Brick Fest Live photo by Gina Ragland for Mommy Poppins
KinderFest, Brick Fest Live, and More Fun Things To Do in DC this Weekend with Kids
Smiles will bloom at all of the fun National Cherry Blossom Festival events. Photo courtesy of the Photo courtesy of the festival
Spring Break 2024: 21 Fun Things To Do in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia
You never know who you'll run into at the Blossom Kite Festival. Event photo courtesy of the festival
29 Best Spring Festivals and Fairs in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia for Families
Summer Camp photo courtesy of Canva
GUIDE
Washington DC Summer Camp Guide
Celebrate the solar eclipse on the National Mall. Photo by Jim Preston for the National Air and Space Museum
Best Free and Fun Things To Do in DC with Kids April 2024
Kids of all ages will find lots to explore at Mount Vernon. Photo by Jennifer Marino Walters
Visiting George Washington's Mount Vernon Near DC with Kids
Put on your finest and head to Mother's Day brunch 2024 at one of many great restaurants in the DC area. Photo by Jennifer Marino Walters
Best Mother's Day Brunch in DC, Maryland, & Northern Virginia
Enjoy storytime each Wednesday at the Hirshhorn. Photo courtesy of the Hirshorn Museum
75 Free Fun Things To Do in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia with Kids
Photo by Haoshuang Lou from Pexels
GUIDE
Spring Break Ideas Guide for DC Kids and Families
Zap the competition with a game of laser tag at Ultrazone. Photo courtesy of Ultrazone
Where to Play Laser Tag and Paintball Near Washington, DC
Feed calves directly from a bottle at South Mountain Creamery.
A Visit to South Mountain Creamery with Kids: Feeding Baby Cows Near Washington, DC
Kids of all ages will find lots to explore at Mount Vernon. Photo by Jennifer Marino Walters
Visiting George Washington's Mount Vernon Near DC with Kids
Planet Word offers lots of free interactive fun. Photo courtesy of Planet Word
21 Free Things To Do Indoors in the DC Area: Indoor Places To Play On Cold and Rainy Days
Pizza is even yummier when it's free! Photo courtesy of Matchbox
Kids Eat Free: 15 DC Area Restaurants with Free Meal Deals for Families
What masterpieces will your kiddo create at the National Building Museum’s PLAY WORK BUILD exhibit? Photo by Anne McDonough, courtesy of the museum
Best Museums for Kids in the DC Area: Children’s Museums and Family-Friendly Museums
You can't trust just anyone with baby's first haircut!
Best Places for Kids' Haircuts in DC, From Baby Haircuts to Cool Teen Spots
There are many opportunities to help clean up Montgomery County parks throughout the year. Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Parks
Volunteering Opportunities for Kids and Families in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia
Beat the Bomb combines the skill of an escape room with the thrill of a video game—and colorful paint or foam! Photo courtesy of the Beat the Bomb Facebook page
Best Escape Rooms for Kids in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia
With 75 themed walls for kids to tackle, it's impossible to get bored at ClimbZone. Photo courtesy of ClimbZone
Best Indoor Rock Climbing Gyms and Spaces for Kids Near DC
The new Kalahari Resort will be home to Virginia's largest indoor water park.
A New Kalahari Resort and Indoor Water Park is Coming to Northern Virginia
There are several great places to eat with kids near the National Mall.
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants and More Places to Eat Near the National Mall in Washington, DC

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.

Get our picks for every weekend in your inbox—sign up for our newsletters

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

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.  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 can 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. 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's also a costume contest for kids. The parade includes 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 2023 is "Cartoons and Comics!"  READ MORE

Hilloween

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

Zoo Boo!

Baltimore, MD
Saturday, October 29, 2022 - Sunday, October 30, 2022
The Maryland Zoo's 40th annual Zoo Boo! features lots of trick-or-treat stations throughout. Kids can wear costumes, collect candy, and visit the animals. There are also games, prizes, contests, and live entertainment. READ MORE

Boo at the Zoo

Washington, DC
Friday, October 28, 2022 - Sunday, October 30, 2022
At Boo at the Zoo, kids can dress up and go 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
Visitors are invited to wear their Halloween costume and celebrate the fall season with games and crafts at Tudor Place. Explore the garden’s meandering paths and find festive activities, fun, and sugary treats. 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, photo ops with Star Wars characters, 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

Fun Fall Train Rides and Halloween Train Rides for DC Families

All aboard! These fall train rides are the perfect way to enjoy the colorful foliage and celebrate Halloween near 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