25 Amazing Fall Festivals and Events in Maryland (Updated for 2026)
Fall is one of the best seasons! The leaves begin to change and fall, there is pumpkin spice everything, and you get to have plenty of fun on the farm at festivals. With countless fall festivals, here is your complete guide to the best fall festivals in Maryland. Each of these you will be able to enjoy with your entire family!
The Best Maryland Fall Festivals
1. Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade 2026
This will take place on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Oakland to celebrate the beauty of local fall foliage and has been going on for 56 years and is so much fun.
2. Free Fall Baltimore
Free Fall Baltimore is an annual arts and cultural event that takes place in the fall season in Baltimore, Maryland. The event is designed to celebrate the city’s vibrant arts scene and make cultural experiences accessible to everyone by offering a wide range of free events and activities.
From performances and workshops to exhibitions and open houses, Free Fall Baltimore provides opportunities for residents and visitors to immerse themselves in the city’s creative offerings without worrying about the cost.
3. Southern Maryland Sunflower Festival 2026
This festival will be taking place on September 5 & 6, 2026, 10 AM to 4 PM and is a great way to enjoy the 6 acres of pick-your-own sunflowers, hayrides, photo opportunities, local art show, vendors, petting pen, and more!
4. Homestead Gardens Fall Fest
Another great fall annual festival to enjoy together as a family is the Homestead Gardens Fall Fest. Here you will find plenty of activities and entertainment for children and adults.
There will be pumpkin patches, corn mazes, fall colors, and barnyard fun. Each person costs $12, and children under three are free!
Here are just some of the fun events they have done in the past:
- Moon bounce
- Free Hayrides
- Pony rides
- Pipe slide
- Jumping pillow
- Jenga
- Ninja course
Autumn Glory Festival is one of the best fall festivals to attend on any weekend in October!
5. Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival
Of course, you will need to get a pumpkin or two during October, and Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival in Germantown is the place to do just that!
From harvest season in late September and throughout October, you can enjoy some fun family activities at this fun festival. Butler’s Orchard is one of the best pumpkin patches in Maryland.
You can pick your own pumpkin, plus there will also be hayrides, a spiderweb, live music, a straw maze, a corn hole game, a jumping pad, live entertainment, pumpkin picking, and much more.
You can even go and pet the animals in the barn! These are all included in the admissions fee. They also have a farm market for delicious food like apple cider, donuts, Local Honey, delicious fresh-baked fruit pie, loaves of bread, Caramel Apples, and more.
For additional fees, you can also enjoy a pumpkin cannon, go on a pony ride, and get your face painted!
The 46th Annual Pumpkin Festival starts September 19th, 2026 and runs through November 1st.
6. Buppert’s Doran’s Chance Farm
Buppert’s Doran’s Chance Farm has some fun fall activities to enjoy during October. This farm is known for having some of the best fall decorations, from fall flowers to gourds, cornstalks, and pumpkins.
Enjoy some fresh apple cider while you find your fall foliage, and let the kids have fun running through the corn maze, petting the goats, and picking a giant pumpkin they can find.
7. Summer’s Farm Fall Harvest Festival
Summer’s farm is in Frederick County and has been putting on their fun fall festival for over 25 years. Kids will have a blast and enjoy this festival all day long with over 45 different activities and events.
Be sure to head there on either a Friday or Saturday and stay until the night for a special fireworks display! Here are just a few of the many, many activities your family will love:
- Petting the barnyard animals
- Huge slides
- Wagon rides
- Pumpkin checkers
- Sound garden
- Rubber duck races
- Corn pits
- Zipline
- Tug-o-war
- Ball games
- Train rides
And so much more! You cannot go wrong with the Summer’s Farm Fall Festival in Frederick, MD. It is one you will want to go to every single year!
Open September 26th to November 1st!
8. Councell Farms Field of Fun
At Councell Farms, enjoy a nice day picking your pumpkins together as a family and some fun! At this farm, you can enjoy their famous field of joy.
This field is full of activities for kids to enjoy, such as a sandpit, basketball, combine slide, corn maze, jumping pillow, scarecrow slingshot, and more!
There is something for everyone to enjoy at Councell Farms. If you go out to the farm with your grandparents, they get in for free!
