A Guide to local family fun. Fall Festivals and Halloween Happenings including OktoberFests, Trick-and-treat, Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes & more. Enjoy your Autumn Outings!
Due to Covid, please check individual websites for the latest updates.
1 THURSDAY
- Fall Story Walk. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Ages 2-6. Have some fall seasonal fun throughout the gardens while walking and reading at the same time! Practicing safe distance protocols, it’s perfect for a relaxing, but engaging walk with young children. Your self-guided, approximate half-mile walk will lead you on a loop walk through the Gude Garden. Find the story-page, stop, read along with your child and complete the suggested activity. While enjoying the beauty of the new season, discover the connection between books, nature and outdoor fun. Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/fall-story-walk/
2 FRIDAY
- Fall Fireworks Display. 8-8:30 p.m. Join us near the Brunswick Middle School Complex for our Fall Fireworks display! Rain Date: 10/03/2020. City of Brunswick, Brunswick, MD. facebook.com/events/246518403307392
3 SATURDAY
- Alex on the Rails: Oktoberfest at the B & O. 3-8 p.m. Autumn is upon us, and we’re bringing you the opportunity to enjoy the fall tradition of Oktoberfest right here at the B&O! Join us for a beer garden experience under the B&O’s spacious outdoor pavilion, where you’ll enjoy a swath of premium Oktoberfest beers from a selection of breweries served by our friends at The Back Yard Restaurant & Bar, as well as pretzels & sausages from Dough Boy Fresh Pretzel Co., and live music from guitarist Brendan Pelan – all at a safe social distance and in the midst of the B&O’s historic locomotives and rail cars! Plus, enjoy live coverage of the Preakness on our 12-foot outdoor projector screen. borail.org/October.aspx
- Fall Family Scavenger Hunt. 10-12 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Come by the Nature Classroom to pick up a scavenger hunt sheet and head outside to look for signs of fall! No registration required – Drop in anytime during program hours. Maydale Nature Classroom, Colesville, MD. montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/maydale-conservation-park/maydale-nature-classroom/
- 2020 Harvest Festival. 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Experience Montgomery County’s farming and cultural history during the 29th Annual Harvest Festival at the Agricultural History Farm Park! Interact with living historians in historic costumes; participate in hands-on farm skills activities such as tin-smithing, carpentry, whitewashing, and spinning; paint pumpkins and build scarecrows; enjoy traditional music, photography, and storytelling; experience farm equipment exhibitions and demonstrations; meet heritage farm animals; and partake of food, crafters, hayrides, and tours of the historic Magruder-Bussard Farmstead. Montgomery Parks’ Agricultural History Farm Park, Derwood, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/harvest-festival/
- Festive Fall Wreath Workshop. 1-3 p.m. Invite your girlfriends, mothers, sisters or daughters and join us at the farm for a socially distant Intimate Festive Fall Wreath Workshop!! We will be set up outdoors at Wildberry Farm under the shade of mature trees. Meg, from *Something’s Blooming Annapolis, “will lead a 90-minute workshop that will take us through selection and creation of a beautiful 16” fall grapevine wreath. Using fresh magnolia, eucalyptus, berries, and wheat grasses, this fabulous wreath will last all season long. Wildberry Farm + Market, Crownsville, MD. eventbrite.com/e/festive-fall-wreaths-at-wildberry-farm-market-tickets-119749870085
10 SATURDAY
- Fall Farm Fest. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Fall Fun. Food. Flea Market. Join us in celebrating fall, shop for Vintage Finds in our Barn then explore Local Artisans and Vendors in our one day Flea Market. Refabuluz Vintiques, Westminster, MD. facebook.com/events/1211699902533735
11 SUNDAY
- Take & Make It: Autumn Leaves. 12-1:30 p.m. A new twist on an old favorite! Come by the Visitor Center to pick up a craft kit to work on at home. Today is all about Autumn leaves! Kits will have most of the supplies needed and instructions to make a craft at home. Stop by anytime during program hours to pick up your craft kit. Black Hill Nature Programs, Boyds, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/take-make-it-autumn-leaves/
