Autumn is here, and Northern Virginia is bursting with festivals, pumpkin patches and light displays! Below is a round‑up of fun events throughout Loudoun County and nearby. Grab your calendar, there’s plenty to see and do.
🎃 Pumpkin Patches & Farm Festivals
- Temple Hall Farm Pumpkin Patch & Sunflower Fields (Sept 27 – Nov 2) – Leesburg’s Temple Hall Farm hosts an enormous fall celebration, offering pick‑your‑own pumpkins and sunflowers, wagon rides around the farm, visits with cows, goats and other animals, and family attractions like inflatable jumping pillows, hill slides, roping practice and a corn‑kernel “sand” box. Every paid admission includes a pumpkin and sunflowers, and the farm is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last tickets sold at 4 p.m.). Weekends offer extra fun such as pumpkin cannons, a food‑truck court and local beer tastings at the Barnhouse Brewery.
- Great Country Farms Pumpkin Harvest Festival (Sept 19 – Oct 31) – In Bluemont, Great Country Farms’ fall festival is a full‑day adventure. Families can pick pumpkins right from the vine, wander through a huge corn maze and explore a 15‑acre farm play area. Activities range from rope swings and 80‑foot slides to giant jumping pillows and visits with farm animals. On select days, look for special appearances by P‑Rex the Pumpkin‑Eating Dino and weekend extras such as pumpkin cannons and a cow train.
- Pumpkin Village at Leesburg Animal Park (Sept 21 – Nov 5) – Leesburg’s Pumpkin Village Fall Festival boasts more than 20 acres of fall fun. It’s packed with high‑energy activities like giant hill slides, pedal carts and a zip line, plus plenty of climb‑and‑play structures and lawn games. The park’s resident camels, zebras, lemurs and other animals are always excited to greet visitors, and there are pony rides!
- Cox Farm Sept and Oct: 10 am - 6 pm, Nov: 10 am - 5 pm , Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday - Giant slides, world-famous hayrides, rope swings, farm animals & their babies, CORNundrum© Cornfield adventure, farm chores, kiddie zone, local apples & fresh cider, food, entertainment, Imaginature Trail, over 90 acres of fun!
🍻 Festivals & Community Celebrations
- BRAMtoberfest 2025 (Oct 4) – Brambleton Town Center goes full Bavarian with BRAMtoberfest, a family‑friendly Oktoberfest from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing and Bear Chase Brewery host a beer garden, and VIP ticket‑holders can enjoy early tastings and exclusive seating.
- Independence High School Homecoming Parade & FriDaze on the Plaza (Oct 10) – Nothing says fall like a hometown parade. Independence High School’s parade includes face painting and a DJ starting at 4 p.m., with the marching band stepping off at 5 p.m. Afterward, Brambleton Town Center hosts its final “FriDaze on the Plaza” of the season with live music, food and games.
- City of Fairfax Fall Festival (Oct 11) – Just east of Loudoun in Old Town Fairfax, this enormous fall festival. On October 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., more than 400 art and craft vendors fill the streets. Visitors can enjoy three stages of live entertainment, beer gardens and a dedicated children’s area with rides, games, a petting zoo and Fairfax’s “Musical Cakes” contest
- Clifton Day Festival (Oct 12) – Celebrating its 57th year, the Clifton Day Festival turns the tiny town of Clifton into a bustling marketplace lined with about 150 artisans and vendors selling everything from baked goods and gourmet cheeses to pottery, jewelry and toys.
- Brambleton Trick‑or‑Treat (Oct 26) – A few days before Halloween, Brambleton Town Center hosts a family‑friendly trick‑or‑treat event from noon to 2 p.m. Kids can collect candy from participating shops and restaurants, show off creative costumes and enjoy possible surprise character appearances
brambleton.com
🌙 Holiday Light Shows
Winter Walk of Lights (Nov 7 – Jan 4) – Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna transforms its half‑mile garden trail into an elegant display of sparkling lights. The Winter Walk of Lights is open nightly from November 7 to January 4. Operating hours are 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. through December 4; 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. from December 5–31; and 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. January 1–4
Bull Run Festival of Lights (Nov 14 – Jan 4) – If you prefer to stay warm in your car, the Bull Run Festival of Lights at Bull Run Regional Park offers a 2.5‑mile drive‑through experience. Beginning November 14 and running through January 4 (weather permitting), guests can turn off their headlights and follow the illuminated route. A carnival with holiday shopping, a petting zoo and other festivities awaits at the end of the drive
Whether you’re carving pumpkins on a historic farm, raising a stein at BRAMtoberfest or cruising through millions of holiday lights, there’s no shortage of seasonal fun. These events aren’t just entertainment; they’re community touch points that strengthen local culture and make our region feel like home. If you’re buying or selling in the area and want insights into how lifestyle amenities like festivals and parks impact neighborhood appeal, I’m always available to chat—and maybe share a pumpkin‑spice doughnut while we’re at it!
