Experience Mono County in its most colorful season! From scenic drives to local festivals, fall brings vibrant foliage and memorable events for the whole family. Discover what’s happening this autumn and plan your perfect fall getaway.

September

The Burgers, Beers, & Bags Cornhole Tournament in Bridgeport on August 31 is sure to be a good time! What could be better than delicious food, craft beer, and cornhole? Fill your belly and enjoy the friendly competition while you support this fundraiser for the Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Department.

The Mono Lake Committee offers Field Seminars all year long with wide array of topics. September and October are especially good months to participate – crisp mornings and fall colors make the outings extra enjoyable. Fire ecology, geology, fall colors, arborglyphs are just a few of the fall programs, or get more hands-on with the watercolor painting and photography workshops. 

Convict Lake, just south of Mammoth Lakes, is certainly is one of the most popular rod and reel destinations in Mono County. Toss your line in for the chance to win prizes during the Ambush at the Lake from August 22 through November 15, and increase your chances of winning while enjoying the fall colors during Morrison’s Bonus Derby Weekend October 25-27.

June Lake Jam Fest  will be jamming from September 5-7 in beautiful June Lake, CA. The Jam Fest team has assembled the perfect lineup featuring returning musicians and new performers who will make their debut at June Lake Jam Fest 10 – “Music in a Magical Place” Edition. 

The Tioga Pass Run, a 12.4-mile run up Tioga Pass is scheduled for Sunday, September 8 and may have the best tagline of any event with "only one hill!".

Locals, visitors and lovers of the land of all ages are invited to participate in Mono County Stewardship Events on a variety of dates from June through October. Meet other outdoor enthusiasts while giving back to the beautiful public lands of Mono County. 

September 13 make plans to attend the Benton Music Festival, a family-friendly event featuring outstanding musical performers, delicious food, arts and crafts, and a strong sense of community spirit. The proceeds from this festival will benefit the White Mountain Fire and Rescue Association

September 14 is the Stillwater Classic, an annual fly-fishing catch-and-release tournament hosted by Crowley Lake Fish Camp. Fun for everyone with several categories: individual, ladies, juniors, and teams. All proceeds support the fishery and stocking Crowley Lake. 

Four fun-filled days of off-road adventure come September 16-20 at the Eastern Sierra ATV & UTV Jamboree in Coleville and Walker. Head out on several guided trail rides through the beautiful backcountry for an exhilarating event.

Bodie Ghost Walk Tours on September 27. What better way to visit California's official ghost town than for a ghostly night in Bode after-hours. You can enjoy one or two of the tour options in addition to a free astronomy talk after dark.

September 27 marks complimentary entrance to national parks in celebration of National Public Lands Day. This is a great opportunity to visit Yosemite National Park with FREE entrance - but please check the Park's website for more information. 

Challenge your stamina and grit during the Ridge Rambler Half Marathon in Twin Lakes near Bridgeport on September 27. The race begins at about 7,100 feet and stretches downhill toward Buckeye Road, past alpine lakes and through rolling hills, finishing in Bridgeport at 6,600 feet.

Craft beer lovers rejoice as the June Lake Autumn Beer Festival returns to Gull Lake Park on September 27. Several breweries will have their suds on-tap in the ticketed beer garden, while the music, food vendors and overall family-friendly festival fun will be free and open to the public.

The first Paint Mono County Competition is happening from September 30 - October 4. When the fall colors paint the Sierra in shades of gold, capture the beauty of our region in this plein air competition, the first of many to come! Paint in the outdoors, and take part in daily events and workshops, and finish off with a celebratory reception (and compete for $4,000 in prize money!). Register by September 22nd. 

Mammoth Mountain is bringing the fall fun with pumpkins, coasters and good times with OkTUBERfest. OkTUBERfest is two weekends of fall fun at Woolly's Adventure Summit, September 26 - 28 and October 3-5. Enjoy live music, face painting, pumpkin decorating, food and drink specials, Woolly's dance party and a stein hoist competition for adults. Entry is free but activities, food, drinks and pumpkins will be available for purchase on site. To take advantage of all the fun grab an Adventure Pass and enjoy all of Woolly's favorite attractions. For a full schedule of events, visit the Mammoth Mountain website.

October

On October 4, join in on an exclusive ghost investigation of Benton Hot Springs - including the General Store, Wai Wera Hotel, Benton Cemetery and more! Inn rooms and tub sites are reserved for event attendees - book before they sell out!

Chalfant Big Trees, Nursery, Farm and Feed opens it's annual pumpkin patch in October! 

Leaves in the Loop is a fall festival from October 11 to 13 in June Lake. This colorful weekend is packed full of amazing activities, including a Pottery Paint N Sip with local expert artisan Ken Willingham (of Willingham Clay Studio), chili cookoff, classic car show, pumpkin patch, Fall Art workshop with Mono Arts Council, guided historical walk, and an online photography contest. Stay tuned to the June Lake Loop's website and social channels for more information. 

October 15 join Lundy Lake Resort and friends of Lundy Lake to clean up fishing gear and other trash along the shore of Lundy Lake. Meet at the Lundy Lake Resort Store at 10 am with sturdy shoes, gloves and a litter pickers. Let's keep Lundy Lake beautiful!

There is a new Digital Photography Field Workshop from October 16-19 with Stephen Johnson on Autumn at Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra. Spend four days exploring photography in the stark and beautiful scenery of this legendary lake, unlike any other landscape in the world. Its alkaline water, desert vistas, volcanoes and unusual tufa towers make it a remarkable place to visit and photograph!

As the colorful fall color season comes to an end, join Sierra Forever at their annual Eastern Sierra History Conference from Oct. 31-Nov. 2 with Historian-led discussions coving everything from the people, culture and traditions of the Eastern Sierra region.

To see more great events happening throughout Mono County,

please visit our Events Calendar.