Bernheim Forest and Arboretum is throwing one last ColorFest this weekend, closing the book on a 30-year fall tradition with hayrides, giant slides and a mud pie kitchen before the festival disappears for good. The event runs Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, at the Clermont forest just south of Louisville.
Bernheim itself has confirmed the finality of it all, stating plainly that “this year marks the 30th anniversary and final year for this family-friendly fall festival,” according to Bernheim.org. The nonprofit forest preserve says admission for the weekend is $30 per carload, and tickets are required to get in on both days. Natural areas will be closed off during the festival, though trails in the Arboretum — including the Forest Giants Trail — will remain open to visitors who want a quieter walk among the color.
Thirty Years of Hayrides and Mud Pies, One Final Time
For its send-off, Bernheim is bringing back a fan favorite that longtime visitors will remember fondly: hayrides. The forest says the move is a deliberate nod to the festival's history as it wraps up its three-decade run. Alongside the hayrides, organizers are keeping the activities that have defined ColorFest for years — giant slides, pumpkin rolling, a corn pit, a beanbag launch and the long-running mud pie kitchen, all confirmed by Bernheim's own announcement.
The festival has also long doubled as a fundraiser for the nonprofit. As Kentucky.com reports, ColorFest has served as a fundraiser for Bernheim and was largely funded by sponsorships and corporate partners over the years. That same report notes Bernheim is making way for new and exciting events and programs as the organization looks ahead, though specifics on what comes next haven't been announced.
An Ofrenda Marks Día de los Muertos at the Festival
This year's festival again includes a cultural tribute tied to Día de los Muertos. Bernheim is partnering with James B. Beam Distilling Co.'s Latinx employee resource group, Salud, along with artist Diego M. Bucio, on the festival's ofrenda display. The forest's own announcement confirms the partnership is returning for this final edition of ColorFest.
A separate account of a past ColorFest gives a sense of how that tradition has looked in practice. Per the station's report, the festival's Spirit Nest was decorated with marigolds, photos and other symbolic memorabilia as it celebrated the Day of the Dead for a second year, with Bernheim honoring deceased environmental activists, including Dr. Jane Goodall.
Fall Color Timing and a Note on Ticket Pricing
Bernheim's own fall color tracking describes color as arriving a bit later than usual this season, though sugar and red maples along forest edges were already showing brilliant shades of orange and red. The forest said it expected oak foliage to peak during the first week of November, timing that would coincide with this weekend's ColorFest — though that was described as an expectation rather than a confirmed outcome.
Ticket pricing for the festival has varied across reports. Bernheim's own announcement lists $30 per carload for this year's event, while a separate WLKY account describes ColorFest as costing members $12 and non-members $15. It isn't clear from the available reporting whether those figures reflect the same pricing structure, a different year, or a different ticketing unit altogether.
As The Courier-Journal notes, ColorFest has typically been held when leaves are at their most vibrant, making this closing edition a fitting, if bittersweet, final bow for an event that's become part of the region's autumn rhythm.
