For most parts of the U.S., September is a time to enjoy nice temperatures and a cross-section of fairs, festivals, outdoor activities, and sports events. The month begins with a national holiday, Labor Day when many barbecue cookouts and beach gatherings celebrate the unofficial end of summer.
Other national remembrances include Patriot's Day on September 11 to remember the attacks on the U.S. in 2001, and Constitution Day on September 17, the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. A visit to the 9/11 memorials, the National Archives, or Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., might be fitting for the occasions.
Many of these events have been altered or canceled in 2020, so check the details below and event websites for more information.
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Visit Bicoastal Labor Day Fairs and Festivals
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These events have been canceled for 2020. Labor Day is the first Monday in September. Many Americans take their last vacations of the summer over the three-day weekend, so expect hotels and inns near beaches to book up quickly. The holiday is akin to "May Day," celebrated by many around the world as a salute to workers.
This weekend is a popular time for music festivals, block parties, and carnivals in all major cities throughout the U.S. including New York City,Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
- Electric Zoo: One of New York City's biggest music festivals, this electronic event isheld in late August and early September.
- Labor Day Concert: See the National Symphony Orchestra perform for free on the West Lawnof the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Labor Day.
- LA County Fair: The LA County Fair kicks off on Friday night andfeatures live music, rides, livestock shows, gardening demonstrations, and hundreds of gadgets to discover.
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Attend Bourbon Festivals in Kentucky
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These in-person events have been canceled in 2020. The Kentucky Bourbon Festival comes to Bardstown—the bourbon capital of the world—each year in mid-September. Check out more than 30 bourbon-related happenings, including the chance to sample the many different flavors of bourbon and whiskey, each of which may give you a nice kick in the gut. The Kentucky Bourbon Festival will be held virtually from October 15-18, 2020.
Around the same time of the month, you can go 40 miles north to Louisville, Kentucky, to the Bourbon and Beyond music festival, where you'll hear icons like Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Nicks, David Byrne, Sheryl Crow, and Robert Plant as you sample some of the best bourbons in the state.
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Party at Grape Harvests in Texas and California
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These events have been canceled for 2020. Grapefest is a favorite mid-September event in Grapevine,Texas, just outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The grape-harvesting and wine festival features grape stomping contests, wine tasting, live music, and one of the largest consumer-judged wine competitions in the nation.
In California, September is Wine Month. Wineries fromNapa Valleyto Temecula Valley mark the harvest and celebrate with special wine tours, tastings, concerts, and more.
If you're in Sonoma later in the month,consider attending the Sonoma Harvest Music Festival.
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Enjoy Oktoberfest in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh
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These in-person events have been canceled in 2020. Oktoberfest, which originated in Germany, is celebrated with gusto in many parts of the U.S., particularly by German beer and bratwurst lovers. Some of the biggest gatherings in the U.S. include the Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfestin Canonsburg outside Pittsburgh, and Oktoberfest Zinzinnatiin Cinncinati, which in 2020 shifted to "Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Za Haus" for a virtual experience from September 18-27, 2020, with neighborhood "polka pop-ups" around town.
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Delve Into the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.
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For 2020, the event will be held online on September 25-27. National Book Festival will feature over 100 best-selling authors and children's writers, novelists, historians, and poets. This event sponsored by the Library of Congress brings a huge gathering of book lovers to the National Mall for a weekend-long event.Participants can meet authors and browse book pavilions arranged by literary genre.
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Check Out New York Fashion Week in New York City
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Get a sneak peek at the spring and summer collections at New York Fashion Week, which usually features runway shows and exclusive after-parties in posh New York City hot spots. The 2020 fall component ofNew York Fashion Week offers a Virtual Catwalkwith Fashion Designers of Latin Americafrom September 11 to 16, a Fashion Coffee Style Up show on September 12, and additional events.
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Play at The State Fair of Texas in Dallas
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This event has been canceled for 2020. Beginning the last Friday in September, the annual State Fair of Texas unfolds over 24 days in Dallas. With plenty of fun for the whole family—including the chance to ride one of the largest Ferris wheels in North America—the annual event brings visitors from all over the country. Attendees learn about live animals and partake in festive foods, fun games, and exciting rides.
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Dive Into Waikiki Roughwater Swim
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This event has been canceled for 2020. If you're looking to get a little wet and competitive over Labor Day weekend, the Waikiki Roughwater Swim in Honolulu, Hawaii, invites over 1,000 swimmers to compete in a massive race through the ocean waters each year. Starting at 8:30 a.m. on Labor Day, this annual tradition has been a staple of Hawaiian culture since its inception in 1970.
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Watch College Football Games
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September meanskick-off time for college football. Grab your buds and head toAmerica’s top college football destinations, such as "The Big House" Michigan Stadium (the largest football stadium in the U.S.) in Ann Arbor. Or check out Bryant–Denny Stadiumat the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, the home of the Crimson Tide, the 2018 National College Football Champions.
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Partake in Music Festivals Throughout the U.S.
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These in-person events have been canceled for 2020, but some are being held virtually. With hot summer temperatures starting to cool down, September is a great time for music festivals in the U.S. Big acts come out in full force throughout the month at events like these.
- iHeartradio Music Festival: The 2020 event will be held virtually. This Las Vegas festival spanning three days has featured popular acts like Alicia Keys, Fleetwood Mac, Mariah Carey, LynyrdSkynyrd, and others.
- One Musicfest: Monthly online indie artist performances are taking place online in 2020. Typically the Atlanta event features music such as rock, hip-hop, electro, reggae, funk, disco, and house. Past headliners include Jill Scott and George Clinton and Parliament.
- Hopscotch Music Festival:Held indowntown Raleigh, the three-day gathering brings together more than 120 bands and has featured such names as The Flaming Lips, Nile Rodgers, Liz Phair, and Miguel.
- RiotFest: Fans of punk and alt-rock can see bands like Blink 182, The Pixies, Cypress Hill, and more in Chicago's Douglass Park.
- The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival: Manchester is home to this large four-day bash on hundreds of Tennessee acres with over 150 musical acts, art, camping, and party barns.
- Monterey Jazz Festival: The world's longest-running jazz festival brings with it stars like Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones, and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra to Monterey.
- KaaBoo: Held in San Diego, the three-day KaaBoo bash offers various types of music, along with comedy, art, and food.Past acts include Sheryl Crow, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Black Eyed Peas.
- Ohana Festival: Music fans gather for three days in late September at Doheny State Beach in Southern California's Dana Point. The 2021 lineup will feature Kings of Leon, Pearl Jam, Yola, and more.
- Sea. Hear. Now: A popular waterfront festival held in Asbury Park, this Jersey Shore event has more than 25 bands, as well as surfing demos, art, and regional foods. The 2021 lineup includes Pearl Jam, The Avett Brothers, Ani DiFranco, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, and others.
- Treefort Music Fest: Hundreds of musicians from around the globe perform in Boise for five days of fun. The event also includes art, film, comedy, skating, and children's activities.
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Experience Burning Man (Black Rock Desert, Nevada)
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This event will be held virtually from August 30 to September 6, 2020, with a theme of The Multiverse. Each year, an ancient lakebed of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada (called the Playa) becomes the most populous town in the entire country for several days. There's art, music, dance, community, and partying.
On the Saturday night before Labor Day, "the Man," a large art installation that looks like a giant wooden human, burns. The last day of the gathering features the burning of the annual Temple (dedicated to a theme each year), and everyone and everything leaves with it.