Mike Bryce, of Providence, restocks his booth at last year’s Scituate Art Festival. This year, as usual, the festival runs Saturday through Monday, 10 a.m. to dusk.

The Providence Journal / Bill Murphy

Along with changing leaves, cooler temperatures and plans for scarier-than-ever Halloween costumes, October traditionally brings a flurry of outdoor art fairs and festivals. This weekend, Rhode Islanders have three to choose from: the RISD Alumni + Student Fall Art Sale, in Providence, the 40th annual Scituate Art Festival, in North Scituate, and the Block Island Arts and Crafts Guild Fair, on Block Island.

The RISD sale, which takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside the RISD Museum, features hundreds of hand-crafted items, including glass, jewelry, paintings, furniture, clothing and ceramics. True, you probably won’t find a signed piece of Dale Chihuly glass hiding amidst the coffee mugs and hand-knitted scarves. But at least the prices, which typically range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, are a lot more affordable. And who knows? The person who sells you that mug or scarf may be a Chihuly-in-the-making.

The Scituate Art Festival, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, takes place Saturday to Monday on the Village Green (off Route 116) in North Scituate.

As usual, hundreds of exhibitors will be on hand, selling everything from paintings and watercolors to handmade glass, jewelry, scarves and knitwear. More than 30 antiques dealers are also participating. Times for all three days are 10 a.m. to dusk.

Asked to explain the event’s longevity, festival spokesman Warner Dauphinee says that two things contribute to the festival’s staying power. One is the quality of exhibitors, all of whom are carefully screened from year to year. The other is North Scituate itself, a picturesque community that has managed to keep its small-town charm despite a flurry of residential and commercial development along Route 6.

“The town, the setting, really has a lot to do with it,” says Dauphinee. “When the weather starts to get a little cooler and the leaves start to get a little color, this place really comes alive.”

The Block Island Arts and Crafts Guild Fair takes place Saturday on the grounds of the Block Island Historical Society, on Old Town Road.

Look for paintings, watercolors and jewelry, along with fresh produce and products from the Block Island Farmers’ Market. Times are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.