Are they gone? The All-Star Game lookie loos, the drive-bys from the rest of the Plains states, the California in-laws and the East Coast pass-throughs from college — all home again. Now it's just us, just the way we like it. And just in time for a fall that's more than football and pumpkins. This season in KC is so full, we had to book Madonna and David Sedaris on the same day. We have Bieber and the Boss (not on the same day), Charlotte Street and NASCAR, spooks and opera, and plenty of football and pumpkins. Here, then — day by day — is The Pitch's first Fall Guide. (Events and dates subject to change.)

Pumpkin Patches, Orchards and Corn Mazes, and Haunts
By Abbie Stutzer

KC Fear Farm
When: Dusk–11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, September 29–October 27
Where: 29755 West 191st Street, in Gardner, 913-484-6251, kcfearfarm.com
Signature shocks: Kansas Twister, Insane Reaction

Ghost & Gangsters Tour at the Edge of Hell
When: 6–9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Where: 1300 West 12th Street, 816-472-4467, kcghostsandgangsterstour.com
Signature shocks: More like shock absorbers; this one's a bus tour of KC landmarks where paranormal activity and organized crime intersect. Ticket price ranges from $30 to $60.

The Graveyard Run 5k and Kids Run
When: 9 a.m. Saturday, October 27 (kids run at 10 a.m.)
Where: Elmwood Cemetery, 4900 East Truman Road
Signature shock: It's in a graveyard.
Register at active.com ($25 advance, $30 race day, $5 off for Northeast residents)

Ghost Tours of Kansas
When: 8 p.m. September 22, October 13, October 27
Where: Starts at the Eldridge Hotel, 701 Massachusetts, in Lawrence, 785-851-0856
Signature shock: You get two hours to slowly freak out over Lawrence's reportedly haunted spots. Tickets cost $17.

Wagon Wheel Orchard
15380 Edgerton Road, Gardner, 913-893-6050, wagonwheelorchard.com
Through November 1
This family-owned, you-pick-it orchard grows almost 1,000 varieties of apples, pears, peaches, cherries and more.

Louisburg Cider Mill & Country Store
14730 K68 Highway, Louisburg, 913-837-5202, louisburgcidermill.com
Ciderfest is September 29–30 and October 6–7.
A corn maze runs September 14–October 31.

Drought? What drought? "It was a little scary there," says co-owner Shelly Schierman. "We're like, 'Oh, the corn is 12 inches tall,' and then we got that 2-inch rain. It seems like ages ago. It grew, like, 4 feet in four days. So it's nice and tall."

Weston Red Barn Farm
16300 Wilkerson Road, Weston, 816-386-5437, westonredbarnfarm.com
Fall harvest events begin Labor Day weekend and run through the end of October on Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Drought? The Red Barn says its apple crops have done fine but will likely be picked out by early September. The farm also expects a good crop of pumpkins. Besides the pick-your-own patch, there are tractor-drawn hayrides, horse-drawn hayrides, pony rides, concessions and a large corn maze.

Cider Hill Family Orchard
3341 North 139th Street, in Kansas City, Kansas, 913-721-2507
U-Pick event, Labor Day Weekend

Drought? "We have about 900 apple trees, and many of our apples are sunburned or have cooked on the trees," says co-owner Joan M. Shearer.

"Our trees are loaded with apples. The apples on the inside of the tree and the backside of the tree still have good apples. So it will be hit and miss."

Good apples or no apples, the orchard still offers hayrides to the orchard and the pumpkin patch, catch-and-release fishing, picnicking, marshmallow roasts and duck feeding. For sale: apple cider, cider slushes, caramel apples, Dutch apple pies.

Powell Pumpkin Patch
25695 Spring Valley Road, in Louisburg, 913-879-2477
September 29–October 31, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., with a corn maze ($2–$4), hayrides, a nature trail and pumpkin picking.
Corn-maze admission is $4 for people aged 12 and older, $2 for those aged 6–11, and free for children 5 and younger.

Drought? Powell's Katie York says: "We have been able to irrigate most of the fields throughout the summer. Most of the pumpkins are just now starting to set. We still have our fingers crossed the heat has not done too much damage."

KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze
29755 West 191st Street, in Gardner, 913-484-6251, kcpumpkinpatch.com
September 29–October 31 (hours and admission vary; check website)

Drought? Maybe, but it's not stopping this pick-your-own patch from celebrating its 10th year with the T-Bones Corn Maze, the Spook-Tacular Haunted Barn and more.

Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch
17607 Northeast 52nd Street, in Liberty, 816-781-9196, carolynscountrycousins.com
Daily, September 15–October 31.

