Catch the festival spirit as you swing into fall this weekend. As the days get shorter and cooler the festivals get bigger and more frequent. This weekend marks the 23rd annual Experience Asia fest at Tom Brown Park and Thomasville’s first ever Porch Fest, set for Sunday, Sept. 27.
I love a good porch festival, where you can stroll around historic downtowns, listen to great bands and taste local food and drink. Save the date for PorchFest Apalach on Oct. 10.
Tickets are on sale now for the The Tallahassee Film Festival, which gets rolling with some literary gems and 80 features and shorts Oct. 8-11.
Also coming up is the spooky Halloween Show Series at the FSU Flying High Circus, with shows on Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 29-30. Tickets sell fast.
Here’s a roundup of entertaining events around Tallahassee, culled from emails, press releases, the Council on Culture & Arts, online listings and elsewhere.
Tickets go on sale: Rock band Little Feat brings Last Farewell Tour to The Moon
1. Travel to park for 23rd Experience Asia Festival
Matsuriza performs on the drums at Experience Asia 2018.
Surround yourself with the sights, sounds, art and food of Asia without having to leave Tallahassee.
The 23rd annual Experience Asia Festival, one of Tallahassee’s largest events, begins at 10 a.m. and runs through 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at Tom Brown Park, 443–557 Easterwood Drive. Visitors can purchase food, arts and crafts, clothing and jewelry and other items from 30 vendors and experience food from 29 food vendors. Ten different Pan-Asian countries will be represented at the festival.
There will be two stages set up where continuous performances of over 30 different dance, music and martial arts demonstrations will take place during the festival, as well as a children’s activity area will be available. Participatory cultural activities will be held. The festival is presented by the Asian Coalition of Tallahassee and the City of Tallahassee. Admission is free and there will be plenty of parking.
Coming up: Tallahassee Film Fest will bring rare live show, Florida focus
2. Head to the coast for Blue Crab Festival in Panacea
The 49th Annual Blue Crab Festival, one of Wakulla County’s longest-running community traditions, gets crawling this weekend.
The day will kick off with the Blue Crab Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, along Coastal Highway, followed by festival gates opening at 10:30 a.m. The festival is a highlight of the fall season, bringing locals and visitors together to enjoy fresh seafood, local vendors, live entertainment and family-friendly activities.
Enjoy blue crab delicacies, live music, local crafts, bounce houses, a mullet toss and the kids’ crab race. The waterfront fun takes place at Woolley Park in Panacea. Cost is $3 admission fee; children 12 and under get in free. Entertainment including the Mountain Dew Cloggers and Studio 88 Dancers.
3. Walk the neighborhood at PorchFest in Thomasville
The Pharaohs of Funk will perform live at Levitt AMP Tallahassee: Music Under the Oaks at Lewis Park on July 9, 2026.
Get ready to stroll, dance, sing along, and experience the charm of Thomasville’s historic East Jefferson Street at the first-ever Thomasville Porchfest from 2-7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27. Be part of the party as the neighborhood’s historic porches transform into live music stages, inviting friends, families, and neighbors to connect through music while celebrating a shared appreciation for preservation and the historic places that shape our community.
The band lineup includes:
2 p.m. — Jim Cable Blues Band, 512 E. Jefferson St.; 2 p.m. — Mars on the Earth, 331 E. Jefferson St.; 3 p.m. — Baby Gray, 515 E. Jefferson St.; 3 p.m. — The Leftovers Acoustic, 326 E. Jefferson St.; 4 p.m. — Jonathan Coody, 130 N. Love St.; 4 p.m. — Thomasville Jazz Band, 516 E. Jefferson St.; 5 p.m. — Blue Burden, 330 E. Jefferson St.; 5 p.m. — Russ Forstall, 519 E. Jefferson St.; 6 p.m. — Dana King Band, 405 E. Jefferson St.; and 6 p.m. — Pharaohs of Funk, 327 E. Jefferson St.
4. Accoustic night at Blue Tavern
Sawmill Jam takes the stage at Blue Tavern on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.
Spend happy hour with Wildflower at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at Blue Tavern, 1206 N. Monroe St. Singer Madison Nicole and guitarist Alan Hernandez play a wide variety of music from pop, indie, rock, soul, and blues. This is their first time playing as a duo at Blue Tavern. Sawmill Jam gets picking at 8 p.m. Friday for an all acoustic night featuring Frank Graham’s signature swamp boogie sound and his top notch original tunes. Sawmill Jam returns to the tavern with Kit Goodner on guitar and vocals, and Mark Patton on upright bass and vocals, and Kim Thomas & Kelly Goddard on vocals. $10 cover.
