Fall and Halloween Events – 2023

Recurring Events

Busch Gardens “Howl-o-Scream” (Williamsburg, VA). Select nights, September 8 – October 31. Learn more and buy tickets.

Cox Farms Fall Festival (Centreville, VA). September 16 – November 7. Learn more and buy tickets. Visit to purchase apples and pumpkins and explore the area’s most amazing group of autumn and Halloween-themed attractions, including a pumpkin patch, farm animals, corn maze, hay rides, live entertainment, food for sale, and picnic grounds. Don’t miss swinging into the foam pit and don’t forget your free mini-pumpkin on the way out! Plenty of Halloween decorations but nothing too scary. Fun for kids of all ages. Tip: wear sunscreen!

Fields of Fear (Cox Farms, Centreville, VA) Weekend nights, September 22 to November 4. Learn more and buy your tickets online.  This night-time haunted attraction for the very brave among you and is not for kids under 12. Scaredy-cats like me can buy a separate ticket to the evening “Firegrounds” which gives access to Foam Henge, bonfires, music and food but no frights for a reduced price.

State Fair of Virginia. Meadow Event Park, Doswell, VA (near Kings Dominion).  September 22 – October 1, 2023. Learn more and buy tickets. Agricultural and animal exhibits, concerts, games, demonstrations and carnival rides. Free parking. Military discount.

Kings Dominion – Halloween Haunt (Doswell, VA). Select nights, September 22 to October 29. Scary attractions at night. Learn more and buy tickets.

Kings Dominion – The Great Pumpkin Fest (Doswell, VA). Saturdays and Sundays, during the day, September 23 – October 29. Celebrate Halloween with Snoopy and the Peanuts friends. Learn more and buy tickets.

Busch Gardens – Halloween Spooktacular (Williamsburg, VA). Saturdays and Sundays during the day, September 23 – October 29. Celebrate Halloween with Sesame Street friends. Learn more and buy tickets.

Goblin Golf at Burke Lake Mini Golf Course. (Burke, VA).  Halloween decorations and a special treat. Weekends, October 1 – 30. 11 am – 5 p.m. $10/person. Register in advance online with Fairfax County Parks.

Ghost and Graveyard Tour. 7:30 p.m. Old Town Alexandria, $15. Weekends in October, including Halloween, at 8:30 and 9:00 p.m.

September 2023 Events

Monday, September 4 – Labor Day, Federal Holiday

Celebrate the official last day of summer at Kings Dominion. The park is open 11 am to 8 pm and Soak City is open 12 pm to 7 pm.

Sunday, September 10 – Grandparents Day

Monday, September 11 – Patriot Day

Wednesday, September 13 – National Twilighters Day (the movie), Supernatural Day (the TV show)

Thursday, September 14 – Virginia Day, New Moon

Saturday, September 16 – Rosh Hashanah, Oktoberfest

  • Cox Farms Fall Festival opens today. See Recurring Events, above.

Thursday, September 21 – Mabon

Friday, September 22 

  • State Fair opens today. See Recurring Events, above.

Saturday, September 23 – Autumn Equinox at 2:49 a.m., First Day of Fall

  • Autumn Equinox Crafts and Tea – 1 pm, Reston, VA, $15. Join your favorite blogger in Reston for a celebration of fall, creativity and magic along with tea and refreshments. Register on Eventbrite.

Monday, September 25 – Yom Kippur

Friday, September 29 – Harvest Moon, Mid-Autumn Festival

Saturday, September 30 – Nat. Hot Mulled Cider Day

October 2023 Events

Sunday, October 1 – Pumpkin Spice Day

  • Pumpkin Spice Magic and Afternoon Tea – 1 pm, Reston, VA, $15. Join your favorite blogger in Reston for a celebration of all things pumpkin spice, crafts and magic, along with tea and refreshments. Register on Eventbrite.

