This weekend and beyond, the calendar is chock-full of spooky fun, including fall festivals, haunted trails, corn mazes, pumpkin picking and other spooktacular things to do.
Every Thursday WTOP brings you a roundup of Things to do in the DC area. This week, we focus on some of the uncanny events in the region, but also be sure to review WTOP’s fall festival guide to further explore this colorful season.
A big one is Boo at the Zoo, the Smithsonian’s opportunity for the public to visit the zoo’s smaller and largest residents after hours. On Oct. 20 through 22, visitors will be able to access the Small Mammal House, Elephant Community Center and Reptile Discovery Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The event will feature 30 trick or treat stations, fun and fantastical Halloween displays, actors who will provide live action entertainment as well as food and beverages. Guests are encouraged to dress up, but leave any props or accessories that resemble actual weapons at home. Adult guests are also not permitted to wear masks that fully cover the face or obstruct vision.
“What always makes Boo different from year to year and more magical is the enrichment … that our animal keepers do in the animal houses that are open,” said Annalisa Meyer, deputy director of communications for Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “And enrichment is something that our keepers do for animals to stimulate their natural behaviors through scent, through play.”
Tickets for the event are already sold out for Saturday, but visitors can still snag tickets for Friday and Sunday. National Zoo members can enjoy early admission from 5 to 6 p.m. all three nights.
For more events across the D.C. area, check out WTOP’s weekly event guide below.
DC
DC WitchFest
Metrobar DC is hosting a maker’s market and community party on Oct. 28. The free event will include activities like crafts for both kids and “kids at heart,” tarot card readings, face painting and costume contests for both kids and pups. Later in the day, there will also be a Halloween dance party to cap off the event.
Halloween dance party for families
On Oct. 29, Hi-Lawn will host a Halloween edition of The Rumpus Room, a daytime dance party for families with children 10 years old and younger. No adults will be admitted without a child, and there is a maximum of three children per adult. Tickets, which cost $10 per person, will only be sold in advance with none sold in person at the door.
Artloween Bash
Arts organization Artomatic is hosting their annual Artloween Bash at Black Cat on Oct. 27 with a “creepy” art exhibit, costume contest and raffle. Those who compete in the costume contest get the chance to win cash prizes. Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 on the day of the show.
Dew Drop Inn’s Halloween festivities
This Northeast D.C. bar is ready to get in the spooky spirit with a variety of Halloween events happening throughout the month of October. On Oct. 27, there will be a party for witches with astrology and tarot readings, witchy drinks, raffle prizes and Ouija boards. Earlier in the month, the bar will host the Halloween Dyke Party on Oct. 17 with an art market, costume contest, live music and tarot readings.
Fall Fest at City Ridge
For the second year, City Ridge in partnership with URBNmarket is hosting the two-day Fall Fest. On Oct. 14 and 15, the event will invite families and furry friends to celebrate autumn with 50 local vendors, a dog adoption station, a free yoga class, pumpkin spice tastings and an on-site pumpkin patch to choose your favorite gourd. The event is free.
Fright Fête
Get weird at Lost City Books for this third annual Halloween party. Fright Fête invites guests to come in costume for dancing, snacks, live music and tarot. Oh, and don’t forget all of the great books you can browse with your boo — I mean, beau. The event is on Oct. 28.
Annual Fall Festival at the Farm at Kelly Miller
In Northeast D.C., this free, family-friendly event on Oct. 21 will feature pony rides, face painting, music and games.
Pregnancy Horror Palooza
The DC Abortion Fund is presenting an evening of terror — for a good cause. On Oct. 22 at Electric Cool Aid, there will be a screening of horror films from 3 to 10 p.m. that feature pregnancy or motherhood. Accompanying the event will be hot drinks, tarot readings and other spooky surprises.
Eighties Mayhem
Get your best 1980s attire ready because Black Cat is hosting a Ghostbusters-themed party on Oct. 28 with five hours of 1980s bangers, hits and deep cuts. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets cost $20 per person.
Nightmare on M Street Bar Crawl
For its 25th year, one of the District’s most famous bar crawls is back. This Dupont Circle-located crawl will take passersby through over 15 participating bars with drink and food specials, surprise giveaways, raffles and costume contests. Early bird ticket sales have ended, but general admission tickets cost $20, with day-of tickets costing $40.
Halloween Monster Mash
On Oct. 21, Wunder Garten in D.C.’s NoMa neighborhood will host a frightfully fun night with dancing, a costume contest and cocktails. The event is free for all ghosts, ghouls and others.
Spellbound
Head to DC9 Nightclub on Oct. 27 for a New Wave Halloween dance party. Headlining the event is Ari Voxx, a Black, queer, female artist and mental health awareness advocate who is encapsulated by her dreamy, soft-glam aesthetic that transcends genres. Tickets start at $15.
District Fray’s Halloween party
At Dock 5 at Union Market, District Fray is presenting, “We Are the Weirdos, Mister,” a five-hour party on Oct. 31 with spooky-themed films and music from the 1980s and 1990s. Expect a spooky vendor market, a tarot circle, interactive activities, pop-up performances and a costume contest. Along with a complimentary signature spooky cocktail upon arrival, there will also be a cash bar for themed drinks and spooky food.
National Building Museum’s Spooky History Tour
On several evenings across October, the National Building Museum is exploring the haunting legends of the building and the ghosts and other paranormal activity found there. This tour is recommended for those ages 13 and up. Tickets cost $15 for members, $18 for students and $20 for nonmembers.
Virginia
The Funhouse in Dulles, Virginia
This Loudoun County haunted attraction, known as The Funhouse at Dulles Town Center, is an all-indoors experience where frights and chills await at every corner. For those who don’t want to get too scared, there is the option to wear a chicken necklace, which acts as a protective device to ward off clowns.
