A Complete Autumn Events Guide to the DC/Maryland Area

Updated September 28, 2026

If you are like me, fall is my favorite season so I am always searching for fall-themed things to do. This autumn events guide to the Washington, DC/Maryland area will make that a lot easier. Keep reading for a list of 2025 events and places that I am updating on an ongoing basis. First, I’ll tell you about U.S. Ghost Adventures, which is perfect for the spooky season.

U.S. Ghost Adventures

Wherever you are in the country, a U.S. Ghost Adventures tour is likely nearby. They host ghost tours and pub crawls in over 100 cities, plus offer overnight stays at four of America’s most haunted houses. In the DC and Maryland area, the closest is the Welty House in Gettysburg, PA, now the Brickhouse Inn. Gettysburg is thought to be extremely haunted as a result of the gruesome death and violence that took place during the Battle of Gettysburg, which had the highest number of casualties of any Civil War battle.

Large brick mansion surrounded by bare trees — Welty House/Brickhouse Inn

In and around the DMV area, you can take tours in Washington DC, Maryland (Baltimore, Annapolis, Frederick, Easton, Berlin, Salisbury, and more), Virginia (Alexandria, Richmond, Charlottesville, and more), Pennsylvania (Gettysburg, Philadelphia), and Harpers Ferry in West Virginia.

Man speaking and holding dog on leash with the White House in the background — U.S. Ghost Adventures walking tour in Washington, DC

Most recently, I took the Haunts, Spirits, and Poltergeists Walking Tour in Washington, DC. The tour was led by a local (and his service dog!) who took us to sites like the White House, Decatur House, and the Hay-Adams hotel and told stories of their hauntings. It was an easy walk with a lot of interesting history, both haunted and not.

Along with a U.S. Ghost Adventures tour or overnight stay, here is a complete rundown of autumn events in the DC/Maryland area.

Haunted Houses

AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail in Gambrills, MD (Terror Trail $30, Boo Loop $10)

Bennett’s Curse Haunted House in Dundalk, MD ($35 general admission timed ticket)

CornStalker’s Trail of Terror in Waldorf, MD

Laurel’s House of Horror in Laurel, MD ($30 haunted house general admission, $30 escape rooms)

Leechwoods Haunted Trail…a Horror Experience in Damascus, MD ($40 general admission, including access to Haunted Trail, Horror Hayride, and Clown Carnage trail)

Markoff’s Haunted Forest in Dickerson, MD (starting at $25, Free entry to the Midway area)

The Nevermore Haunt in Baltimore, MD (General admission $24-$34 depending on the day)

Shady Rest Haunt in Flintstone, MD ($22 adult admission)

Park’d N’ Pumpkin: The Nightmare Through the Park: October 16, 2026 from 7-10 pm at Druid Hill Park ($14)

Halloween & Costume Parties

The Black Cat Ball: October 3, 2026 at 7:30 pm at Westminster Hall & Burying Ground, Baltimore

HallowQueen Drag Brunch at King & Rye: October 10, 2026 from 11 am-2 pm in Alexandria, VA (from $17.45)

Haunted House Dance Party: October 31, 2026at 7 pm at Zen West Roadside Cantina, Baltimore ($20 advance tickets, $25 at the door) Includes costume contest and drag show.

Trick or Treat Bar Haunted Halloween Pop-Up (Baltimore and DC): TBA at Cross Street Public House in Baltimore and Fathom Gallery 14th Street in DC

Woman in Beetlejuice Halloween costume of green wig and black and white striped suit — 2024 Yelp Halloween party at Bloom’s in Baltimore

Halloween Nights Fun: October 23-November 1, 2026 at the Mansion on O St. Multiple entry times. ($45.25, add-ons available)

Blade Rave: October 23, 2026 at 9 pm at Nevermore Hall, Baltimore ($32 general admission)

Halloween Baltimore 2026: October 24, 2026 from 7 or 8 pm-1 am at the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore ($55 general admission 8 pm entry, $120 VIP 7 pm entry)

Fright Night Massive-Zero Hour: October 24, 2026 at 6 pm at Power Plant Live, Baltimore (starting at $63.42)

Halloween Rally in the Alley – Glow Edition: October 29, 2026 at 10 pm at Power Plant Live, Baltimore ($62.81 general admission)

The Haunted Ballroom – Halloween Night: October 31, 2026 from 9 pm-2 am at Clarendon Ballroom, VA (from $15.71 early bird pricing)

Bmore Horror Presents Halloween Costume & Dance Party: October 31, 2026 from 6-10 pm at Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore (Free)

Baltimore Bike Party Halloween Ride & Afterparty: TBA (Free)