- Hike & Seek: Haunted Forest. 2-5 p.m. Spooky objects and strange creatures have been spotted in the forest. Find all the skulls or you may not get out of the woods alive! Looking for a little adventure? Follow the clues and work together with your family to solve a new nature-themed puzzle each month in Hike & Seek. This outdoor-only program follows all best practices for social distancing. To help us space traffic on the trails, please register for a time slot using the SubActivity feature. Register by Friday, October 9 to schedule your time slot and to receive a prize for completing the hunt. We cannot accept drop-ins on the day of the program. Natural surface trails are not stroller accessible. Severe weather cancels the program. Locust Grove Nature Center, Bethesda, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/hike-seek-haunted-forest-2/
16 FRIDAY
- Farm Park After Dark. 7-9 p.m. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED; NO WALK-INS. What better way to experience fall on the Farm than to sit by a campfire, listen to stories of ghosts, legends, and history, and explore the landscape that comes alive as the sun goes down? This special time is appropriate for children of all ages, though things MAY get a bit spooky, at times! 20 person maximum. Agricultural History Farm Park, Derwood, MD.montgomeryparks.org/events/farm-park-after-dark-2/
17 SATURDAY
- Campfires at Black Hill. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Ages 1 and up. There’s nothing like sitting around a campfire under the stars! Join a naturalist for themed songs, stories, games, and of course, s’mores around the fire. Meet at the campfire area by Shelter F on Parking Lot 3 in Black Hill Regional Park. Bring a blanket if it’s chilly. Black Hill Nature Programs, Boyds, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/campfires-at-black-hill-10/
24 SATURDAY
- Spooky Skull Hike. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Can you find the animal skulls hidden in the woods? On this self-guided hike, you’ll walk a short loop in search of skulls and use clues to identify what animal they are from! Stop by the Nature Classroom during program hours to pick up a clue sheet before heading on your way. Maydale Nature Classroom, Colesville, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/spooky-skull-hike-2/
- Spooky Saturday Drive-Thru Halloween Event. 4-7 p.m. Join us for a FREE Drive-Thru Trick-or-Treat Event, historically known as Spooky Saturday! Drive-Thru Trick-or-Treat, Drive-Thru Crafts, and Drive-Thru Games (Located at 11 Longwell Avenue, around City Park, follow signage). Costumes are encouraged! Also, decorate your car to fit the Halloween Theme for a chance to win a family PRIZE! Westminster, MD. facebook.com/events/807188096757761/
25 SUNDAY
- FALL FEST – Campfire Tales. 2:30-3 p.m. Warm your hands ’round the campfire and listen to stories from the past. Our Harper Cabin docents will share stories and fascinating facts about the Harper Family and about life during the Post-Emancipation era in Maryland. Rain cancels the program. Registration is required for this free program and is limited to 8 people. Brookside Nature Center, Wheaton, MD. montgomeryparks.org/events/campfire-tales-8/
26 MONDAY
- Drive Through Trick-or-Treat – Frederick. 5-9 p.m. A safe, fun trick-or-treat event! Grab the family and take a drive through the Frederick Fairgrounds and visit our vendors who will be handing out treats to the kids. Rain or shine. Frederick Fairgrounds, Frederick, MD. facebook.com/events/1242223676127008
30 FRIDAY
- Spooktacular. 6:30-8 p.m. Ages 3-8. Enjoy ghoulish games, a spooky craft and a children’s magic show. Fee covers all activities, magic show, and a treat bag. Get more boo for your buck and register early; parents must accompany children at the event. Games and crafts will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m., show will be from 7:30-8:00 p.m. Herndon Community Center, Herndon, VA. herndon-va.gov/recreation/special-events/spooktacular
31 SATURDAY
- Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon. 3:30-6:30 p.m. Celebrate Halloween with 18th-century entertainment and activities. Guests receive a take-home craft and a bag of candy. Safety measures are in place. George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Washington, DC. washington.org/event/trick-or-treating-mount-vernon?cid=3090
ONGOING
- October 1-31: Fall Festival. Summers Farm is the place to go for family fun in the Fall! With more than 45 activities, there is something for folks of all ages. Take a scenic wagon ride to our pick-your-own pumpkin patch, slide down the giant slide, jump on the jumping pillow, visit with our animals in the barnyard and so much more! Spend the day creating memories with friends and family. For a unique experience, visit the farm on Friday or Saturday nights and make your way through our 12-acre corn maze by flashlight. Children age 2 and under are free. Last wagon ride to the pumpkin patch is 6 p.m. everyday! Pumpkins are sold separately by the pound! Summers Farm, Frederick, MD. summersfarm.com
- October 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30 & 31: Pumpkin Patch – Corn Maze – Hello Fall at Local Homestead Products. Local Homestead Products, LLC is a small farm in New Windsor, MD! For the month of October the farm welcomes visitors for their annual Benefit Corn Maze and Pick your Own Pumpkin Patch! We have expanded our playground area to properly social distance for the fall – our playground area is completely FREE!!! Admission charges apply to the pumpkin patch and corn maze only! Click interested or go to this event to stay up to date with all field hours and availability! Local Homestead Products, Windsor, MD. facebook.com/events/644379499809048
- October 3-31: Round Hill Farm. Weekdays, 3:30-6 p.m.; Weekends, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pumpkin patch, hayrides, hay bale & corn mazes, farm animals and much more! Visit our website for details. Round Hill Farm, Culpepper, VA. round-hill-farm.com
- October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 & 31: Fall Festival. We are a 4th generation family farm that has been offering a fall festival for over 20 years! There is something fun for all ages at our farm with over 25 activities to enjoy. We have 9 acres of 20+ different varieties and colors of U-Pick Pumpkins, free Hay rides, Maryland’s Largest Corn Maze, an interactive farm animal area, a Pumpkin Jump Pillow, Mini Beeline Ziplines, Round Bale Rollers, Giant Corn box, Apple Cannons & much more! Winterbrook Farms, Thurmont, MD. winterbrookfarms.com/event/fall-festival-3/
- October 24-25: Boo at the Zoo. 4:30-9:30 p.m. Start your engines and prepare for some spooky fun at Boo Drive Thru, sponsored by Mars Wrigley, a special edition of the beloved children’s trick-or-treating event. National Zoo, Washington, D.C. nationalzoo.si.edu/events/boo-zoo
- October 3-31: Six Flags HALLOWFEST, Presented by Snickers. 1-9 p.m. Celebration of Fall Fun and Frights. Six Flags America is leading the way and providing a safe environment for the All-new HALLOWFEST, presented by SNICKERS®. Make your reservations now as slots are expected to fill up quickly! Six Flags America, Upper Marlboro, MD. sixflags.com/america/special-events/hallowfest
- Through October 31: Messick’s Farm Market. Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. 7 p.m. Our Farm Market combines the best of what our farm harvests and what our community partners produce. Offering you the freshest, just-picked fruits and vegetables, including those you pick yourself. Our market offers the best local meat, dairy, spice, honey, jam and coffee products. We make our own homemade frozen custard and serve it at our custard window. Now offering our very own Strawberry Wine, each bottle with 1lb of Messick’s strawberries. Bealeton, VA. messicksfarmmarket.com
- Through November 8: Clark Elioak Farm Pumpkin Patch & Petting Zoo. Open till 6 p.m. on weekdays. Get outside and enjoy our wide open spaces. Let the kids run around, pick a pumpkin, visit our friendly farm and take a ride or just play outside for a while. Food available on the weekend. Please visit website for reservations to guarantee a time. Tickets. Clark Elioak Farm, Clarksburg, MD, clarklandfarm.com
