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Welcome to the ninth annual Fairfax Family Fun Halloween Guide – 2019!
Our annual Halloween list covers Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, and a bit of DC. Also like our Facebook page for updates Most events listed below are “all-ages,” but some are just for young kids and others for teens and adults. The age guidelines we note here come from the event organizers. Some places have age restrictions but others provide minimum ages just to help parents decide what is right for their families.
How to use this guide:
1. Events are subject to change (and some may be weather-dependent) so always check with the event host (Fairfax Family Fun is NOT involved in the planning of these events).
2. Remember that this list is for Halloween events: we also have a Fall Festivals Guide.
3. You can scroll down this page for the main list (ongoing events first, then one-time activities) for detailed descriptions by date and with links to the official websites.
HAUNTED HOUSES & OTHER SEASON-LONG EVENTS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Fridays and Saturdays, 9/20-11/2, Centreville, VA
Fields of Fear at Cox Farms: At night Cox Farms becomes the “Fields of Fear” with special haunts, bonfires, and games. Attractions include the Firegrounds, Dark Side hayride, Cornightmare maze, AND The Forest: Back 40 tour. Ticket prices range from $20 to $35 spending on the date and number of attractions. Please note: While Fields of Fear does not go for overt gore, it is meant for teens and adults wanting a good scare” and recommended for ages 12 and up. Hours are 7:30-11 pm, with the last entry at 10 pm. See our review!
Fridays through Sundays, 10/25-11/2 (plus Thurs., 10/31), Leesburg, VA
Madhaunter’s Madhouse: This award-winning indoor haunt for 2019 has partnered with ChefScape at the Village at Leesburg to present a new pop-up haunt. Guests who escape the Madhouse, which will be in ChefScape’s event space, will exit into the Food Hall, where they can visit the bar or food vendors. It is best for guests age 13 and up; admission is $10 per person. For families with younger children (or adults who prefer a tame experience, there are family hours each night, 4-7 pm. Family hours feature lighting, sound, and special effects, but no scares or scare actors; tickets are $5 per person.
Weekends and select nights in October, Winchester, VA
Haunted Nightmares at High Hill Farm: Experience the “supernatural terror” that exists at this haunted farm that’s more than 100 years old. Small groups are led on tours select dates on October weekends and Halloween night. Tickets are $12 for daytime tours, $15 after 5 pm. There are also daytime and nighttime hayrides, escape rooms, and a corn maze ($6 extra). Please note: evening haunted tours are not recommended for younger kids; the daytime ones are slightly less intense and may be okay.
Select dates in October, Washington, DC
Gravensteen: This “live experience in terror” is based on a story of a haunted place. This haunted house is huge with over 50,000 square feet on three floors of terror and scares waiting for you. This is a thrilling attraction with intense sounds, lights, low visibility, strobe lights, fog, and other effects. It is recommended for teens and adults and is open on weekends Oct. 13-21 and daily Oct. 26-31.
Select dates through Nov. 3, Tysons Corner, VA
American Scream Halloween Selfie Museum: At this interactive selfie museum dedicated to all things Halloween you will come face to face with colorful characters, creatures, and selfie-worthy sets only before seen on screen. Admission is $18 in advance or $20 at the door; with student and military discounts available.
Select dates through Oct. 27, Reston, VA
Jack’s Pumpkin Glow: Explore a 1/3-mile trail filled with over 5,000 hand carved jack o’ lanterns. You will see everything from artistically detailed single pumpkin carvings to amazing, larger-than-life structures. Jack’s Pumpkin Glow is a family-friendly event also featuring fall food and beverages and live demonstrations with the carvers. Ticket prices vary by time.
ONE-TIME OR SHORT-RUN EVENTS (scroll below)
Sat, 10/26, Reston, VA
Halloween Family Fun Day: Come dressed in your favorite costume, and enjoy a show by Bob Brown’s Puppets in Monster Madness, carnival games, and more from noon until 2 pm. Free, drop-in event; all children must be accompanied by an adult guardian, age 18 and older for the entire event.
