The leaves are changing, and there is a chill in the air. DMV fall festivals are officially in full swing! With the season comes a lineup of family-friendly festivals filled with seasonal food, entertainment and activities. From pumpkin picking and chocolate to international cuisine and live performances, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Key Takeaways
- The bigger picture: The DMV has a packed lineup of fall festivals running from September through November 2026, offering everything from pumpkin picking to international food celebrations.
- More details: Food focused events like the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival and Taste of the Harvest pair with classic fall outings like the Pumpkin Harvest Festival and Messick’s Fall Market Festival, while family-friendly gatherings such as Centerville Day and the Asian Night Market round out the season.
- Why this helps: Most events require a ticket or RSVP even when admission is free, so it’s worth planning ahead of time —and coming hungry, given how food-centric many of these festivals are.
Find more fall fun:
- Seven DMV bakeries serving the best pumpkin treats this fall
- Fall festivities done right: 10 pumpkin patches in Maryland and Virginia to visit
- Trip into fall foliage: The DMV’s best spots to see the changing leaves
Featured fall festivals
In this section, Washington Parent’s advertising partners share their top fall festivals to experience.
Stamp and Scream Family Festival
Spooky stamps meet Halloween fun at the National Postal Museum’s Stamp & Scream Family Festival. Families can dress up, get creative with hands-on art projects and join a museum-wide costume parade, with something festive around every corner.
Kids can make take-home jack-o’-lanterns in a bag, try spooky silhouette printmaking, pose for a family portrait in a stamp-shaped photo frame and hunt for hidden critters in the kid-friendly forest installation. Story Time with DC Public Library, a book bike with free reading materials and activities from the National Museum of African American History and Culture round out the day.
Costumes are encouraged, but faces must stay visible (no masks or face coverings) and fake weapons aren’t allowed. Story Times are at noon and 2 p.m. and the costume parade starts at 1 p.m.
- Date: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
- Address: National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, D.C.
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Indoor
- Crowd level: Moderate
- Reservation requirements: No registration required
- Website: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/stamp-scream-family-festival
DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival
Get ready to be wowed by the plethora of vendors at the annual DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival over two weekends in Maryland and Virginia. From chocolate making classes and presentations to coffee-flavored everything, grab a cup of joe and a bar of chocolate because there is something for everyone at the festival.
Kids under 12 get in free with a ticketed parent. Families can make coffee filter crafts, take photos with festival mascots Chunk & Bean, and sip, sample and shop unique and fun gifts.
- Date: Maryland: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8; Virginia: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.
- Address: Maryland: 18031 Central Park Circle, Boyds, MD; Virginia: 21050 Dulles Town Circle, Sterling, VA
- Cost: $14.99 for prepurchased tickets, $20 at the door, $35 for VIP (does not include ticket service fee)
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Fully indoor event
- Crowd level: Typically welcomes around 12,000 to 14,000 attendees and hosts over 200 vendors.
- Reservation requirements: Tickets are required to enter the event and can be purchased online.
- Website: https://dmvchocolateandcoffee.com/
More fall festivals
This section features some of the best festivals around the DMV in October that locals and visitors alike consistently attend and enjoy.
Messick’s Fall Market Festival
Perfect for a festive fall day with the family, Messick’s Fall Fair is filled with fun and elaborate activities. From ziplines, corn mazes, a petting zoo, hayrides and even a candy cannon, you are sure to have a jam-packed day at this October festival.
- Date: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. all weekends, Sept. 19-Oct. 25
- Address: Messick’s Farm Market, 6025 Catlett Road, Bealeton, VA
- Cost: General admission is $16.19, senior admission $10.15 for 55 and older
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor farm setting
- Crowd level: More relaxed during September weekends and very packed during October weekends.
- Reservation requirements: Tickets online required to enter the event
Pumpkin Harvest Festival
Nothing screams fall festival like picking your own pumpkin and enjoying the orange leaves outdoors. Great Country Farms covers all the classics at their Fall Pumpkin Harvest festival, where you can not only pick your own pumpkin, but also enjoy some cider donuts, live music and frolic through a corn maze.
