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An illustrated Loudoun weekend scene

The weekend guide for families in Loudoun

Weekend of · Fri 9 Oct – Mon 12 Oct

Pumpkins, kites, and a Monday off

We pick the family events worth your weekend, then check the parking, cost, crowds and what to know before you go.

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As featured inPatch“This New Guide Delivers Curated Weekend Plans To Loudoun County Families”Read the story →
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Area

Halloween in Loudoun

Trick-or-treat hours across Loudoun

Most places don't publish them. We checked each one, plus the parade, the trunk-or-treats and the farms.

See the hours

Our top picks for the weekend

  1. Fri
    Pumpkin Village after school

    Friday 9 October · 9:30am–6pm

    $19.95 · weekday price, last day before $24.95
  2. Sat
    DT Nepali Fest kites at One Loudoun, by day

    Saturday 10 October · Afternoon into evening

    Kite festival, food village and kids' activities · buy tickets ahead
  3. Sun
    Temple Hall at 9am, or the free Storybook Walk

    Sunday 11 October · 9am–5pm

    $15 with pumpkin and bouquet · last tickets 4pm
  4. Mon
    Great Country Farms, full program

    Monday 12 October · 9am–5pm

    From $14 ahead · pig races at 11, 1 and 3
If it rains SaturdaySwap DT Fest for Spook & Swim at Claude Moore Recreation & Community Center in Sterling. Indoors, but pre-register.

The weekend guide for families in Loudoun

Hand-picked events, and what to know before you go.

The weekend guide

Our take

DT Fest at One Loudoun on Saturday for Nepali music, food and kites. Temple Hall first thing Sunday for pumpkins. Go to Great Country Farms on Monday as the usual weekend activities are still running.

The question this week

Which pumpkin patch?

Per-ticket prices, and what each farm does best.

Temple Hall

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park · Leesburg

Sunday 11 October · 9am–5pm

Best value

$15Weekend · $12 weekday · pumpkin + bouquet included

Best for
Under-8s, a short morning
Know this
On-site tickets only. Card preferred. No dogs.

Great Country Farms

Great Country Farms · Bluemont

Monday 12 October · 9am–5pm

The full day

$14+Advance per person · pumpkins extra

Best for
A full day, all ages
Know this
Book ahead to save up to $4 a person (plus a $1 ticket fee). Dogs welcome.

Pumpkin Village

Leesburg Animal Park · Leesburg

Friday 9 October · 9:30am–6pm

The big one

$24.95Weekend · $19.95 Friday · free under 2

Best for
Slides, zip line, animals
Know this
Weekend tickets online only.

Friday

Fri 9 Oct

Pumpkin Village Fall Fest

Top pick

Leesburg Animal Park, Leesburg

19246 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg, VA 20175

Friday 9 October · 9:30am–6pm

$19.95 weekdays, $14.95 Wednesdays, $24.95 prime weekendsParking: On-site parking is included; the closest spaces fill first.Ages 10 and under

The best farm for animals and slides, and Friday is the last day this weekend at the weekday price.

Arrive: Straight after school, by 3:30

What to know before you go

From Saturday it's $24.95 a person, and weekend tickets are online only.
See full event

Moonlight Market at One Loudoun

One Loudoun Park, Ashburn

20387 Exchange Street, Ashburn, VA 20147

Friday 9 October · 5pm–9pm

Free entryParking: One Loudoun doesn't publish parking for its events, so allow time to find a space; earlier is easier.All ages

Makers and bakers after dark, dinner all around, home by bedtime.

Arrive: 5 to 6pm, before the dinner rush

What to know before you go

The market runs every Friday in October, so if this week doesn't work, there are more.
See full event

Saturday

Sat 10 Oct

Dashain & Tihar Festival (DT Fest)

Top pick

One Loudoun Festival Grounds, Ashburn

44578 Atwater Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147

Saturday 10 October · Afternoon into evening

$15 general admission · $100 VIP · $60 group of 5All ages

Nepali music, a food village and a kite festival. Youth competitions for the older ones.

What to know before you go

Families get the best of it by day, when the kites are up. Buy tickets ahead.
See full event

Loudoun Fall Festival

Dulles Town Center, Sterling

21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles, VA 20166 — in the lot in front of Macy's

Saturday 10 October · 11am–5pm

FreeAll ages

Makers, food and live music. An easy free second stop after a farm morning.

