Want to have fun and enjoy the beautiful colors of Autumn? Montgomery County parks has lots of events to enjoy all season long. Listen to Ghost Stories of Montgomery County, MD. Celebrate at the many Fall Festivals, have some Fall Fun at some of MoCo’s Orchards, spend some spectacular nights watching an outdoor movie, participate in the various Arts and Crafts Projects, enjoy all the spooktacular Costume Contest, and the many Pumpkin Patches! Throughout October Montgomery County has lots of events for everyone to celebrate the Autumn season. Stay safe and enjoy the Autumn season!
VIRTUAL EVENT History Conversations: “In Search of Ghosts: Montgomery County, Maryland”
October 19 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Free
“In Search of Ghosts: Montgomery County, Maryland”
with Karen Yaffe Lottes
Tuesday, October 19 @ 2:00 p.m.
This story-telling lecture explores haunted places of Montgomery County and its surrounding area through ghostly tales. Learn about the many ghosts, apparitions, and supernatural occurrences that can’t be explained logically, including: The Headless Horseman that continues to terrorize visitors to the old railroad bridge; the poltergeist that haunts the Madison House; the Tommyknocker at the Maryland Mine; and the farmer who keeps searching for his buried treasure. Take this haunted journey back in time!
Fall Festivals, Haunted Houses, Costume Contests, Movies and More Treats than Tricks from Montgomery Recreation
Saturday, October 23 11am-2pm
Montgomery County Recreation is hosting family-friendly events to enjoy during the fall season. From free movies to swimming with pumpkins, events will be hosted at community recreation centers and aquatic facilities located throughout the County.
The special events that will be hosted by Montgomery Recreation include:
- Friday, Oct. 22, and Saturday, Oct. 23. 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. North Potomac Senior Center Fallback Five-year Anniversary. Adults, 55 and older, are invited to a five-year anniversary celebration that includes breakfast, dance lessons, exercise demonstrations, games and an evening jazz concert.
- Saturday, Oct. 23. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center Fall Festival. The whole family will love the annual fall celebration with music, arts and crafts, a moon bounce and more. Registration #136435.
- Saturday, Oct. 23. 3 p.m. Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center Fall Festival and Outdoor Movie night. 14715 Good Hope Road, Silver Spring. The family activity includes art and crafts, hayride, family painting and more. An outdoor movie will begin at 7 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 29. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Damascus Community Recreation Center Spooktacular Outdoor Movie Night. 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus. Spend a Spooktacular Friday night outside watching The Witches, (rated PG). The event includes a costume contest to find the silliest, spookiest and most creative costume, a mini pumpkin patch and a trick or treat table. Registration # 138325.
- Saturday, Oct. 30 Floating Pumpkin Patch. Eunice Kennedy and Sargent Shriver Aquatic Center, 5900 Executive Blvd., North Bethesda, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Swim Center, 1201 Jackson Road, Silver Spring. Ever picked a pumpkin in a swimming pool? It can happen for children ages 2 to 12 years who will swim around to pick a pumpkin and then decorate it. Swimming with pumpkins will be available until noon and decorating will be available until 12:30 p.m. $10 per person. Registration # 133556 (Shriver) and 139882 (MLK).
- Saturday, Oct. 30. 3-6 p.m. Gwendolyn Coffield Fall Family Festival.Gwendolyn Coffield Community Recreation Center (outside parking lot), 2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring. Ghouls and goblins come dressed in your Halloween costume to win a prize. Enjoy games, a dance party candy and treats. See the Halloween-theme decorated cars and vote for best.
- Saturday, Oct. 30. Clara Barton Neighborhood Recreation Center Haunted House. 7425 MacArthur Blvd., Cabin John. Fortunes will be told, witches, zombies will haunt your path and games will challenge your nerves and skill. Path will be inside and all other activities will be outside. Refreshments will be offered and small gifts will be handed out to kids.
Registration for events can be made online at ActiveMONTGOMERY. Not all events require registration. More information on Montgomery County Recreation is available on the website.
Fall Market at The Family Room
The Family Room | Laytonsville, MD
Saturday, September 25th
Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival
Butler’s Orchard | Germantown, MD
September 25th – October 30th
Countryside Artisans Fall Self-Guided Tour
Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve
October 15-17
Harvest Market at The Family Room
The Family Room | Laytonsville, MD
Saturday, October 23rd
Holiday Crafts and Dessert Fair + Kid’s Costume Parade
Veteran’s Plaza | Silver Spring, MD
Sunday, October 31st
Fall Fun at Rock Hill Orchard
Rock Hill Orchard | Mt Airy, MD
September 25th – October 31st
“We want kids to enjoy Halloween, but we want to be sure they are celebrating safely,” said James Bridgers, the County’s acting health officer. “We have to remember that, for many children trick-or-treating, vaccination is not yet an option and we want them to be protected as much as possible.”
Health officials recommend the following for a fun and safe Halloween:
- Masks are recommended for unvaccinated children trick or treating outdoors whenever social distancing is not possible.
- Stay on the move while trick-or-treating—less congregating means more houses and more treats.
- Keep trick-or-treating groups small.
- Eat treats at home, and/or after washing or sanitizing your hands.
- When handing out candy, wear a mask while interacting with children and socially distance. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before handing out candy.
- Leave a light on or hang a Halloween sign in the window to let others know your house is participating in safe trick-or-treating.
- Outdoor activities are much safer than indoor activities.
- For indoor activities in public settings, masks are required for anyone age two and older.
- Do not hand out candy or take part in Halloween events if you are having COVID-19 symptoms, even if you have been fully vaccinated.