- Date: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Sept. 19-Oct. 31
- Address: 34355 Snickersville Turnpike, Bluemont, VA
- Cost: Weekday advance pricing is $12 per child and $14 per adult with a $1 ticketing fee online; weekend advance pricing is $14 per child and $16 per adult; weekday on-site pricing is $16 for ages 3 and older; weekend on-site pricing for ages 3 and older is $18.
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor farm setting
- Crowd level: Small to moderate crowd. Go early to avoid the rush.
- Reservation requirements: Tickets are needed to enter the event. Can be bought in person for $16-$18 but are cheaper online.
DogFest
Bring your family and four-legged friends to Reston Town Center Pavilion for a fun-filled day celebrating dogs and the life-changing work of Canine Companions! Enjoy games, activities and plenty of tail-wagging moments while supporting their mission to provide expertly trained service dogs to people with disabilities.
- Date: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 3
- Address: 11900 Market St., Reston, VA
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor
- Crowd level: Small to moderate
- Reservation requirements: Registration is available online.
Taste of the Harvest
Explore DC’s flavor-filled food festival this fall, filled with seasonal dishes and tastings from Black-owned businesses and mom-and-pop shops from around the DC area. End the lovely community event with some live performances and s’mores. You couldn’t ask for a better fall night for your belly.
- Date: 2-8 p.m. Oct. 3
- Address: THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE, Washington, DC
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor setting
- Crowd level: Usually a busy and family-oriented crowd
- Reservation requirements: RSVP is encouraged
Autumn Glory
Take a deep breath of the crisp fall air and watch the colors change with the family this year at the annual Autumn Glory Festival. Travel + Leisure ranked Oakland No. 2 Best Town for Fall Colors in America, so you don’t want to miss this wholesome family getaway.
- Date: Oct. 7-11; parade at 1 p.m. Oct. 10
- Address: Takes place primarily in Oakland, MD, and throughout Garrett County, MD
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor, but the scenery can be seen while driving in your car
- Crowd level: Usually a busy and family-oriented crowd at certain vendor events
- Reservation requirements: Some events may require reservations. Check out the full lineup for more information.
Centreville Day Festival
Centreville Day is packed with family fun, from the rock wall, giant slide, Monkey Bridge and historic train to the Trick-or-Treat Trail and hands-on Eco Expo with bees and worms. Families can enjoy the American Legion Parade, live entertainment, historic buildings and reenactors, plus Pets in the Park.
- Date: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 17
- Address: 5714 Mt. Gilead Road, Centreville, VA
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor
- Crowd level: Medium to large
- Reservation requirements: None
Experience the world in the heart of Downtown Frederick at the World Heritage Festival, a vibrant celebration of cultures, traditions and community. Set along the scenic Carroll Creek Park, this family-friendly festival brings people together through the universal languages of music, dance, food, art and creativity.
- Date: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 10
- Address: Carroll Creek Park, Frederick, MD
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor
- Crowd level: Large
- Reservation requirements: None
Oktoberfest Renaissance Festival
Steins meet swords at this one-of-a-kind mashup of German beer hall tradition and Renaissance revelry. Trade your dirndl for a cloak (or wear both) and enjoy jousting, axe throwing, archery, stein hoisting and a costume contest with cash prizes, all fueled by Oktoberfest brews and hearty German fare. Stick around after 8 p.m. for Shipgarten After Dark with DJ Bianca Diamond.
- Date: 1-6 p.m. Oct. 17
- Address: 7581 Colshire Drive, McLean, VA
- Cost: Free
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor
- Crowd level: Large
- Reservation requirements: None
Asian Night Market
Get ready for a vibrant evening at the DMV Asian Night Market at National Harbor. Enjoy over 70 food and craft vendors, mouthwatering street food and desserts, cultural performances, live entertainment and a lively waterfront atmosphere with the family.
- Date: Noon-8 p.m. Oct. 24
- Address: 137 National Plaza, Oxon Hill, MD
- Cost: Free admission. Charges may apply for food, drinks, desserts and merchandise from vendors.
- Indoor or outdoor setting: Outdoor
- Crowd level: Medium to packed
- Reservation requirements: Reserve a spot on Eventbrite
Sanya Bathia is a recent American University journalism graduate and local writer for Washington Parent, where she covers the people, places and stories that make DMV unique. With experience writing for DC-based news columns, she especially enjoys exploring travel, community events and local culture.