Power Plant Live’s Heroes vs Villains Halloween Party: October 31, 2026 at 8 pm at six themed parties across Baltimore ($21.18 early bird general admission)

Halloween Bar Crawls

Boos & Bites: Bar Crawl & Scavenger Hunt: October 15, 2026 from 5-9 pm in Baltimore to fund abortion access (Free admission)

The Premier Halloween Bar Crawl: October 23, 2026 at 5 pm starting at Power Plant Live! in Baltimore (From $18.90)

DC Halloween Crawl: October 24, 2026 from 2-10 pm in Dupont Circle, DC ($15 early bird, $40 day-of)

Boos Fest Halloween Bar Crawl: October 24, 2026 at 6 pm starting at Public Bar Live, DC ($23.99 general admission)

Halloween Bar Crawl- Washington DC: October 30, 2026 from 4-10 pm ($15 advance tickets, $40 at the door) Includes after party from 10 pm-12 am.

Alexandria Halloween Bar Crawl: October 31 & 31, 2026 from 4 pm-12 am (from $12.78)

Official Halloween Bar Crawl 2026: October 31, 2026 from 3-10 pm starting at Hard Rock Cafe DC (from $13.08)

Nightmare on Wilson Blvd – Clarendon Halloween Bar Crawl: October 31, 2026 from 3-9 pm in Arlington, VA (from $7.18 early bird pricing)

Farms and Pumpkin Picking

Baugher’s Orchards and Farms: Westminster, MD

Brookfield Pumpkins: October 1-October 31, 2026 in Frederick, MD (Free admission)

Buppert’s/ Doran’s Chance Farm: Marriottsville, MD

Butler’s Orchard 46th Annual Pumpkin Festival: September 19-November 1, 2026, Wednesdays-Sundays plus Columbus Day, Germantown, MD

Plastic cup of a frosted apple cider drink with an apple cider doughnut on top — Apple cider doughnut and frosted apple cider at Weber’s Cider Mill Farm in Parkville, MD

Fall Festival Days at Chapel Hills Farm and Nursery: Weekends September 19-November 1, 2026 in Perry Hall, MD

Clark’s Elioak Farm: September 19-November 8, 2026 in Ellicott City, MD ($8 weekdays, $13 weekends, add-ons available)

Gaver Farm Fall Fun Fest: September 4-November 1, 2026 from 10 am-6 pm daily in Mount Airy, MD

Knightongale Farm: September 26-October 25, 2026 from 10 am-5 pm weekends only in Harwood, MD ($13.95 online, $15.95 at the gate)

Maryland Corn Maze: September 12-November 8, 2026 in Gambrills, MD ($17.95 online)

Fall Festival 2025 at Montpelier Farms: September 12-November 8, 2026 in Upper Marlboro, MD (starting at $19.95 general admission)

Rock Hill Orchard: Mount Airy, MD

Summers Farm Fall Festival: September 26-November 1, 2026 in Middletown, MD ($15.95 weekdays, $19.95 weekends)

Weber’s Cider Mill Farm Fall Harvest Days: September 14-November 8, 2026 in Parkville, MD ($15 festival weekends, $12 festival weekdays, market is always open at no cost)

Wildberry Farm + Market’s Fall Field Market: Saturdays from September 6, 2026 from 9 am-12 pm in Crownsville, MD (Free admission)

Fall Leaf Peeping

Shenandoah National Park: Only about an hour and a half drive from Washington, DC, the Shenandoah’s over 200,000 acres of land is the ideal place to experience fall.

Great Falls Park: This park in Maryland and Virginia offers hiking trails of different difficulty levels and scenic overlooks of Great Falls where you can appreciate the fall scenery.

C&O Canal National Historical Park: Biking or walking along the C&O Canal is an easy way to view the fall leaves.

U.S. National Arboretum: If you want to enjoy the fall colors within the city, check out the Arboretum for a picnic or leisurely walk.

Rock Creek Park: This urban oasis in DC offers a break from city life and a great way for locals to be immersed in the beauty of autumn.

Woman in park with autumn trees and orange leaves in the background — Federal Hill Park, Baltimore

Seneca Creek State Park: At this park in Gaithersburg, Maryland, you can look at the colorful leaves from hiking paths, or on a canoe or kayak.

Catoctin Mountain Park: A short drive from the city in Thurmont, Maryland, is Catoctin Mountain Park, a part of the Appalachian Mountains System.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: Harpers Ferry, known for its Civil War history, is also a great place to view the fall colors of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Federal Hill Park: Baltimore’s Federal Hill Park has not only one of the best views of the city, but also beautiful fall leaves.

