20+ Family Things to Do Around Murfreesboro This Week (Oct. 15-21)
It is a big fall-break week in Rutherford County. From Thursday, Oct. 15 through Wednesday, Oct. 21, families can pick pumpkins in Eagleville, hunt through log cabins by flashlight, climb aboard aircraft at a STEAM festival, hear fife and drum music at the battlefield or shake their own butter. Here is a day-by-day guide, with the cost noted wherever the organizer posts one.
Fall Harvest Festival: Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze at Lucky Ladd Farms
Thursday, Oct. 15 through Saturday, Oct. 31 · Lucky Ladd Farms. Pumpkin picking and a corn maze at the Eagleville farm, included with a season pass, with pumpkins extra. Online tickets must be bought at least an hour ahead.
Raptor Rhapsody at the Wilderness Station
Thursday, Oct. 15, 1 p.m. · Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park. Free. A free, all-ages class on birds of prey at Barfield Crescent Park. No registration needed.
Campfire Story Time at the Discovery Center
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2 p.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. Seasonal stories around the indoor campfire in the museum's Great Outdoors exhibit, for young children. It repeats Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m.
Discovery Design Time at the Discovery Center
Thursday, Oct. 15, 3 p.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. A Thursday-afternoon craft and art session for kids at the Discovery Center.
Greenway Bike Ride from the Wilderness Station
Thursday, Oct. 15, 4 p.m. · Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park. An easy four-mile guided ride on the greenway, with stops along the river to spot wildlife. Bring bikes and helmets; it suits kids who can comfortably ride a few miles.
McFadden Fall Festival and Haunted Hallways
Thursday, Oct. 15, 5 p.m. · McFadden Community Center. Free. A free fall festival for all ages with a haunted hallway, a DJ, food and carnival games.
Turtle Talk at the Discovery Center
Friday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. A short, hands-on animal talk about the museum's resident turtles, offered twice a week.
Cannonsburgh Village After Dark – Friday
Friday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m.. $5. Bring a flashlight and hunt through the dark corners of the log cabins, then warm up with hot drinks and sweet treats. It runs again Saturday.
Flashlight Night at Oaklands Mansion
Friday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m. · Oaklands Mansion. See details. A self-guided after-dark tour of the mansion dressed for Halloween in Victorian mourning style, with a scavenger hunt and prize. The museum calls it appropriate for all ages, and it is more eerie than scary. The organizer lists $20 for adults and $10 for ages 6 to 11, with ages 5 and under free.
Friday Night Live: Season Finale on the Square
Friday, Oct. 16, 6:30 p.m. · Rutherford County Courthouse, Public Square. Free. The last free outdoor concert of the season on the courthouse square, with room to dance in front of the stage. Bring chairs and grab dinner downtown.
Tennessee STEAM Festival at Murfreesboro Airport
Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.. A field full of aircraft and emergency vehicles, with exhibitors letting families climb in and look around, part of the Tennessee STEAM Festival.
Arts in Parks Celebration at Stones River National Battlefield
Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. · Stones River National Battlefield. Free. A free day of Civil War-era music from a fife and drum duo and a local band, with cannon-firing demonstrations between sets. Bring a blanket or chair for the lawn.
A Day with National Geographic Explorer Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza
Saturday, Oct. 17, 10:30 a.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. A Tennessee STEAM Festival day at the Discovery Center with explorer Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza: a 10:30 a.m. workshop for members and guests, then a 12:30 p.m. Teen Science Cafe.
Cardboard Costume Lab, Part 2 at Linebaugh Library
Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. · Linebaugh Public Library. Finish a cardboard Halloween costume with decorations and scavenged supplies, with cosplay makers on hand to help.
Cannonsburgh Village After Dark – Saturday
Saturday, Oct. 17, 6 p.m.. $5. The Saturday-night run of the after-dark flashlight hunt, with fall crafts, games and music.
Battlefield Caravan Tour at Stones River National Battlefield
Sunday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. · Stones River National Battlefield. Free. A ranger leads a driving tour of the battlefield in your own car, with stops at key sites. Meet at the visitor center flagpole.
RoboTEC Robotics Club at the Technology Engagement Center
Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. · Technology Engagement Center. A build, code and create club for tweens and teens at the library system's tech center.
North Boulevard Church Fall Festival and Trunk-or-Treat
Sunday, Oct. 18, 4 p.m. · North Boulevard Church of Christ, West Campus. Free. A free costume-friendly evening with trunk-or-treat, inflatables, hayrides, a photo booth and free hot dogs, with allergy-friendly treats on hand.
Puppet Story Time at Smyrna Library
Monday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. · Smyrna Public Library. Story time acted out with puppets, with friends of all ages welcome and enough going on to keep wiggly toddlers engaged.
Butter Making at the Wilderness Station
Monday, Oct. 19, 4:30 p.m. · Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park. $3. Kids shake cream into butter by hand and learn a little of the area's dairy history. Registration is required.
Campfire Story Time at the Discovery Center
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2 p.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. The Tuesday edition of the campfire story hour at the Discovery Center.
Tasty Tuesday Kitchen Science at the Discovery Center
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 3 p.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. Kitchen science where kids mix, taste and learn how food works.
Turtle Talk at the Discovery Center
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3 p.m. · Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. The Wednesday edition of the turtle talk, a short hands-on animal visit.
Archery for Beginners at the Wilderness Station (Ages 7+)
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3:30 p.m. · Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park. See details. An instructor teaches bow-and-arrow basics to kids 7 and up. Plan on a one-mile walk on a paved trail to reach the archery field. Registration is online.
Image: illustrative, AI-generated – not the actual location.
