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Best of October: Halloween Events, Fall Festivals, and More Things To Do in DC with Kids

May the best pumpkin win at the Pumpkin Race & Fall Festival. Photo courtesy of the Montgomery Village Foundation
May the best pumpkin win at the Pumpkin Race & Fall Festival. Photo courtesy of the Montgomery Village Foundation
9/30/22 - By Jennifer Swope

Time for all things pumpkins, apples, and ghosts! October is packing a spooky punch in DC with the return of Boo at the Zoo and Air & Scare, lots of Halloween events, and many other fun things to in DC with kids. There are also tons of fall festivals happening, including Old Bowie Celebrates! and the Turkish Festival.

If live theater excites your family, two shows are coming to Imagination Stage this month: In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson and S.P.I.E.S. 2: Flight of the Hawk. Looking for a chance to get into the Halloween spirit early? Watch Ghostbusters at Lincoln's Cottage.

Find more October fun in our fall bucket list for DC kids, our list of great places to go apple picking near DC, and our roundup of the best pumpkin patches near DC for kids and families.

We’re adding more events to our family activity calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently.

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The City of Fall Festival has lots of activities for kids. Photo courtesy of the City of Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fall Festival has lots of activities for kids. Photo courtesy of the City of Fairfax, Virginia

Top Things To Do in Washington, DC in October

Open Streets: Wisconsin Ave

Washington, DC - FREE
Saturday, October 1, 2022
One mile of Wisconsin Avenue will close to cars and open the street for people to walk, bike, scoot, and play. Come discover what makes Tenleytown and Friendship Heights so special! READ MORE

Old Bowie Celebrates! Festival

Bowie, MD - FREE
Saturday, October 1, 2022
The Old Bowie Celebrates! Festival features live music and dance, food vendors with local and global cuisines, arts and crafts, and much more. Children can explore cultures through activities, earning stamps in their festival passports. READ MORE

Takoma Park Street Festival

Takoma Park, MD - FREE
Sunday, October 23, 2022
Enjoy over 150 vendors, live music from 18 local bands, food trucks, and more fun activities at this popular street festival. READ MORE

Pumpkin Race & Fall Festival

Montgomery Village, MD - FREE
Saturday, October 8, 2022
Face off or watch as decorated pumpkins on wheels go head to head in this crazy pumpkin race! There are awards for best decoration and most innovative design, best themed pumpkin racer and driver duo, and other fun categories. Attendees can also enjoy live music, food, and lots of children's activities. READ MORE

City of Fairfax Fall Festival

Fairfax, VA - FREE
Saturday, October 8, 2022
Fairfax's fall festival features more than 400 arts, crafts, and food vendors, as well as children's activities and three stages with music and entertainment.  READ MORE

Farm Day in Cherry Hill Park

Falls Church, VA - FREE
Saturday, October 8, 2022
Farm Day in Cherry Hill Park has fall-themed family activities including a petting farm, pony rides, pumpkin painting, scarecrow making (bring your own long pants and a sleeved shirt), live music, tours of the Cherry Hill Farmhouse and barn, blacksmith demonstrations, and more. READ MORE

Touch a Truck

McLean, VA - FREE
Monday, October 10, 2022
For children who love vehicles, visit Touch a Truck! This free event allows kids to touch, sit in, and explore some of their favorite cars and trucks. READ MORE

Wharf It Up: Five-Year Anniversary Celebration

Washington, DC - FREE
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Celebrate the 5th anniversary of The Wharf’s grand opening with live music and pop-up entertainment along Wharf Street, specials at local restaurants and retailers, and a fireworks finale over the Washington Channel. READ MORE

Movie Night at Lincoln's Cottage

Washington, DC - FREE
Friday, October 14, 2022
Watch a movie on the lawn of President Lincoln's summer cottage while sharing a picnic and spending time with family and friends. Screenings begin at 7pm. Free spaces may be reserved online. READ MORE

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

Bethesda, MD
Saturday, October 15, 2022 - Saturday, October 22, 2022
Adapted from the award-winning novel, this play tells the touching story of a young Chinese American girl and her family moving from China to the United States in 1947. READ MORE

Turkish Festival

Washington, DC - FREE
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Celebrate the Turkish Festival with Turkish foods, live music, folk dancing, arts and crafts, and kids' games.  READ MORE

