Bloomfield has no main street to hold an autumn festival, so its October runs on the schedules of two educational institutions. Cranbrook supplies the house tours and the science programs. The weekly pattern comes from a working farm on East Square Lake Road that Bloomfield Hills Schools has owned for nearly six decades. From October 2 through October 31, the Bowers School Farm Fall Festival is open Friday evenings and weekend days, and most of the month's other dates fall on those same days.
A School District's Farm, Run by the County
Bowers School Farm covers 87 acres. Its website describes sheep, horses, cattle, and goats grazing beside acres of vegetables, community gardens, and curated horticultural gardens. Bloomfield Hills Schools has owned the property since 1967, and Oakland County Parks now runs it.
That arrangement comes from an interlocal agreement between the district and Oakland County Parks. The farm says the agreement brings new investment, operational support, and expanded programming to both Bowers School Farm and Johnson Nature Center. The district posts the details on its Oakland County Parks partnership page.
The farm states its purpose in one sentence:
"Our mission is to cultivate community through education and engagement with agriculture and the local food system."
The county's role shows up in two places a festival visitor will notice. Tickets are sold through the Oakland County Parks system, and The Oakland Press lists the festival's address as Discovery Oaks Park, 1219 E. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills.
What the Ticket Buys, and What Costs Extra
County operation also sets the prices, and they favor Oakland County residents. According to the Bowers Farm Fall Festival 2026 page, the fees are:
| Ticket type | Advance online | At the door |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland County resident | $15 | $17 |
| Non-resident | $19 | $21 |
| Bowers Farm member | $8 | $10 |
A county resident who buys online saves $2 compared with the door, and $6 compared with a non-resident paying at the gate. A farm member's advance ticket costs about half of what a resident pays. Families who plan more than one visit this month may find a Bowers Farm membership worth a look.
Admission covers the corn field quest, a wagon ride, the bounce pad and hay climbing tower, the farm animals, live music, farm games, and an Oakland County Parks recreation unit. Food and drinks, pumpkins, and store purchases cost extra. Horse rides are $5 and the apple launcher is $1.
The farm's description also mentions pumpkin picking, equine experiences, crafts, and live music. The Oakland Press listing adds food trucks, inflatables, and photo opportunities.
Friday Night Runs on a Different Schedule
The hours split the festival into two formats. Saturdays and Sundays run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which suits families with young children. Fridays run 5 to 9 p.m.
The detail that changes Friday is the Beer Garden, with beer and hard cider, sponsored by Friends of Bowers Farm and Griffin Claw Brewing Company. A wagon ride and a hay tower in daylight is one kind of outing. The same field after dark, with a beer garden and live music, is an evening plan for adults, and the farm is a short drive for most of the township.
This matters more in 2026 because another weeknight option has ended. The township's Food Truck Wednesdays ran from May 27 to September 30 at the Community Television Building, 4190 Dublin Road. With that season over, the Bowers Friday sessions are the remaining recurring evening gathering on the local calendar until October 31.
Cranbrook Fills the Weekday Mornings, Then Shares the Last Two Weekends
Cranbrook's October fits around the farm's hours. Early in the month it uses the weekday mornings the farm leaves open. In the second half it schedules events on the farm's busiest days.
Cranbrook House tours, in two clusters. Cranbrook House & Gardens lists 75-minute tours from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Friday, October 9; Sunday, October 11; Thursday, October 15; Friday, October 16; and Saturday, October 17. A second run follows on Thursday, October 29; Friday, October 30; and Saturday, October 31. The house is an Arts and Crafts design by Albert Kahn for Cranbrook's founders, George and Ellen Booth. The October 9 and October 30 tours are already listed as sold out, so anyone interested in the other dates should check the Cranbrook House & Gardens events calendar soon.
The tours end at 12:15, which leaves time before evening. A Friday tour on October 16 and the farm's 5 p.m. opening can share one day without overlapping.