Fields of Fear at Cox Farms
Fear fanatics can get spooked at Fields of Fear in Centreville, Virginia, through Nov. 4. With more than 20 acres of attractions, Cox Farms will offer a hayride and a haunted trail that lasts a half-mile through the woods with shriek-worthy sights. “The Firegrounds” will also include a dance floor, karaoke and a six-lane slide. Too scary? Consider the Fall Festival at Cox Farms instead for family fun.
Workhouse Haunt at Workhouse Arts Center
The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia, is celebrating the spooky season through Oct. 31 with a themed walk-through experience where small groups will encounter terrifying characters and sights. A new feature this year are designated sensory-friendly trail times on Oct. 15, plus a pop-up shop with items from over a dozen artists. On Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween night, there will also be live music with a rotating schedule of bands.
Pumpkin picking and more at Wayside Farm
Along with pumpkin picking, this Berryvilla, Virginia, farm also has a 10-acre corn maze and weekend pig races. For admission to pick your own pumpkin, reservations start at $20, but don’t include other farm activities.
47th annual Fall Festival in Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is readying for the fall season with this annual festival on Oct. 14 that will offer more than 400 vendors as well as three stages of music and entertainment for all ages. Admission is free.
Mount Vernon’s Fall Harvest Festival
On Oct. 21 and 22, enjoy 18th-century activities and demonstrations at the Farm at Mount Vernon. Guests will be able to explore the farm and its straw bale maze, meet General George Washington and shop for foods. Tickets vary by age and if guests are members or not.
Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival at Great Country Farms
The Bluemont, Virginia, farm, known as Great Country Farms is hosting the Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival through the end of October with an adult corn maze, wagon rides, pig races, marshmallow roasting and pumpkin cannons. Foods, such as freshly made cider doughnuts, will be available on site.
Corn Maze Fall Festival
Get lost for fun at the Blue Ridge Mountain Maze. Through Nov. 5, the Roseland, Virginia, festival will invite guests to enjoy a five-acre corn maze, plus pony rides, movie nights, hard cider and apple cider doughnuts. Admission varies by age with discounts for groups and also discounts every Friday from noon to 5 p.m.
Corn maze fun at Liberty Mills Farm
The corn maze at this Somerset, Virginia, farm features unique spins on the typical maze experience. Here, there is a story maze with “story stations,” a trivia maze, a “hole punch maze” in the longest maze on site and also a “mystery maze” with no maps to guide guests.
27th annual Del Ray Halloween Parade
In Alexandria, Virginia’s Del Ray neighborhood, there will be a Halloween parade on Oct. 28. The parade will be complemented by contests for best-decorated strollers, pets, houses and businesses. Also, expect a Halloween scavenger hunt where randomly selected winners will receive a $50 gift card prize.
Maryland
Markoff’s Haunted Forest
Ghouls, goblins, a DJ and “high risk” activities, plus a “heart-pounding,” multisensory corn maze can be enjoyed this year at Markoff’s Haunted Forest. Admission to this Dickerson, Maryland, experience varies by attraction.
Field of Screams
This year’s Field of Screams is bigger than ever. The “Super Trail” has been expanded to over 55 stations with terrifying sounds, sights, animations and props. The event also includes a “zombie brain smash,” a ring toss, pumpkin toss and ax throwing. This event is hosted in Olney, Maryland.
Laurel’s House of Horror
This Laurel, Maryland, event, known as House of Horror, is a fully immersive experience with a haunted house, horror movie-themed escape rooms and “real” paranormal investigations.
Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard
Through Oct. 29, the 43rd annual Pumpkin Festival will be hosted at Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, Maryland. Expect hayrides, a twisted corn maze and straw maze, corn hole games and face painting. The admission varies depending on the day and if purchased online or in person.
3rd Annual Spooktacular
On Oct. 26, get ready for Color Burst Park in Columbia, Maryland, to be transformed into a festive, spooky dance party. The event, known as Spooktacular, is not only free, but family-friendly with kids crafts, face painting, raffle prices and giveaways, plus a pop-up pumpkin patch. There will also be a movie night with beloved Halloween cartoons on the big screen.
Summers Farm Fall Festival
In Middletown, Maryland, Summers Farm is once again hosting over 45 fun activities through Oct. 31. Some of the attractions include wagon rides, mini golf, a zip line, a corn maze and “apple blasters” where apples are shot at targets. There are other attractions like barnyard animals, rubber ducky races and an obstacle course. Pumpkin picking is also available, including “unusually colored ones.”
Greenstreet’s Fall Festival
This Fall Festival in Lothian, Maryland, allows the public to have fun at Greenstreet Gardens by exploring the six-acre corn maze, hopping aboard the cow train or picking the perfect pumpkin. Daily admission varies by age, while a season pass costs $40.
Shocktail Hour by Aurora Gorealis
Further from the D.C. region, but still worth considering is the Shocktail Hour on Oct. 20 in Baltimore, Maryland’s Golden West Cafe. This year, the host, Aurora Gorealis, will ask the public to partake in a ghastly game show, called Tournament of Terror. Ticket prices start at $10 for general admission, while VIP admission costs $25, which includes early arrival with a spirits tasting before the show, plus seating in a VIP section and three raffle tickets.
HalloWheaton Bar Hop
Montgomery County’s Wheaton Arts & Entertainment District will celebrate Halloween with themed events for all ages on Oct. 28 and 29, kicking off with a trick-or-treating themed bar hop for adults from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday. Special deals are available for bar-hoppers at participating locations. The festivities continue from 12-4 p.m. on Sunday with family events including arts and crafts, s’mores making, pumpkin painting and costume contests.
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