Fall events in DC
Fall in DC: festivals, Halloween events, Oktoberfests, harvest weekends and outdoor fun across DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Fri, Oct 16 to Sun, Oct 18
Fri, Oct 23 to Sun, Oct 25
Friday evening5pFri SatHalloween on the Farm5:30pA Taste of Gold Cup (Fauquier Free Clinic fundraiser)7pNight of the Living Zoo7pFri SatThe Haunt: Dark Encounters at Workhouse Arts Center7pFri SatFactory of Fear: Outbreak at ARTfactory1 more
Saturday, October 24
9am to 6pm, through Oct 25$12
Butler's OrchardButler's Orchard's 46th Pumpkin Festival brings hayrides, giant slides, a corn maze, barnyard animals, a pumpkin cannon and pick-your-own pumpkins. Book ahead: weekend dates sell out.
10am to 3pmFree
Udvar-Hazy CenterThe Smithsonian's annual Halloween family day at the Udvar-Hazy Center, inside and out. Trick-or-treat stations with candy and snacks, creepy crafts and spooky science experiments, story times and puppet shows, Star Wars character photo ops, and a costume runway fashion show. Free, but timed tickets are required for the outdoor portion (reserve from Oct 1). Parking is $15. Costumes welcome; no masks for ages 16 and up.
10am to 1pmFree
WashingtonAdams Morgan's annual fall favorite pairs an heirloom apple tasting from Licking Creek Bend Farm with a homemade apple pie baking contest judged by local leaders. Pie slices sell to benefit Platform of Hope. Free to attend, right by the Adams Morgan Farmers Market; contest slots filled the same day they opened.
10am
Great MeadowThe 89th International Gold Cup brings steeplechase racing to Great Meadow in The Plains: gates at 10, first race at noon. Between races expect tailgate contests, hat contests and dachshund races in peak foliage.
10am to 7pm, through Oct 25
Revel Grove (Maryland Renaissance Festival)The 50th season of the Renaissance Festival runs weekends at Revel Grove in Crownsville with jousting, 140 craft shops, 40 food stands and 200 performers. Harvest Hollow fall programming; buy tickets ahead since weekends sell out.
11am to 5pm, through Oct 25$20
Burke Lake ParkFairfax County Park Authority's family-friendly Halloween weekend at Burke Lake Park. Come in costume for not-scary themed activity areas, the miniature train ride through the forest, carousel rides, crafts, and mini golf. One admission covers all activities; children under 2 are free with a paying adult. Advance tickets are cheaper than day-of.
2 to 4pm
Dance PlaceDance Place's intergenerational Halloween dance party in Brookland. A live DJ, snacks and party games get kids and grown-ups moving in costume for an afternoon of spooky season dancing. Costumes encouraged.
4:30 to 7:30pm, through Oct 24$12
Frying Pan Farm ParkTrick-or-treat on a working 1920s farm. Costumed kids visit farm animals, make crafts, play games, and tour the decorated farmhouse during one-hour timed sessions. Advance registration required; space is limited and walk-ins are not guaranteed. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.
7 to 10pm$20
Clifton Town ParkThe Clifton Haunted Trail runs one night only, winding a half-mile through the woods of historic Clifton with costumed characters. It nods to the Bunny Man Bridge legend; $20 advance, $25 at the gate.
7 to 10pm, through Oct 24$39
Workhouse Arts CenterThe Workhouse Haunt's 13th-year trail Dark Encounters winds through dark woods on the old Lorton Prison grounds with professional scare actors. Built for adults, ages 13-plus; a sensory-friendly session runs Oct 17, 6 to 7.
7 to 10:30pm, through Oct 24$25
ARTfactoryARTfactory's fifth annual haunt turns four floors of the historic Manassas building into Outbreak, a walk-through of infection and quarantine with live actors. Proceeds support arts programming; not for kids under 14.
7:30 to 11pm, through Oct 24$25
Cox FarmsCox Farms turns scary after dark. More than 20 acres of haunted attractions: the Cornightmare haunted corn maze, the Dark Side Hayride, and The Forest, a half-mile woodland walk. Between scares, the Firegrounds has bonfires, a dance party, karaoke, a six-lane slide, and the Fear Market. Separate ticket from the daytime festival; online only. Not recommended for kids under 12.
All day$15
WashingtonDupont Circle's annual Halloween bar crawl strings together more than ten neighborhood bars with cover-free entry, drink and food specials, a souvenir haunted mug, free event photos and the neighborhood's largest costume contest. 21 and over.
All day, through Oct 24$40
Congressional CemeteryCongressional Cemetery's annual lantern-lit twilight tours return with the 2026 theme Becoming America, marking the nation's 250th anniversary. Costumed interpreters bring the cemetery's residents to life in immersive performances as you walk the grounds after dark. Food truck, live music and drinks on the grounds; costumes encouraged. Rain or shine; times vary by tour date.
All day, through Oct 25$50
Markoff's Haunted Forest at Calleva FarmA mile-long haunted trail plus a haunted town on Calleva Farm, with a bonfire midway and DJ. Try the low-scare Lights On Night on Oct 28; proceeds fund outdoor education.
9am to 5pm, through Oct 31$14
Great Country FarmsGreat Country Farms' fall festival runs daily through Oct 31 with a 15-acre play area, corn maze, giant slides, farm animals and wagon rides to the patch. USA TODAY ranked it a 2026 10Best pumpkin patch.
10am to 6pm, through Nov 1$14.50
Gaver FarmGaver Farm's Fall Fun Fest packs 60-plus attractions into the season: a 7-acre corn maze, pumpkin and apple picking, gem mining, hayrides and a petting zoo. Walk-ups welcome.
9:30am to 6pm, through Nov 8$18.95
Leesburg Animal ParkLeesburg Animal Park's Pumpkin Village spans 20-plus acres of slides, pedal carts, a zip line, wagon rides and animal encounters with camels, zebras and lemurs. Advance tickets required on weekends.
10am to 6pm, through Nov 8$15
Cox FarmsNorthern Virginia's biggest fall farm festival. Giant hillside slides, the Cornundrum corn maze, hayrides, rope swings, Foamhenge, farm animals, goat village, milking demos, live entertainment, and a festival market with cider donuts and fall treats. Timed online tickets sell out on busy days; a kiddie zone serves ages 5 and under.
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