WEDNESDAY
28
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 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 October 21, 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
- Wednesday Oct 28, 2026, 4–8pm
- Pumpkin patch opens 4:15pm
- Rain date Thursday Oct 29, 4–8pm
Tickets
Free to attend. One free pumpkin per person, first come, first served, while they last.
Know before you go
- Arrive by 4:15pm if the pumpkin is the point
- Leashed dogs are welcome, and there's a costume parade for pets
- The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs beside the park, so watch for bikes and scooters
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
- Carving stations and food trucks the last week of October
- Pre-order pickup at the Fairfax farm, 9571 Fairfax Blvd, Saturday Oct 24, 2–5pm
Tickets
Free to visit, and walk-ins can buy pumpkins without pre-ordering. Pre-order bundles are $35 for 6 pumpkins, $60 for 10 and $200 for 35.
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 PatchVisit 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
- Thursday to Monday, plus Tuesday Nov 3
- September and October 10am–6pm, last entry 5pm
- November 10am–5pm, last entry 4pm
Tickets
Date-tiered admission, $15–$30 per person, with everyone two and up paying the same price and under-2s free. Sold online only, and busy dates sell out.
Know before you go
- Parking is free
- Pets aren't permitted, service animals are
- Fields of Fear, the separately ticketed night haunt, runs Friday and Saturday nights
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, 9am–5pm
- Farm Harvest Fest & Carnival Oct 16–18, 2026
- Halloween on the Farm Oct 23–24, 2026, in one-hour evening slots
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 with advance registration, which closes Thursday, Oct 22 at 11:59pm, or $15 day-of if spaces remain.
Yankey FarmsVisit official site →
The cheap one, and free entry is rare in this market — Yankey charges nothing at the gate at all.
Dates
- Oct 3 – Oct 31, 2026
- Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun noon–6pm, Oct 31 until 4pm
- Last patch entry 5:30pm, last activity wristbands 5pm
Tickets
No gate fee. Pumpkins are $0.89/lb, and an activities wristband for the maze, hayride and cow train is $8 per person, free under 2.
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
- Thursday and Friday 10am–2pm, September and October only
- Friday evenings 6–10pm
- Saturdays 10am–10pm, Sundays and Columbus Day 10am–6pm
- Oct 31 closes at 6pm; Nov 7 is pumpkin smashing only
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, November weekends $24.95 — with a $61.95 season pass. All-you-can-carry pumpkins are a $34.95 add-on, gate tickets cost $5 more than online, and under-3s are free.
Know before you go
- Dogs are allowed on a $9.95 canine ticket, leashed and kept out of the barnyard
- Cash only at admissions; everything past the gate is 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, last pumpkin wagon 4pm
- Live music, pig races and cider-pressing demos at weekends and on Columbus Day
- Costume contest parade Saturday Oct 31, 12:30pm and 2:30pm
Tickets
Online, weekdays are $12 a child and $14 an adult, weekends and Columbus Day $14 and $16, plus a $1 fee; at the gate it is $16 and $18 for everyone 3 and up. Under-3s are free. Pumpkins are extra at $0.69/lb.
Know before you go
- Budget just over an hour from downtown DC
- Leashed dogs are welcome
Hartland OrchardVisit official site →
A real orchard rather than a festival — Golden Delicious, Fuji and Granny Smith on the trees, and a farm stand instead of a midway.
Dates
- Apple picking daily 9am–2pm through October
- No 2026 pumpkin dates posted yet
Tickets
Apples are $25 a half-bushel. Cash and checks only, no cards.
Know before you go
- Call 540-364-2316 before you drive
- A hard spring freeze cut the 2026 peach crop, which has sold out, and there are no cherries this year
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
- No 2026 Fall Fest dates posted yet
- Last festival entry 4pm
Tickets
General admission is $14.50 plus a $1.69 fee for ages 4–54, and seniors 55 and up pay $8.67 plus a $1.48 fee. Sold online, non-refundable.
Know before you go
- Weather cancels festival days, so check the homepage the morning you go
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 3, 2026
- Open daily 9am–5pm, last tickets 4pm
Tickets
$15 per person, $12 on weekdays, under-2s free (their admission includes no pumpkin). 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.
