September is here and you know what that means…. fall is just around the corner in a few weeks. Autumn is the perfect time of year for picking the perfect pumpkin, wandering through an orchard or getting lost in a corn maze. Over the past few years our family has been venturing near and far to visit many different farms and festivals. This article includes details about family friendly farms and fall events for Southern Maryland families. I’ve included individual guides from previous years for each farm, so that you know what to expect when you go. Don’t miss the amazing giveaway, where one lucky fan will win four passes to The Great Pumpkin Festival at Kings Dominion and four passes to the fall festival at Montpelier Farm. See details at the end of the article.
FARMS BY COUNTY- CALVERT COUNTY
HORSMON FARM
Location: 1865 Horsmon Farm Lane, St. Leonard, MD
Phone: 443-532-5761
Website: www.horsmonfarm.com
Information: Horsmon Farm will be celebrating their fall festival on weekends September 14th- October with hay rides, petting zoo, corn box and straw maze. Don’t forget to check out their website for special events each weekend including; scarecrow making, tractor weekend and more. If you are looking for a place to pick up beautiful flowers this is the place, their mums are gorgeous and home grown. The farm is open Fridays & Saturdays 9 AM- 6 PM and Sundays 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is $8 and includes a free pumpkin.
SPIDER HALL FARM
Location: 3915 Hallowing Point Rd, Prince Frederick, MD
Phone: 410-610-0094
Website: www.spiderhallfarm.com
Come out to Spider Hall Farm to celebrate fall by picking pumpkins, venturing through a corn maze or enjoying a hay ride. Kids will love the giant slide, moon bounce and sensory corn box. Be sure to save room for Mrs. Moo’s homemade ice cream. If you are looking for a place to have fun and learn a little too, then this is the perfect farm for you. Since I’m a huge advocate for learning through play; my favorite section of the farm is Mrs. Moo’s Little Hands. A hands-on interactive area where kids learning about farming. Kids pick up a market bag and walk around different stations and pick up foods for their bag along the way. At the different stations they learn about where eggs come from, how to milk a cow and the process for how fruits and vegetables grow. Fall attractions are open on weekends through out October. General admission is $8 per person, kids 3 and under are free.
Spider Hall Playful Parent Guide
FARMS BY COUNTY- CHARLES COUNTY
MIDDLETON’S CEDAR HILL FARM (NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THIS YEAR!)
Location: 5190 Leonardtown Rd., Waldorf, MD
Phone: 301-399-9812
Website: Facebook Link
Cedar Hill Farm is NOT open to the public every weekend this season 2018. The farms focus is on education. You can book a private field trip for your school, club or home school group to meet and feed the barnyard animals, watch little ones make their way through a kiddie maze, make music in the sound garden and enjoy a hayride.
SERENITY FARM
6932 Serenity Farm Rd. Benedict, MD
Phone: (301) 274-3829
Website: www.serenityfarminc.com
Starting October 6th Serenity Farms is open 10am-5pm for festive fun every weekend. Admission cost $10 per person and includes: hayrides, petting zoo, Halloween Barn “Kasper’s Kastle,” a bag of candy from Kasper himself, face painting, hay bale maze, pumpkin patch and a hayride. You can also book private tours for schools and groups on week days for $8.
Serenity Farm Playful Parent Guide
SHLAGEL FARM
Location: 12850 Shlagel Rd. Waldorf MD 20601
Phone: (301) 645-4554
Website: www.shlagelfarms.com
Information: Shlagel farm is open to the public Saturday and Sundays in October during the hours set 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is $9 per person, children 24 months and younger are free. Shlagel farm is an interactive farm with a fun wagon ride, petting zoo, pumpkin patch and fun activities for kids.
Playful Parent Guide: Coming Soon
FARM BY COUNTY- ST. MARY’S COUNTY
BOWLES FARM
22880 Budd’s Creek Rd. Clements, MD
Phone: 301-475-2139
Website: www.bowlesfarms.com
Information: Open every weekend in October, Bowles farm opens it’s fall activities to the public from 10 AM -6 PM. Admission is $10 per person, free for children ages 3 and younger. Kids of all age will enjoy the amazing corn maze, pumpkin patch, straw jumping pit, children’s play area, wagon rides and more. The farm is open Tuesday-Friday for scheduled school, daycare and play groups.
FORREST HALL FARM AND ORCHARD
Location: 39136 Avie Lane, Mechanicsville, MD
Phone: 301-884-3086
Website: ForRest Hall Farm and Orchard
Information: Forrest Hall opens for Fall Festival the last week of September through October 30th every weekend 9 AM -5 PM. Admission is $7, under age 3 free, activities include: corn maze, hayride, farm animals, play area and more. Free small apple or pumpkin with admission.
