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Add Some Foliage and Fresh Air with a Fall Meeting

From festivals to ghost tours and lush woodland scenery, fall can add a great deal of color to your meeting experience. Make sure to check out everything these destinations offer before you plan your autumn event.

 

Morgantown, West Virginia

Football, festivals and colorful views characterize the West Virginian city of Morgantown during the fall. On football weekends, West Virginia University fans gather in droves to tailgate throughout the city, and the downtown area thrives with nightlife, creating an energetic setting for meeting groups.

Located next to the Waterfront Place Hotel, the 30,000-square-foot Morgantown Event Center offers conference space, banquet areas and outdoor terraces for receptions. Another great evening venue is the Morgantown Market, where attendees can enjoy the warm autumn weather on a covered, open-air pavilion.

To really relish the scenery, groups can take a hike through Coopers Rock State Forest, which features panoramic views of red and golden trees in the valley below.

“Our fall foliage around here is unbelievable,” said Susan Riddle, executive director at Greater Morgantown.

In August, the nearby town of Kingwood will hold its 76th annual Buckwheat Festival, an event that centers on the region’s staple buckwheat cakes, and Morgantown celebrates a balloon festival later in October.

For those that prefer to admire the view from a comfortable seat indoors, there are several dining options on the wharf, such as the Regatta Bar and Grille, Oliverio’s Ristorante on the Wharf and the Mountain State Brewing Company, which draws crowds with award-winning brews as well as wood-fired flatbread pizzas. At the Morgantown Brewing Company, guests can sample one of West Virginia’s signature snack items, pepperoni rolls, along with a fresh beer on the patio outside.

www.tourmorgantown.com

Fox Cities, Wisconsin

The Fox Cities encompass several Wisconsin communities, most notably downtown Appleton, and is one of the largest, fastest-growing urban regions in the state. As an excellent year-round destination, the area features temperate weather and brilliant fall colors that reach their peak mid-October.

Later this year, the city will unveil the new 30,000-square-foot Fox Cities Exhibition Center as a premier venue for conventions, trade shows, banquets and meetings. The property converges with Jones Park and will feature a connecting sky bridge to the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel.

Beyond the boardroom, there are numerous activities throughout the city to entertain meeting attendees, such as Segway tours, bike trails and Appleton’s farmers market, which is the second largest in the state.

At the end of the day, meeting attendees can catch a Broadway show at the Fox Cities Performing Center, which will present “Wicked” from August 30 through September 10; or they can enjoy live music at one of the downtown bars or restaurants. A few options are Uncorked Wine and Bistro, the Deja Vu Martini Lounge and Cleo’s Brown Beam Tavern.

“You’re always sure to find a live band somewhere,” said Mary Rhode, marketing and communications manager at the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.

This year, Oktoberfest will take place September 23-24. The event opens on a Friday night with License to Cruise, where 50,000 people fill College Avenue in Appleton to admire more than 400 classic cars, accompanied by live music and food booths from local restaurants.

Over Labor Day weekend, Fox Cities will host the 22nd annual Fox Jazz Fest, which draws critically acclaimed artists from across the country, followed by Seafood Fest the next week. 

www.foxcities.org