There’s no shortage of fun to be had in Murphys in Fall. In fact, some might say it’s the best time to visit with cooler temperatures, great photo ops and a slew of events guaranteed to appeal to the whole family. Here’s a roundup of the biggest one-of-a-kind events: Murphys Witch Walk and Murphys Day of the Dead, and the ones you’ll want to catch next year: Ironstone Concours d’Elegance, and the Calaveras Grape Stomp & Gold Rush Street Faire. Check out our online calendar of events for smaller, ongoing events in Murphys.

Murphys Witch Walk

Murphys Witch Walk
Murphys Witch Walk – An evening of Witchy magic

Head into downtown Murphys one evening of the year for magical witch and warlock camaraderie for all ages in an early celebration of Halloween. During Murphys Witch Walk, everywhere you look, there are witches and warlocks convening for an evening of festivities. There are witches in your restaurant, witches in the tasting rooms, and witches strolling main street. Eat, drink and shop; enjoy treats, discounts and prizes. Check out the great video below from Studio 209 on the Murphys Witch Walk.

Put on your pointy hat and stripy stockings, jump on your broom and join the fun. Grab your brood, purchase raffle tickets for great prizes and dance the night away to live music. It’s classic family fun with a Halloween twist, and there’s something truly magical about seeing the witchy takeover of downtown.

  • DATE: Saturday, October 19, 2019
  • HOURS: 2:00 PM – 8:30 PM
  • COST: FREE to attend
  • LOCATION: Main Street, Murphys, CA
  • CONTACT: Facebook MurphysWitchWalk

Murphys Day of the Dead

Murphys Day of the Dead | David Gonzales

The Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos is beautifully represented annually in Murphys on the first Saturday of November. This heart-felt festival honoring the dead allows participants to observe remembrance of their loved ones by contributing to altars (ofrenda) in businesses throughout town (check with downtown businesses to see whose altar has availability). The festival helps attendees to experience fun and celebration in remembering those we love who are no longer with us by dancing, feasting and honoring.

Features of the festival include live music, traditional folklorico dancing (including dancing lessons), a public remembrance, a Catrina and Catrin dress contest, skull face painting, storytelling, Mexican hot chocolate, pan de muertos, and authentic craft vendors. Parts of the festival take place in beautiful Murphys Community Park and on historic Main Street. Attendees are encouraged to come in costume. Purchases of food and drink support the Murphys Community Club who maintain Murphys Community Park.

  • DATE: Saturday, November 2nd, 2019
  • HOURS: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM – The schedule, which will be published in October, will include specific times for: live music, Ballet Folklorico, Catrin & Catrina contests, dance lessons, and traditional storytelling. Take a look at last year’s schedule to get an idea.
  • COST: FREE to attend
  • LOCATION: Murphys Community Park, 505 Algiers Street, Murphys CA and Murphys Main Street, Murphys, CA
  • CONTACT: Email info@visitmurphys.com| Facebook DiaDeLosMurtosMurphysCaliforni

Murphys Events to Look Out for in 2020

The next couple of fall events in Murphys have already taken place for 2019, but they are well worth keeping an eye open for next year. Check out the details below, and consider signing up for our monthly newsletter, by entering your email address below, which will alert you in plenty of time to attend next year :)

2020 Ironstone Concours d’Elegance

Ironstone Concours d'Elegance
Ironstone Concours d’Elegance

This outstanding fundraising event which you’ll want to attend next year, featuring hundreds of classic and vintage vehicles including cars, motorcycles, and travel trailers, takes place on the beautiful grounds at Ironstone Vineyards. The Ironstone Concours d’Elegance offers close-up views of these magnificent and beautifully restored and maintained motors, plus fun activities to keep the whole family engaged. Check out the video below for full details:

Special features of 2019’s event included rare Amphicars showing off their amphibian abilities in the Ironstone lake – a small donation gets you a ride on a first-come, first-served basis. A vintage car race took place with the Ragtime Racers, there was a petting corral as part of the FFA exhibits and plein air painting of some of the vehicle entrants. Awards start at 3:00 pm. For even more fun, consider attending the pre-Concours event – Cars and Stars Dinner on the Friday before at 5:30 pm for a wine tasting dinner and auction at $75 a pop.

  • DATE: Saturday, September 26, 2020
  • HOURS: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
  • TICKETS: $25 individual | Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) $45 | Children 13 and under FREE | Buffet luncheon $30 per person
  • LOCATION: Ironstone Vineyards, 1896 Six Mile Road, Murphys, CA
  • CONTACT: Website IronstoneConcours.org | Email info@ironstoneconcours.org

2020 Calaveras Grape Stomp & Gold Rush Street Faire

Calaveras Grape Stomp | Ian Andrae, Mutineer Magazine

Celebrating the harvest of Calaveras wine country, the Calaveras Grape Stomp pits contestant muckers and rakers against each other in a timed competition on who can stomp the most grape juice. Fun and frenzy is the order of the day, as contestant teams, including those from local wineries, compete in crazy and creative costumes. Get a feel for the event from the video below:

Attendees get to cheer on the contestants, participate in a silent auction and buy local wines and food to enjoy al fresco in the picturesque park. In addition, Murphys Main Street hosts a Gold Rush Street Faire, filled with enticing artisanal offerings, tempting treats, beer and wine. All Main Street businesses are also open, with their usual collections of carefully crafted and curated boutique merchandise, wine tasting and beer tasting options, and gourmet sit-down restaurants.

For 2019, the Calaveras Winegrape Alliance offered a full weekend of Calaveras Wine Country harvest events. Activities included harvest concerts, a harvest party, and harvest picnic and vineyard tour. Get full details from the Calaveras Winegrape Alliance here: CalaverasWines.org/GrapeStomp-wine-weekend.

  • DATE: Saturday, October 3, 2020
  • HOURS: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • COST: FREE to attend
  • LOCATION: Grape Stomp: Murphys Community Park, 505 Algiers Street, Murphys CA | Gold Rush Street Faire: Murphys Main Street, Murphys, CA
  • CONTACT: Website CalaverasWines.org/Grape-Stomp | Email info@calaveraswines.org