Mount Vernon Fall Harvest Festival

Mount Vernon, VA
Saturday & Sunday, October 22 & 23, 2022
Visitors meet George Washington and celebrate fall with 18th-century activities and demonstrations like candle making, cooking, horseshoeing, and textile production. READ MORE

Finding Rhythm: Grow Your Brain with Go-go Music

Washington, DC
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Kids will have fun singing and dancing to Go-go music as they learn about the origins of human rhythm, how rhythm grows the brain, and where children find the source of their own power and connection. Created by neuroscientist Dr. Jessica Phillips-Silver, this show is a journey through the musical brain. READ MORE

S.P.I.E.S. 2: Flight of the Hawk

Bethesda, MD
Saturday, October 29, 2022 - Saturday, November 19, 2022
Join S.P.I.E.S. in person, where it is more interactive than ever! This follow-up to the online hit S.P.I.E.S. & the Lost Treasure of Atlantis combines live theatre and taped adventure scenes to create a collaborative and exciting experience where each audience gets to be the hero and solve the puzzles–and no two performances are alike. READ MORE
Even the animals get into the Halloween spirit at Boo at the Zoo. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Even the animals get into the Halloween spirit at Boo at the Zoo. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Halloween Events & Halloween Weekend in Washington, DC

Del Ray Halloween Parade

Alexandria, VA - FREE
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Del Ray’s annual Halloween Parade starts at Mount Vernon Avenue, south of E. Bellefonte, and continues down to the Mount Vernon Recreation Center play fields. Costumed kids, pets, and strollers can march in the parade. Awards will be given for Best Pet Costume, Best Decorated Business, Best Decorated Home, and Best Decorated Stroller. READ MORE

FCPD & Friends Trunk-or-Treat

Fairfax, VA - FREE
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
The Fairfax County Police Department, along with local businesses and organizations, will host a free trunk-or-treat for kids. READ MORE

The Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival

Baltimore, MD - FREE
Saturday, October 22, 2022
At the Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival, attendees can make their own lanterns, enjoy delicious food, dance, and visit the Artist Market. There will also be a costume contest for kids. The parade will include illuminated floats, stilt walkers, marching bands, and more. READ MORE

Town of Vienna Annual Halloween Parade

Vienna, VA - FREE
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Hosted by the Town of Vienna and the Vienna Business Association, this annual Halloween parade gets everyone in the spooky spirit. The theme for 2022 is "Time Machine: Vienna in the Past, Present, and Future."  READ MORE

Hilloween 2022

Washington, DC - FREE
Friday, October 28, 2022
This family Halloween festival at Eastern Market is is an opportunity to gather as a community and make festive memories with friends and neighbors. There will be trick-or-treating, face painting, games, pumpkin decorating, a photo booth, refreshments, and more. Costumes are encouraged. READ MORE

ZooBOOO!

Baltimore, MD
Saturday, October 29, 2022 - Sunday, October 30, 2022
The Maryland Zoo will have lots of trick-or-treat stations throughout at its 39th annual ZooBOOO! Kids can wear costumes, collect candy, and visit the animals. There will also be games, prizes, contests, and live entertainment. READ MORE

Boo at the Zoo

Washington, DC
Friday, October 28, 2022 - Sunday, October 30, 2022
Boo at the Zoo returns this year! Kids will delight in dressing up and trick-or-treating at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, while viewing animals at the Elephant Community Center, Small Mammal House, Reptile Discovery Center, Great Ape House, and Think Tank.  READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat at Tudor Place

Georgetown, DC
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Wear a Halloween costume and search for treats (not tricks) in every corner of Tudor Place's North Garden. Enjoy crafts, activities, and period games. READ MORE

Air & Scare

Chantilly, VA - FREE
Saturday, October 29, 2022
See the spooky side of air and space at the Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. At this popular event, kids can enjoy trick-or-treating, creepy crafts, spooky science experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities. READ MORE
Try to pick the biggest pumpkin at Butler's Orchard. Photo courtesy of Butler's Orchard
Try to pick the biggest pumpkin at Butler's Orchard. Photo courtesy of Butler's Orchard

More Fun Things to Do in Washington, DC in October

Best Corn Mazes Near DC for Kids and Families

Wind your way through one of these awesome DC-area corn mazes this fall. READ MORE

10 Fall Train Rides for Washington, DC Families

All aboard! These fall train rides are the perfect way to enjoy the colorful foliage near Washington, DC. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Wisconsin Ave. between Tenley Circle and Western Ave.
Chestnut Ave. & 9th St.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Tudor Place Historic House & Garden