9. Milburn Orchards
During the weekends, stop by Milburn Orchards for another great fall festival. Each weekend there is a unique theme so that you can stop by every week for a variety of fun and games.
This fall festival starts at the beginning of September and runs until the first week in November. Kids will love playing on the inflatable toys, tire tower, playground, sandpit, and a giant spider web. These are only a glimpse of some excellent activities at this farm to enjoy for the entire fall season.
10. MD Corn Maze
The MD Corn Maze has one of the best corn mazes in Maryland and in the United States and takes up 8 acres. But, that is not the only thing to do here in the fall. You can also enjoy walking on a tightrope, swinging down a zipline, zooming down a slide, and racing on pedal tractors.
This farm has it all; your entire family can easily stay the whole day here! The MD Corn Maze is located in Gambrills and only opens on certain days of the week in September, October, and November. Check out their fall schedule, and grab tickets before it is too late! This year it starts on Sept 12th, 2026.
11. Maryland Renaissance Festival, Crownsville, MD
This is a grand celebration of history, culture, and revelry that takes place every fall in Crownsville, MD. Everyone is encouraged to join in the spirit of the Renaissance by donning their own period-inspired attire.
Each weekend offers a unique theme, from Pirate Adventure to Oktoberfest celebrations, ensuring that every visit to the festival is a fresh and exciting experience.
This year the festival begins August 29, 30; September 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27; October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, & 25, 2026 10am to 7pm
12. Magnolia Meadows Farm
This was another amazing farm we visited recently and spent nearly 5 hours! There is a lot to do here, from Apple cannon shots, mini cow train ride, slides, ziplining, mining and so much more. They also have animals in the barn, and you can purchase food to feed some of them.
One of our favorite things to do here was the sunflower garden. We got a bucket and filled it up with some of the most beautiful flowers ever.
13. Gaver Farm Fall Fun Festival
Another one of the best fall activities in Maryland is the historic farm Gaver Farm Fall Fun Festival, located in Mount Airy, Maryland. Here you will find around 60 different farm events and activities for all age groups.
There is something for everyone to enjoy, from mini mazes, a corn maze to jumping pillows, slides, and a petting farm.
There are also special events throughout the fall that make this festival unlike the rest. During their fall festivities, you can also have fun at a sunflower festival, tractor day, apple festival, pumpkin festivals, and other fun things to do.
This year the fall season begins on September 4 – November 1, 2026 from 10 am – 6 pm daily. You can read about our fun experience at Gaver farms this year! The farm is also one of the best Christmas tree farms in Maryland to get your pre-cut trees or cut down your own trees.
14. Weber’s Cider Mill Farm
If you want a smaller fall festival, head over to Weber’s Cider Mill Farm, located in Parkville. Here you will find a straw maze, boo barn, hayride, slide, duck race, pedal tractors, and farm animals to enjoy.
This farm is open from Friday to Monday all day long. So enjoy a lovely weekend out on the farm to enjoy the fall season at Weber’s Cider Mill Farm.
15. Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch
Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch is another fun place for kids of all ages to enjoy during the fall season. This farm is open this year from September 19th and all of October every day and is located in Middletown.
The pumpkin patch was even named one of the top 10 in the entire United States!
Monday-Friday, you can get free admission to the farm, but certain activities require you to pay some. Enjoy shopping from over 45 local artisans, grab a pumpkin while your kids go on a hayride, jump on a jumping pillow, and play in the other children’s play areas all over the farm.
16. Sharp’s at Waterford Farm
If you want a break from non-stop fun at fall festivals, check out Sharp’s at Waterford Farm. This is a smaller, simpler farm with a few fun fall activities. It is an excellent option for kids who get overwhelmed easily. This farm is amazingly simple.
Enjoy a relaxing afternoon on this farm. You can pick some pumpkins, feed some animals, and go through a corn maze. This farm will make for the perfect calm fall day with your family!
17. Montpelier Farms Family Farm Park
Montpelier Farms Family Farm Park in Upper Marlboro puts on another fun fall festival beginning in the middle of September. Here you will find two different mazes perfect for little kids and teenagers. Feed some farm animals and go on a hayride during their fall event.
The fall festival here is September 12 – November 8, 2026.
