Palmer Park · Donora, Pennsylvania

October 7–11, 2026

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Featured event · Donora, PA

Mon Valley
Fall Festival
& Carnival

Five days of carnival excitement and fall tradition at Palmer Park in the heart of Donora.

OCTOBER7–112026

Palmer Park
Donora, PA 15033

WhenOctober 7–11, 2026
WherePalmer Park · Donora
WhatFall Festival & Carnival
AdmissionFree entry · Ride passes from $15

A new Mon Valley tradition

Five days of fall fun
in the heart of Donora.

The Mon Valley Fall Festival & Carnival brings the community together at Palmer Park from Wednesday, October 7 through Sunday, October 11, 2026.

Admission is free daily, with free bus service throughout Donora provided by Tri-County Access. Explore the full entertainment schedule, craft and food vendors, and family activities below.

01

Carnival & rides

Midway rides, games, bright lights, and carnival fun at Palmer Park.

02

Live entertainment

Live bands, an acoustic duo, Hocus Pocus movie night, and a fencing and medieval demonstration.

03

Food & vendors

Craft and food vendors: Wednesday–Friday 6–10 PM, Saturday 12–10 PM, and Sunday 12–6 PM.

04

Family activities

Enjoy family movie night, Saturday Trunk or Treat, and Friday’s Resource & Community Connection Fair.

Admission & ride passes

The festival is
free to attend.

Everyone is welcome to enjoy the festival. Ride passes are only needed for carnival rides.

One festival day$15

All-Day Ride Pass

Unlimited carnival rides during ride hours on one selected festival day.

All five days$50

Gold Pass

Unlimited carnival rides across all five days of the festival.

Advance salesRide passes are available on Eventbrite

Choose a $15 all-day ride pass or save with the $50 five-day Gold Pass.

Buy ride passes Need accessibility or ticket-purchase help? Email us.

Wednesday through Sunday

Live entertainment.
Five festival days.

Bands and entertainment at the Damon Garde Stage, with the community fair and Trunk or Treat at the pavilions listed below. All times are local.

Day 1

Wednesday

6–8 PMRob N Ray Acoustic DuoPlaying all your favorite classics.

Rides 6–10 PM
Craft & food vendors 6–10 PM

Day 2

Thursday

6–8 PMFamily Movie Night: Hocus PocusPremiering our new 20-foot screen with everyone's favorite Halloween movie.

Rides 6–10 PM
Craft & food vendors 6–10 PM

Day 3

Friday

6–9 PMResource & Community Connection FairIn association with UR Action, discover ways to connect with resources and your community. Meet nonprofits, community organizations, service providers, and other groups at the Deacon Dan Towler Pavilion.
7–10 PMArtistree BandPittsburgh's premier R&B cover band, performing just about anything to keep the crowd dancing.

Rides 6–10 PM
Craft & food vendors 6–10 PM

Day 4

Saturday

1–3 PMFencing & Medieval DemoFree stage demonstration by SCA King's Crossing & Pennwest Silva Vulcani.
6–9 PMVariety Pack BandLead singer Joey Papadakos. Favorites from the 1950s to today's hits, with their own flair.
6 PMTrunk or TreatMon Valley Jeepers n’at at Lignelli Pavilion.

Rides 4–10 PM
Craft & food vendors 12–10 PM

Day 5

Sunday

2–4 PMIt's Only Temporary BandChristian band bringing music, faith, and hope.
5–8 PMFranchise BandPittsburgh-based, high-energy cover and dance band performing pop, rock, funk, R&B, and hip-hop hits.

Rides 12–6 PM
Craft & food vendors 12–6 PM

Free transportation daily

Free bus service
throughout Donora.

Provided by Tri-County Access. Buses run every two hours at the times below.

Bus schedule

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
6 PM, 8 PM & 10 PM
Saturday
12 PM, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM, 8 PM & 10 PM
Sunday
12 PM, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM & 8 PM

Bus stops, in route order

  1. Donner Park
  2. Donora Towers
  3. 3rd & McKean
  4. 1st & McKean
  5. Highland Terrace
  6. Modisette & Walnut
  7. 1st & Castner
  8. 3rd & Castner
  9. 6th & Castner
  10. St. Nicholas Drive & Castner
  11. West 9th Street & 3rd Avenue
  12. Palmer Park

Know before you go

Festival questions.
Quick answers.

