Fall in Northern Virginia 2026: Orchards, Pumpkin Patches and Festivals Worth the Drive
Daniel ParkNo. 194
Updated
Key takeaways
- The 82nd Waterford Fair runs Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and one ticket covers all three days.
- Cox Farms in Centreville opens September 26 and runs through November 8, 2026, and sells date-specific tickets online only, priced in tiers from $15 to $30.
- Great Country Farms in Bluemont runs its Fall Pumpkin Harvest from September 19 to October 31, 2026, with gate admission of $16 on weekdays and $18 on weekends.
- Free close-in options: Clarendon Day (Sept. 26), Vienna Oktoberfest (Oct. 3) and Rocktoberfest at Reston Town Center (Oct. 10).
- Orchards report a weather-affected 2026 crop, so check each farm’s picking update the morning you go.
The short answer for fall 2026: head west to the Loudoun, Fauquier and Clarke County orchards for apples and pumpkins, plan one weekend around the Waterford Fair (October 2 to 4), and fill the gaps with free street festivals in Clarendon, Vienna and Reston. I checked every date, hour and ticket rule below on the organizer’s own site as of September 25, 2026. Where a venue had not posted its 2026 details yet, I say so and point you to the official page.
Fall 2026 calendar at a glance
| Event | Where | 2026 date and hours | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarendon Day | Clarendon Metro Plaza, Arlington | Sat., Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Free |
| Leesburg Airshow | Leesburg Executive Airport | Sat., Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | See Town of Leesburg |
| Waterford Fair (82nd) | Village of Waterford, Loudoun | Fri. to Sun., Oct. 2 to 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | $20 advance, $25 gate |
| Vienna Oktoberfest | Church Street, Vienna | Sat., Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Free |
| Rocktoberfest | Pavilion, Reston Town Center | Sat., Oct. 10, music from 6 p.m. | Free |
| Halloween on the Farm | Frying Pan Farm Park, Herndon | Fri., Oct. 23, sessions at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. | $12, register online |
| Cox Farms Fall Festival | Centreville | Sept. 26 to Nov. 8, Thu. to Mon. | $15 to $30, online only |
| Fall Pumpkin Harvest | Great Country Farms, Bluemont | Sept. 19 to Oct. 31 | $16 weekday, $18 weekend |
The Waterford Fair, October 2 to 4
If you only make one trip west this fall, make it this one. The 82nd Waterford Fair fills the lanes of a tiny 18th century village north of Route 9 with heritage crafts, juried artists, music and historic home tours, with proceeds supporting the Waterford Foundation.
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
- Tickets: $20 in advance online (advance sales opened August 1) or $25 at the gate, plus processing fees online. Seniors, military and students 13 to 21 pay $20 either way. Children 12 and under get in free with an adult.
- Good value: each general admission ticket is an all-weekend pass, so you can come back Sunday if Saturday gets rained out.
- Parking: free with admission, per the fair’s 2026 update page.
Wear shoes that can handle gravel and grass; most of the fair is outdoors.
Pumpkin patches and farm festivals
Cox Farms, Centreville
The closest large farm festival to most of Fairfax County opens Saturday, September 26, and runs through November 8, 2026, Thursday through Monday (plus Tuesday, November 3). Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in September and October and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in November. The rules that trip people up:
- Tickets are sold online only, and they are tied to a specific date. Your voucher is exchanged for a wristband only on the day printed on it.
- Prices follow four tiers, $15, $20, $25 and $30, depending on the date. Late-October weekends sit in the top tier, per Cox Farms’ ticket page.
- Anyone two and older needs a ticket.
- Fields of Fear, the after-dark event, is ticketed separately on its own site.
Great Country Farms, Bluemont
Out on Snickersville Turnpike, the Fall Pumpkin Harvest runs September 19 to October 31, 2026. Gate admission is $16 per person Monday through Friday and $18 on Saturday and Sunday, children 2 and under are free, and buying online adds a $1 fee per ticket but saves the line. The market, bakery and play area keep 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours daily, and weekend wagon rides start at 9:15 a.m. with the last ride at 4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farm Park, Herndon
For something smaller, the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Halloween on the Farm is Friday, October 23, with one-hour sessions starting at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. for $12. Registration is online and children must come with a registered adult. Sessions fill, so check the registration status early.