Arrive: After lunch, as a second stop

What to know before you go

It's in the lot in front of Macy's, not inside the mall.
See full event

Pueblo Unido Day

Sterling Community Center, Sterling

120 Enterprise St, Sterling, VA 20164

Saturday 10 October · 12pm–4pm

FreeAll ages

Folk dance, a DJ, an alpaca petting zoo and a moon bounce.

Arrive: Noon, for the first dance sets

What to know before you go

Food trucks include Bruster's, so dessert is sorted.
See full event

Morven Park International

Morven Park, Leesburg

Morven Park Equestrian Center, 41580 Sunday Morning Ln, Leesburg, VA 20176

Saturday 10 October · 8am–5pm

FreeAll ages

Olympic-level horses jumping solid fences across open fields. Saturday is cross-country, the day to bring kids.

Arrive: At the cross-country start

What to know before you go

Free, but everyone needs a grounds pass. Choose a 1-, 3- or 4-day pass when you register. Cross-country is Saturday, the best day to go. Leashed dogs are welcome.

See full event

Spook & Swim

Claude Moore Recreation Center, Sterling

46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling, VA 20164

Saturday 10 October · 9am–10:30am

$7Parking: Large lot, fills up middayAll ages

The rainy-day pick. Floating pumpkin patch, ghosts to dive for.

Arrive: Your registered session time

What to know before you go

Pre-register. You can't just turn up. Register ahead with course code 173780-01.
See full event

Hanson Halloween Hunt

Hal & Berni Hanson Regional Park, Aldie

22831 Hanson Park Dr, Aldie, VA 20105

Saturday 10 October · 7am–7pm

FreeParking: The county doesn't publish parking details. Hanson is a big regional park, so allow a few minutes to find the Nature Center.All ages

Pumpkins and friendly ghouls to find with a scavenger sheet from the Nature Center.

Arrive: Morning, while little legs are fresh

What to know before you go

Closed Sundays, so go Saturday or Monday. Pick up the hunt sheet at the Nature Center, open Mon–Sat 10am–4pm.
See full event

Sunday

Sun 11 Oct

Temple Hall Farm Pumpkin Patch

Top pick

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, Leesburg

15855 Limestone School Rd, Leesburg, VA 20176

Sunday 11 October · 9am–5pm

$12 weekdays, $15 weekends; under 2 freeParking: Use the signed event parking area and allow extra time near opening.All ages

The cheapest of the big three for a family. Go at 9 before the wagon line builds.

Arrive: 9am, before the wagon line builds

What to know before you go

Tickets are sold on site only and card is preferred. Last tickets 4pm. No dogs.
See full event

Storybook Walk opening

Suzanne R. Kane Nature Preserve, Purcellville

N 21st St, Purcellville, VA 20132

Sunday 11 October

FreeAges 10 and under

A brand-new trail: read a page, walk to the next. Short and gentle.

What to know before you go

It's a stop on the Celebrate Purcellville passport, from Town Hall or the library.
See full event

Monday

Mon 12 Oct

Insect scavenger hunt at Claude Moore Park

Claude Moore Park, Sterling

21544 Old Vestal's Gap Rd, Sterling, VA 20164

Monday 12 October · 7am–8pm

FreeParking: Use the lot named on the event listing; the park has several entrances.All ages

Pick up a flyer and spot the creepy crawlies hidden along the trail. Short, free and quiet while everyone else is queuing at a pumpkin patch.

Arrive: Between 9 and 5, when the Visitor Center is open for the hunt flyer.

What to know before you go

The flyer is in the Visitor Center foyer. Runs daily through 30 Nov, 7am–8pm.

See full event

Fall Pumpkin Harvest at Great Country Farms

Top pick

Great Country Farms, Bluemont

18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, VA 20135

Monday 12 October · 9am–5pm

$14 kids, $16 adults online; $18 at the gate; 2 and under freeParking: Grass field parking, arrive before 10am on SaturdaysAll ages

The whole-household farm runs its full weekend program on Monday.

Arrive: 9am, or plan around the 11am pig race

What to know before you go

Book ahead to save up to $4 a person (plus a $1 ticket fee). Pumpkins cost extra by weight. Dogs welcome.
See full event

Before it fills

Book this now

Sat 17 Oct

Truck-or-Treat, Claude Moore ParkEveryone registers, grown-ups too. Under 2 free.Get tickets

Sat 17–Sun 18 Oct

Loudoun Fall Farm TourPick three farms close together and start early.See the farm map

Your turn

What should we know for next weekend?

Found a brilliant family event, or spotted something we should check? Send it our way.

hello@loudoungo.com
LoudounGo

The weekend guide for families in Loudoun

Hand-picked events, and what to know before you go.