Arlington's fall season ends with pumpkin programs at Long Branch Nature Center Oct. 31, MoCA's Día de los Muertos picnic Nov. 1 and pumpkins at the markets.

Last checked Oct. 27, 2026. This page is updated each year. Facts come from Arlington County’s Parks and Recreation Halloween list and event pages, the Ballston BID, the Rosslyn BID and the county’s farmers markets page.

Arlington’s fall season runs through its parks, nature centers and business districts, not farm fields. The biggest county-run fall event, the Pumpkin Walk at Lubber Run, was Saturday, Oct. 17. Still ahead: pumpkin and campfire programs at the nature centers on Halloween and MoCA Arlington’s free Día de los Muertos picnic on Sunday, Nov. 1. Arlington’s parks and markets list no pick-your-own pumpkin patch; for pumpkins, go to a weekend farmers market. Questions about county programs go to park maintenance at 703-228-6525 or the program’s own page.

Updated Oct. 27: the Oct. 23-26 events have passed; the Nov. 1 Día de los Muertos picnic is added.

What this means for you

  • Saturday, Oct. 31: Fun with Pumpkins at Long Branch Nature Center, 11 a.m. to noon, and a Ghost Stories Campfire at 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 1: Día de los Muertos picnic at MoCA Arlington, 5 to 8 p.m., free.
  • Pumpkins: Columbia Pike market Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Courthouse market Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon.
  • Nature center programs need registration through the county.

Still to come

  • Oktoberfest, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, Langston-Brown Community Center, 2121 N. Culpeper St., for adults 55 and older, with non-alcoholic beers, pretzels and music.
  • Fun with Pumpkins, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 31, Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road. Pumpkin treats and a pumpkin craft to take home.
  • Ghost Stories Campfire, 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Long Branch or Gulf Branch fire ring.
  • Día de los Muertos Celebration: An Evening Picnic, 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, on the lawn of MoCA Arlington, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Free, with mariachi, folklórico dance, an ofrenda, food trucks and a Catrina parade. MoCA Arlington.

Already held this fall

  • Fall Owl Prowl at Long Branch Nature Center and Rosslyn’s Howl-O-Ween at Gateway Park, Friday, Oct. 23, and Marine Corps Marathon weekend, Oct. 24-25.
  • Pumpkin Walk, Saturday, Oct. 17, Lubber Run Community Center: a trail of carved and decorated pumpkins, Halloween crafts and an outdoor movie, run by the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The county asked visitors to use Metro (the Ballston station is about a 20-minute walk) or ART buses because parking was limited.
  • Festival of Lights: Diwali Celebration, Friday, Oct. 16, Ballston Quarter, from the Ballston BID: a free evening with a pop-up market, henna, a dance performance and a community rangoli.
  • Painted Pumpkins, Oct. 3, and Halloween Lanterns, Oct. 10, county family art workshops.

Pumpkins and fall produce

Arlington has 11 farmers markets this season, the county says. Markets open on weekends through fall include:

Market When Where
FRESHFARM Arlington Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon Courthouse parking lot, 1400 N. Courthouse Road
Cherrydale Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, through November 4100 Vacation Lane
Lubber Run Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, through November 4401 N. Henderson Road
Columbia Pike Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 2820 Columbia Pike
Westover Sundays, 8 a.m. to noon, through November 1644 N. McKinley Road
Fairlington Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 3308 S. Stafford St.

What each vendor brings changes week to week; check the market’s own page. Full details are on our farmers markets guide.

Fall leaves

Arlington County’s fall vacuum leaf collection starts Monday, Nov. 9. See our trash and recycling guide for the schedule and how to rake to the curb.

Hosting a fall festival, harvest event or trunk-or-treat in Arlington? Send it through our contact page.

Related guides: trick-or-treat hours, parks and trails and farmers markets.

Frequently asked questions

Are there pumpkin patches in Arlington, Virginia?

Arlington’s parks and markets do not list a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Pumpkins and fall produce are sold at the county’s weekend farmers markets, such as Columbia Pike on Sundays and the Courthouse market on Saturdays.

What fall festivals are left in Arlington in 2026?

County nature centers run pumpkin and campfire ghost story programs on Saturday, Oct. 31, and MoCA Arlington holds a free Día de los Muertos picnic from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. The county’s Pumpkin Walk at Lubber Run was Oct. 17.

When was the Arlington Pumpkin Walk in 2026?

Saturday, Oct. 17, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., along a trail of carved pumpkins at Lubber Run Community Center, run by Arlington County’s Department of Parks and Recreation.