Playful Parent Guide: Coming Soon
FARMS BY COUNTY- SOUTHERN PG COUNTY FARMS
MONTPELIER FARMS
Location: 1720 North Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro, MD
Phone: 410-320-0464
Website: www.montpelierfarms.com
Information: Montpelier Farms is open September 8th – November 3rd Saturdays 10 AM -11 PM, Sundays 11 AM to 7 PM. Open Fridays 5 PM-11 PM during October. Admissions prices are $12 per person, Kids 2 and under are Free! Fall Festival activities include: 7 acre corn maze, “Jack and the Beanstalk” corn maze, hay rides, petting zoo, pedal karts, cow belly bounce house, pumpkin bounce house, hay & play, kiddie corral, corn tepee, roping range, farm football lounge, “Spookley the square pumpkin” movie screening and bonfires. Discount tickets on Groupon.
Montpelier Farm Playful Parent Guide
QUEEN ANNE FARM
Location: 18102 Central Ave. Mitchellville, MD
Phone: 301-249-2427
Website: www.queenannefarm.com
Information: Queen Anne Farm is known for using natural growing practices, and is the perfect place to pick a pumpkin, explore a corn maze, ride a tractor-pulled hayride, meet farm animals and enjoy activities in the Pumpkin House. Open weekends through October 10 AM-5 PM
PLAYFUL PARENTS TOP FIVE PICKS FOR BEYOND SOUTHERN MARYLAND
The following farms are beyond Southern Maryland; however, are hands down the best farms that we have visited. You wont want to missing celebrating fall at any of these farms.
CHERRY CREST FARM
Location: 150 Cherry Hill Rd. Strasburg, PA
Phone: 1-866-546-1799
Website: www.cherrycrestfarm.com
Information: This was the first farm we ever visited as a family and is till our favorite farm to visit! Nestled right in the heart of Pennsyvania Dutch Land this working farm is the perfect place to harvest wholesome family fun. It’s a added bonus that the Pennsylvania Railway runs through the property. You can ride the train to the farm or just enjoy watching the locomotive travel by. Cherry Crest Playful Parent Guide
BELVEDERE PLANTATION
Location: 1410 Belvedere Dr. Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: 540.373.4478
Website: www.belvedereplantation.com
Information: Belvedere Plantation is a 645 acre heritage farm, built in the 1760s on the historic Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg, Virginia. You are sure to have hours of fun with attractions like a zipline, straw jump, trike track, pumpkin mountain slide, pedal carts, barrel train and jumping pillow. Check out their website for information on events like the Final Flashlight Maze and Pumpkin Pounding Event.
Belvedere Plantation Playful Parent Guide
COX FARM
Location: 15621 Braddock Rd Centreville, VA
Phone: 703-830-4121
Website: www.coxfarms.com
Information: Cox Farm is celebrating its 43rd annual Fall Festival which runs daily from Sept. 15 – Nov. 5, from 10 AM -6 PM. With a map full of outdoor activities, goat village, and Cornundrum Cornfield Adventure you will need more than one visit to see and do everything. This farm features the awesome six lane wide, 150 foot long dinosaur of a slide. Be sure to check out their website for events and live entertainment schedule.
GAVER FARM
Location: 5501 Detrick Rd. Mt. Airy, Maryland
Phone: 301-865-3515
Website: Gaver Farm
Information: Located in Mt. Airy, Maryland, Gaver Farm is open daily for it’s 11th Annual Fall Fun Festival, Farm Market, pumpkin picking and pick your own apples starting September 7th. A few things that make this farm special are their Silo Chute, Apple Cider Donuts, free fudge tasting and Maryland Pride corn maze. Don’t miss out on fun events; First Responder Appreciation Week, Fall Festival, Apple Harvest Festival and more.
Gaver Farm Playful Parent Guide
GREENSTREET GARDEN
Location: 391 West Bay Front Rd. Lothian, MD
Phone: 410.867.9500
Website: Greenstreet Gardens
Information: Greenstreet Gardens is a beautiful and serine farm located in Lothian Maryland. Green Street’s Fall Festival is open late September – October every weekend from 10:30 AM -5 PM. Green Street Gardens is family and community friendly and offers an array of fun events this season such as: Hero’s Weekend, Costume Parade and Grandparents weekend. Your little ones are sure to love the giant corn box, cow train and jumbo jumping pillow. Greenstreet Garden Playful Parent Guide
SUMMER FARM
Location: Fredrick, MD
Website: Summers Farm
Information: Summers Farm is located in Frederick, Maryland Summers Farm opens the last week of September – the end of October this year with an old-fashioned Harvest Festival featuring a Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, more than 30 activities, live weekend music, apple blasting and finger-lickin’ good food. Check out their calendar for fireworks and events schedule. Summers Farm Playful Parent Guide
THEME PARKS WITH HALLOWEEN ADVENTURES
The following three theme parks offer festive fall fun without getting to scary during the day. Each park has a set time they switch from kids silly spooky fun during the day to mature adult scary theme park thrills at night fall.
KINGS DOMINION- GREAT PUMPKIN FEST & HALLOWEEN HAUNT
Location: Kings Dominion, Dowell, VA
Great Pumpkin Link & Halloween Haunt Link
Details: Join Kings Dominion for the ultimate fall festival, The Great Pumpkin Fest! Families and kids can participate in a collection of scare-free Halloween activities for kids presented by the PEANUTS characters like pumpkin decorating and so much more. Best of all, it’s all included with your admission to Kings Dominion in the fall!