Drought? Well, it's been a crop-killing season, so it might be appropriate to get here for the patch's Dia de los Muertos celebration (October 27 and 28).

Faulkner's Pumpkin Season
10600 Raytown Road, 816-761-5055, faulknerspumpkinfarm.com
October 1–31 ($7 admission; children 2 and younger, free)

Drought? "Our patch is doing very well, although we only grow enough pumpkins on the property for our schoolchildren to take home from their field trips," says the company's Christine Loneman.

Shuck's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
20156 South State 291 Highway, Pleasant Hill, 816-335-4014, shucksmaze.com
Open for school field trips during week; open to the public 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1–6 p.m. Sundays, September 29–October 28.

The 14-acre cornfield has two mazes: one for the little guys and a second maze for the more adventurous. Other activities include a corn cannon, pumpkin chucking and more.

Drought? When there's something called a corn cannon, does it matter?

SEPTEMBER EVENTS DAY BY DAY

September 1

College football opening day

Sporting KC vs. Toronto

KC Irish Fest

Kansas City Renaissance Festival opens

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence

The Beast and Edge of Hell open

September 2

KC Irish Fest

La Cage aux Folles closes, Starlight

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence

September 3

Labor Day

KC Symphony Pops in the Park

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence

Last call: Oceans of Fun, Schlitterbahn, Titanic exhibit at Union Station

September 4

The Real Inspector Hound, KC Actors Theatre

September 5

Ad Astra Percussion, Spencer Museum (Lawrence)

The Motherf**ker With the Hat, Unicorn Theatre

September 6

American Royal opens

Fashion Night Out KC

September 7

Why at the Granada

Crossroads Music Fest, Crossroads KC

KC Ballet, First Friday "An Evening of Dance"

KC Urban Film Festival

Making God Laugh, American Heartland Theatre

Jamie Lee Curtis discusses My Brave Year of Firsts, Village Presbyterian Church (Rainy Day)

Buckwheat Zydeco, Lied Center (Lawrence)

September 8

Football: Kansas vs. Rice, Kansas State vs. Miami, Missouri vs. Georgia (first SEC game)

Missouri Mavericks Fan Fest, Independence Events Center

Metro Pro Wrestling, Turner Rec Center

Y'allapalooza, Cricket Wireless Amphitheater

Fiesta Hispana, Berkley Riverfront Park

Lenexa's Spinach Festival, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park

Symphony Ball, Sheraton at Crown Center

Ben Vereen, Kauffman Center

Divergent Dreams, NewEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, All Souls Unitarian Church

Crossroads Music Fest, Crossroads KC

September 9

Chiefs' first game of the regular season

Twin Shadow at the Granada

Fiesta Hispana, Berkley Riverfront Park

Green Fest, Uptown Theater

Last call: They Were All Stars and Baseball: America's Game, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

September 10

David Thomson, Milos Forman: "Finding a Nest," Kansas City Plaza Library

Ghostface Killah at Riot Room

September 11

ArtSounds, The Goldberg Variations, Owen/Cox Dance Group

September 12

Circus at Sprint Center

Metric at the Beaumont

Marina Doc with David Ford, Spencer Museum (Lawrence)

Dear America: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie, Coterie Theatre

Joe Posnanski talks Paterno, Unity Temple

September 13

Circus at Sprint Center

Powerman 5000 at the Beaumont

Three Tall Women, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre

Anthony de Mare, "Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim From the Piano," White Recital Hall

Opening of Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America, Linda Hall Library

September 14

Circus at Sprint Center

Sporting KC vs. Houston

"Map as Art" talk at Kemper Museum

Blood Brothers, the Barn Players

ConX: KC's First Sci-Fi, Horror, Pop Culture Convention, Ramada Conference Center

Mission Arts and Eats Festival

September 15

Football: Kansas vs. TCU, Kansas State vs. North Texas, Missouri vs. Arizona State

ConX: KC's First Sci-Fi, Horror, Pop-Culture Convention, Ramada Conference Center

Mission Arts and Eats Festival

KC Roller Warriors All Stars

Madama Butterfly, Lyric Opera

Falldo Waldo Crawldo Pub Crawl, 75th and Wornall

An Afternoon with John Lithgow, Kansas City Plaza Library

September 16

Expo Americas at Union Station

Judith Grey art opening, Charlotte Street Foundation

John Lithgow stars in Farkle & Friends, Kauffman Center

Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance, White Recital Hall

ConX: KC's First Sci-Fi, Horror, Pop-Culture Convention, Ramada Conference Center