Wednesday, October 4 – Pumpkin Seed Day

Saturday, October 7 

  • 25th Anniversary of Charmed Celebration and Tea –  1 pm, Reston, VA, $15. Join your favorite blogger in Reston to celebrate the introduction of the Sisters Halliwell to TV and popular culture, along with tea and activities. Register on Eventbrite.

Sunday, October 8 – Haunted House Day

Monday, October 9 – Federal Holiday, Indigenous Peoples Day

Thursday, October 12 – Diwali

Friday, October 13 – Friday the 13th, Nat. M&M Day

  • Celebrate Friday the 13th at the Firegrounds – 7:30 pm, Cox Farms, Centreville. Join your favorite blogger for Foam Henge, bonfires, music and more. Buy your own ticket and meet up at the Firegrounds. Register on Eventbrite.

Saturday, October 14 – New Moon

  • Solar Eclipse. Today, an Annular Solar Eclipse will occur (at 11:59 am in Reston Virginia, where it will appear as a partial eclipse). The moon will partially block the sun and cast a shadow on Earth. The eclipse will reach it’s magnitude at 1:18 pm. The eclipse will conclude at 2:38 pm, lasting a total of 2 hours and 39 minutes. Never look at the eclipse without eye protection!

Thursday, October 19 – National Apple Day

Friday, October 20 –  Bela Lugosi’s Birthday

Photo by Daisy Anderson on Pexels.com

Saturday, October 21

  • Mail Halloween Cards. 10 days until Halloween!

Monday, October 23 – National Horror Movie Day

Wednesday, October 25 – National Apple Day

  • 77th Annual Halloween Parade, Maple Avenue, Vienna, Virginia, 7 p.m. Free. Route 123 is closed in the Town of Vienna for this fun, family-friendly event with some impressive floats.

Thursday, October 26 – National Pumpkin Day

Friday, October 27 – Frankenstein Friday, Jack o’ Lantern Day, National Wicked Witch Day, National Black Cat Day

Saturday, October 28 – Full Moon, National Skeleton Day, National Chocolate Day, Happy Her-o-Ween!

  • Halloween Moon Crafts and Tea – 1 pm, Reston, VA, $15. Join your favorite blogger and get a little witchy as we celebrate Halloween, Samhain, creativity and magic along with tea and refreshments. Register on Eventbrite.
  • Haunted Mini Golf at Oak Marr Recreation Center (Oakton, VA). 5 pm – 7:30 pm. $12/person. Wear costumes and win treats. Register online in advance.

Sunday, October 29

  • 5th Annual Samhain Witch Market, Diversity Thrift (1407 Sherwood Avenue, Richmond, Virginia). 4 pm – 9 pm. Outdoor vendor booths, performances and food for sale. $8 cash entrance fee; kids free.
  • Haunted Mini Golf at Oak Marr Recreation Center (Oakton, VA). 5 pm – 7:30 pm. $12/person. Wear costumes and win treats. Register online in advance.

Monday, October 30 – Nat. Candy Corn Day, Visit a Cemetery Day

Monday, October 31 – Happy Halloween!  Magic Day, Caramel Apple Day, Samhain

  • Great Falls Pet Parade, 4 pm, followed by Trick or Treating, music and entertainment 5 pm – 7 pm.

Spooky Houses to Visit

Haunted Half Acre outdoor display (Falls Church City). 510 East Broad Street, Falls Church City, VA (residence across from Dulin Church). A creative man creates a Halloween wonderland in his front yard. Open until 10 p.m. nightly. Street parking available on Berry Street and environs. Free; donations accepted.

Halloween Home Light Display.  Each year, a family in Vienna invites the community to view, from their cars, the family’s Halloween light display, located at 2528 Drexel Street, Vienna, VA, from mid-October to Halloween night.  Lights are on Sunday – Thursday, 6:45 – 9:30pm; Friday & Saturday, 6:45pm – 10pm. Free.

And so another Halloween ends…but the seasonal fun continues!

Please visit my winter seasonal blog, Cool Yule, celebrating the best of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.