Know before you go
- No pets; trained service dogs only
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–Fri 1–6pm
- Sat, Sun and Columbus Day 9am–6pm
- 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. Under-2s are free, and pumpkins are $0.79/lb on top.
Know before you go
- Reserve ahead — weekends sell out and walk-ins get turned away at capacity
- No pets; service animals only
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 through Oct 31
- Tue–Sun 9am–4pm, closed Mondays
- Hayrides Saturdays and Sundays only
Tickets
A flat $4 per person per visit to enter the farm, ages one and under free; the market is free. Pick-your-own pumpkins are $0.79/lb, and weekend hayrides are included.
Know before you go
- No pick-your-own apples for the rest of 2026 after a spring freeze; the market sells pre-picked apples
- No pets
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
- Columbus Day 9am–1pm
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; age 2 and under free, and the farm market is free.
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, Nov 1 until 5pm
- Fall Finale and Maker's Market Oct 31 – Nov 1, with 30+ local vendors
Tickets
Pricing steps up with demand: $14.50 on weekdays, $20.50 on September weekends, $24.00 on October weekends, under 24 months free, or $55 for a season pass. 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, and walk-up entry isn't guaranteed
- The zipline and pedal karts run at weekends only
- Parking is free; no pets
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
- Thursday to Sunday Oct 1–4, then Wednesday to Sunday
- Wed, Thu 1–7pm; Fri 1–9pm; Sat 10am–9pm; Sun 10am–7pm
- Extended hours Oct 12, 16 and 26, 11:30am–9pm
- Fireworks Saturday nights in October around 7:30pm, weather permitting
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 weekend family 4-pack with drinks and kettle corn is $79.95.
Know before you go
- No pets; service animals welcome
- On weekdays the rides and mega slide open at 3:30pm
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Upcoming pumpkin & fall-harvest events in the Washington, DC area
The next 9 of 20 upcoming pumpkin patch & harvest events across the DMV, refreshed daily.
Butler's Orchard hosts a pumpkin festival with hayrides, jump pads, corn maze, farm animals, slides, pedal tractors and live music, pumpkins $0.79 per pound, all ages.
THURSDAY
29
OCTOBER
Butler's Orchard hosts a pumpkin festival with hayrides, jump pads, corn maze, farm animals, slides, pedal tractors and live music, pumpkins $0.79 per pound, all ages.
Cox Farms offers giant slides, hayrides through Imaginature Trail, a corn maze, farm animals, apple cider and pick‑your‑own pumpkins, all ages.
FRIDAY
30
OCTOBER
Butler's Orchard hosts a pumpkin festival with hayrides, jump pads, corn maze, farm animals, slides, pedal tractors and live music, pumpkins $0.79 per pound, all ages.
Cox Farms offers giant slides, hayrides through Imaginature Trail, a corn maze, farm animals, apple cider and pick‑your‑own pumpkins, all ages.
SATURDAY
31
OCTOBER
Butler's Orchard hosts a pumpkin festival with hayrides, jump pads, corn maze, farm animals, slides, pedal tractors and live music, pumpkins $0.79 per pound, all ages.
Cox Farms offers giant slides, hayrides through Imaginature Trail, a corn maze, farm animals, apple cider and pick‑your‑own pumpkins, all ages.
Pick a pumpkin from the water, craft a project, and receive a festive goodie bag at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center, with 45‑minute slots, all ages.
At Temple Hall Farm, participants pick a pumpkin in the field, decorate it with crafters using acrylic paint pens, and leave with their finished pumpkin; $5 fee.
View all pumpkin patch & harvest events in the DMV this week
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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 on September 19, Temple Hall and Summers Farm on September 26, and Yankey Farms on October 3. Most close at Halloween or in early 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 on October 28 is free, with one free pumpkin per person.
Does admission include a pumpkin?
It depends, and it's the single biggest price difference between farms. Cox Farms and Temple Hall include a pumpkin with every paid admission. Butler's Orchard ($0.79/lb), Great Country Farms ($0.69/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 is 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 has no pick-your-own apples left for 2026, 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 patch 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.