FRIDAY
2
OCTOBER
17 Best Pumpkin Patches Near Washington, DC
Fall around Washington means a drive, and the honest question is how far. This guide compares every pumpkin patch and fall farm worth the trip — a weekday-only urban farm in Arlington, the close-in Northern Virginia festivals in Centreville, Herndon and Burke, the bigger farm days out toward Loudoun and Frederick County, Montgomery County's Butler's Orchard, and the one free pumpkin patch we could verify inside the District itself. Each entry says what a ticket actually buys (some include a pumpkin, some charge by the pound), which farms have posted 2026 dates and which haven't yet, and how long the drive really is.
17 spots · Updated September 30, 2026 · verified links, refreshed weekly
In the District
1 spot
NoMa PumpkinPaloozaVisit official site →
The only pumpkin patch inside the District with an official source behind it, in a park one block from Metro.
Dates
- Oct 28
- Ran 4–8pm in 2025
Tickets
Free to attend, and the pumpkins are free too.
Know before you go
- Confirm with the BID before you build an evening around it
Close-in Northern Virginia
5 spots
Area 2 FarmsVisit official site →
The closest patch to DC in this guide by far: a small urban farm in south Arlington selling pumpkins it grew itself.
Dates
- Sept 25 – Oct 31, 2026
- Monday–Friday 9am–5pm
- Closed Saturdays and Sundays
Tickets
Free to visit, and walk-ins can buy pumpkins without pre-ordering. Pumpkin bundles can also be pre-ordered online for pickup.
Know before you go
- Pets and strollers are welcome, but there are a few steps at the entrance
- Street parking nearby, or the dog park lot at the end of the block
Burke Nursery Pumpkin PlaygroundVisit official site →
A garden-center patch rather than a farm drive — genuinely close in for Fairfax and Alexandria families, with an antique-shop section new this year.
Dates
- Fall Farm Market & Pumpkin Patch Sept 18 – Oct 31, 2026
- Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 9am–6pm
- Pony rides Saturdays and Sundays from October
Cox Farms Fall FestivalVisit official site →
The region's flagship fall festival, and the one that includes a pumpkin in the ticket. Note the domain: coxfarmsva.com.
Dates
- Sept 19 – Nov 8, 2026
- Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Tickets
Date-tiered admission, $15–$30 per person, with everyone two and up paying the same price. Sold online only, and busy dates sell out.
Know before you go
- Parking is free
- Pets aren't permitted, service animals are
Frying Pan Farm ParkVisit official site →
The closest-in free option, and the one to know if you don't want to pay for a farm day. It is a working farm park, not a pick-your-own pumpkin field.
Dates
- Kidwell Farm open year-round
- Farm Harvest Fest & Carnival Oct 16–18, 2026
Tickets
General admission to Kidwell Farm is free. The October carnival charges $10 for parking and $23.25 for a ride wristband presale through Oct 16, $28.25 after; Halloween on the Farm is $12 in advance, $15 day-of. Registration for both is open.
Yankey FarmsVisit official site →
The cheap one, and free entry is rare in this market — Yankey charges nothing at the gate at all.
Dates
- Sept 26 – Oct 31, 2026
Tickets
No gate fee. Pumpkins are $0.89/lb, and an activities wristband for the maze, hayride and cow train is $8 per person.
Northern Virginia, worth the drive
6 spots
Belvedere PlantationVisit official site →
The biggest festival farm south of DC, and the only one here running Friday nights.
Dates
- Sept 12 – Nov 7, 2026
- Friday evenings 6–10pm
Tickets
Admission runs $18.95–$27.95 by date — September weekdays $18.95, September weekends $24.95, October weekdays $20.95, October weekends and Columbus Day $27.95 — with a $42.95 season pass. Pumpkins are not included, gate tickets cost $5 more than online, and under-2s are free.
Know before you go
- Dogs are allowed on a $9.95 canine ticket
- The site is fully cashless
Great Country FarmsVisit official site →
A play-first farm at the foot of the Blue Ridge, built around a 15-acre play area as much as the pumpkin field.
Dates
- Sept 19 – Oct 31, 2026
- Open daily 9am–5pm
- Live music, pig races and cider-pressing demos on October weekends
Tickets
$14 on weekdays, $18 at weekends. Admission does not include a pumpkin — those are priced separately at $0.59/lb.
Know before you go
- Budget just over an hour from downtown DC
Hartland OrchardVisit official site →
A real orchard rather than a festival — Gala, Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp on the trees, and a farm stand instead of a midway.
Dates
- Apple picking daily 9am–2pm
- Pumpkins Sept – Nov 1
Tickets
Apples are $25 a half-bushel or $15 a peck. Cash and checks only, no cards.
Know before you go
- Call 540-364-2316 before you drive
- A hard spring freeze cut the 2026 stone fruit and the peaches sold out early
Messick's Farm MarketVisit official site →
A Fauquier County farm market whose Fall Fest is the local weekend outing — hayrides, a barrel train, a petting zoo, a corn maze and a zipline.