Sat., 10/26, Chantilly, VA
Air & Scare: The Udvar-Hazy Center (Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Dulles) hosts this hugely popular indoor trick-or-treating with crafts, spooky science demos, and other Halloween-themed activities, plus a Tot Zone for dress-up and storytimes, and photo opps with Star Wars and Ghostbusters characters and aviation and space figures (from Amelia Earhart to an alien). The event is sponsored by Mars, you’ll find lots of yummy candy! The event, noon to 5:30 pm is free; parking is $15. (PS – Plan lots of time: there’s lots to see and do, and traffic on Rt. 28 can be heavy.)
Sat., 10/26, Ashburn, VA
Ghosts, Goblins, and Ghouls Spooktacular 5K: Too scared to take the Shocktober haunted house tours? Then check out their “sister” event, the annual Ghosts, Goblins, and Ghouls Spooktacular 5K and Scarecrow Spring Fun Run at OneLoudoun. The fun starts with the fun run at 3 pm, followed by the 5K race at 4 pm and the costume contest for kids at 5:15 pm (they also get to trick-or-treat).
Sat., 10/26, Manassas, VA
Manassas Haunted Happenings: Have a wickedly good time in Historic Downtown Manassas with games, trick-or-treating, and a kids’ costume contest, all from 10 am to noon.
Sat., 10/26, Annandale, VA
Annandale Parade: This annual community fall festival is the biggest celebration in Annandale. The parade (start time 10 am) has a Fall and Halloween theme and includes many costumed characters, plus bands, dancers, cars, and more.
Sat., 10/26, Oakton, VA
Pumpkin Pool Patch: Wear your swim suit to pick a floating pumpkin from the “beach,” then decorate it. For kids up to 12 year old; children under age 4must have an adult in the water, within arm’s reach of their child at all times. The program at Oak Marr RECenter runs 2-4 pm and is $10 per person.
Sat., 10/26, Sterling, VA
Dulles Town Center Mall-o-Ween: From 11 am to 1 pm, kids can trick-or-treat at Candy Cauldrons throughout the center, make Halloween arts and crafts, enjoy a Halloween magic show at 11 am and noon. Admission is free.
Sat., 10/26, Manassas, VA
Trick-or-Treat at Bull Run Plaza: Collect candy and other goodies from the merchants of Bull Run Plaza and enjoy music and giveaways. The event is from noon until 2 pm.
Sat.-Sun., 10/26-27, Fairfax Station, VA
Burke Lake Park Ghost Train: Fun daytime ride on a miniature train (that kids and adults can board) through beautiful Burke Lake Park. There will be Halloween decorations but it’s “no screams, just treats.” Rides take place between 10 am and 6 pm; tickets are $6 per person.
Sat., 10/26, Ashburn, VA
Halloween Bark Bash: Outdoor, Halloween-themed festival with interactive activities, adoptable dogs, music, contests, costumes, and more! Admission is free to this rain-or-shine event, 11 am to 2 pm.
Sat., 10/26, Sterling, VA
Spooktacular: Indoor event at the Claude Moore Recreation Center, which turns into Halloween Town, with a “pumpkin swim,” a candy-filled rock wall, inflatables, face painting, carnival games, spooky crafts, and wagon rides to the park’s nature and historic areas for spooky stories and roasting marshmallows. The event is 11:30 t0 2:30; admission is $10 per child.
Sat., 10/26, Woodbridge, VA
Children’s Halloween Party: Sons of the American Legion Squadron 364 and Frank Orthodontics sponsor this indoor, free, all-ages event from noon to 3 pm. There will be food, drinks, crafts, musis, can more, and costumes are welcome!
Sat.-Sun., 10/26-27, Vienna, VA
Boo at the Zoo at Roer’s Zoofari: Roer’s Zoofari (formerly the Reston Zoo) invites you to a happy, not scary, Halloween, with trick-or-treating from 3 pm to 6 pm at various stations and animals to visit. Kids under age 2 are free; $20 per person all other guests.