Longineu Parsons performs Friday at Blue Tavern.
The 4th Saturday Old Time Jam cranks at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, followed at 8 p.m. with a Benefit for Lake Munson featuring Longineu Parsons. Parsons is bringing his talent and his band to play for the benefit of the Friends of Lake Munson in their efforts to restore and save the lake. Suggested donation is $25.
5. Flavor, music and fun at Smokin in the Pines BBQ Festival
King Cotton will play the Smokin’ in the Pines BBQ Festival at 203 Forest Park Drive in Perry on on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026,
Love barbecue? Here’s a festival for you in nearby Perry where you can try over 35 different pulled pork recipes! Sauces? They have plenty.
King Cotton will be kicking off the weekend-long Smokin’ in the Pines BBQ Festival this Friday, Sept. 25, at 203 Forest Park Drive in Perry.
King Cotton is happy to announce that original guitarist Eddie Gay has officially rejoined the band, and the group is stronger than ever. The band takes the Forest Capital Park stage at 6 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages.
For more information on the 2-day event including full music lineup, professional BBQ competition and VW Bug car show, visit SmokinInThePinesBBQ.com.
Bonus event: ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic brings the wild
“Weird Al” Yankovic performs a concert in the Celeste Center during the Ohio State Fair in Columbus on Aug. 5, 2026.
“Eat It.” “I Want a New Duck.” “Smells Like Nirvana.” “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour lands in Tallahassee this month.
The king of song parodies holds court in concert with, bonus points, Puddles the operatic baritone clown as the opening act at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Tucker Civic Center. Ticket prices range from $69-$138. Visit tuckerciviccenter.com.
Take a look at concerts coming to Tallahassee in fall ’26
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Dove Award-winning Drew & Ellie Holcomb of Nashville perform for FSU’s Opening Nights Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Photo by Ashtin Paige)
OTHER EVENTS
American Legion Hall: The Highway 59 Band, 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 229 Lake Ella Drive. $10 cover (cash only).
Amicus Brewing Ventures: The Mae West Band, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 717 South Gadsden St.
B Sharp’s Jazz: Leon Anderson and Friends, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 648 W. Brevard St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Leon Anderson and friends will do a soft opening. Cover is $30.
Bird’s Shack: SoundCzech, 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 325 North Bronough St.
Brass Tap – Midtown: Taptoberfest 2026, noon-11:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1321 Thomasville Road.
Burned Beard Brewery: Two Guys with Guitars (Frank Dietrich and Craig Diamond) will be singeing your hairs with acoustic rock classics and more from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at the Burned Beard Brewery, 10 N Adams St, Quincy.
The Crooked River Lighthouse: Twilight at the Tower from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, in Carrabelle. Visitors can explore the Keeper’s House Museum and view the historic Fresnel lens. Adventurous guests can climb the lighthouse tower for stunning views of St. George Sound under the evening sky. Admission is free, and climbs are $6 for the public, free for members and for kids 12 and under.
Eve on Adams: Boots on the Rooftop with host Jordan Travis and Joe Noto, 10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25,101 South Adams St.
FSU CollegeTown Block Party: PJ Ferguson & The Tennessee Strange, 6-10 pm. Friday, Sept. 25, FSU Collegetown at 805 West Madison St. , Goodwood Museum & Gardens: Wheels, Wine & Whiskey, 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 1600 Miccosukee Road. $60 for Goodwood members, $75 for general admission.
FSU Wind Orchestra: Music of John Williams, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, 222 South Copeland St. $10 adult | $7 seniors and children under 18 | free for FSU students. Visit music.fsu.edu.
The Getaway Grille and Bar: Red Hills Band, 7-10 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25, 2386 Allen Road.
Ouzts Too Oyster Bar and Grill: The Allie Cats, 3 pm. Sunday, Sept. 27, 7968 Coastal Highway, Crawfordville.
Palaver Tree Theater: “We Will Not Be Silent,” a play by David Meyers, based on a true story of Sophie Scholl, a German college student who led the only act of public resistance to the Nazis during the Second World War. Presented by Palver Tree Theater, 59 Shadeville Road, Crawfordville, at 8 p.m. Sept. 24, 8 p.m. Sept. 25, 2 and 8 p.m. Sept. 26. Ticket are $20. Visit palavertreetheater.org.
Tallahassee Beer Society: 9th Anniversary Party with Forge Brothers, 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Northside Community Center, 8005 Oak Grove Road.
Tally Contra Dance: The Runaway Biscuits, 7:15-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 North Monroe St.
Have an event coming up? Email details to limelight@tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Looking for fun events? Top 5 things to do around Tallahassee