20 of the best DC-area fall festivals

WASHINGTON — It’s always sad to see summer go, but fall offers plenty to look forward to — apple cider doughnuts, we’re looking at you.

This season, there are a number of beer, wine, food, art, apple and pumpkin festivals on the calendar in the D.C. area. Here are some of the best bets:

In this Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013 photo, freshly made gelato is on display at Morano Gelato in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot) — **Gelato Festival**
*Sept. 7-8* The national Gelato Festival is making a stop in D.C. Sept. 7 and 8 at the City Market at O. Admission ($25 for adults) gets you all-you-can-eat gelato, plus access to demonstrations, contests, games and more. (AP/Toby Talbot)

This Sept. 30, 2009 photo shows homemade raisin walnut pie with a lattice crust top at the Caruthers District Fair in Caruthers, Calif. While some fairs draw crowds for their deep-fried twinkies, the District Fair in this town of 2,103 in California's raisin region serves up mainly locally grown food, assembled for sale by the dozen or so churches and service clubs whose emblems hang on the town's giant welcome sign. (AP Photo / Russel A. Daniels) — **DC State Fair**
*Sept. 8* Just because D.C. is not technically a state, doesn’t mean it can’t celebrate with a state fair. The 10th annual DC State Fair will be held at the art park and pavilion, Gateway DC. Bring your best baked goods: The festival features culinary contests, crafts, a pet parade and more. (ASSOCIATED PRESS/Russel A. Daniels)

This Oct. 5, 2015 photo shows Strongbow's hard cider in Concord, N.H. Cider typically is lower in alcohol than wine, averaging 5 to 7 percent, but has enough acid and tannins to cleanse and refresh the palate for the next bite. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead) — **Virginia Cider Festival**
*Sept. 14* Ciders from more than 25 producers around the country will be featured (and poured) at the annual Virginia Cider Festival in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Just a word of warning: the event celebrates hard cider, not the kid-friendly variety. (AP/Matthew Mead)

Today, many restaurants throughout the DMV allow patrons to bring wines into their establishments. Of course, there are a few rules — known as corkage policies — that apply, as well as a few etiquette guidelines that should be followed. (Getty Images) — **Maryland Wine Festival**
*Sept. 21-22* Sample wines from wineries across the state, peruse merchandise from local arts and crafts vendors, taste cheese from Maryland’s creameries and kick back to live music at this year’s Maryland Wine Festival. (Getty Images/David Silverman)

The King Street Metro station sign is seen here. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) — **Alexandria King Street Art Festival**
*Sept. 21-22* More than 200 local and national artists will display their work in a show that takes over King Street, Sept. 21 and 22. There will be paintings, jewelry, sculptures, photography and more at this free festival. (Getty Images )

H Street Festival attendees dressed to the nines on Saturday afternoon. (WTOP/Dana Gooley) — **H Street Festival**
*Sept. 21* Celebrate one of D.C.’s hottest corridors at the annual H Street Festival. Events for the day include music, dance, food, fashion and children’s programming. (WTOP/Dana Gooley)

Kittner_20140913_6597 — **Taste of Georgetown**
*Sept. 22* Georgetown brings together the neighborhood’s growing list of restaurants, cafes and fast-casual concepts at the annual Taste of Georgetown. (Courtesy Taste of Georgetown, Sam Kittner)

Frederick’s Oktoberfest
Sept. 27, 28 Find bratwurst, beer and bands in Frederick, Maryland, at one of the biggest and best Oktoberfest celebrations in the D.C. area. The family-friendly event also has a kid zone and German heritage activities.

Supporters of Turkey's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), wave a Turkish flag as they gather for a rally in support of CHP Istanbul provincial chairwoman Canan Kaftancioglu, outside a court in Istanbul where she was standing trial, Thursday, July 18, 2019. Kaftancioglu is standing trial over tweets she posted on her social media accounts from 2012 to 2017 for the alleged offences including insulting the president and engaging in terrorist propaganda. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) — **The Turkish Festival**
*Sept. 29* The Turkish Festival will take place on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, between 12th and 14th Streets on Sunday, Sept. 29. Visitors can expect authentic Turkish cuisine, live music, folk dance performances, Turkish arts and crafts vendors, kids games and more. (AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Pumpkins are set out for sale at Maple Acres Farm in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) — **The Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard**
*Sept. 28-29; Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 26, 27* In Maryland, check out the pumpkin festival at Butler’s Orchard. The festival features hayrides, a corn maze, a playground, pony rides, face painting and pick-your-own pumpkins. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

**Unite the District Fest**
*Oct. 4-5* D.C. United is hosting a new festival this year at the team’s home field in Southwest, D.C. There will be tastings from more than 20 restaurants and 10 breweries, plus live music, interactive art installations and more. (WTOP/Noah Frank)

This Oct. 2, 2013 photo shows hop flowers that are both ornamental and edible in a garden in Langley, Wash. Hops are an easy-to-grow perennial that greatly enhance a beers flavor when picked fresh. (AP Photo/Dean Fosdick) — **Hops & Harvest Festival**
*Oct. 5* Back for its fourth year, the annual Hops & Harvest Festival has a new location for 2019: Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods in Columbia, Maryland. Expect more than 80 breweries, wineries, distilleries and local food vendors — plus live entertainment and games for kids. (AP/Dean Fosdick)

Cooler temperatures and changing leaves are just a few signs that fall is here. Festivals celebrating apples and pumpkins are another. (Maria Bryk for George Washington's Mount Vernon) — **Mount Vernon’s Fall Wine Festival and Sunset Tour**
*Oct. 11-13* This wine festival takes place on the historic grounds of George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia. The event includes live blues music, tours of Washington’s home and educational seminars. (Courtesy Maria Bryk for George Washington's Mount Vernon)

WTOP's Brennan Haselton is joined by Neighborhood Restaurant Group Beer Director and Food and Wine Sommelier of the Year Greg Engert to talk about Bluejacket Lost Weekend Citra IPA — in cans — for the latest edition of WTOP's Beer of the Week. — **Snallygaster**
*Oct. 12* D.C.’s biggest beer festival is back. This year, visitors will pay a flat fee for unlimited craft beer tastings. There will also be food trucks and live music. (WTOP/Brennan Haselton)

Virginia Wine Festival
Oct. 19-20 Virginia’s wine industry is booming, and there’s no better way to taste all that’s coming out of the state than at the 44th annual Virginia Wine Festival, featuring more than 200 Virginia wines. Bring your appetite: The event will also have a Virginia oyster pavilion.