Festivals & Markets

Towson Fall Festival: September 5, 2026 from 11:30 am-7 pm in Downtown Towson (Free)

Mosaic Fall Festival: September 26-27, 2026 from 11 am-6 pm at Mosaic District, Fairfax VA

Bmore Horror Presents Beers & Fears Halloween Market: October 4, 2026 from 4-8 pm at Peabody Heights Brewery

PIKEtoberfest: October 4, 2026 from 11 am-4 pm at Pike & Rose, Bethesda MD (Free)

Harvest Festival: October 3, 2026 from 11 am-4 pm in Derwood, MD ($20 per car)

DC WitchFest 2026: October 10, 2026 from 11 am-4 pm at The Coupe, DC (Free entry)

Harvest Fest at Chevy Chase Lake: October 10, 2026 from 2-5 pm in Chevy Chase, MD (Free)

Ethiopian Fall Festival: October 11, 2026 from 1-7 pm in Alexandria, VA ($10)

Garden Glow at LaDew Topiary Gardens: October 14-17, 2026 from 5-9 pm in Monkton, MD (Sold out for 2026)

Makers Valley Fall Festival: October 17, 2026 from 11 am-6 pm at Boordy Vineyards, MD ($10 car pass)

The Great Halloween Lantern Parade: October 24, 2026 from 4-9 pm in Patterson Park, Baltimore (Free)

Woodbridge/ Stonebridge Fall-O-Ween: October 24, 2026 from 11 am-4 pm at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center, VA (Free)

Silver Spring Fall-O-Ween @ Veterans Plaza: October 25, 2026 from 12-5 pm at Veterans Plaza (Free)

Alexandria Fall-O-Ween: October 31, 2026 from 11 am-5 pm at John Carlyle Square, VA (Free)

Oktoberfest Events

11th Annual Oktoberfest at Wunder Garten: September 18-October 11, 2026 at Wunder Garten DC (Free entry)

Oktoberfest at The Wharf: October 3, 2026 from 2-6 pm at The Wharf DC

Das Best Oktoberfest: October 10, 2026 from 12-5 pm at the Maryland State Fairgrounds ($51.30 general admission 1 pm entry, $85.50 VIP admission 12 pm entry, add-ons available)

Oktoberfest at Yuma: October 3, 2026 from 3-5 pm at the Yuma Center, DC ($40)

Mobtoberfest: October 3, 2026 from 12-8 pm at Mobtown Brewing Company, Baltimore

Oktoberfest at The Worthington: October 3, 2026 from 1-8 pm in Baltimore

Events for Kids

Zoo BOO!: October 2-31, 2026 from 10 am-4 pm at The Maryland Zoo (Free with zoo admission)

Spooky Science: October 10, 2026 from 12-4 pm at the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore (Free with museum admission)

Trick or Treat at Tudor Place: October 31, 2026 from 10 am-12 pm at Tudor Place ($15 child members, $20 child non-members, $10 accompanying adults)

SPOOKTACULAR on Van Ness Main Street: October 25, 2026 from 10 am-12 pm at Forest Hills Playground and Trick or Treating along Connecticut Ave from 12:30-2 pm (Free)

Halloween Toddler Time: October 29, 2026 at 10 am at the B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore (Free with museum admission)

Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon: October 31, 2026 from 2-5 pm ($30 adults, $26-$30 for guests collecting candy)

Food, Drink, Art, & History Events

Alexandria Historic Cemetery Complex- 13 Cemeteries Walking Tour: September 25-December 12, 2026 from 1-2:30 pm weekly on Fridays and Saturdays (from $30)

Profs & Pints Baltimore ($14.77 online, $17 at the door)

A Guide to Witches: October 4, 2026 from 5-7:30 pm at Guilford Hall Brewery
The Power of Folk Horror: October 6, 2026 from 6-8:30 at Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Halethorpe
It Came From Within: October 8, 2026 from 6-8:30 pm at Heavy Seas Beer, Halethorpe
The Macabre Poe: October 11, 2026 from 4-6:30 pm at Guilford Hall Brewery
Witches of Antiquity: October 14, 2026 from 6-8:30 pm at Guilford Hall Brewery
Haunted Landscapes of Middle Earth: October 18, 2026 from 5-7:30 pm at Guilford Hall Brewery
What Drove Witch Hunts: October 22, 2026 from 6-8:30 pm at Section 771
The Life of Frankenstein: October 27, 2026 from 6-8:30 pm at Section 771
The Haunted House: October 28, 2026 from 6-8:30 pm at Guilford Hall Brewery

George Washington’s Mount Vernon- Fall Wine Festival: October 9-11, 2026 from 6-9 pm at Mount Vernon, VA (starting at $51 for general public, $40 for members)

Haunted Lantern Tour: October 30 & 31, 2026 at 7 pm and 8 pm at the Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, Alexandria VA ($20)