Everything families and out-of-town visitors need to start planning for the 2026 carnival.

Is there free bus transportation?

Yes. Tri-County Access provides free bus service throughout Donora daily during the festival. See the bus timetable and ordered stop list below.

When are craft and food vendors open?

Wednesday–Friday 6–10 PM, Saturday 12–10 PM, and Sunday 12–6 PM. Sunday entertainment continues until 8 PM.

Is the Mon Valley Fall Festival free to attend?

Yes. Festival admission is free for everyone. You only need a pass if you want to ride the carnival rides.

How much are carnival ride passes?

An all-day ride pass is $15 for one festival day. A five-day Gold Pass is $50 and covers carnival rides throughout the full festival.

What are the carnival ride hours?

Rides operate Wednesday–Friday 6–10 PM, Saturday 4–10 PM, and Sunday 12–6 PM.

Where is the festival?

The festival and carnival take place at Palmer Park, 1400 Palmer Park Road, Donora, Pennsylvania 15033.

Where can I buy ride passes online?

Advance ride passes are available now through Eventbrite. Use the Buy Ride Passes button on this page to purchase a $15 all-day pass or a $50 five-day Gold Pass.

A Western Pennsylvania day trip

Plan your trip
to Palmer Park.

1400 Palmer Park Road
Donora, Pennsylvania 15033

Planning a family day trip from Pittsburgh, Washington, Uniontown, Westmoreland County, or elsewhere in Western Pennsylvania? Come enjoy five days of free festival admission and carnival fun in Donora. Free Tri-County Access buses serve 12 stops throughout Donora; see the timetable above.

Plan your visit

Weather updatesCheck this page before attending

Don't miss an announcement

Be ready when
the midway lights up.

See the updated festival flyer, full entertainment lineup, free bus timetable, and carnival and vendor hours on this page. Check back for any further announcements.

Ask about festival updates

Vendors & crafters

Become a
Vendor.

Bring your food, products, or handmade goods to five days of fall fun at Palmer Park.

Start the application
Application & payment deadlineSeptember 30, 2026

Submitting an application does not guarantee approval or reserve a space. The festival team will confirm placement and payment instructions.

Food vendors$50/day

or $200 for all five festival days

Craft & other vendors$30/day

or $100 for all five festival days

Vendor hoursWed–Fri · 4–10 PMSat–Sun · 12–10 PM
Setup beginsWed–Fri · 3 PMSat–Sun · 10 AM
LocationPalmer ParkDonora, PA 15033

Carnival-exclusive concessions

Items vendors may not sell.

The carnival will sell these concessions. Every vendor menu and product list must be reviewed and approved before the vendor is accepted.

  • Popcorn
  • Snow cones
  • Cotton candy
  • Candy apples
  • Caramel apples
  • Caramel corn
Vendor applications are open

Complete the application below, review the approved hold-harmless agreement, and provide your electronic signature to apply.

2026 vendor application

Tell us about your business.

Complete every required field. You can review the event rules and legal agreement before signing.

Estimated time8–10 minutes

Required field

01 Vendor information
02 Participation details

Vendor type

Attendance plan

Requested dates for daily-rate applicants

Choose at least one date only if you selected the individual-day option.
Estimated vendor feeSelect your vendor type and attendanceFinal fee and acceptance are confirmed by the festival team.

Will you use a generator?

Will you use a pop-up tent?

03 Safety, permits & emergency contact

Documents: The Borough may request permits, licenses, a certificate of insurance, and an additional-insured endorsement before final approval. Secure submission instructions will be provided if documents are required.

04 Vendor rules
Bring your setup

Vendors supply their own tables, chairs, pop-up tents, generators, and other equipment. Spaces are assigned.

No on-site water

Vendors supply their own water. Grease, wastewater, trash, and all other materials must leave with the vendor.

Leave it clean

Each vendor must leave the assigned area clean and is responsible for damage or extraordinary cleanup caused by its operation.

Outdoor event

No refunds are provided. Organizers may delay, suspend, relocate, or cancel activities for weather, emergencies, or safety.

06 Certification & electronic signature
Before you submit

Review your answers. Submission is an application—not approval—and payment is still required by September 30, 2026.

Applications are open. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.

What happens after submission?