You can also enjoy pedal karts, multiple playgrounds, hill slides, wooden playsets, etc. Most activities are included with your admission fee, but a few require an additional cost.
Montpelier farm also has a fantastic petting zoo in Maryland. The petting zoo has a section with animals like alpacas, sheep, cows, pigs, goats, turkeys, etc., for your kids to see and feed. Your kids can also have fun on the giant slides and playgrounds.
18. Legacy Farm Lawnscapes
At Legacy Farm Lawnscapes, you can enjoy a pumpkin slingshot, hayride, and corn maze during September and October. After having fun with these activities, enjoy feeding some farm animals and picking your pumpkins.
The corn maze is over two miles and has a trivia game inside with QR codes to have fun while trying to find your way out. Kids under two years are free!
The Legacy Farm Lawnscapes Fall Festival is worth going to! They also have activities for school groups on field trips to the farm.
19. Lockbriar Farms Harvest Festival
At Lockbriar Farms Harvest Festival, you can enjoy gathering all your fall favorites, including pumpkins, apple cider, local fresh produce, apple butter, ice cream, etc. This festival is mainly for those who want a one-stop place to shop for their fall goodies and enjoy a few farm activities.
There is a pallet maze, pick-your-own pumpkin patch, flower fields, and more. This is another quieter farm to visit if you want a smaller-scale festival.
20. Knightongale Farms
At Knightongale Farms, enjoy another one of the best fall farm festivals in Maryland! Here you can enjoy all the farm activities for free with your admissions fee, except for pony rides and face painting.
There is fun for the entire family! Some activities at this festival include:
- Corn maze
- Petting farm
- Moon bounce
- Cow milking
- Playground
- Tug-o-war
- Born boxes
- Slides
21. Autumn Activities Larriland Farm
The Larriland Farm has a few fun activities that you will love to check out during autumn. From hayrides to picking pumpkins, a straw maze, and a fun, not too scary boo barn for the little ones to enjoy.
Food trucks are also filled with delicious apple fritters and other treats to make this a great outing with your family.
22. Shlagel Farms
Shlagel Farms has some fun fall activities that your children will love to explore! They can have fun digging in a giant sandpit, pet some animals, go through a straw maze, slide, etc. You can even hold some adorable baby chicks too!
You’ll also find a friendly pumpkin patch to pick your own pumpkins together as a family. Shlagel Farms is located in Waldorf, Maryland, and is open every Saturday and Sunday.
23. Brunswick Railroad Days
On the first weekend in October, head over to Brunswick and enjoy the Railroad Days activities! This festival has just about anything and everything you could hope for in the fall! Enjoy music, games, food, entertainment, and shopping.
Kids can enjoy petting and feeding some animals, blow-up slides and bouncy houses, carnival games, and pony rides! There are plenty of things to keep you busy the entire day.
This year it will take place on October 3rd & 4th, 2026
Tips for Visiting Fall Festivals in Maryland
Here are just a few tips to help you get the most out of your fall festivals this year:
- Buy tickets ahead of time, if possible. Most farms now will sell tickets online, so pre-order your tickets and plan to go to as many fall festivals as possible! Some farms even give a discount when you purchase online!
- Dress for the weather. Since most of these are on a farm, it might be best to wear boots or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. Check the water before heading out to see if you need rain gear or not.
- Bring some cash, just in case. Some activities are an additional fee, and there are some farmer markets at most of the fall festivals, so be sure to keep some cash on hand.
- Bring a wagon! While you can rent wagons at some fall festivals, save money and bring your own! You might need to use it for your pumpkins or your little ones.
- Don’t plan on bringing your dog, as most farms do not allow any pets.
Fall festivals are some of the best things to do during autumn with the entire family! Check out these farm festivals in Maryland during September and October and enjoy being on a farm together as a family.
Final thoughts on Fall Activities Maryland
In conclusion, fall festivals in Maryland embody much more than just seasonal celebrations. They are a unique blend of culture, tradition, and community spirit that is virtually unparalleled.
From the vibrant hues of autumnal foliage serving as a stunning backdrop to these festivals, to the scent of fresh apple cider permeating the crisp fall air, Maryland’s fall festivals offer an immersive, sensory-rich experience.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, these festivities present an opportunity to form lasting memories, foster community ties, and truly appreciate the beauty of the season.