Dates: September 22- October 28, 2018
BUSCH GARDENS- SESAME STREET HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR & HOWL-O-SCREAM
Location: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA
Halloween Spooktacular Link & Howl-O-Scream Link
Details: Celebrate silly, not-too-spooky fun on Saturdays and Sundays in October. Children (under 9) are invited to come dressed up and join in our costume parade during this daytime event. There are other family-friendly activities, too, like our all-new hay maze, trick-or-treating locations and interactive show. Please use discretion when visiting the park with young children after 5:45 pm when frightening elements come out for Howl-O-Scream.
Dates: September 21 – October 29
SIX FLAGS- LOONEY TUNES SPOOKY TOWN & FRIGHT FEST (Sept 15 – Oct 28)
COUNTY FAIR DATES & DETAILS
CHARLES COUNTY FAIR
Date: September 13-15, 2018
Location: 8440 Fairground Road La Plata, MD
Cost: Age 11 and over: $10.00 Age 10 and under: Free/ 4 Day Passes: $25.00
Deal Days: All School Children admitted FREE on Friday, September 14th from 9:00am to 5:00pm. FREE Parking on-site and at the satellite location at the Government building in La Plata. Thursday, Sept. 13 —Ride All Evening For One Price. Friday, Sept. 14 — “Kids Day” All Rides Reduced From 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Sunday, Sept. 16 —Ride 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM For One Price.
CALVERT COUNTY FAIR
Date: September 26-30, 2018
Location: 140 Calvert Fair Drive, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Cost: $5
ST MARY’S COUNTY FAIR
Date: September 20-23, 2018
Location: 42455 Fairgrounds Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650
Cost: $Daily: Adult ticket $7, children 6 to 12 $1, children under 6 free
Season passes: Adult $10, children 6 to 12 $2.
Daily Deals: The rides take from 1 to 5 Carnival tickets. Carnival tickets cost $1 or a strip of 25 tickets costs $20. Friday (kids day) 10:00AM to 5 PM, all rides are 1 ticket (children only). Thursday and Sunday, wristbands are available for $30. ($5 discount coupon is available at schools, and on-line Click here for coupon)
MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
Date: August 25 , 26 September 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21
Time: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Location: Maryland Renaissance Festival – 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401
Details: Every one of the nine weekends of the Maryland Renaissance Festival is filled with more than 200 performers entertaining on ten stages, joust tournament field and streets of the 16th century English village. Seven weekends include additional performers or special guests to create additional themed Special Event Weekends. PLAYFUL PARENT RENN FEST GUIDE
LOCAL EVENTS IN SOMD MARYLAND BY CATEGORY
Here is a list of all the events in one spot so you can navigate all the fun things happening around town. You can print this cheat sheet and hang on the fridge as a reminder for events you don’t want to miss. It will continue to grow over time so stay tuned. For details on each event visit the community calendar.
GIVEAWAY
- Michelle G. won a family of four pass to both Kings Dominion Great Pumpkin Fest and Montpelier Farm Fall Festival. Giveaway closed September 13, 2018.
FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS…WE WISH YOU A HAPPY FALL!!!
***The Playful Parent was not paid to promote or advertise for any of the listed businesses. All information is based on my own honest unbias opinion. All content and photos from this article are property of The Playful Parent. ***
September 7, 2018 at 8:25 am
Yay thanks for the giveaway. We love going to cox farms as our fall family tradition!
September 7, 2018 at 9:40 pm
Cox farm is so fun
September 7, 2018 at 8:37 pm
i truly love your articles! so helpful! we love visiting different pumpkin patches, but our fave at-home tradition is pumpkin carving and roasting (and eating!) the pumpkin seeds!
September 7, 2018 at 9:40 pm
So glad the articles are helpful! I love roasting pumpkin seeds too
September 7, 2018 at 9:30 pm
Fall is a great reminder for my husband and I to focus on our little family. The weather makes us really excited to take our 2 year old out. It also helps because it’s hubby’s birthday so we are always up for adventure!
September 7, 2018 at 9:39 pm
Love this! My boys and hubby all have fall birthdays too
September 8, 2018 at 9:08 pm
Our family tries to go to Montpelier every October for their fall festival and we always have a blast! We haven’t been to Kings Dominion in many years, but it would be amazing to go!
September 8, 2018 at 11:34 pm
I love the smell in the air and all the pretty colors of the leaves during fall season! I love summers farm!
September 9, 2018 at 7:51 pm
Our family loves Fall for the crisp weather, the pretty colors the trees bring & going to local pumpkin patches with our 2 daughters. Lots of fun family memories made each fall. Thanks for sharing all the fun things to do this fall
September 27, 2018 at 8:40 pm
Thank you everyone for entering. We had over 140 entries. The winner is Michelle Groft