crop yield we project." Its orchard store, which sells apple butter, fruit salsa, and cider, was set to close for the year on Sunday, October 18.

"Hopefully we will have a larger crop of apples next year." Carol and Burton Briggs, on the Candy Apple Orchard website

Candy Apple sent anyone who wanted a big pick down the road to a neighbor. Here is what's still open on the slope:

• Williams Fruit Ranch, 2455 W. South Slope Road. It's about three-quarters of a mile past Candy Apple, by Candy Apple's count. Its Idaho Preferred listing includes apples and apple cider, with retail hours of Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., June through November. The same listing says cider and dried fruit are by appointment from November through May. Since those windows overlap, call ahead for any November visit.
• Anderson Apple Ranch, 4550 Harvest Lane. The ranch's FAQ says customers who come after October 31 can take any amount of apples for a maximum of $50. After the season ends, fallen apples sell at a discounted price. The FAQ doesn't list a year or November hours, so check with the ranch before loading up the car for applesauce or cider.

The Gem County Chamber's 2026 Orchard Map says harvest timing shifts with the weather. This year, that meant a shorter season.

The Farm's last weekend is Halloween weekend

The Farm in Emmett, at 2590 E. Black Canyon Hwy, is the season's last big outdoor stop. Its website lists the season as September 19 through November 1. CBS2 reported on what's there this fall: pick-your-own pumpkins cut straight from the vine, Highland cows, slides, a hay tower, and a corn maze built around America's 250th anniversary. The maze includes USA 250 and other patriotic imagery, with several difficulty levels.

The farm keeps short weekday hours, with just three late-afternoon openings, so the final stretch is easy to miss. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to sunset, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to sunset, and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. It's closed Mondays. Counting from Thursday, October 22, that leaves one full week plus a weekend.

The final weekend overlaps with downtown Halloween. Here's how it lines up, using the hours each organizer has posted:

1. Friday, October 30. The Farm is open from 10 a.m. to sunset. In the evening, Meadow View Assisted Living & Memory Care at 1013 S. Johns Ave. hosts a Halloween Kids Candy Crawl with trick-or-treating and games, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Chamber listing gives two different dates on the same page, so confirm before you go.
2. Saturday, October 31. The Farm opens at 10 a.m. Boo on Main runs from 4 to 6 p.m., with trick-or-treating at participating storefronts along Main Street. A morning in the corn maze and an afternoon downtown both fit in one day.
3. Sunday, November 1. The Farm is open from noon to 6 p.m. for its last day of the season.

After that Sunday, the farm and orchard events on the 2026 calendar are over.

November happens on two blocks of Main

Once the farms close, the November events cluster within a short walk of each other. The Gem County Chamber's November 2026 calendar and event pages list these dates:

• November 2 through 14: Cupcake Wars at the Emmett Public Library.
• November 10: GCRD Crafting Connections.
• Thursday, November 12, 5 to 9 p.m.: A free Christmas open house led by Hen House Home & Gift at 137 W. Main Street and The Barn Door at 140 W. Main Street, with other downtown businesses taking part.
• Saturday, November 28, 6 to 9 p.m.: Holiday Magic on Main.

Hen House and The Barn Door sit across Main Street from each other, so the open house is mostly a walk between two doors. The Chamber's current directory lists several other shops on the same stretch for anyone starting holiday shopping that night. Bears Knight Out Toy Store & Gifts is at 124 W. Main St., Saddle & Sage Boutique at 205 W. Main St., and Maggie's on Main at 110 E. Main St.

One more downtown date comes a few days before Halloween. The Chamber has scheduled a ribbon cutting for Summer Solstice Salon & Headspa at 906 1/2 S. Washington Ave. for Wednesday, October 28, from noon to 1 p.m.

Where to eat between stops

With the fall calendar back downtown, so are the meals before and after. The Chamber's restaurant and coffee directory, updated in October 2026, lists a cluster of spots within a few blocks of the open house and the parade route:

• Coffee: HeBrews Coffee at 118 W. Main St. Two more are south on Washington Avenue: Banducci's Tanning & Espresso at 819 S. Washington Ave. and Gem State Coffee Co. at 1105 S. Washington Ave.
• Something sweet: Emmett Creamery at 206 W. Main St.
• Dinner: Cowboys Chophouse at 101 E. Main St., Huck-n-Finns at 108 E. Main St., and Mad River Station at 142 E. Main St.
• A drink after: Black Canyon Taphouse at 110 N. Washington Ave., Gem Lounge at 209 W. Main St., and Main Street Beverage at 212 W. Main St.

One stop on the list is new this year. Tacos Mi Ranchito, a family-owned Mexican restaurant at 515 S. Washington Ave., opened this spring and held its grand-opening ribbon cutting on April 28. The Idaho Press reported that it took over the space left by Blue Ribbon Cafe and Bakery, which closed the year before. For many households this will be their first holiday season with it on the dinner rotation, and it's an easy drive up Washington before or after an evening on Main.

November 28 at Bowman Memorial Park

The season ends two days after Thanksgiving. Holiday Magic on Main runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, November 28. A lighted parade comes down Main Street and ends at Bowman Memorial Park with the lighting of the town tree. For anyone hosting family over the holiday weekend, it's an evening downtown that the whole group can do together. For more on the town beyond this season, see our Emmett neighborhood page.

If a quiet season like this one has you wondering what your own place on the South Slope or near downtown is worth heading into the new year, Chuck and Laura Costa are glad to put together a free home valuation. It's a calm, no-pressure starting point, whether you're planning a move or just want a clear picture of where you stand.