Dates
- Fall Fest weekends Sept 19 – Oct 25, 2026
- Also open Monday Oct 12
Tickets
General admission is $14.50 plus a $1.69 fee for ages 4–54, seniors $8.67 plus fee, and three-and-under free.
Know before you go
- Confirm the weekend before you drive
Temple Hall Farm Regional ParkVisit official site →
The NOVA Parks farm, and the one where your admission includes both a pumpkin and cut flowers.
Dates
- Sept 26 – Nov 1, 2026
- Open daily 9am–5pm, last tickets 4pm
Tickets
$15 per person, $12 on weekdays, under-2s free. Gate sales only, no online tickets, and credit is preferred.
Know before you go
- No dogs
Wegmeyer FarmsVisit official site →
A pick-your-own farm rather than a festival — no rides, no maze, just fields.
Dates
- Sept 19 – Oct 31, 2026
- Thursdays to Sundays plus Columbus Day, 10am–6pm
Tickets
A reservation is required and includes your first $30 of pumpkins, so the ticket is really a pumpkin pre-purchase.
Montgomery County, Maryland
2 spots
Butler's Orchard Pumpkin FestivalVisit official site →
Maryland's answer to Cox Farms, and the closest full festival farm to Bethesda and Rockville.
Dates
- Sept 19 – Nov 1, 2026
- Wed–Sun plus Columbus Day
- Last entry 4:30pm
Tickets
Reserved online, admission is $12 per person on weekdays, $18 on select weekends and $20 on peak weekends; walk-ins pay $15, $23 and $25. Pumpkins are $0.79/lb on top.
Know before you go
- Reserve ahead — weekends sell out and walk-ins get turned away at capacity
Homestead FarmVisit official site →
The upper-Montgomery pick-your-own standby — fields and a farm stand, and a short drive from most of the county.
Dates
- Pumpkin picking from late September to Oct 31
- Tue–Sun 9am–4pm, closed Mondays
Tickets
A flat $4 per person per visit, ages one and under free.
Know before you go
- The spring 2026 freeze wiped out the stone fruit and the apple crop, so there are almost no apples this year
Howard County, Maryland
1 spot
Larriland FarmVisit official site →
A real working pick-your-own farm between Frederick and Columbia, with a weekend festival layered on top.
Dates
- Fall festival Sept 8 – Oct 31, 2026
- Activities at weekends
- Tue–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 9am–5pm, closed Mondays
Tickets
Weekends are $14 per person for all the attractions; Tuesday to Friday it is $3 to enter the fields, with the mazes and Boo Barn pay-per-activity. New for 2026, a pick-your-own field ticket is required.
Frederick County, Maryland
2 spots
Gaver Farm Fall Fun FestivalVisit official site →
Sixty-five-plus attractions and the longest season in this guide.
Dates
- Sept 4 – Nov 1, 2026
- Open daily 10am–6pm
Tickets
Pricing steps up with demand: $14.50 on weekdays, $20.50 on September weekends, $24.00 on October weekends, under 24 months free. Hayrides are free, and you can pick pumpkins without a ticket and pay at the market.
Know before you go
- October weekends can sell out
Summers FarmVisit official site →
A Frederick-County festival farm whose corn maze this year honors Alex Ovechkin, with proceeds going to pediatric cancer research.
Dates
- Fall Festival Sept 26 – Nov 1, 2026
- Weekends only until October, then Wednesday to Sunday
- Friday and Saturday nights to 9pm
Tickets
Day tickets are $15.95 per person online on weekdays ($19.95 at the gate) and $19.95 at weekends ($23.95 at the gate), seniors 60+ $13.95 and $15.95, under-2s free. The new mega slide is a $4.50 add-on, and a pre-season all-days ticket at $16.95 is on sale until 11:59pm on Sept 24.
Know before you go
- No pets
Less searching. Better weekends.
Subscribe to the DMV pumpkin patch events list
The best pumpkin patch events near you, picked for your interests and delivered every week. Free.
On watch for 2026
- Ticonderoga Farms (Chantilly, VA) — Neither of the farm's web domains resolved on August 17 or September 6, 2026, and every dated mention we can find is from 2017 or earlier — no 2026 season, dates or prices are confirmed. Phone (703-327-4424) before you drive out. Check their Facebook →
Upcoming pumpkin & fall-harvest events
Live from our catalog — 15 upcoming, refreshed weekly.
Northern Virginia's biggest fall festival: giant slides, hayrides through Imaginature Trail, a corn maze, farm animals, apple cider and pick-your-own pumpkins. Sept 19 - Nov 8, 2026, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Sept/Oct 10am-6pm (last entry 5pm); November 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm).
Montgomery County's pick-your-own pumpkin festival: hayrides, jump pads, a corn maze, hayloft jumping, farm animals, slides, pedal tractors and live music. Sept 19 - Nov 1, 2026, Wednesday-Sunday plus Columbus Day. Wed-Fri 1-6pm; Sat, Sun and Columbus Day 9am-6pm, last entry 4:30pm. Advance reservations are strongly en…
SATURDAY
3
OCTOBER
VENDORS ONLY!! Please use this page to pay your Harvest Festival vendor fee. If you have any questions or issues, please contact us at HarvestFestival@montgomeryparks.org THIS IS NOT A VISITOR PRE-REGISTRATION PAGE FOR HARVEST FESTIVAL. General Admission is $20 per car at the gate - cash only.