Mesmerica 360, October 23–24 and 29–30. The Oakland Press describes it as a seated, multi-sensory fulldome projection at Cranbrook Institute of Science, 1 Institute Way, Bloomfield Hills, suitable for ages 6 and older. Tickets are sold through the Mesmerica 360 Bloomfield Hills page.
Discovery Days: Bats, Bones, and Bubbles, October 24. The Institute of Science lists this Halloween-themed family program from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, with hands-on science activities included in museum admission. Details are on the Cranbrook Institute of Science event page.
Those dates are where the two calendars overlap. October 23 and 30 are Fridays, so Mesmerica shares its dates with two of the farm's Friday nights, and the listing gives no show times, so check the ticket page before planning both. October 24 is a Saturday, and Discovery Days runs almost exactly across the farm's 10-to-4 weekend hours. The festival's final days also line up with Mesmerica's last pair of dates, Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30, and with the second run of Cranbrook House tours from October 29 to 31.
The Library Covers the Quieter Days
On the township's calendar, the Bloomfield Township Public Library supplies the smaller events between the bigger ones. Its October listings include the Friends Second Saturday Sale on Saturday, October 10; an Adult & Teen Beaded Spider craft on Monday, October 12; and Teen Open Mic Night on Friday, October 16. The full schedule is on the BTPL events page.
The Friends sale on October 10 is the same day as the farm's second Saturday. October 16 brings together a Cranbrook House tour, the Teen Open Mic, and a Bowers Friday night.
Getting to Square Lake Road
Most of the month happens along Square Lake Road, and so do the construction notices. Bloomfield Township's Summer 2026 newsletter listed I-696, Square Lake Road, and other key corridors as under construction, with detour traffic affecting neighborhood streets. The newsletter gave no completion dates.
One closure is close to the farm. The Road Commission for Oakland County announced that the Meadowood Lane bridge over the Law Drain, just south of Square Lake Road, would close August 5 because the 40-year-old timber structure had deteriorated faster than expected. Residents can still reach their homes from both sides, and RCOC said it was evaluating future options.
The township's Construction Corner said the bridge would be reevaluated after the closure to find a path to reopening. As of the latest notices from RCOC and the township, no reopening date has been announced, so routes that used Meadowood need another way to Square Lake.
The Rest of October, by Date
Counting from October 7, here is what remains:
- Friday, October 9: Cranbrook House tour, sold out; Bowers Friday night, 5–9 p.m.
- Saturday, October 10: BTPL Friends Second Saturday Sale; Bowers, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Sunday, October 11: Cranbrook House tour, 11 a.m.; Bowers, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Monday, October 12: BTPL Adult & Teen Beaded Spider craft.
- Thursday, October 15: Cranbrook House tour, 11 a.m.
- Friday, October 16: Cranbrook House tour, 11 a.m.; BTPL Teen Open Mic Night; Bowers Friday night.
- Saturday, October 17: Last Cranbrook House tour of the first cluster, 11 a.m.; Bowers weekend hours.
- Friday, October 23: Mesmerica 360 opens at the Institute of Science; Bowers Friday night.
- Saturday, October 24: Discovery Days, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; Mesmerica 360; Bowers weekend hours.
- Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30: Mesmerica 360's last two dates; Cranbrook House tours at 11 a.m. both days, with October 30 sold out; the farm's final Friday night on October 30.
- Saturday, October 31: Cranbrook House tour, 11 a.m.; last day of the Bowers Farm Fall Festival.
Hours and availability can change, so confirm with each venue before you go.
The Bowers Farm calendar shows what a few institutions can do for a community over decades. The same is true of homes on the streets around Square Lake and Long Lake roads, where location and condition carry a lot of weight. If you want to know how your Bloomfield home compares this fall, Nicolas Petrucci Properties can walk the property with a builder's eye and give you a clear, local read. Request a Complimentary Home Valuation.
