The leaves are changing, the air is crisper, and the best things to do in Fall in Washington DC beckon. You’re ready to the festivities, but you don’t know where to start. Sound familiar? This year, when fall comes around in DC, fear not – you won’t have to worry about planning fun excursions for your family, friends, or significant other. Check out the 17th Street High Heel Race, Barktoberfest, Oyster Riot, or any of the other great things to do in town on this list to welcome the new season the right way. There’ll be tons of tasty food, entertainment, and, yes, craft beers to enjoy as take a deeper look at the best things to do in Fall in Washington DC.
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3200 Mount Vernon Hwy, Mt Vernon |
Every October, Mount Vernon hosts a family harvest day the weekend before Halloween. Play colonial games, ride in a horse-drawn wagon, and listen to old-timey music with the whole family. Afterwards, you can check out Pioneer Farm for an 18-century role-play demonstration by General Washington. |
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1115 East West Highway, Silver Spring |
Hosted at Denizens Brewing Co, it’s the perfect way to start off Oktoberfest. The festival features live music, over 40 sour beers from 20 different breweries, including local favorites like Right Proper, 3 Stars, or Mad Fox, and a special menu created just for the event that includes a lot of shucking. |
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19120 Martinsburg Rd, Dickerson |
Markoff’s Haunted Forest is one of the best things to do in Fall in Washington DC and has been scaring area residents for two decades. The fun starts in late September annually, and you can choose from two trails and a “town” option. The first trail is the classic option that’ll take you both above and underground with wooded terrain to break up each scene. The second trail, however, is an even spookier experience. |
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675 15th St NW |
Held the weekend before Thanksgiving, Oyster Riot prepares you for the amount of eating that lies ahead. Spend two days at Old Ebbitt Grill slurping on 25 different oysters from both coasts, and all the wine your stomach will be able to handle. |
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17558 Dry Mill Road, Leesburg |
Celebrate fall with your best-four legged friend and support a great cause. The Friends of Homeless Animals non-profit hosts games and contests. There’s also live music, raffles with proceeds that go to helping animals in need, food trucks, vendors, wine tasting, and unlimited beer samples to enjoy. |
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1215 U St NW |
Bentzen Ball is a yearly comedy festival that always brings fresh and top talent to the area, and is one the best things to do in Fall in Washington DC. The show starts off at Lincoln Theatre, and it continues throughout the whole weekend with shows at DC Improv, Grosvenor Auditorium, and more. Past acts have included comics like Tig Notaro, Jim Gaffigan and Janeane Garofalo. |
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2400 E Capitol St SE |
What better way to start off fall than by diving into delicious seasonal food? Taste of DC one of the biggest food festivals in the Mid-Atlantic, featuring cuisine from different cultures and regions. Past restaurants and food trucks featured here included Grub Rockstar, Mulan Dumpling Truck, Smoke-N-The-City, Sprinkles Cupcakes. There’s an artisan market and live music to savor in addition to the food as well. |
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610 F St NW |
Enjoy dance performances that highlight West African, tap, ballet, Indian classical and more through one of the biggest multi-cultural celebrations in DC. Tickets start as low as $18 for a Saturday matinee, and if you stick around long enough after, you may even get a free lesson on swing-dancing from a leading expert. |
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1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis |
From August to October, travel back in time when entertainment included archery and juggling. Shop artisan stores for silk scarves or hand-crafted jewelry, and don’t forget to savor the food (hello, giant turkey legs) here as well. Chow down on crabcakes, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimp dippers, and more. |
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Dupont Circle |
Held annually right before Halloween in Dupont Circle, drag queens race along a whole quarter mile path while spectators cheer on for their favorite contestant. Proceeds go towards Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets. |
Cheat Sheet
Don’t break out your coat until you read up more on the best things to do in Fall in Washington DC:
Assistant editor Christina Elia is currently pursuing her BA in Art History Communications at Fordham University, and writes about various topics ranging from arts and culture to practical tips and how-to advice. She has been published on online platforms such as The Odyssey. You can follow her on Twitter via @stinaelia
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