Come join us for a fun-filled fall day at the Farm Park with traditional crafts, activities, music, and food during our Annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 3! Harvest Festival is fun for the whole family! Activities include: Hayrides & Pumpkin Painting Live Music & Local Vendors Kids' Crafts & Historical Games…
Shop local vendors at our Fall Festival hosted by The Maker's Valley
SUNDAY
4
OCTOBER
Join the Friends of Reston on Sunday, October 4th, for the 6th Annual Fall 5K to help raise funds for their scholarship and enrichment programs. All proceeds for this event support the Friends of Reston, a 501(c)(3) supporting organization of Reston Association.New this year, Friends of Reston is excited to announce th…
(7 yrs. +) Join us for a fun festive wrap-up event to end your 2026 golf season. Two players will team together to play a 9-hole scramble tournament and compete for prizes in their respective division. Three Divisions: adults 18 and up, adult/junior 7-12 and adult/junior 13-17. Prizes for first, second and third place…
FRIDAY
9
OCTOBER
Join us dressed in your best costumes! We will have music, snacks, arts and crafts and more, all with an epic laser tag party!
SATURDAY
10
OCTOBER
What started out as a small market for artisans to display their wares has grown to a festival with more than 400 arts, crafts, information, food & gourmet food vendors, children’s activities, three stages of music and entertainment for all ages.
TUESDAY
13
OCTOBER
Join the fun! Learn to draw a pumpkin and cat using oil pastels. All materials provided. Adults. Preregister.
THURSDAY
15
OCTOBER
Enjoy a fun cooking demonstration with Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Food volunteers and learn some tasty new recipes featuring pumpkin!
FRIDAY
16
OCTOBER
Please visit and subscribe to our YouTube Channel - Loudoun County Public Library Online Program s - for more programs.
SATURDAY
17
OCTOBER
Join us at Lubber Run Community Center as we host Pumpkin Walk in celebration of Halloween!
Limited space available. First come first serve. Free tickets available in-person 15 minutes before the event. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Library, Montgomery County. Questions about this program? Contact Quince Orchard Library at 240-777-0200. Library Program Attendance (both virtual and in the branch) is limited t…
Less searching. Better weekends.
Subscribe to the DMV pumpkin patch events list
The best pumpkin patch events near you, picked for your interests and delivered every week. Free.
- Personalized event feed based on your interests, city, and age groups.
- Weekly event picks delivered to your email inbox.
- Search and filter the full event catalog.
How it works
Create your free profile
About a minute. No payment required.
Tune your picks
Choose ages, interests, and nearby cities.
Get your weekly shortlist
Fifteen event picks for you.
Explore the full list
Browse the complete local catalog anytime.
FAQ
When do DC-area pumpkin patches open in 2026?
The big festival farms open in mid-September: Gaver Farm on September 4, Larriland Farm on September 8, Belvedere Plantation on September 12, then Cox Farms, Butler's Orchard, Great Country Farms and Wegmeyer Farms all on September 19, with Yankey Farms, Temple Hall and Summers Farm following on September 26. Most run through Halloween or the first days of November — Cox Farms goes latest, to November 8.
Which pumpkin patch near DC is free?
Two, in different senses. Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon is a free working farm park year-round (you only pay for its ticketed October events), and Yankey Farms in Bristow charges no gate fee at all — you pay $0.89/lb for pumpkins and $8 per person only if you want the activities wristband. Inside the District, NoMa's PumpkinPalooza is free with free pumpkins.
Does admission include a pumpkin?
It depends, and it's the single biggest price difference between farms. Cox Farms includes a patch pumpkin with every admission. Butler's Orchard ($0.79/lb), Great Country Farms ($0.59/lb) and Yankey Farms ($0.89/lb) all price pumpkins separately, so budget for them on top of the gate.
Do we need to buy tickets in advance?
For the two anchors, effectively yes. Cox Farms sells tickets online only — there is no box office, tickets are date-specific, and busy dates sell out. Butler's Orchard calls reservations strongly encouraged and turns walk-ins away at capacity on weekends. Temple Hall Farm has historically been the opposite: gate sales only, no online tickets.
Can we pick apples too in 2026?
Often not. A hard spring freeze in 2026 damaged the crop across the region — Homestead Farm in Poolesville reports no apples and no stone fruit this year, Marker-Miller in Winchester lost most of its apple crop and is not offering pick-your-own from the trees, and Hartland Orchard lost its peaches — though its apples are open daily 9am–2pm. Larriland Farm and Great Country Farms still advertise pick-your-own apples. Call before you drive out for apples.
Which farms are good for toddlers rather than big kids?
Burke Nursery's Pumpkin Playground is the shortest trip with weekend pony rides, and Frying Pan Farm Park's animals suit walking age with no ticket at all. Cox Farms' Kiddie Zone and Great Country Farms' jumping pillows work from about two. Save Gaver Farm's zipline and seven-acre maze for school-age kids.