Your Guide to Halloween 2013 Events in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC

By Patch Staff

Halloween 2013 events are all around the region, in Northern Virginia, in Maryland and in Washington, DC.

Here are some Halloween 2013 activities, some close to home and some just a short distance away.

This is not a horror show or a haunted house. Meet a creative cast of characters, including live animals, along a stroller friendly, nature themed Trick-or-Treat Trail and inside the Nature House, turned Halloween House.  Enjoy jack-o-lanterns, carnival style games, sound and light effects, and creatures of the night.

Halloween Family Day - at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods is Saturday, Oct. 19 from 12 to 2 p.m.. The free event is for ages 1 to 8.  

 Any Halloween happenings we failed to scare up? Add them to our Halloween 2013 Open Blog, to our calendar or send an announcement to Patch readers.

YMCA Reston is having a Family Halloween Party on Oct. 29. Click here for details.

COX FARMS FESTIVAL

15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, Va. (703) 830-4121

2013 Dates: Through Nov. 5; hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

November 2-3 is Pumpkin Madness Weekend; discounts to public servants Nov. 2-3. More than just a pumpkin patch, with a spaceship, mining sluice and mechanical bull new this year. The festival includes giant slides, hayrides, rope swings, farm animals, straw tunnels, apples and cider, food, entertainment Small patch pumpkins for everyone with paid admission.

HEATHER HILL GARDENS

8111 Ox Rd., Fairfax Station, Va. (703) 690-6060

2013 dates: Through October. Open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Zip on over to the zip line and be sure to visit the pumpkin fort. Look for a moon bounce and farm animals, too.

TICONDEROGA FARMS

26469 Ticonderoga Road, Chantilly, Va. (703) 327-4424

2013 dates: Through first week of November, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m

Hay rides and fun, spooky zones, hillside tunnels and a train ride, plus Noah’s Ark, petting animals, swinging bridge, antique tractors, fire pits, and, of course, pumpkins.

LEESBURG ANIMAL PARK

19270 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg, Virginia (703) 433-0002

2013 dates: Through Nov. 5, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. (5 p.m. after Daylight Savings) All kinds of things for the little ones at this petting zoo. A hay maze, unlimited hayrides, straw mountains, rope swings and more.

MOUNT VERNON FALL HARVEST FAMILY DAYS

George Washington Parkway, Mount Vernon, Va. (703) 780-2000

2013 dates: Oct. 26 - 27, 2013, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Horse-drawn wagon rides at this huge fall festival but, alas, no pumpkins.

BURKE NURSERY AND GARDEN CENTER

9401 Burke Road, Burke, Va. (703) 323-1188

2013 dates: Through Oct. 31. The annual Fall Festival and Pumpkin Playground runs daily from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Who doesn’t want some clowns to counteract all the ghosts this season — unless, of course, you’re afraid of clowns, too. All kinds of farm animals, magicians, musicians and wagon rides.

CORN MAZES

THE MAIZE AT TEMPLE HILL FARM REGIONAL PARK

15789 Temple Hall Lane, Leesburg, Va. (703) 779-9372.

2013 dates: Through Nov. 5.

Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

CORN MAZE AT LIBERTY MILLS FARM

9166 Liberty Mills Road, Somerset, Va. (434) 882-MAZE (6293).

2013 dates: Through Nov. 3

The big-daddy of Virginia corn mazes. Four separate trails range in difficulty and take about 30 minutes for the easiest. Feeling bold? Take 2-3 hours for the most challenging. Picking: flowers, produce, pumpkins or strawberries.

CORN MAZE IN THE PLAINS

Old Tavern Rd., Just off I-66, Exit 31, The Plains, Va. (540) 456-7339.

2013 dates: Through Nov. 3. Fridays 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Columbus Day (Monday, Oct. 14) 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Corn maze adventure, giant slides, animals and hayrides.

SUMMERS FARM CORN MAZE

5614 Butterfly Lane, Frederick, Md. (301) 620-9316.

2013 dates: Through Nov. 5.