Where to pick your own apples in 2026
The pick-your-own orchards cluster 45 to 75 minutes west of the Beltway, where the Piedmont rises toward the Blue Ridge. Northern Virginia Magazine’s 2026 orchard roundup (updated August 31) lists six, and also warns that harsh, swinging weather this year affected many crops.
- Hartland Orchard, Markham (Fauquier): hillside picking just off I-66.
- Hollin Farms, Delaplane (Fauquier): a working farm with a changing picking schedule.
- Great Country Farms, Bluemont (Loudoun): apples plus the festival described above.
- Mackintosh Fruit Farm, Berryville (Clarke): orchard picking with a cider room on site.
- Stribling Orchard, Markham (Fauquier): check whether 2026 is a picking year or a pre-picked year before driving out.
- Marker-Miller Orchards, Winchester: the farthest of the six, worth pairing with a Route 7 drive over the ridge.
Picking opens and closes block by block as varieties ripen, so treat each farm’s same-day update as the final word.
Closer to home: free festivals inside the Beltway
- Clarendon Day, Saturday, September 26: Arlington’s street festival runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Clarendon Metro Plaza, steps from the Orange and Silver Line station. If the neighborhood itself interests you, see my guide to the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
- Leesburg Airshow, Saturday, September 26: listed on the Town of Leesburg events page for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Leesburg Executive Airport. My Leesburg area guide covers the town around it.
- Vienna Oktoberfest, Saturday, October 3: free, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. along Historic Church Street, per the Town of Vienna. It lands on Waterford Fair weekend, so pick a day for each.
- Rocktoberfest, Saturday, October 10: a free concert at the Reston Town Center Pavilion, with opening acts from 6 p.m. and the headliner at 9 p.m., as announced in August; confirm with Reston Town Center. Living in Reston covers the area.
What a farm day costs: a worked example
Here is an illustrative budget for four people driving from Arlington to Great Country Farms on a Saturday in October.
| Item | Illustrative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend admission, 4 people | $72 | $18 each at the gate |
| Online ticket fee (optional) | $4 | $1 per ticket if bought ahead |
| Pick-your-own apples and a pumpkin | $30 to $50 | Priced by the farm on the day |
| Lunch in Purcellville or Leesburg | $60 to $90 | Or pack a picnic |
| Fuel, about 110 miles round trip | $15 to $20 | Varies by vehicle |
| Illustrative total | About $180 to $235 |
The same group at Cox Farms would pay $60 to $120 in admission depending on which pricing tier its date falls in, which is why I tell people to look at the calendar on the ticket page before picking a day.
Timing matters more than money. Leave Arlington by 8:30 a.m. and Route 7 moves; leave at 11 and you sit through Leesburg. Route 50 through Middleburg is a prettier way home and pairs well with a stop from my Loudoun wine country guide.
Common mistakes I see every fall
- Showing up at Cox Farms without a ticket. There is no gate sale, and a ticket for another date won’t work.
- Assuming an orchard is picking because it was last year. Crop conditions change, and 2026’s weather made that more true than usual.
- Relying on cell service in western Loudoun and Fauquier. Screenshot tickets and directions before you leave.
- Buying date-specific tickets without reading the farm’s rain policy first.
Daniel’s tip: Use the Waterford Fair’s all-weekend pass to your advantage: go Friday when it is quietest, then if you liked it, swing back Sunday afternoon on the way home from an orchard. One $20 advance ticket covers both visits.
If a day out here leaves you wondering about living closer to it, my Loudoun County page is a good next read.
Curious what homes cost out near the orchards and wineries? Let’s talk through western Loudoun together.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Waterford Fair 2026?
Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Advance tickets are $20 online, $25 at the gate, and children 12 and under are free with an adult.
Can I buy Cox Farms tickets at the gate?
No. Cox Farms sells Fall Festival tickets online only, for a specific date, and popular dates can sell out. Children under two don’t need a ticket.
Where can I go apple picking near Northern Virginia this fall?
Hartland Orchard and Stribling Orchard in Markham, Hollin Farms in Delaplane, Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Mackintosh Fruit Farm in Berryville and Marker-Miller Orchards in Winchester are the main options. Check each farm’s picking update the day you go, since 2026 weather affected crops.
What free fall festivals are near Arlington in 2026?
Clarendon Day on September 26 sits right at the Clarendon Metro station, Vienna Oktoberfest is October 3 on Church Street, and Reston Town Center’s Rocktoberfest concert is October 10. All three are free to attend.
Sources
Filed under Inside Loudoun County, Lifestyle & Community
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