I tell myself I love summer, mostly because I dislike winter. Still, I am over the heat at this point, so naturally, I am super excited now that it is September, given the intersection of football and fall fests and the prospect of slightly cooler temperatures.
We have gone to several fall fests over the years, and this year will be no different. Here are a few of my favorites and the reasons I recommend them. (Note: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just a short round-up of the ones we have visited!)
Knightongale Farm: If you asked me to pick just one fall fest to attend, this would be the one. It has the right mix of activities and the right-sized crowd. They have corn, sandboxes, slides, a bounce house, a corn maze, hay rides, a pumpkin patch, food, and more. It always feels manageable, and you can easily spend a few hours here. They recently added an apple cannon, which was a huge hit.
Address: 3924 Solomons Island Road, Harwood, MD
Open: 10am-5pm, weekends only Sept. 30-Oct. 29
Cost: Advance online tickets $12, at the gate $14; discounts for seniors, military; kids under 2 free; extra charge for face painting and apple cannons; pumpkins 59 cents/pound
Why I like it: The right mix of activities and crowd size.
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Councell Farms: My second favorite fall fest is Councell Farms’ Field of Fun on the Eastern Shore. It is about a 40-minute drive from Annapolis. They have a ton of activities, but the thing I like the most is it’s open every day. Most years, I’ll pick up my kids from school and go straight there, and it is not crowded at all. If you have younger kids and can go during the day, it’s even better. They also have a creamery right there. We love the jumping pillow and the tennis ball slingshots.
Address: 11773 Old Skipton Rd, Cordova, MD 21625
Open: 9:30am-5:30pm, daily, mid-September to late October
Cost: $6/person Field of Fun; grandparents and kids under 2 free; season passes available; pumpkins priced by size and variety not weight
Why I like it: Great activities and open daily so you can avoid crowds.
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Y Worry Farm: I love the Y Worry Farm because it’s very minimalist and rarely crowded. They have a pumpkin patch where the pumpkins are still in the growing fields. They have a mini-corn maze. They have a straw pyramid, and they have some animals. Some years, they have food as well. This is a great place to go specifically for pumpkins and to kill an hour, and even on weekends, it’s tolerable to go, especially if your kids may be shy around large crowds. If my memory serves me correctly, this one is free unless you buy something like a pumpkin, which is also a plus.
Address: 1501 Rossback Road, Davidsonville, MD 21035
Open: 10am-6pm, weekends in October
Cost: Free admission; pumpkins of all shapes and sizes sold, plus gourds, winter squash, Indian corn, corn stalks and straw for decorating.
Why I like it: It is small, minimalist, and not crowded.
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Gaver Farm: This may be the craziest fall fest I have ever attended. They have more activities than any place I’ve been, including pick-your-own pumpkins and apples. They have a massive corn silo slide, for example. You can easily spend an entire day here. We made the mistake of going on a weekend, and it was a mob. The nice thing is that it is open every day, so I recommend going during the week. It is a drive, though.
Address: 5501 Detrick Rd Mt. Airy, MD 21771
Open: 10am-6pm, Sept. 1-Oct. 31 daily
Cost: Fall Fun Fest is $18.75/person on Sept. weekends; $21 on Oct. weekends; $13.50 on weekdays; kids under 2 are free. Tickets sold online and at the farm. It is recommended that you print your tickets as cell phone service can be spotty at the farm. Season passes available.
Why I like it: It has the most varied activities for the kids. Feels almost like an amusement park.
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Homestead Gardens: This is the OG fall fest for me. It was the first one we ever attended. Their corn maze is also why I now have a phobia of corn mazes, as we got hopelessly lost. Homestead is large and can get crowded, but it is well-spaced. They have unique offerings, such as an area to visit barn animals and their popular storefront. I recommend you buy tickets online and go early.
Address: 743 West Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD 21035
Open: 10am-4pm, Sept. 30-Oct. 22 weekends only
Cost: $12/person, kids under 2 are free; pumpkins, décor and food sold separately
Why I like it: This place has everything and is well done. Another good option if you only pick one—just be prepared for the crowds.
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Other considerations:
Kinder Farm Fall Fun Day: This is a popular one-day festival on October 14 in Millersville with hayrides, pumpkin patch, farm animals, food and more. I have never gone to this one, but I know people like it, although it does get crowded.
Weber’s Cider Mill Farm: Weber’s is a little hike up in Parkville but open daily. It has the longest hillside slide I’ve seen at a fall fest, and they have a companion farm about 10 minutes away called the Peachberry, where you can pick apples which makes for a nice pairing after the fall fest. We also ate at McFaul’s IronHorse Tavern in between, and it was a great spot along the river.
The MD Corn Maze: Parking is limited at this Gambrills farm, but they have a nice spread of activities. Their gigantic corn maze is the big draw, and they change the pattern every year. I remember when my son was little, he was enamored with their huge playhouse.
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