Part of Summers Farm Adventure which includes a huge jumping pillow, a pumpkin train and — wait for it — pig races!

DAIRY FARM TOURS CORN MAZE ADVENTURE AT COWS-N-CORN

5225 Catlett Road, Midland, Va. (540) 439-4806.

2013 dates: Weekends through October. Friday 4-9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 12:30-8 p.m.

Corn maze, haunted corn maze, gift shop, hay rides and, you got it, cows.

A-BOOS-MENT, AMUSEMENT PARKS

FRIGHT FEST AT SIX FLAGS AMERICA

Mitchellville, Md. Directions.

2013 Dates: Through Oct. 27.

Billed as one of the largest Halloween celebrations in the metro area, Six Flags has street entertainment, and a trail for kids to trick-or-treat.

HALLOWEEN HAUNT AT KINGS DOMINION

Doswell, Va. Directions.

2013 dates: Through Oct. 27

Special mazes and scare zones, and a special, less-scary place for kids.

Bar Crawls

Mark your calendars for Friday, Oct. 25: HiBall Events is hosting a Monster Bar Crawl along the Orange Line in Arlington from 4 to 9 p.m. Tickets cost about $12, and $1 of that will be donated to Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia. So far, 20 bars in Ballston, Courthouse and Clarendon are participating. Costume contests and drink specials are expected to be announced closer to the event. Get off your broom and check out Clarendon Nights for the full rundown of participating venues.

HALLOWEEN’S A ZOO

BOO AT THE ZOO

National Zoo, Washington, DC

2013 dates: Oct. 25-27, 2013, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Kids can trick-or-treat while visiting bats, spiders, owls, and other animals. Haunted trails at the annual National Zoo’s Halloween celebration. More than 40 stations will be manned by costumed volunteers handing out candy.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING ZOO

National Zoo, Washington, DC

2013 Date: Oct. 30, 2013, 6:30 - 10 p.m.

Palm readers, fire eaters, talking bats, and illusionists. 21 years and older only, with a valid ID.

GHOST TOURS

Alexandria’s Original Ghost & Graveyard Tour

Alexandria’s Footsteps to the Past

Leesburg Ghost Tours

Paranormal Tours at Oatlands

Historic Occoquan Ghost Tours

Call (571) 572-9410 or email Hauntedoccoquan@gmail.com.

LOVE A PARADE

Leesburg Kiwanis Halloween Parade

Oct. 31, 6-8 p.m. Ida Lee Park, King Street to Fairfax Street, Leesburg, Va. This Northern Virginia community has held an annual parade every year since 1957, except for last year due to Hurricane Sandy, so be sure to come out this year!

Vienna

October 23, 7 p.m. Maple Avenue (Route 123) from Branch Road to Center Street. Vienna, Va. The parade brings the community together to show off their Halloween costumes. Held rain or shine.

Falloween at Market Commons

Oct. 26, 11:30 a.m. Market Common Clarendon, 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, Va.

Del Ray Halloween Parade

Oct. 27, 2-3:30 p.m. Del Ray (Alexandria), Va. 17th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade along Mount Vernon Avenue between Bellefonte Avenue and the playing fields at Mount Vernon Recreation Center. There have been thousands of participants in the past. Costumed children, adults, strollers and pets are all invited to march. There is no registration for children and families that march in the parade. Those participating gather on Mount Vernon Avenue south of Bellefonte Avenue prior to 2 p.m.

HALLOWEEN RUNS AND ZOMBIE WALKS

Air & Scare at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Oct. 26, 2013, 2-7 p.m. National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, Va.

Blood and Guts Run

Oct. 26, 2013, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Bull Run Regional Park, Centreville, Va.

Among the events: A 5k zombie obstacle course.

Zombie Run at National Harbor

Oct. 26, 2013, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Plaza at National Harbor in Maryland at the foot of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. 5K run to raise money for Smile Train, an international charity that provides cleft palate surgery to children in developing countries.