Sat., 10/26, Falls Church, VA
City of Falls Church Halloween Carnival: The Halloween Carnival at the Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street., has been a popular event with kids for more than 30 years. There will be games, a moon bounce, face painting, crafts, a haunted house, movies, candy, and a live creepy creature show featuring the spookiest reptiles in nature. Fee is $2 per child age 2 and up; kids under 2 and adults are free. Times are 3-4:30 pm for infants through second-graders, and 4:30-6 pm for third-fifth graders.
Sat., 10/26, Arlington, VA
Potomac Overlook Halloween Party: The annual Halloween Party and “Haunted Nature Center” is a large community celebration at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 6:30 pm to 9 pm, with live music, food, games, arts and crafts, storytelling, and guided hikes through the woods. Admission to this event is $15 per person for ages 4 and up; advanced reservations and payment required.
Sat., 10/26, Chantilly, VA
Historic All Hallows Eve at Sully Historic Site: In the 18th and 19th centuries, Virginians celebrated All Hallows Eve with storytelling, fortune telling, fall foods and family gatherings. Experience these traditions as you tour the house and grounds by lantern light, 4-7 pm. Admission is $10 per person; for ages 5 and up.
Sat., 10/26, Clifton, VA
Clifton Haunted Trail: A spooky walk through the 8-acre Buckley Park with scary skits throughout. Parents should accompany children along the trail (not recommended for very young kids, as no flashlights or other lighting are allowed in the park). This event is very popular, and one day only, so arrive early! Hot apple cider and snacks for sale; parking is available at the Clifton floodplain ($5). It includes two dozen skits, concession stands, and “monster movies under the moon.” Tickets are $18 adults, $13 children under 12. The trail is meant to be scary and “may be too intense for kids who cannot discern fantasy from reality.”
Sun., 10/27, National Harbor, MD
Harbor Halloween: Free annual family-friendly community event with face painting, trick-or-treating, a Halloween movie (Hocus Pocus, at 1:30 pm), and a Chef Pumpkin-Carving Contest (3 pm). Admission is free. Also, get a free Capital Wheel child ticket with each paid adult ticket for children in costume.
Sun., 10/27, Alexandria, VA
Del Ray Halloween Parade: The 20th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade attracts thousands of people: Children, pets and strollers in costumes are invited to march and show off their finest and scariest Halloween garb with prizes in different categories. The parade and all activities are free; the event takes place 2-4 pm.
Sun., 10/29, South Riding, VA
Halloween Spooktacular: South Riding Proprietary hosts an afternoon of fun (2-4 pm), mostly around the annual costume parade for kids, on the Town Green.
Thurs., 10/31, Fairfax, VA
Mall-o-Ween at Fair Oaks Mall: Bring your princesses, ninjas, superheroes, ghosts and goblins to trick or treat at Fair Oaks Mall between 5:30pm and 7:30 pm. A community tradition since 1987, the evening promises a howling good time with costumed characters greeting the children and other surprises in a safe, non-scary, climate controlled environment with great shopping and dining options for the whole family.
Thurs., 10/31, Centreville, VA
Jack-o-lantern display: For several years now, the Dickover family in Centreville has been carving dozens of intricate jack-o-lanterns during the Halloween season. On Halloween night, these amazing works of pumpkin art are put on display outside for anyone to visit and see.
Tues, 10/31, Alexandria, VA
Trick-or-Treat at Carlyle House Park: Carlyle House Historic Park will hand out candy between 4pm and 6pm on Halloween night. This is a free, drop-in event.
Thurs., 10/31, Great Falls, VA
Annual Great Falls Spooktacular: For more than 20 years, the town of Great Falls has hosted a fun and free Spooktacular for kids to enjoy trick-or-treating and a parade. The event, 5-7 pm, is recommended for Great Falls children up to age 12 (6th grade) and their families, and includes a haunted house and a pet costume parade at 4 pm. This is a rain-or-shine event.
Thurs., 10/31, Leesburg, VA
Leesburg Halloween Parade: Each October 31 since 1957, the Kiwanis club in Leesburg has sponsored a big Halloween Parade, now with more than 200 police, and fire and rescue units, high school marching bands, floats, horseback riders, walking units, decorated vehicles, and more one a 1-mile route on King Street departing from Ida Lee Park at 6 pm.
